HF To The Rescue

[zendriver]

Fwiw since they are nearly everywhere

800 mi drive to myrtyle beach vacation ‘14 highlander and the turn signal starts flashing rapidly front bulb out. Leaving today. New bulb made no difference and looking at the wires, one had a nick and then busted in two.

Hit HF as soon they opened. Since the wire was in a tight spot, needed “specialty” tools so the cheap connector set (crimper at the tip on pliers) Quinn strippers stripper at the tip and a box of heat shrink connectors (I’ll heat later)

Ten bucks

 

[qqzj]

Really? That cheap? Do you have the links to them?

 

[dchawk81]

Really? That cheap? Do you have the links to them?

It's Harbor Freight. Why are you surprised?

 

[CGarage]

Fwiw since they are nearly everywhere

800 mi drive to myrtyle beach vacation ‘14 highlander and the turn signal starts flashing rapidly front bulb out. Leaving today. New bulb made no difference and looking at the wires, one had a nick and then busted in two.

Hit HF as soon they opened. Since the wire was in a tight spot, needed “specialty” tools so the cheap connector set (crimper at the tip on pliers) Quinn strippers stripper at the tip and a box of heat shrink connectors (I’ll heat later)

Ten bucks

Holy run-on sentence……

I think I understand

 

[bwringer]

I've done something similar several times... adapt, improvise, and overcome, using what you can find where you are.

Harbor Freight, Walmart, Menards, Home Despot, bLowes... farm stores also have a lot of handy tools and materials in rural areas.

I once bought a cheap jack and stands set at a Menard's near our hotel in order to deal with an issue with my van (the factory jack wasn't stable enough to get under the van). Later on, I gave it to a family member who didn't have a jack.

I think the cheapest was a 99 cent container of bubble fluid from a Dollar General, used as a leak detector and tire mounting lubricant. Worked quite nicely, and made the job much easier.


I've known folks on motorcycle trips who worked around a dead charging system in a vintage bike by hitting up a farm or home store for a lawn tractor battery, a battery charger, an extension cord, a length of wire (perhaps a cheap extension cord, cut up), and maybe some hose clamps or bolts to make the connections. $100 or so. Less if you hit a junkyard for a decent used car battery.

You can strap the battery to the seat or wherever on the motorcycle, hook it up to the bike using the wire, and (depending on the bike) get 50 or 70 miles toward home. Stop and re-charge for an hour or so when the battery gets low, and head out for another segment. Most gas stations and restaurants, etc. have an outlet somewhere on the outside of the building.

If you're riding with friends, disconnect the headlight and ride behind a buddy, and you can make even more distance with each charge. With persistence, you can make 300-400 miles in a day like this. If you have a volt meter (and you should) you can strap it somewhere you can see it and monitor the state of charge.

If you're riding with friends with similar enough bikes, you can also simply stop and swap batteries every 30 miles or so.

 

[cherokee]

I was reading a story about a guy on a motorcycle and the stator went out in the middle of nowhere Canada. Calls around and the best he can do is a week for the new part. U-Haul was $1000 to get the bike home.

Canadian Tire (their harbor freight) had an idea. Strap a small generator on the back of the bike, hook a small battery charger to the generator and then to the battery. Off he went.

IIRC he made a several hundred mile trip back to his house.

I loved that story....you do what you need to to keep going.

 

[bwringer]

I was reading a story about a guy on a motorcycle and the stator went out in the middle of nowhere Canada. Calls around and the best he can do is a week for the new part. U-Haul was $1000 to get the bike home.

Canadian Tire (their harbor freight) had an idea. Strap a small generator on the back of the bike, hook a small battery charger to the generator and then to the battery. Off he went.

IIRC he made a several hundred mile trip back to his house.

I loved that story....you do what you need to to keep going.

Nice!

And the cool thing is, he could sell the generator back home if he didn't need it, and recover a large portion of the cash outlay. Sadly, HF in the US doesn't sell a $100 generator any more.

I've done this a few times rather than renting large tools. For example, I bought an engine lift, used it for two weeks, then sold it off quickly for about $60 less than I paid; far cheaper and easier than renting.

 

[1982fxr]

Really? That cheap? Do you have the links to them?

He's telling a story from a decade ago...

 

[zendriver]

Really? That cheap? Do you have the links to them?

Actually I was wrong $10.77 - out the door.

The crimpers were slightly less quality than a similar pair I have been using for 35 years.

The strippers are all right. There is a little dial to set the gauge, not sure how accurate it is.

The heat shrink connectors are actually pretty nice.

 

[dchawk81]

He's telling a story from a decade ago...

I thought it was a 2014 Highlander he was talking about. When he wrote the OP he said he was leaving today.

I mean it's not Garcky.

 

[qqzj]

Gee, they are indeed that inexpensive. I have the connectors. They do work great.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-pack-18-22-gauge-watertight-heat-shrink-****-connectors-66595.html

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[jonesg]

Gee, they are indeed that inexpensive. I have the connectors. They do work great.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-pack-18-22-gauge-watertight-heat-shrink-****-connectors-66595.html

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

In Boston using your indicators is a sign of weakness.

 

[KnurledNut]

Similar situation yesterday. Broken wire. Emergency terminal crimp. Came prepared. Completed job with reliable crimper and dont have to revisit. Didnt have to buy anything.
Cost: $0.
Time: 10 mins.
Yeah, I know, all you really need is AAA and a cell phone.

 

[dchawk81]

In Boston using your indicators is a sign of weakness.

Also "not from around here."

 

[dchawk81]

Similar situation yesterday. Broken wire. Emergency terminal crimp. Came prepared. Completed job with reliable crimper and dont have to revisit. Didnt have to buy anything.
Cost: $0.
Time: 10 mins.
Yeah, I know, all you really need is AAA and a cell phone.

Or at least a @Garcky in the back seat.

 

[Garcky]

Or at least a @Garcky in the back seat.

That's right. Garcky has a AAA card. He can call for help for your car, too.

 

[dscheidt]

If you're riding with friends with similar enough bikes, you can also simply stop and swap batteries every 30 miles or so.

I've done that when in a convoy of elderly trucks. Someone's generator died, and he drove until the battery voltage was too low to run his ignition, and died on the highway. Swapped his battery for mine, drove a couple hours, then did a conversion to an alternator in the parking lot of the parts store that supplied him an alternator, belt, and battery.

 

[1982fxr]

I thought it was a 2014 Highlander he was talking about. When he wrote the OP he said he was leaving today.

I mean it's not Garcky.

Lol poor Garcky, ouch!
Now I see how I read it wrong.

 

[Meursault74]

I have those V-notch stripper from HF. I bought them to get into tight places. I like that the size selector is quantized as opposed to one like this slider that is infinitely adjustable., which I have used before as well. The infinitely adjustable one sometime required a test strip. Not that great if you're dealing with limited wire.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZHMQV3Y/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[zendriver]

In Boston using your indicators is a sign of weakness.

Probably why traffic stinks there - all of those accidents.

 

[Al Borland]

Try using a directional in Newark, or better yet, Manhattan. it attracts the Ferals, who see it as a sign of weakness.

 

[340wedge]

Living in Myrtle. We have a HF in North Myrtle, Conway, and Murrels Inlet. All within 20 min of each other. I love it here.

 

[Firebrick43]

Living in Myrtle. We have a HF in North Myrtle, Conway, and Murrels Inlet. All within 20 min of each other. I love it here.

Its great being surrounded by Cheap Chinese ****!

 

[340wedge]

Its great being surrounded by Cheap Chinese ****!

I know it's not as good as the USA who couldn't even make a wrench, closing the 900 Million dollar Crapsman made in the USA factory.

 

[driftpin]

In Boston using your indicators is a sign of weakness.

My older brother who was a RR engineer in Boston, said he would get honked at by traffic behind him while he stopped for a red light. Not while operating his engine, of course!

Glad you had a simple fix.

I have no qualms about buying HFT things. It's not my 'go-to' location; amazon prime may come close to filling that role. Most of my hand tools were Craftsman, and bought 40+ years ago. No Lowe's convenient to me but Ace Hardware carries Craftsman too.

My best 'deal' on a HFT was a SDS-MAX demolition hammer-drill, 8.5 amps, which saved me several thousand dollars on various home renovations, such as gutting several bathrooms, and anchoring a 10 X 20 ft Hardi-Board garage to a newly-poured slab.

 

[jonesg]

Amazon is just as good or better, unless you got to have it right now.

I'm drilling 1/2 inch holes in concrete today for rebar, $89 12 amp rotary hammer.
Some of the prices at HF are way high on these tools.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0993JF3GS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mikew13]

Horror Freight is one store I will never set foot in.

 

[Hootbro]

Horror Freight is one store I will never set foot in.

I bet you do when you think no one is looking.

 

[zendriver]

Similar situation yesterday. Broken wire. Emergency terminal crimp. Came prepared. Completed job with reliable crimper and dont have to revisit. Didnt have to buy anything.
Cost: $0.
Time: 10 mins.
Yeah, I know, all you really need is AAA and a cell phone.

Guess I'm a creature of habit.

5 Toyotas in 43 years (16 year with one) , I don't recall ever having to repair a wire on any of them.

Looks like the wire was rubbing against the frame.

 

[bcradio]

Guess I'm a creature of habit.

5 Toyotas in 43 years (16 year with one) , I don't recall ever having to repair a wire on any of them.

Looks like the wire was rubbing against the frame.

You need more squirrels in your life! 🐿

 

[KnurledNut]

Guess I'm a creature of habit.

5 Toyotas in 43 years (16 year with one) , I don't recall ever having to repair a wire on any of them.

Looks like the wire was rubbing against the frame.

It was a piece of machinery out in the field. It needed to be used right away. Nearest HF was 30 minutes away.

 

[mikew13]

I bet you do when you think no one is looking.

Nope. That horrible place has destroyed the US Tool Industry. They won't get a cent from me. America is better off without that piggy bank for the People's Liberation Army.

 

[M635_Guy]

Nope. That horrible place has destroyed the US Tool Industry. They won't get a cent from me. America is better off without that piggy bank for the People's Liberation Army.

LoL - The US tool industry was crashing well before HF was in a position to be a problem for them. Sears probably did more to shift things, but as much as anything many were guilty of staying the same as the world shifted.

 

[mikew13]

LoL - The US tool industry was crashing well before HF was in a position to be a problem for them. Sears probably did more to shift things, but as much as anything many were guilty of staying the same as the world shifted.

You have it wrong, its the other way around. Cheap junk makes it hard to complete. Its all Harbor Freight's fault.
Believe your delusion all you want with your stupid LoLs. Harbor Freight is a DISEASE killing America. Low Prices Cheap Sh!t all day long.....

 

[General Geoff]

Harbor Freight is a DISEASE killing America. Low Prices Cheap Sh!t all day long.....

Harbor Freight isn't putting a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to shop there.

 

[dchawk81]

You have it wrong, its the other way around. Cheap junk makes it hard to complete. Its all Harbor Freight's fault.
Believe your delusion all you want with your stupid LoLs. Harbor Freight is a DISEASE killing America. Low Prices Cheap Sh!t all day long.....

I don't think I could live life on pure USA.

 

[mikew13]

Harbor Freight isn't putting a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to shop there.

Well where does the money go? You fail to think about that. Thanks to gullible people shopping at HF, China has a massive unlimited piggy bank funding their military expansion, belt and road debt trap and buying US companies and farmland. I guess HF shoppers aren't smart enough to realize that.

 

[dchawk81]

Well where does the money go? You fail to think about that. Thanks to gullible people shopping at HF, China has a massive unlimited piggy bank funding their military expansion, belt and road debt trap and buying US companies and farmland. I guess HF shoppers aren't smart enough to realize that.

It takes more than Harbor Freight money to fund all that.

Takes a lot of your favorite brands and retailers.

 

[qqzj]

Well where does the money go? You fail to think about that. Thanks to gullible people shopping at HF, China has a massive unlimited piggy bank funding their military expansion, belt and road debt trap and buying US companies and farmland. I guess HF shoppers aren't smart enough to realize that.

Low value added products are moving out of China now. So take it easy. Let's see your comment after HF is filled with products made in India/Vietnam/Pakistan. Or what was your comment when Japan/Taiwan was supplying HF.

 

[zendriver]

That old saying, “point your finger at someone and there’s three pointing back at you!”

If you look for bargains, shop for the lowest price, wait for something to go on sale for haggle someone down in price - on anything, then you are part of the reason manufacturing is not in the US. OK to believe otherwise, but you only be kidding yourself.

Japanese Toyota, Sony TVs, Marantz, BMW, PB Swiss, hell yes!, negative affect on our manufacturing, but who cares? Good stuff and it’s from countries that we like.

Well, fortunes of shifted now stuff comes from a country that we are afraid of, but now it’s too late and it’s everyone else’s fault.

People seem to like their Chinese made Milwaukee tools, but for some reason HarborFreight is ruined everything.

Maybe I should’ve went to Lowe’s AutoZone or Napa and paid much more for the same Chinese ****, but I like bargains, just like everybody else