Harbor Freight 2000# hoist issue

[My Old Tools]

My hoist has developed an issue. It has gotten progressively worse lately. At any position it will refuse to go up or down. The motor makes a loud ratcheting sound. I'm pretty sure the load brake isn't releasing. Anybody been in one of these?

 

[rlitman]

Subscribing, because I have a 440/880lb hoist with the same issue. I haven't used it in years, and have gotten better stuff since, but if it's a simple fix...

 

[BukitCase]

One of my HF hoists will chatter/not move like that if I "wimp out" on how hard I push the control button - if I push more "manly" it works fine. I'm wondering if your sitch isn't just MY sitch gone further; maybe check out the internals on the control? Nuthin' to lose, it ain't workin' ANYWAY Steve

 

[rlitman]

One of my HF hoists will chatter/not move like that if I "wimp out" on how hard I push the control button - if I push more "manly" it works fine. I'm wondering if your sitch isn't just MY sitch gone further; maybe check out the internals on the control? Nuthin' to lose, it ain't workin' ANYWAY Steve

Could be. I haven't used my HF hoists in at least 10 years (I have 3, all the 440/880lb size), since I've bought pneumatic hoists that I prefer, but I do recall having this exact issue too. For this, I took apart the control switch and cleaned up the contact pads, and that fixed it for a while. The on/off nature of these puts a lot of arcing on the switches, and eventually I replaced the switch in mine when the pads were as cratered as the moon.

 

[BukitCase]

I haven't been inside one of mine yet, but found a possible wiring diagram and saved it - also a pic of the "no tilt" mod I used when I did one of mine... Steve

 

[kbs2244]

I belive those hoists were built with plastic gears

you have classic striped gear symptoms
re build kits, with metal gears, can be found

search on the part number gear kit

 

[BukitCase]

I tried 4 differently worded searches (all with part #), got a bunch of stuff for Lego, Klein, ZIP for anything harbor freight except a few hundred places to buy one. Got a better idea?

 

[My Old Tools]

Definitely not stripped gears. When it does engage it works fine. I believe it is a result of not enough current getting through the switch to engage the solenoid on the brake. If I hit the switch over and over it will eventually engage, so liklely electrical rather than mechanical. Once it engages it works fine until it sits again, which leads me to believe dirty contacts. That tilt stop mod above is mine and it works great.

 

[BukitCase]

"That tilt stop mod above is mine and it works great"

Boy howdy - the one I put it on went from nuthin' but "blue air" to big grins every time I use it - can't thank you enough... Steve

 

[kbs2244]

first thing to try is WD40 in the switch
soak it good
you cannot use too much in a case like this

 

[PCustoms]

first thing to try is WD40 in the switch
soak it good
you cannot use too much in a case like this

I wouldn't spray suspected bad electric switches with WD40.....

 

[dogdog]

Take out the motor from the roller that coils the rolls up the wire and independently test the motor. There is no plastic gear inside unless some one smokes the coo wagon with igorance. At least the 440 / 800 something one I disassemble. There are no brakes either. There is a limit switch to prevent going up but not down.

Why not just take out motor and test?

 

[Walkers]

What exactly is the tilt stop mod? I see the pic, just don't know what I am looking at.

 

[BukitCase]

Andy, I marked up the pic; see if this helps... Steve

Forgot, purpose of the mod is to keep the hoist from rocking side to side when lift isn't quite centered.

 

[dogdog]

Take out the motor from the roller that coils the rolls up the wire and independently test the motor. There is no plastic gear inside unless some one smokes the coo wagon with igorance. At least the 440 / 800 something one I disassemble. There are no brakes either. There is a limit switch to prevent going up but not down.

Why not just take out motor and test?

If I remember correctly the motor is one of those split phase motors and the direction of rotation dependents on which end of the two motor winding the cap is connected to.

The motor output it self is a spiral gear like the one on the drill press. It sits right into a planetary gear, gear box. Not sure how many set. The output is that gear box is a hex shaft. So that is the basic of the motor.

The hex shaft fits into a cable drum that wounds the cable, the cable have a float like disc device that trigger the up limit which is a normally closed switch unless the disc hits that switch and opens the circuit for the up direction.

Not too sure about the chattering noise but like I said you can take out the drum from the motor and test fairly easily and isolate and identify the problem.

 

[walta]

I modified a 220/440-pound units and the controller has a soft start feature that when active would make the motor chatter as you described.

Would there happen to be any long small gage extension cords in the circuit?

I would start by checking the voltage getting to the receptacle when the motor is under a load. If the voltage drops more than 7% under load, I would go looking for the bad connection.

Note I think putting WD40 in a switch id a very bad idea.

There are no brakes either. There is a limit switch to prevent going up but not down.

There is definitely a brake in the hoist without one it the weight of the load would unwind the cable from the spool and drop the load when off.


Walta

 

[nadogail]

When I last had a problem with something from Harbor Freight their Customer Service was able to sell me the parts to fix my problem.

Hopefully they will respond quickly to your concerns. Good Luck.

 

[dogdog]

I modified a 220/440-pound units and the controller has a soft start feature that when active would make the motor chatter as you described.

Would there happen to be any long small gage extension cords in the circuit?

I would start by checking the voltage getting to the receptacle when the motor is under a load. If the voltage drops more than 7% under load, I would go looking for the bad connection.

Note I think putting WD40 in a switch id a very bad idea.


There is definitely a brake in the hoist without one it the weight of the load would unwind the cable from the spool and drop the load when off.


Walta

Yes you are right. just checked their manual, they do have brake build inside the rear or the motor... mechanical.

Trouble shooting is still the same... take the motor out run and and see where the chattering is from.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/62000-62999/62770-792363627702.pdf

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/60000-60999/60346-193175339461.pdf

not too sure about soft start for induction motors.

 

[ddurrett896]

I have one of these and always wondered, I’d they fail somehow will it unwind or just stay in place, have one holding up some weight overhead and get a little sketched out when people stand under it.

 

[Sturgeon]

Just purchased the same hoist, still in the box. Hope it was'nt a mistake?

 

[Walkers]

Andy, I marked up the pic; see if this helps... Steve

Forgot, purpose of the mod is to keep the hoist from rocking side to side when lift isn't quite centered.

Got it now, thanks.

 

[rlitman]

Just purchased the same hoist, still in the box. Hope it was'nt a mistake?

I don't know how many millions they've sold, but I'm sure it was a lot. I got quite a lot of use out of mine before it started having issues, and have no complaints about the value of the product.

 

[Monza Harry]

I don't have the hoist but I bought the "Badlands" remote with the coupon for wicked cheap. The issue I want to highlight is that the online wiring diagram I used was backwards and I had to search for another wiring diagram and I did find more about 3 IIRC. The needed wiring diagram was to retro-fit the badlands remote to my Superwinch, winch. So for that application I would confirm the wiring with your trusty Volt/Ohm meter, before trusting the online diagram, as all of us GJ members know all HF products are subject to change wolithout notice! Could the chattering be the solenoid be dis/engaging rapidly? That would/could be switch related as previously suggested as a diagnosis. Harry

 

[My Old Tools]

Overall it is a great hoist. I have had an 1800# bandsaw, 16" Northfield jointer, 18" planer and a 13x72 Southbend lathe all hanging off of mine with no issues. I have used a long extension cable for the controls, but with or without it you can get the same problem. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the buttons, I just haven't torn into them yet.

 

[My Old Tools]

I can't tell how that brake assembly is actuated. If it is simply spring loaded to lock and centrifugal force to open, it may just need some luibe. I expected to see a solenoid to operate it.

 

[RPH]

Ac capacitor gives you your first insight. That cap was used to snub the heavy arcing occurring at the switch. Check there first for good electrical connections.
Worked for ShawBox on overhead cranes and hoists. Most use a deadman brake on loss of power. Most small lifts like these use a disc brake electrically operated off the motor fan end. The chatter you hear may very well be the brake releasing and setting due to bad connections. Motor tries to drive, brake released and voltage drop occurs due to motor not rotating. Solenoid sets and resets on brake.
Check switches in the handle and any other connections.
Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[My Old Tools]

Well, I took it apart and I know how it works now. I also know the motor is fried. Both capacitors are good, switch is clean, gears aren't jammed, brake works fine, but it still just sits in one spot and vibrates the armature when power is applied. There is no solenoid on the brake on these. It's just a spring loaded friction plate against the end bell of the motor. Acts the same if you remove the brake entirely.

 

[jonesg]

first thing to try is WD40 in the switch
soak it good
you cannot use too much in a case like this

de-oxit for switches and terminals, plugs etc.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FC4YO60/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[My Old Tools]

one last update. I replaced the hoist with a new identical one. After I got the old one down I played with some more. Finally found an intermittent broken wire in the strain relief on the pendant. Hoist works fine now. Guess I have a spare.

 

[nadogail]

The very few times (2) I have called Harbor Freight Customer Service I found them to be very helpful and friendly.

 

[driftpin]

No issues with my HFT hoist.

How I have my HFT hoist and 1 ton winch (off amazon prime) set up. It's a jib hoist for lifting heavy, bulky objects into a loft. It swivels on a tapered roller bearing 360 degrees. Two pulleys are on the opposite side of the cantilever arm. It works great. The remote has plenty of cord so I'm nowhere near it when lifting. I can be in the loft or on the ground.

Note the 'light but bulky' storage I have above the OH doors, on the gable end wall. The wall is entirely poured concrete and very substantial 7/8" rebar.

 

[FL Guy]

No issues with my HFT hoist.

How I have my HFT hoist and 1 ton winch (off amazon prime) set up. It's a jib hoist for lifting heavy, bulky objects into a loft. It swivels on a tapered roller bearing 360 degrees. Two pulleys are on the opposite side of the cantilever arm. It works great. The remote has plenty of cord so I'm nowhere near it when lifting. I can be in the loft or on the ground.

Not the 'light but bulky' storage I have above the OH doors, on the gable end wall. The wall is entirely poured concrete and very substantial rebar.

Do you have plans for this setup? I’d be interested in possibly putting something like this in my loft once it’s built.

 

[My Old Tools]

Same one I have hung on a trolley

 

[driftpin]

Do you have plans for this setup? I’d be interested in possibly putting something like this in my loft once it’s built.

No plans, but I just added a tapered bearing below the two upper plates. The lower plate is the base of the jib crane. A piece of something like 3/8" steel to sandwich between the two plates, to hold the 1 ton 120V 1 Ph hoist motor. I went to a well-stocked local hardware store in Ft. Lauderdale to get some metal pulleys for the metal cable routing.

The steel 'shoebox' holding the jib hoist base was placed between the loft floor joists. It has 3/4" machine bolts holding it, through-bolted two on either side, and one on the end. I made a plywood template first, and gave it to my machinist to duplicate in steel. I had a P.E. look at my design and layout first, and he gave me some useful suggestions which I incorporated.

The basic hydraulic jib crane was an Amazon purchase. The 1 ton electric winch was a Harbor Freight purchase. Putting the two together was a daydream about how to lift things of bulk/weight into my 2-car garage loft, which has limited headroom, but is ~200+ sq. ft.