Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[newbury]

I'm about to buy the Lithium Ion Jump Starter and Power Pack for $70, unless I can also get the $10 off Viking products coupon (on page 34 of their last catalog) to work.

Looking at hfqdb I'm surprised I couldn't find that $10 off coupon online. Has anyone run across it online?

 

[LD48750]

I'm about to buy the Lithium Ion Jump Starter and Power Pack for $70, unless I can also get the $10 off Viking products coupon (on page 34 of their last catalog) to work.

Looking at hfqdb I'm surprised I couldn't find that $10 off coupon online. Has anyone run across it online?

The price in my catalog for that is 79.99 with the attached coupon making it 69.99.
Same price as on line price now.

Today is last day for that coupon.

 

[lostcreekranch]

The price in my catalog for that is 79.99 with the attached coupon making it 69.99.
Same price as on line price now.

Today is last day for that coupon.

I ordered and received one from Costco for $53.37 last month and free shipping. They had a promotion I've seen before.

Lithium Jump Starter And Portable Power Bank

 

[IslandTractor]

I ordered and received one from Costco for $53.37 last month and free shipping. They had a promotion I've seen before.

Lithium Jump Starter And Portable Power Bank

I have a similar one from a highly rated brand via Amazon at about the same price. No reason to spend this much for an HF branded battery. Much easier to deal with Costco or Amazon.

 

[tjkubota93]

TSC = Where suburbanites shop when they want to FEEL country.

That's funny, exactly why I don't go there unless I have to. And why my in laws do go there.............

 

[California]

That's funny, exactly why I don't go there unless I have to. And why my in laws do go there.............

But where else could you find the $65 Carhartt hoodie?

 

[newbury]

I ordered and received one from Costco for $53.37 last month and free shipping. They had a promotion I've seen before.

Lithium Jump Starter And Portable Power Bank

I have a similar one from a highly rated brand via Amazon at about the same price. No reason to spend this much for an HF branded battery. Much easier to deal with Costco or Amazon.

Going by ratings -
HF 12000 mAh LITHIUM IRON - NOT THE MORE EXPLOSIVE LITHIUM ION
Costco 8000 mAh Lithium what??

As I posted in another thread:

<snip>

For the Lithium IRON (LiFePO4) units I've found 4.

LiFePO4 Portable Power Pack 200 Amp (1 MIN) $137.96
and it's big brother
LiFePO4 Portable Power Pack 400 Amp (1 MIN) for $212.39


The Schumacher SL1 Lithium Ion Jump Starter, Fuel Pack and Backup Power for $161

And to me the potential winner the Harbor Freight Viking Lithium Ion Jump Starter and Power Pack for $75.

Reading reviews about the Shumacher and the HF products it seems there is a percentage of immediate failures but if they work initially then they work well.

There have only been a few TBN'ers who have reported on the HF starter but if I recall correctly they worked well for a small car.
<snip>

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I bought one at Costco recently.

 

[Garandman]

I think the HiLift jack is the most dangerous tool in my barn. Got to remember never to let go of the handle going up or down. Indeed, best to always keep two hands on it. And never let your head get between the handle arc and the jack. These things are widow makers.

It's like it wants to kill you!

Not trusting HF for that, bought a Hi Lift Extreme. Been watching training videos to see just how many ways it can kill you.....

 

[California]

It's like it wants to kill you!

Not trusting HF for that, I bought a Hi Lift Extreme. Been watching training videos to see just how many ways it can kill you.....

[video]

I'll summarize that video: he talks - slowly - for 12 minutes - about how they seem near identical.

That's it, he never lifts anything, just talks. There's one useful fact he cites without comment: The HF unit is simply rated 7 k lbs, while the Hi-Lift is rated 4650 lbs Safe Working Load and 7,000 lbs maximum.

That video links through to some others on the subject. I suggest skip to the end and find a different one to learn something from.

One thing I noted in the other videos: what is now called Hi-Lift Extreme is in fact their traditional model and another video showed a simple Hi-Lift that has a cheaper welded base that is apparently their later Version 2.

 

[IslandTractor]

It's like it wants to kill you!

Exactly. I think mine gives me the evil eye every time I walk past it.

 

[zoedog2012]

I chuckle to myself when ever Hi Lift jacks are mentioned remembering an article in Mother Earth News back in the 60's when one hippy wrote about his jack,"stand back or eat teeth"!

 

[California]

... Mother Earth News back in the 60's...

Oh man whatever happened to the Whole Earth Catalogue?

 

[bcp]

Oh man whatever happened to the Whole Earth Catalogue?

The magazine changed from "How to build it" to "What to buy". I never saw later Catalogs

Bruce

 

[California]

The magazine changed from "How to build it" to "What to buy".

Come to think of it, that summarized its evolution and demise. In parallel to Stuart Brand (founder) eventually taking that to the extreme. He bought the biggest Airstream trailer and married a Genuine Authentic American Indian and went out to travel the nation. Nothing but the finest. A year later he had neither.

 

[sixdogs]

.

It's like it wants to kill you!

Not trusting HF for that, bought a Hi Lift Extreme. Been watching training videos to see just how many ways it can kill you.....

...

Oh, heck, it won't kill you. It will just knock out your teeth, break your lower jaw or some combination of the above. But probably not kill.

The jack just auto-ratchets itself on the way down and if you are too close or do not hold the end of handle firmly 100% of the time, you'll see what I mean. 99% of the time is not good enough.

 

[California]

The jack just auto-ratchets itself on the way down ...

That's when its in good condition.

After it's got some grime in it the springs can't push the pins in at every stroke. When it misses one it falls all the way down.

BTDT.


That design where the pins are just pushed in by spring tension is fundamentally flawed. It should have positive mechanical engagement at each handle stroke.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I had a Hi Lift jack years ago. Used it in the desert when my jeep got stuck. Only thing it was ever good for was raising the jeep up high then knocking it over to get the tires in a better spot. Since the darn thing always wanted to fall over anyway, that was a natural thing to do with it. That did not require ratcheting down, which was always dangerous.

 

[tractorJohn22]

I always keep a nice lubricant around like Magic Tap when using my harbor freight tap + die set... they need all the help they can get but work well on simple jobs.

 

[crash325]

Go to an auto wrecking yard. Many older autos came with a "Bumper Jack". Does about the same job, almost always leans to 1 side. Should be very cheap.

If you are going to lift more than an old Buick or Chrysler., get a " Rail Road Jack ".

What Is a Railroad Jack? (with pictures)