Are the Harbor Freight under hoist Jack stands really ok?
- Thread starter Lt CHEG
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5ubtle
Well-known member
If that's all that you said, no one would even take the time to respond. They are responding to the other (ridiculous) stuff you said.
If you want to say that's what you've posted in this thread, I'd like to know what color the sky is in your world
I agree that I don't trust the Chinese on QC. But where is all of this Chinese steel that's substandard and failing recently? HF, and all the other rebranding companies, including OTC, sell millions of jacks, jack stands, engine stands, engine support bars, engine hoists.... a year that are made from Chinese steel. How many had the steel fail when used under the design load?
I'm aware of their jack stand recall, but that was a tolerance thing, not garbage mild steel sheet that was failing. Again, I don't disagree with the verify portion, but disagree with the notion that there's a huge issue with Chinese steel not meeting minimum specs and failing under design loads- and that we need to fear this as a significant possibility. Maybe there is, but where is the proof? It's like the hydrogen embrittlement "scare" in the ball joint press thread. Yes, it exists, but you have a better chance of being struck by lightning, so if that's the case, don't even get out of bed.
It's kind of like how people will say that you can't trust imported (probably >90%) SAE grade 5 and 8 fasteners because of possible counterfeits; because there have been incidences with counterfeit aerospace fasteners .... Ok, fine, but what about all of the stories about SAE or metric fasteners from reputable suppliers like McMaster, or even Ace Hardware, failing to meet standards and failing? Yes, I'm sure you can find one, but in the millions of fasteners sold each year in the US.....
Well...yours did, right?
HUGE RECALL- Harbor Freight Jack Stands
Harbor Freight recalls Pittsburgh 6 Ton Jack Stands https://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/harbor-freight-recalls-pittsburgh-automotive-6-ton-heavy-duty-steel-jack-stands-033120.html
www.garagejournal.com
"On one of my HF stands the dowel pin that holds the pawl to the lever somehow broke and of course I didn't notice it as it's hidden. The pawl was engaged enough to hold up the support when I set the height, but it dropped as soon as I put the vehicle's weight on it; talk about a surprise."
Don't say. Where are all these steel failures? That's a puzzler, Steve.
HUGE RECALL- Harbor Freight Jack Stands
Hoo-hah, time to stir it up! This is an easy way to provide you with a bit of additional security for your ratcheting jack-stand. Drill a pair of holes so that a machine screw can go-through just-above the pawl, and effectively lock it in-place. Use a hitch pin through the drilled threaded end...
www.garagejournal.com
"For me, I just got some gorilla ramps for oil changes, and I'll use my QuickJack for as much of the rest as possible. My HF stands weren't affected, and I gave them a vigorous shake-test and they're fine, but I'm going to skip some movie-nights myself and pick up a set of Esco stands at some point"
This advice sounds strangely familiar. So when you say it, it makes sense to test, maybe be suspicious, maybe smart to choose US made because you trust them, but when I say it....it's "ridiculous". So tell us again, exactly what jacking stands do you use when you crawl under your car? Actually never mind. I don't think I'd believe the answer based on your track record.
BTW, there was a second recall after the tooth slipping problem for bad welds.
Harbor Freight Recalls the Jack Stands Meant to Replace the Recalled Jack Stands
If you own any Pittsburgh brand 3-ton, 6-ton or 12-ton jack stands, you can return them for a refund, even if they're not specifically recalled.
www.roadandtrack.com
Guys, I'm moving on. Buy what you want, but be smart and work safe.
The second recall was the result of the hysteria, not a defect. I wished I'd saved them, but the pictures that were posted on Reddit (and eventually removed once people began pointing things out...) were of a huge 70's Buick/similar (i.e. overloaded) sitting uneven on asphalt on one side and what appeared to be packed dirt on the other. From the pix, it looked like the stand had begun to sink into the asphalt at an angle and the stress cracked the stand at the weld. At that point, HF was just doing a customer service thing with the expansion of the recall.Well...yours did, right?
HUGE RECALL- Harbor Freight Jack Stands
Harbor Freight recalls Pittsburgh 6 Ton Jack Stands https://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/harbor-freight-recalls-pittsburgh-automotive-6-ton-heavy-duty-steel-jack-stands-033120.html
"On one of my HF stands the dowel pin that holds the pawl to the lever somehow broke and of course I didn't notice it as it's hidden. The pawl was engaged enough to hold up the support when I set the height, but it dropped as soon as I put the vehicle's weight on it; talk about a surprise."
Don't say. Where are all these steel failures? That's a puzzler, Steve.
HUGE RECALL- Harbor Freight Jack Stands
Hoo-hah, time to stir it up! This is an easy way to provide you with a bit of additional security for your ratcheting jack-stand. Drill a pair of holes so that a machine screw can go-through just-above the pawl, and effectively lock it in-place. Use a hitch pin through the drilled threaded end...
"For me, I just got some gorilla ramps for oil changes, and I'll use my QuickJack for as much of the rest as possible. My HF stands weren't affected, and I gave them a vigorous shake-test and they're fine, but I'm going to skip some movie-nights myself and pick up a set of Esco stands at some point"
This advice sounds strangely familiar. So when you say it, it makes sense to test, maybe be suspicious, maybe smart to choose US made because you trust them, but when I say it....it's "ridiculous". So tell us again, exactly what jacking stands do you use when you crawl under your car? Actually never mind. I don't think I'd believe the answer based on your track record.
BTW, there was a second recall after the tooth slipping problem for bad welds.
Harbor Freight Recalls the Jack Stands Meant to Replace the Recalled Jack Stands
If you own any Pittsburgh brand 3-ton, 6-ton or 12-ton jack stands, you can return them for a refund, even if they're not specifically recalled.
Guys, I'm moving on. Buy what you want, but be smart and work safe.
You seem to be saying that if the stands were US-made that it doesn't require checking them?
Every time a car goes in the air - on any stands (made anywhere
), on my QuickJack, etc. it gets a shake test. Every. Single. Time.We are being ruled by fear, so the iffy jack-stands is perfect for that.
Ironically, as harbor freight smear campaigns, usually go, this probably end up helping them. They probably opened a whole bunch of new stores since.
Seems this recall was voluntary and precautionary based on the information they had not from widespread reports of incidence. They did all the proper “mea culpa” people to return the jackstands probably end up buying a whole Nother cartload of stuff
Some of the “expert” YouTube videos were they got them to “fail” just like simply ridiculous or looks like it may have been rigged
Jackstands the OP is referring to are completely different, but maybe people and hope for another recall on the horizon
Ironically, as harbor freight smear campaigns, usually go, this probably end up helping them. They probably opened a whole bunch of new stores since.
Seems this recall was voluntary and precautionary based on the information they had not from widespread reports of incidence. They did all the proper “mea culpa” people to return the jackstands probably end up buying a whole Nother cartload of stuff
Some of the “expert” YouTube videos were they got them to “fail” just like simply ridiculous or looks like it may have been rigged
Jackstands the OP is referring to are completely different, but maybe people and hope for another recall on the horizon
finn
Well-known member
How did the discussion morph from under car 4’ plus stands like used under a two post lift to being dominated by the little two ton, 18” stands that one uses in their driveway?
whateg01
Well-known member
Because, iirc, the one looked by op was from hf and hf bad.
Simple. The company that manufacturers jack stands for Harbor Freight Tools that were recalled twice, coincidentally also makes stands that look similar to the product HF offers that the OP asked about.
Not a huge leap, but the concept I presented is that the jack stand failures indicate a systemic quality problem that deserves our attention.
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I am slowly coming to realize, you will literally say anything. Gotta set you to ignore.
The second recall was due to welds according to Eric Schmidt:
Harbor Freight Recalls Replacement Pittsburgh Jack Stands
The company recalled their three- and six-ton jack stands in May and is now recalling the three-ton jack stands that were replacements for the original recall.
www.caranddriver.com
(see HF Facebook link)
Im not saying that. Im saying that’s what YOU DID.
Which was my advice in the beginning of this thread. All you had to say was, “yeah me too”. My kids call this gaslighting. I call it being annoying.Every time a car goes in the air - on any stands (made anywhere
Gotta move on guys. You can argue amongst yourselves.
5ubtle
Well-known member
I wouldn't give odds for long.How long before he is back?
jonesg
Well-known member
the tall stands are constructed with nuts and bolts, I wouldn't trust the HF hardware choice.
I would at least swap to better hardware, the design is good because they copied someone elses.
I assembled their welding cart, same "soft as cheese" bolts that came loose, so I welded the nuts on.
I would also be wary of what gauge steel they use,
their tire changer is much lighter gauge than the version I bought (at twice the price).
The one I bought (tuffiom) uses pipe for the 48 inch lever, HF is made from tube, you can bend the tube if not careful.
They look identical until you look closer.
HF products emulate quality products, but they aren't made to the same level of quality.
I would at least swap to better hardware, the design is good because they copied someone elses.
I assembled their welding cart, same "soft as cheese" bolts that came loose, so I welded the nuts on.
I would also be wary of what gauge steel they use,
their tire changer is much lighter gauge than the version I bought (at twice the price).
The one I bought (tuffiom) uses pipe for the 48 inch lever, HF is made from tube, you can bend the tube if not careful.
They look identical until you look closer.
HF products emulate quality products, but they aren't made to the same level of quality.
I’m actually thinking of doing just that - buy grade 8 fasteners of known decent quality to replace the fasteners included with the product provided by Harbor Freight. My ultimate issue is that whomever is making whatever stands for every brand that sells them, they all look identical. It’s very difficult if not impossible to tell which manufacturer in China is making them for whatever brand selling them. As long as the metal appears ok, and the fasteners used are of known acceptable quality, I just can’t think of a better way to end up with a product that I’m comfortable with.
I‘m as big of a made in USA guy as anyone. I’ll happily pay $85 for a set of SnapOn flush cuts over the Icon version for $30, even though they will see limited use. Heck, I bought a used Mohawk lift for the price of a new Bendpak because I wanted USA made, and overbuilt quality. So in this case it is infuriating that there are literally no USA made options. Esco has something that comes close but only goes up to 68”. Hein Warner basically offers the same product as Harbor Freight under one of their labels. Nothing from any other US made company unfortunately so I have really no option but to buy a Harbor Freight stand or one of the identical copies from another manufacturer. I think as long as I put known, good quality hardware in place I really should be ok. The fact that these are going underneath an enormously overbuilt Mohawk lift gives further confidence as well.
finn
Well-known member
About 90% of the underhoist stands I looked at were almost identical to the HF, with subtle differences like thrust bearings and handle design. The only U.S.A. produced stands I found were made by Grey, and are priced at $1750, which is a bit of a leap from the $106-$200 range of most others.
Especially considering these are stabilizers rated at 2000 lb each., not jack stands. (The Grey stands are actual jack stands, rated at 20000 lb, but I don’t think that’s really what he’s looking for). I didn’t find any domestically produced 2000 lb stabilizers in my brief search.
The Weaver WI-116A, tall heavy duty service stands are similar in concept to the HF/Amazon/Redline tripod stands… except they have a slightly higher weight rating and are fully welded (instead of fastened with nuts and bolts). They are made in the USA. Weaver has manufactured auto service equipment since 1910 and is a part of the Castle Equipment Group in Braidwood, Illinois. Besides fabricating domestically, they say they use USA sourced material and components. They are not cheap, several times the cost of the imports, depending on which one you compare to... but under $500. We have a strong desire to purchase domestically produced product when available, but like others have said, could not find a domestic manufacture. We ordered import stands, but when they arrived, found the hardware was mismatched, bolt to nut threads were out of spec, causing spalling… a simple thing to correct, but it spoke to a lack of QC, so we returned the imports and went back to searching. A local shop told us about Weaver, he said they are to under hoist stands what Mohawk is to lifts (we have an old Mohawk system 1). Weaver/Castle’s web site dates to the opening days of the internet, but they compensated by being very responsive to both my email and phone calls. The import stands were a bit over $200… their marketing worked… in the end they looked exactly like the much less expensive HF stands. The Weaver stands are in a completely different category… and to us, as a safety item, well worth the extra cost.
rust in the eye
Well-known member
Same ones here. They've unintentionally taken the(back half) weight of a loaded contractors van.I don’t know about nowadays, but these 12-year-old HF jackstands seem sturdy enough for my non-professional use:
Pontiac787
Well-known member
Is that price each or for a pair?
Old tool guy
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After reading through the comments, it’s clear that the only stands that should be considered are sold by Snap-On.
1Bad55Chevy
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! 
Old tool guy
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Lmfao.
We use OTC at work but I’d use the HF ones without a second thought. Either they’re for stabilizing long vehicles on a lift or for holding components that have had other supports removed, like a transmission. Neither of which I would consider to be life-threatening applications.