Harbor Freight's new hitch receiver vise

[General Geoff]

6 in. Hitch Vise

Amazing deals on this 6In Hitch Vise at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Elegant design that is conventional when mounted to a bench top, but the static jaw becomes the dynamic jaw when mounted in a hitch receiver.




Haven't seen one in person, but sure looks a lot lighter and probably sturdier than mounting a vise to a receiver mounted plate.

 

[CJM8515]

wonder how well its built. i bought 1 vise from them years ago. central machinery or something like that. i tightened it down a bit hard on something and the jaw literally broke off from the rest of it at the handle. it got tossed right into the trash

 

[General Geoff]

wonder how well its built. i bought 1 vise from them years ago. central machinery or something like that. i tightened it down a bit hard on something and the jaw literally broke off from the rest of it at the handle. it got tossed right into the trash

reports on the Doyle line of vises indicate vastly improved quality over the vise-shaped objects of old that they sold awhile back.

Wiltons they ain't, but it's HF. Not exactly meant to be heirloom quality.

 

[CJM8515]

^ might be worth picking up since I need a vise sometimes on my hitch but dont want a dedicated one.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Rather make a hitch mount and put a proper vise on it.

 

[Snip's]

How long before someone puts a hitch ball in that hitch vise?

 

[GeoBruin]

So does that mean it's forged, or is the long tail a cast part?

 

[General Geoff]

The whole vise is advertised as 60,000 psi ductile iron, so, cast.

 

[wrenchr]

So does that mean it's forged, or is the long tail a cast part?

Great question.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Jason at Fireball tools makes a better hitch vice. This looks like someone copied (stole) his design. I do not buy tool from "Over there" if there is an option.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Fireball2ool

 

[General Geoff]

Jason at Fireball tools makes a better hitch vice. This looks like someone copied (stole) his design. I do not buy tool from "Over there" if there is an option.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Fireball2ool

How is the HF vise in any way a copy or even derivative of any of his vise designs? Certainly doesn't look or function like the only hitch receiver-mounted vise I see on his channel.

 

[Rc_Guy]

So does that mean it's forged, or is the long tail a cast part?

The whole vise is advertised as 60,000 psi ductile iron, so, cast.

Great question.

Looks like it was answered.

 

[GeoBruin]

Looks like it was answered.

Pretty wild. I realize it's "ductile iron" but I assume a hollow shape like that would still be more brittle than steel right?

 

[toplessHO]

ductile
think of iron with air bubbles in it

 

[slowtwitch73]

Seems like the work envelope when on a vehicle is near worthless esp with the rear jaw being dynamic...guess it may be ok if you don't have a bumper.

 

[yatg]

Hitch extender.

 

[GeoBruin]

Seems like a good idea for someone with a welding table that has hitch receivers integrated.

 

[KnurledNut]

Jason at Fireball tools makes a better hitch vice. This looks like someone copied (stole) his design. I do not buy tool from "Over there" if there is an option.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Fireball2ool

More than likely inspired by Wilton:


The Doyle can be found as other brands too:

 

[isb cornbinder]

How is the HF vise in any way a copy or even derivative of any of his vise designs? Certainly doesn't look or function like the only hitch receiver-mounted vise I see on his channel.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I am humbled.

 

[bwringer]

Seems like a good idea for someone with a welding table that has hitch receivers integrated.

Yep, I think that's the actual use case, not "vising" off the back of your truck. I mean, you'd basically have to work on your knees or hunched way over if this thing's actually mounted to a vehicle's trailer hitch.

And of course using a vise in a trailer hitch would be a great way to damage your bumper, tailgate, etc.

As stated above, the "Doyle" brand vises are light-years beyond the vise-like objects sold from the lower shelves.

 

[MushCreek]

Yeah, a vise mounted like that would be pretty low. I made a vise mount for my van when I was building the house, and had no shop, but made it offset to get the vise up to a more usable height.

 

[seber]

Pretty wild. I realize it's "ductile iron" but I assume a hollow shape like that would still be more brittle than steel right?

ductile
think of iron with air bubbles in it

Ductile iron is iron in which the carbon flakes have been converted to nodules. Rated at 60,000 psi it is very comparable to mild steel in both impact and ultimate strength. Advantage is much greater wear resistance than steel with no real disadvantages.

 

[2oolhound]

This Doyle is a copy of the wilton and an exact replica of the other 2 chinesium vises Knurlednut posted above, just the name plate is changed. Just looking at it it looks like it will snap in half if you cranked on it hard. Perhaps they just know enough homeowners with built on garages who will never really use them will buy them and they can just keep replacing the few broken ones that real users break and they'll still make money.

Just compare it to a photo of any old vise in the vise thread and look at the difference in one that was designed by people who knew what a vise should be capable of, not by preppy designers who have never been out of a computer room and are trying to capitalize on the novelty of it. They should call these types of vises "clamps" and restrict the word Vise for real vises.

Makes me glad I have real vises in my receiver hitches.