Harbor Freight Tools that DO SUCK II

[5030]

Predator engines and Predator gas powered stuff from HF is generally good and every Pred engine I have (I have 3) has been perfect. IMO, they have the best value in small engines anywhere.

 

[bcp]

Went from a twist drill to a 'untwist drill. Should have reversed the rotation of the drill motor and re-twisted it...lol

I agree, the HF drills are basically junk. So are their tap and die sets, totally worthless.

I find their tap and dies useful for cleaning dirty threads.

Bruce

 

[Ford850]

I have had the 35407 tap and die set for 15 years or so, and it's performed well for me. I really take care when using it though, expecting less than stellar quality and knowing most failures of taps and dies are due to user error.
I have to add the O-ring sets to the DO suck list though. I bought the large O-Ring Assortments (red and blue boxes) figuring they were cheap and not expecting a lot, but thought I could use them in hoses, hand sprayers, etc, that didn't need the best quality. What I soon found was they are all undersized slightly. Not enough that I can use the next larger size, but just enough that they are too small to seal properly. Those that I can use end up dry rotted within a few months and need replacements way too often. I rarely reach for those boxes anymore, and find myself buying properly sized O-rings from hardware or box stores most of the time.

 

[5030]

Chineseum rubber in general is sub standard and prone to rotting. besides, it stinks (smells) terrible.

 

[the old grind]

Just about any 4" rimmed pneumatic tires are the worst examples of s__ rubber from Asia. I suppose if they bulked-up a batch of mix with charcoal instead of coal dust the smell might not be as bad. That said they can be diced and used to kindle brush piles or nailed onto sticks for torches when hunting Bigfoot.

 

[5030]

Didn't know that. I learned something. Now I know why it stinks.

 

[daugen]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

I have been waiting to post here the demise of my new 79.95 HF powerwasher. However...it's been used three times so far,
has more pressure than expected, and none of the cheesy fittings have broken yet. In fact hooking up the hose to the unit was
easiest ever. I downsized dramatically and have gone from a 4000psi GX390 powered unit to this little wimpy green thing.
For 80 bucks, there is no way this thing will last.

of course I have found if you want to wreck an inexpensive powerwasher immediately, just loan it out to a friend or neighbor.
They always yank on the cheap easy kink hose and 30 bucks later I get my baby washer back. I found out long ago that a 4000 psi
powerwasher will peel off labels and stickers on equipment far quicker than I liked. So I always had two, one high powered gas and a cheapy
electric one for cleaning off farm equipment.

 

[Alan W.]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

I have been waiting to post here the demise of my new 79.95 HF powerwasher. However...it's been used three times so far,
has more pressure than expected, and none of the cheesy fittings have broken yet. In fact hooking up the hose to the unit was
easiest ever. I downsized dramatically and have gone from a 4000psi GX390 powered unit to this little wimpy green thing.
For 80 bucks, there is no way this thing will last.

of course I have found if you want to wreck an inexpensive powerwasher immediately, just loan it out to a friend or neighbor.
They always yank on the cheap easy kink hose and 30 bucks later I get my baby washer back. I found out long ago that a 4000 psi
powerwasher will peel off labels and stickers on equipment far quicker than I liked. So I always had two, one high powered gas and a cheapy
electric one for cleaning off farm equipment.

Mine has just recently started acting up after many years of being put through more than I thought it could do.
They were blue when I bought mine.

 

[crazyal]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

........

The tube in the front tire on my backhoe needed replacing so I bought one of TS Travelers brand tubes. Since it had been decades since the tire was removed lots of rust formed inside the wheel and the rim had some damage. I spend an hour or so removing the rust and dents and then grinding smooth anything that I felt could be an issue. While trying to stretch the tube to put it on the wheel it ripped wide open. After removing it I pulled on the rip and it tore like a piece of paper. I figured it was just a bad tube so I exchanged it for the ony other one of that size they had in stock and tried stretching it in the store and it ripped as well. The casher just said "I don't think a tube should do that" and refunded my money. So I bought a Firestone brand tube and within minutes the tire had air. Tires and tubes at TSC are no better than HF.

 

[bmaverick]

The tube in the front tire on my backhoe needed replacing so I bought one of TS Travelers brand tubes. Since it had been decades since the tire was removed lots of rust formed inside the wheel and the rim had some damage. I spend an hour or so removing the rust and dents and then grinding smooth anything that I felt could be an issue. While trying to stretch the tube to put it on the wheel it ripped wide open. After removing it I pulled on the rip and it tore like a piece of paper. I figured it was just a bad tube so I exchanged it for the ony other one of that size they had in stock and tried stretching it in the store and it ripped as well. The casher just said "I don't think a tube should do that" and refunded my money. So I bought a Firestone brand tube and within minutes the tire had air. Tires and tubes at TSC are no better than HF.

exactly. Tubes are crappy everyplace now. Bet an ant can move a china rubber tree plant. LOL

I do have a quad set of the 4-inch rim tires on my Gorilla Cart. The originals did not even last 1-year. The H-F ones are going on 4-years now. They are tubeless.

 

[jjeff]

Well the "heavy duty" hf chop saw I bought years ago started on fire after the first cut I attempted, I believe it was thin gauge rectangular tubing they did refund me when I returned a half melted carcass. Tried the small 5 speed bench top drill press I was surprised (well not really) a pine 2x4 could stop the chuck dead using a 1/4 inch bit. Finally I was using a friend's hf 100 amp Flux core welder at his place the lead touched some rather hot steel and burnt right through it. The liner the wire travels through was thinner than a cocktail straw.

 

[von-mil]

Back when the HF catalogs were still being mailed out, it seemed that every other item listed had the words "Heavy Duty" in their description.

 

[jjeff]

Said before and will say again, I have had zero issues with Bauer cordless tools and I use the heck out of them As cheap as they are, finding the smoke isn't a big deal but I've yet to find it.

I have found the smoke in DeWalt and in Makita before. They both stink like rice paper insulation.

Dewalts are great. had Milwaukee's 18volt nicad tools was always replacing batteries fortunately the Milwaukee stuff was stolen 15 years ago so I started buying Dewalt they had a smarter charger. I still have 15yr old xrp nicad batteries that hold a charge, barely. Dewalt has a three year warranty and had a service shop in Milwaukee. To my surprise They rebuilt my 18 volt xrp impact and xrp drill no questions asked no cost to me, both were beat to crap and smoked among other things. The key I found is to research the model numbers and get the xrp stuff not the consumer brand name compact junk at big box stores. Ive replaced the Nicad stuff with the brushless lithium ion tools and love it! somehow in my head I justified upgrading and bringing my old 18 volt dewalt tools to my cabin where they became invaluable. Dewalt also makes a lithium ion battery converter so you can run 20volt batteries in the 18 volt stuff which worked pretty good during my upgrade. Getting back to the subject HF clamps and vises are complete garbage in my experience.

 

[5030]

HF clamps and vises are complete garbage in my experience.

Mine too.

DeWalt replacement XR packs cost as much as an entire Bauer tool with a battery and a charger.

 

[jjeff]

Mine too.

DeWalt replacement XR packs cost as much as an entire Bauer tool with a battery and a charger.

But does Bauer say made in the USA (with global components)
Lol. I used to use these tools to make a living. hands down The xr and older xrp line are some of the best cordless tools out there in terms of durability, customer service, and reliability imo. however I will say the DeWalt drill bits and impact driver accessories suck.

 

[5030]

But does Bauer say made in the USA (with global components)
Lol. I used to use these tools to make a living. hands down The xr and older xrp line are some of the best cordless tools out there in terms of durability, customer service, and reliability imo. however I will say the DeWalt drill bits and impact driver accessories suck.

Candidly, I don't care. I don't use them for a living, I'm retired.

Not made in USA anyway. 'Assembled' in USA is more like it. For some reason (most likely marketing), the words made and assembled get blurred a lot.

I will say both the Icon and Chief brands are top shelf quality tools Not as cheap as Bauer but not as expensive (by a long shot) as Snap-On or MAC or IR and just as good, if not better, Those tools I'd use in my job if I needed to.

In defense of Bauer, I've yet to find the smoke in any of them. I have found the smoke in DeWalt. Sure stinks too. Smells like rice paper.

 

[jjeff]

Supposedly Bauer and DeWalt use the same battery cells I believe Samsung? To me Bauer are good hockey skates not power tools . If I didn't have a good previous experience with DeWalt I'd probably try hf cordless stuff. I'm also impressed with all the DeWalt 20volt tools available not really related to building like the grease gun, chain saw, weedeater, pole saw, etc.

 

[grsthegreat]

My dewalt tools are old, and keep on going. I made a living off of them tools.

i had an apprentice that bought a brand new HF hole hawg knockoff. Fried it on the first job. My milwaukee hole hogs are over 25 years old.....only replaced 1 trigger switch in one of them, and a couple of pigtail cords. I have 3 of those.

 

[Doughknob]

The pittsburgh 16" end nipper is crap. knife edge keeps breaking off little bits. it is apparently not heat treated properly. had 2 of these do this so far.

 

[Cougsfan]

It's easy to love HFT and easy to hate China but it takes a patriot to do both well.

As for HFT tools that do suck, you get what you pay for.

Boy have you hit the nail on the head, Old Grind.
I get so tired about people questioning if stuff is made in China or the third world. American companies, appealing to American's patriotism to get a sale, will lie through their teeth to claim it product is "American Made" when maybe 90% of the labor involved in manufacturing comes from the third world or China. It is empty patriotism.

But as far as Harbor Freight tools go. If you make your living using tools, you probably shouldn't buy tools there. If you are a guy who is going to use a tool once or twice and it will set in your shop seldom used, you should definitely buy tools there. And even at Harbor Freight you get what you pay for. More expensive Bauer is better than Warrior, and even more expensive Hercules is better than Bauer.