Craftsman Tools - USA History: Round Head Ratchets - Rebuild & Discussion 

Welcome to the ancillary component of the Craftsman USA Ratchet History Project!
Here we focus on repairing ratchets!
The Round Head ratchet was made as a joint venture between the Danaher Corporation's Apex Group and the French company Facom. Apex Group created the ratchet body, where Facom made the drive mechanism.
This video features the USA made Craftsman Round Head Ratchets, which were offered through Sears stores, digital Sears Catalog (phone order), and the sears.com website from 1994 through the end of 2011.
Sears throughout the entire product's life used the name Round Head Ratchet and Non-Fine Tooth Round Head Ratchet interchangeably. The introduction of the "Non-Fine Tooth" aspect of the nomenclature is likely to avoid confusion between it and the true Round Head Fine Tooth (RHFT) Craftsman ratchet, which first made its appearance in the 1970s.
The "Round Head" ratchet follows only the principle philosophy that the RHFT does in terms of mechanism travel, where a toothed pawl travels the circumference of the round gear that is physically machined into the ratchet body itself. The "Round Head" has a dramatically different means of achieving this goal.
The "Round Head" ratchet's drive mechanism is actually fairly simple being composed of 5 pieces: the retention screw, retention plate, pawl, spring, and socket stud that also doubles as a pawl housing.
Despite the fine machining and genius of the mechanism's simplicity, real world execution of the principle goal is less so. My own personal accounts as well as anecdotal ones state that the drive mechanism's selector as vague and not assuring. Also, despite the few pieces and the assumed simplification of reassembly, maintenance can be a chore.
When comparing the "Round Head" to the RHFT, the "Round Head" has a significantly less graceful drive mechanism; however, to its advantage the "Round Head" does have a significantly more compact body and drive system profile.
Product numbers for each ratchet:
1/2” = 43176
3/8” = 43175
1/4” = 43174
Repair kit numbers for each USA ratchet:
1/2” = 43445
3/8” = 43435
1/4” = 43425
Appearance of USA Craftsman ratchets from end to beginning:
Premium Grade Ratchets [Final USA made Craftsman Ratchets]
Thumb Wheel Ratchets
Wrench Socket Series
The Next Generation Thin Profile Ratchets
Tear Drop Professional Full Polish Ratchets
Round Head Ratchets
Tear Drop Ratchets (4th Gen. Raised Panel)
Stainless Steel / Lifetime Ratchets
Wrist Ratchet
Round Head Fine Tooth (RHFT) Ratchets
Quick Release Ratchets (3rd Gen. Raised Panel)
Intermediate Ratchets (2nd & 3rd Gen. Raised Panel Hybrid)
Long Lever & Butterfly Ratchets (2nd Gen. Raised Panel)
1/2” Breaker Bar Ratchet Adapter
Boxhead Ratchet Wrenches (1st Gen. Raised Panel)
Circle U Ratchets
BM / Circle K Ratchets
BE & Circle H Ratchets (Multiple varieties)
BT Ratchet
Craftsman Vanadium Ratchets
C-XX Ratchets [1st USA made Craftsman Ratchets]