Harbor Freight extended flex-head

[MarkG]

As much as I make fun about 'Harbor Freight' tools, I actually ordered one finally! My reasoning is that I'm not wrenching for a living and can't remember the last time I even needed this tool, but it will be handy for getting at the plugs on my Odyssey! Got great reviews, so it's good enough for an 'occasional-use' tool.

Tool snobs will scoff, but I really couldn't care less....


https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in...cid=email_shipping_confirm&lid=12,607,263,605

 

[RedneckWelder]

I used one of those for a year until I got a Snap On. The one and only fault was the head was always floppy and would loosen after tightening so I replaced it with a locking flex and gave it to my dad.

 

[Mr_B]

hope you use the 5buck off ratchet coupon ...
they not too bad, bit of lube and snug the swivel pin up with bit of bearing retainer and they'll do some work, main plus is warranty about easiest for in store at this bottom end pricing .
With HF I like buying in the store as can QC a good one off the shelves or at least fully look stuff over in parking lot before leaving ...

Is a lot of good ratchets on the markets these days for 25 to 50 bucks range so the Pitts pro don't rank so high in features or value any more .

 

[Cgw1984]

hope you use the 5buck off ratchet coupon ...
they not too bad, bit of lube and snug the swivel pin up with bit of bearing retainer and they'll do some work, main plus is warranty about easiest for in store at this bottom end pricing .
With HF I like buying in the store as can QC a good one off the shelves or at least fully look stuff over in parking lot before leaving ...

Is a lot of good ratchets on the markets these days for 25 to 50 bucks range so the Pitts pro don't rank so high in features or value any more .

They still rank the exact same. Most of those 25 dollar ratchets are the same quality as the pitts pro (or less), and the hf is quicker to warranty than the internet flavor of the day ratchet when it does break. Add to that the listed ratchet costs a whole 22 bucks with coupon, and thats why they still sell like they do. Heck, id rather have that then the equivalent tekton, gearwrench, capri, etc. Ratchet (based off experience).

 

[measuredtwice]

A Youtuber (think he's a member of the forum also) replaced his several times and then gave up on it. The flex went limp.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WFq5iKFmCeA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Btw, the Harbor Freight swivel heads don't seem to have the same problem as the flex heads. The $5 off coupon applies to the swivel heads as well.

I got the locking Carlyle for $20 shipped when it was on clearance at NAPA last week ($25 clearance - $5 for new rewards account). It's not the best ratchet in the world but it's worth the $20 paid.

As much as I make fun about 'Harbor Freight' tools

Can you post a link to a post you made in the last 3 years that was making fun of Harbor Freight?

Looking through your posts from the last 3 years, I see you praising other cheap ratchets, not making fun of them.

Tool snobs will scoff, but I really couldn't care less....

Buy what you can afford but don't be a troll with the name calling.

 

[MarkG]

A Youtuber (think he's a member of the forum also) replaced his several times and then gave up on it. The flex went limp.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WFq5iKFmCeA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Btw, the Harbor Freight swivel heads don't seem to have the same problem as the flex heads. The $5 off coupon applies to the swivel heads as well.

I got the locking Carlyle for $20 shipped when it was on clearance at NAPA last week ($25 clearance - $5 for new rewards account). It's not the best ratchet in the world but it's worth the $20 paid.



Can you post a link to a post you made in the last 3 years that was making fun of Harbor Freight?

Looking through your posts from the last 3 years, I see you praising other cheap ratchets, not making fun of them.



Buy what you can afford but don't be a troll with the name calling.

I have a life outside of this forum and only check in occasionally----I discuss stuff like this with others in my life and do not report every conversation on a 'forum'. BTW, classifying someone a tool snob is definitely not 'name calling'---it's more of a class of people. We all know them and I like tools as much as the next guy, so I may be a little bit of one myself. My point was simply that you don't need 'the best' quality for every single application. Grow a backbone and lighten up. Leave the petty, pointless arguments and nitpicking to the women. We're men here. If you are referring to my Duralast post----I still love them and they are performing flawlessly. I'd recommend them to anyone.

 

[measuredtwice]

I have a life outside of this forum and only check in occasionally----I discuss stuff like this with others in my life and do not report every conversation on a 'forum'. BTW, classifying someone a tool snob is definitely not 'name calling'---it's more of a class of people. We all know them and I like tools as much as the next guy, so I may be a little bit of one myself. My point was simply that you don't need 'the best' quality for every single application. Grow a backbone and lighten up. Leave the petty, pointless arguments and nitpicking to the women. We're men here. If you are referring to my Duralast post----I still love them and they are performing flawlessly. I'd recommend them to anyone.

Being petty and argumentative is exactly what you’ve done in your reply.
You could have said "My bad No harm intended" instead of saying "grow a backbone and lighten up".

Your claim that calling people “snobs” isn’t name calling because we all know “snobs” is silly. By the same reasoning, if someone were to call you a $%@! (I'll leave it up to your imagination ) that wouldn’t be name calling and if you don’t like then you should “grow a backbone and lighten up”.

Have a nice day.

 

[jonesg]

when we argue with a fool no-one can tell the difference.

 

[measuredtwice]

when we argue with a fool no-one can tell the difference.

I won't argue with you.

 

[Truckdoctorandy]

I’m a professional heavy duty truck mechanic and have Craftsman, MAC, SnapOn ratchets in my box at work. I also have the long handle Pittsburgh Pro 3/8 flex head ratchet at work. As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m a U.S.A. made guy, the Pittsburgh Pro is a pretty darn good ratchet. My only two gripes are that the direction change lever is backwards and the lever could use a stronger detent. It flips too easily.

 

[joey1320]

I've been meaning to get one of those. I like my other two Pitt Pro ratchets. Use them everyday and can't complain about them.

 

[rcbk00]

I use that ratchet all the time. For the $20 or so that I paid for it, it's great. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to replace it with a high end American ratchet, but until that happens, the Pittsburgh gets the job done. I'm not bothered by the direction switch being opposite from most other ratchets- in fact, I never noticed it until people pointed it out here.

 

[Mr_B]

They still rank the exact same. Most of those 25 dollar ratchets are the same quality as the pitts pro (or less), and the hf is quicker to warranty than the internet flavor of the day ratchet when it does break. Add to that the listed ratchet costs a whole 22 bucks with coupon, and thats why they still sell like they do. Heck, id rather have that then the equivalent tekton, gearwrench, capri, etc. Ratchet (based off experience).

They don't, they still a great buy but lot of people moved to other brands that advanced the ratchet design to floating pawl and addressed the flex joint strength .
Main plus is low backdrag of the 2 fixed pawl design and general good semi slim design, easy warranty is handy on a ratchet but sometimes it better ignore warranty and buy based on just product itself .
Latest capri swivel heads are very good, carlyle very good and napa deliver warranty or tool order to account holder which big plus as a shop owner .

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

Floppy head on my 3/8s so I exchanged it and put it in my junkyard box. Replaced the 3/8s and 1/2in with Carlyle locking flex heads

 

[ThePostman]

I've had mine for years, I use it pretty much daily. I lean on it too, but not with a cheater bar, if that's the case I have many other ratchets of various names. The head is not floppy at all. Maybe qc is not the same as it was, wouldn't surprise me. Yes the selector is reversed but I don't care about that. With the money it's made me, I could have hundreds of these.
I know it won't last forever, I do use it everyday. Then I'll probably get a proto, mac axis, or snapon.

 

[Mr_B]

Yes I don't see a big deal in selector direction .
Interesting thing on the pittspro is flex head appears likely made different factory as selector different, thin pressed metal switch and it recessed but solid ratchets in recent years changed to have a thicker powdered metal switch and differing mechanism and no recess switch arc in the head .
I only like the flex pitts pro due to low profile of switch, if they had beefed the clevis joint up or reversed it the ratchet been astounding at price, trouble with HF is they don't do any real product evolution and if do it painfully slow baby steps and normally pushed into it (us general series 2 boxes classic example of this)

 

[M635_Guy]

ALooking through your posts from the last 3 years, I see you praising other cheap ratchets, not making fun of them.

You actually took the time to scroll through three years of his posts????

 

[Ralf11]

this ratcheted up quick