HF 44" Roll around tool box

[thooks]

I'm finally ready to get one of these. I don't have the coin nor do I want to get the 56" box at this time.

So.... Is the 44" still all that? Has something changed to make me want something else in that price range? I'd rather stay with it unless it has just become a piece of junk, as I already have the gloss red HF 26" stacked unit and I have a gloss red Craftsman 44" top box that I bought a few years ago on clearance...that is still sitting in the cardboard.

Thanks

 

[chipper]

Still the same as far as I know

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I don't think there is anything that compares to that 44 at that price point. It is still all that I suppose.

My only complaint is MY detents are horrible. I need to lock it whenever I am not using it. Just sitting still the drawers open.

 

[paranoid56]

I don't think there is anything that compares to that 44 at that price point. It is still all that I suppose.

My only complaint is MY detents are horrible. I need to lock it whenever I am not using it. Just sitting still the drawers open.

level it better. or even better put slight rake to the back.

 

[Casey69]

I don't think there is anything that compares to that 44 at that price point. It is still all that I suppose.

My only complaint is MY detents are horrible. I need to lock it whenever I am not using it. Just sitting still the drawers open.

weird. mine seems to have decent detents, but one caster was ~1/8" shorter than the rest of the wheels. i put a wood shim in there as a "short-term fix" ~3 years ago! anyway, you could do the same, or add a few extra washers to the front caster attachments to lean it back a bit.

great box for the $$$ though. the glossy paint looks even better.

 

[zkling]

If you like the drawer layout, at that price point, yes it is the best option around at the moment, to my knowledge. Menards has a few nice offerings in the ~$500 range but most are top/bottom combos in the 36" family.

I was in HF the other day (yea shudder) but I think the new boxes now say US general pro on them?

I don't think there is anything that compares to that 44 at that price point. It is still all that I suppose.

My only complaint is MY detents are horrible. I need to lock it whenever I am not using it. Just sitting still the drawers open.

level it better. or even better put slight rake to the back.

 

[stage20]

the only thing i can say is that my old textured 41 feels like it has better slides over my newer 44. isnt anything even close to its price point. not a fan of red, but there is no choice.

 

[stikman56]

I'm finally ready to get one of these. I don't have the coin nor do I want to get the 56" box at this time.

So.... Is the 44" still all that? Has something changed to make me want something else in that price range? I'd rather stay with it unless it has just become a piece of junk, as I already have the gloss red HF 26" stacked unit and I have a gloss red Craftsman 44" top box that I bought a few years ago on clearance...that is still sitting in the cardboard.

Thanks

Couple years ago when I bought mine, I found nothing built as heavily for that price. Been rolling mine around the shop full of tools at work every day, no issues, it's been a great box.

 

[stikman56]

I don't think there is anything that compares to that 44 at that price point. It is still all that I suppose.

My only complaint is MY detents are horrible. I need to lock it whenever I am not using it. Just sitting still the drawers open.

Interesting you say yours have failed. I open mine multiple times every day at work,and after two years, they're still strong. I roll it with it unlocked and full of tools still, but like anything they will wear out sometime, I'm sure.

 

[owenst7]

level it better. or even better put slight rake to the back.

Or adjust the detents.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I was in HF the other day (yea shudder) but I think the new boxes now say US general pro on them?

Is that comparable to a Snap On Epiq?!

 

[thooks]

Thanks for the replies. Looking forward to finally having a bonafide "socket drawer".

I bought a boat load of Hansen Socket holders when the Sears near me closed about 2 years ago. Hopefully I have enough of those and my existing flat panels to house all my sockets neatly. Combine the HF roll around with the Craftsman top box on it and I should be able to get all my mechanic's tools into one unit.

Or should I keep using the 28" wide unit with mostly shallow drawers for wrenches and other low-profile tools?

What do you small-time shade tree mechanics do? Try to keep everything in one unit or use two or more pieces to not have everything so crammed?

 

[sberry]

Put th stuff you use where its convenient and the rest out of the way so you don't have to wade thru it. You don't need to give every tool you own a free ride back and forth every time you get a 9/16 socket.
I actually thought we would see more issues with these boxes as they sold sooooo many of them and they are not all going to hobby types. I have seen a couple and heard of them being used hard, seen one in a farm shop with multiple men using it.

 

[FireTurtle]

The 44" box +the side cart still come out about $200 bucks cheaper than the 56" & are about the same width when you put therm together. If you need more space, you can always buy the side cabinet later.

weird. mine seems to have decent detents, but one caster was ~1/8" shorter than the rest of the wheels. i put a wood shim in there as a "short-term fix" ~3 years ago! anyway, you could do the same, or add a few extra washers to the front caster attachments to lean it back a bit.

I bought the HF 44" just over two weeks ago & mine sounds just like yours. The detents are awesome on mine. It's almost hard to pull the drawers open at first, then they slide smooth as butter. I also had one caster that was an 1/8" shorter. I took one of the caster bolts to hardware store & picked up some thick metal washers to put under the caster though & it rolls great now with no wobble.
Got mine during the parking lot sale last month, but there are super coupons on the internet to get it for the same price.
Check here for coupon deals:
http://www.dealsoff.com/harbor-freight-coupons/

 

[sberry]

I am going to ask for one for Christmas. I havnt treated myself to a new tool just because in a while and I want to make a new layout that fits a common box vs my old Cman.
There is a lot of material, work and fittings, paint, couldn't do it in twice the time if it was all free and you worked in a sheet metal shop.

 

[oldldh]

The 56" is on sale for $ 699.99 through January...

Just had to put that in there...

The 44" is worth every penny they're asking for it...

 

[cheechi]

This wasn't really worth it's own thread but I have some pretty recent experience that I think can help you out. I will start out by saying first I do still recommend the HF 44 as the box at that price point. That overall hasn't changed, just some details.

I have 2 bottoms, 2 tops, and the 7 drawer inbetween. I have the intermediate box hanging off both and attached with bolts to the both bottoms. It was fun trying to get that since I had the one stack and side, and then added that second bottom well afterward. But that's not the issue. The older box, no issue whatsoever attaching it with the bolts. The newer bottom, one of the threaded rivet/rivnuts is now a spinner. So there's that.

The deep drawers on my older top chest both have 2 sets of slides. BUT this set of slides are not riveted to the frame. The newer top chest has 1 set per deep drawer. These slides and subsequently these drawers are not interchangeable. The notches in the drawers are not in the same place and the slides are not the same dimensions to go from one to the other. Not a big deal for most of you but I can say there is a definite gap in quality, the older being better.

The drawers slide better on my older, much more used bottom box than on the newer one. The paint is a slightly deeper color. The wheels turn about as easy comaring the two. The liners are the same. The handles among all of them are the same and I don't know which ones are which since I never installed them until I got all 5 together. The oldest of all of them was after they went to the new gloss finish, so it is not that old at all. But beware they are still good boxes, just not as good as they used to be.