Has anyone had an issue with the HF 44" not sitting level? Mine is really wobbly and only sits on 3 casters at a time. I was hoping loading it down a bit would cause the frame to bend in such a way that it was level but no luck. Did anyone else have to shim the casters or add washers or something to get it to sit level?
HF 44" Wobbly
- Thread starter firworks
- Start date
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Are you sure the floor is flat?
It's my garage floor which is a solid concrete slab. It could still be not quite flat but it's where the box will be so it needs to not wobble in there. I think it's pretty flat though, there's no cracks at least in there.
bczygan
Well-known member
Shim it between the caster and box.
jchetty
Well-known member
If you reverse the box, then you can tell what the problem. If the same wheel is off the ground- box issue...if the same part of the floor has the wheel not touching- it is the floor.
First determine the cause of the problem. This will make it easier to fix it
First determine the cause of the problem. This will make it easier to fix it
Most garage floors are pitched, some heavily and in multiple places. Check the floor first. Are all the drawer gaps on the box even?
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
dodgejunkie
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2014
- Messages
- 198
I had the same problem, it didn't matter how it sat. I could have taken it back but needed to load it with tools. I just shimmed it. It was only a .03125 shim.
crucible
Well-known member
Mine was the same way: no visible issues with the box, garage floor is level concrete, etc. I wound up having to add a couple (wide, beefy) washers under one side to fix, which it did (though I suspect after loading it up it might have evened up a bit, but who knows).
No worries since and its held up fine.
No worries since and its held up fine.
warmpancakes
Well-known member
My snap on box doesnt wobble,
bcradio
Well-known member
SignalZero
Well-known member
That's not too bad.
I was reading this thread and picturing the OP's box wobbling back and forth violently, slamming as it hits the ground. I was gonna ask if the drawers all function normally, and suggest making sure it's shimmed level to the ground. It would drive me nuts if my extensions always rolled towards one side of my socket drawers.
Holy absolute hell batman, i don't even own anything that'll measure that precise. You should really consider changing trades and go into nano brain surgery tools or sumttin.
Shimming a racked box isn't the end of your problems. If the box is badly out of square, all the drawer runners will be cross-crossed. This will inevitably increase wear, then friction, then make the drawers harder to use.
It's good to have these threads so people don't think these chests are quality. They are cheap, low quality items that many people find good enough, and sometimes more than good enough. I recommend them because more expensive chinese chests often have similar problems.
My advice is to return it. Failing that, determine how far out of square it is. Very likely the box is twisted and requires shims under two diagonal casters. If the total shim amount is small (under 1/16" combined) you might be okay. If the total shim is more like 1/8' you really need to try to put the box right. That too much twist at the drawers. I'd be inclined to remove all the drawers and attempt to tweak the case back into square. Also, measure up from the corners to see if the drawer runners are indeed cross crossed.
But know that this is a losing battle. If the jigs were loaded incorrectly and the box was welded up twisted, it will be very hard to tweak it back square without cutting something open.
It's good to have these threads so people don't think these chests are quality. They are cheap, low quality items that many people find good enough, and sometimes more than good enough. I recommend them because more expensive chinese chests often have similar problems.
My advice is to return it. Failing that, determine how far out of square it is. Very likely the box is twisted and requires shims under two diagonal casters. If the total shim amount is small (under 1/16" combined) you might be okay. If the total shim is more like 1/8' you really need to try to put the box right. That too much twist at the drawers. I'd be inclined to remove all the drawers and attempt to tweak the case back into square. Also, measure up from the corners to see if the drawer runners are indeed cross crossed.
But know that this is a losing battle. If the jigs were loaded incorrectly and the box was welded up twisted, it will be very hard to tweak it back square without cutting something open.
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Holy absolute hell batman, i don't even own anything that'll measure that precise. You should really consider changing trades and go into nano brain surgery tools or sumttin.
This is something that seperates great boxes from cheap boxes. A loaded HF box will probably statically deflect .03". Better boxes may not however. The big snap on boxes are so stiff, they really need spring loaded casters to distribute load to each caster. And that's another alternative here. Swap the casters for spring loaded versions.
Cato
Well-known member
lol...I guess he got his $10,000 worth!
My Craftsman was like that - turns out I didn't attach a caster correctly.
So you're going to sit there and explain to me that a SO box is going to be within 30 thousandths of square and or plane. ********!. The only reason no one would notice just the slightest amount of issue with a SO box is simply because of the spring loaded casters. Now on average you'd be hard pressed to find any concrete slab within a 1/8" tolerance within a given square which add's it's own dynamics.
Don't get me wrong, there's no way in hell a HF box matches the quality of a SO box, both of which I own. So with that laid out, maybe you need to work on your sense of humor as that's all my previous post was about, nothing more.
warmpancakes
Well-known member
My snap on box was off 0.0787402 or 2mm side to side, one drawer wouldnt close properly, snap on swapped the box under warranty
lol. i'm guessing the kid who welded the caster mount to the box goofed up.
OP - your box is fine; shim it & enjoy it.
Brownsfan
Well-known member
You know what's funny. The HF box is so lover here that if someone has an issue it's got to be the floor or something else. If someone posts a similar issue with say a Craftsman box then it's an overpriced POS and should be returned immediately and destroyed. Just an observation.
So you're going to sit there and explain to me that a SO box is going to be within 30 thousandths of square and or plane. ********!. The only reason no one would notice just the slightest amount of issue with a SO box is simply because of the spring loaded casters. Now on average you'd be hard pressed to find any concrete slab within a 1/8" tolerance within a given square which add's it's own dynamics.
Don't get me wrong, there's no way in hell a HF box matches the quality of a SO box, both of which I own. So with that laid out, maybe you need to work on your sense of humor as that's all my previous post was about, nothing more.
How old are you? You can't measure 1/32" and don't know the difference between racked sheet metal and a static deflection. Ask and we'll explain.
Take a 4 ft level to the floor to determine if the issue is the floor. If the floor is the issue just shim floor to the caster. Good thing my CM boxes are not as robust as the HF 44 which allows me to tweak them square or let the tools do the tweaking.
Have you actually ever held a tool let alone used one or do you just talk about it?.
You remind me of a millwright I used to work with 30 years ago. His name was Buck and he had a photographic memory. He could tell you anything and everything you could imagine about any subject matter that he ever studied. But I swear to god when you put a tool in his hand was completely incapable of performing even the simplest of tasks. He was basically worthless much like most of your posts.
You remind me of my children who desperately want to be part of a conversation they can't quite understand. Difference is, they try to learn what they dont know. You just seem to resent people who know something you don't. Hold you back much?
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1950mercury
Well-known member
Lol I also work with a guy. Like that...he is constantly pushing his views on everyone else and is full of useless information. But can barely tie his own shoes
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
So which is it?
I swear some of you must have a HF 44" post alert so you can jump in and pimp for SnapOn.
AnthonyJ124
Well-known member
LOL. This thread derailed quick. We might as well rename the HF 44" "Amtracks" for how often these threads pop up and go **** up.
4th reply had the first easy step, spin the box around (or use a long level) and make sure it's the box that is out of square. You'll know immediately if you need to shim it.
My 44" sits flat in most areas of my garage. If it didn't you can bet I'd stuff a wood shim under the wheel and forget about it.
4th reply had the first easy step, spin the box around (or use a long level) and make sure it's the box that is out of square. You'll know immediately if you need to shim it.
My 44" sits flat in most areas of my garage. If it didn't you can bet I'd stuff a wood shim under the wheel and forget about it.
warmpancakes
Well-known member
So which is it?
I swear some of you must have a HF 44" post alert so you can jump in and pimp for SnapOn.
original box, didnt wobble but was mis built the bottom was installed 2MM off side to side, and you could tell one drawer closed different from the others. One phone call to snap on guy and entire box was swapped under warranty
We get the same alert the "you could have bough *** harbor freight boxes for the price of that snap on" guys. its kinda like the bat signal but american made