Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sixdogs]

You'll NEVER regret buying good high quality and usually , high cost tools... Or anything else for that matter.
Some things at HF do however have there place... And no I don't mean the trash. You have to pick & choose wisely.

You are sure right on that. But when it comes to heating and bending a wrench for one time use or beating on one with a hammer or where loss is an issue, HF is hard to beat for the money involved. Plus, their quality of wrenches keeps improving and I will say it's better than many USA tools of the late 1970's.

Not sure if the "42 inch off road farm jack" has been reviewed here before but I have one and like it. It is currently on sale for $40 which is certainly an excellent value. The jack is a traditional farm jack. It needs to be mounted on a base unless you use it only on a concrete pad. I just bolted it to a 10x10x2 and it works fine lifting my tractor. Solid simple traditional build. Potentially useful for other things as well like pulling fence posts thought I haven't done that. Obviously you need to block the tractor once lifted, this isn't something I would trust my life to but it works. . Farm Jacks - 42" 3-1/2 Ton Farm Jack

That is a good jack but spoiler alert for newbies here---it will take your teeth out or fracture your jaw if you aren't careful. The problem with this, or any of the farm type jacks is that they will "bounce ratchet" when you are lowering if you do not hang on to the handle tightly. Be extra careful when you lower them and don't let go of the handle.
My neighbor's dad had his jaw and eye socket fractured when the handle did that. I don't think on a HF model but they are all the same. Pay attention when you use these things.

 

[California]

[42" Farm jack] That is a good jack but spoiler alert for newbies here---it will take your teeth out or fracture your jaw if you aren't careful. The problem with this, or any of the farm type jacks is that they will "bounce ratchet" when you are lowering if you do not hang on to the handle tightly. Be extra careful when you lower them and don't let go of the handle.

I'll second that these need extreme caution. My experience with the original US version (Hi-Lift) that this is a clone of, is that they are always dangerous and unpredictable. I've never been injured but I recently had one fall all the way down after the first click to lower it. I had one edge of a rotary mower jacked up three ft to pressure-wash under it and based on prior bad experience was standing away from where the mower or jack could hit me. As the mower fell it kicked out the whole jack alongside me in an instant.

Years ago I used to use the same jack to lift a Willys Wagon by its trailer hitch when it got high centered, just raise it to the top of the mast and let the jack fall sideways to set down the Willys' tires on undisturbed ground (mud) alongside the ruts where it quit moving forward. Po' boy substitute for a winch!

The basic problem is the pins alternately engage the holes on the mast as the mechanism moves along it, but there is only spring pressure to engage the next pin (I think only when lowering, raising has positive forced engagement). If the jack is worn, rusty, dirty the spring won't overcome friction and the pin may engage just the extreme tip of its tooth, or not engage at all. Then you move the handle the opposite way which pulls out the other pin, and boom!

1) keep it greased, 2) don't stand anywhere that falling or kicking out, or the handle moving violently, can get you.

Maybe the HF version works better than the original Hi-Lift. I don't see how anything likely to cause so many injuries could be profitable to sell.

 

[California]

[42" Farm jack] That is a good jack but spoiler alert for newbies here---it will take your teeth out or fracture your jaw if you aren't careful. The problem with this, or any of the farm type jacks is that they will "bounce ratchet" when you are lowering if you do not hang on to the handle tightly. Be extra careful when you lower them and don't let go of the handle.

I'll second that these need extreme caution. My experience with the original US version (Hi-Lift) that this is a clone of, is that they are always dangerous and unpredictable. I've never been injured but I recently had one fall all the way down after the first click to lower it. I had one edge of a rotary mower jacked up three ft to pressure-wash under it and based on prior bad experience was standing away from where the mower or jack could hit me. As the mower fell it kicked out the whole jack alongside me in an instant.

Years ago I used to use the same jack to lift a Willys Wagon by its trailer hitch when it got high centered, just raise it to the top of the mast and let the jack fall sideways to set down the Willys' tires on undisturbed ground (mud) alongside the ruts where it quit moving forward. Po' boy substitute for a winch!

The basic problem is the pins alternately engage the holes on the mast as the mechanism moves along it, but there is only spring pressure to engage the next pin (I think only when lowering, raising has positive forced engagement). If the jack is worn, rusty, dirty the spring won't overcome friction and the pin may engage just the extreme tip of its tooth, or not engage at all. Then you move the handle the opposite way which pulls out the other pin, and boom!

1) keep it greased, 2) don't stand anywhere that falling or kicking out, or the handle moving violently, can get you.

Maybe the HF version works better than the original Hi-Lift. I don't see how anything likely to cause so many injuries could be profitable to sell.

 

[California]

Pressed Enter once, got a double post. What did I win?

 

[JimWalch]

I like one of the comments under the video " The other things you don't buy at harber freight, are life jackets, parachutes, fire extinguishers, and condoms."

So which one of you guys is making the videos :laughing:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k86S7reKobs

 

[5030]

Pressed Enter once, got a double post. What did I win?

A quepie doll.....

 

[buckeyefarmer]

stopped at HF on the way home today. Got 2 torque wrenches, 2 dollies, air chuck, furniture pad, and a lifting sling. Almost went for the 90A wire welder, but didn't. afterwards I told my wife, and she said "you should have gotten it". Didn't expect that. Wanted to get th little welding table but didn't have room for it. I don't intentionally go black friday shopping, but it was on the way home....

 

[sixdogs]

I like one of the comments under the video " The other things you don't buy at harber freight, are life jackets, parachutes, fire extinguishers, and condoms."

They sell a blood pressure cuff. Maybe steer clear of that one too.

 

[IslandTractor]

Pressed Enter once, got a double post. What did I win?

Lifetime subscription to TBN where double posts are a way of life.

 

[Scrambler82]

[QUOTEs=buckeyefarmer;4301139]stopped at HF - Almost went for the 90A wire welder, but didn't. afterwards I told my wife, and she said "you should have gotten it". Didn't expect that.[/QUOTE]


UNTIL... you decide to go get it and you walk in the door with it... !?!

How do the torque wrenches hold up and are they accurate ?