I had the SAME exact experience. Bought the regular impact - it was absolute trash - couldn't even remove lugs off of my BMW track car torqued to 74lb/ft. Returned it and got the earthquake version. It has worked great for 2 years now.
The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
- Thread starter Bolster
- Start date
I had the SAME exact experience. Bought the regular impact - it was absolute trash - couldn't even remove lugs off of my BMW track car torqued to 74lb/ft. Returned it and got the earthquake version. It has worked great for 2 years now.
After reading about 100 pages of this thread I figured I'd make a contribution!
61840 2500lb ATV Winch - PASS I bought this with a super coupon for $49.99. I figured for that cheap, I was willing to take a chance - I have a small trailer I use to tow my BMW track car. It's a stripped down 3 series that weighs around 2700lbs wet. I welded/fabbed up a bracket on my trailer at a suitable height for this winch and installed a battery on the trailer to run it. I use the winch to pull my car onto the trailer rather than burn up my clutch going up the ramps. I was concerned that I might be pushing the capacity of this winch. I was wrong. I do use a ****** block to double up the cable so technically it is putting only half pressure on the winch itself. For the money you cannot beat it! I've been using it for about 6 months now and have pulled my car onto the trailer about 10+ times with it. I also used it to pull up my friends car which weighs slightly more than 3000lbs. It worked great. The winch comes with a small remote which is AWESOME. There is a slight delay between the winch and the remote though so you have to let go of the button about 1.5 seconds before you want the winch to stop running (the manual warns about this)
The only complaint I have about it is the following 1) you need to hand guide the cable onto the winch or else the cable will simply bunch up on one corner. The fairlead doesn't seem to do much to help with this. 2) you need to keep constant tension (ever so slight) on the cable to keep it wrapped properly and not allow it to loosen up and 3) the cable itself could be a little bit heavier duty. I am going to use this cable until it shows signs of wear and then replace it with a higher quality and slightly larger diameter cable. Overall, you cannot beat this winch for the money. It doesn't draw a ton of amperage and is surprisingly fast. I'm not sure how it would fair pulling something out of thick mud, but for my purpose it is excellent.
61840 2500lb ATV Winch - PASS I bought this with a super coupon for $49.99. I figured for that cheap, I was willing to take a chance - I have a small trailer I use to tow my BMW track car. It's a stripped down 3 series that weighs around 2700lbs wet. I welded/fabbed up a bracket on my trailer at a suitable height for this winch and installed a battery on the trailer to run it. I use the winch to pull my car onto the trailer rather than burn up my clutch going up the ramps. I was concerned that I might be pushing the capacity of this winch. I was wrong. I do use a ****** block to double up the cable so technically it is putting only half pressure on the winch itself. For the money you cannot beat it! I've been using it for about 6 months now and have pulled my car onto the trailer about 10+ times with it. I also used it to pull up my friends car which weighs slightly more than 3000lbs. It worked great. The winch comes with a small remote which is AWESOME. There is a slight delay between the winch and the remote though so you have to let go of the button about 1.5 seconds before you want the winch to stop running (the manual warns about this)
The only complaint I have about it is the following 1) you need to hand guide the cable onto the winch or else the cable will simply bunch up on one corner. The fairlead doesn't seem to do much to help with this. 2) you need to keep constant tension (ever so slight) on the cable to keep it wrapped properly and not allow it to loosen up and 3) the cable itself could be a little bit heavier duty. I am going to use this cable until it shows signs of wear and then replace it with a higher quality and slightly larger diameter cable. Overall, you cannot beat this winch for the money. It doesn't draw a ton of amperage and is surprisingly fast. I'm not sure how it would fair pulling something out of thick mud, but for my purpose it is excellent.
SantaAna12
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2012
- Messages
- 1,091
carterbeauford
Well-known member
1/2 torque wrench: major pass. read on here how accurate it was. bought one, disassembled, lubed, impressed with the size of the pawls and the simple mechanism. fit and finish are good. it's not a CDI but I can't complain for $18 out the door with 20% coupon.
Rechargeable LED work light with magnetic base - #94668 - EPIC PASS! I have dropped this thing more times that I care to admit, from 6 inches off the ground to 6 feet! Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin! Will definitely buy another when this one finally decides to die.
http://www.harborfreight.com/rechargeable-led-work-light-with-magnetic-base-94668.html
Also, got the 20-gallon parts washer (#60769) and 40-lb sandblast cabinet (#68893) for christmas and once it warms up and I can put them together, I will report back on them as well.
http://www.harborfreight.com/rechargeable-led-work-light-with-magnetic-base-94668.html
Also, got the 20-gallon parts washer (#60769) and 40-lb sandblast cabinet (#68893) for christmas and once it warms up and I can put them together, I will report back on them as well.
8000lb cable winch puller (Come Along) - PN 69855 - Very Marginal pass - The puller does work but I would NOT recommend this for someone planning on using it often. First the cable is very short, requiring the use of an additional strap/chain and multiple re-positioning and restarting of the pulling. I seriously doubt it can pull a full 8000lbs. Pulling a 2700lb car up not-so-steep ramps seemed to be pushing the unit pretty hard. Also, the cheap "guide" for the cable seems to bend very easily under normal use. It is a very inexpensive unit and if you're looking for something to have as a back up but you don't really need to rely upon it (as in you're not going to take it 15 miles out into the wilderness and depend on it to save your tail), then it's not a bad thing for something like $20 bucks or whatever it was with the coupon. If you want to use it to help pull out a dented car body or help pull something onto a trailer every now and then it's acceptable but I would not call this one of their finer pieces.
2 Ton folding engine hoist - PASS (don't know which part number I got but the 2 ton version, not the 1 ton) - I love it, it was inexpensive and it works great. I've used it to lift up an 80s Chevy pickup and it worked flawlessly. My only complaint is the ram came unfilled without any hydraulic fluid (not a problem). I removed the rubber stopper plug to fill it and when I went to put the plug back in the damn thing would not go back in. I ended up deforming the plug and the plug would no longer go back in. It has operated great without it and folds up out of the way nicely.
1000lb capacity engine stand - PN69886 PASS - Works great, very inexpensive and does what it's supposed to. The only thing it to be careful as it could possibly tip if you try to wheel it around if you're not careful. Disassembles quickly for easy storage when not in use. I was using it to hold a BMW straight 6 so I'm not sure if it can actually hold a 1000lb engine but I hope nobody would be stupid enough to test its stated capacity like that.
MIG welding tips - PN98108 - PASS Work great
18" split leather welding sleeves - PASS - They're nothing special but they've been helpful when I'm welding under the car. Wouldn't recommend them for someone needing them every single day though.
Split leather welding gloves FAIL These are not the "premium" ones. They are the cheap gray ones. They worked okay at first but while welding I noticed one of my fingers was getting hot. I wore a pair of mechanics gloves as well underneath but noticed that the HF glove split along the index finger (the stitching was poor and came loose). Fail on something that could lead to a serious burn.
2 Ton folding engine hoist - PASS (don't know which part number I got but the 2 ton version, not the 1 ton) - I love it, it was inexpensive and it works great. I've used it to lift up an 80s Chevy pickup and it worked flawlessly. My only complaint is the ram came unfilled without any hydraulic fluid (not a problem). I removed the rubber stopper plug to fill it and when I went to put the plug back in the damn thing would not go back in. I ended up deforming the plug and the plug would no longer go back in. It has operated great without it and folds up out of the way nicely.
1000lb capacity engine stand - PN69886 PASS - Works great, very inexpensive and does what it's supposed to. The only thing it to be careful as it could possibly tip if you try to wheel it around if you're not careful. Disassembles quickly for easy storage when not in use. I was using it to hold a BMW straight 6 so I'm not sure if it can actually hold a 1000lb engine but I hope nobody would be stupid enough to test its stated capacity like that.
MIG welding tips - PN98108 - PASS Work great
18" split leather welding sleeves - PASS - They're nothing special but they've been helpful when I'm welding under the car. Wouldn't recommend them for someone needing them every single day though.
Split leather welding gloves FAIL These are not the "premium" ones. They are the cheap gray ones. They worked okay at first but while welding I noticed one of my fingers was getting hot. I wore a pair of mechanics gloves as well underneath but noticed that the HF glove split along the index finger (the stitching was poor and came loose). Fail on something that could lead to a serious burn.
How's the light output on the LED worklight?
I've heard that their parts washer requires use of a water based cleaner and not a solvent and that the solvent can burn up the pump btw. just a heads up!
Its got 2 settings, I always just use high, and its really bright, its a flood style, not a beam style. I have zero complaints with the light.
Thanks for the heads up on the washer, I plan on using diesel fuel in it.....will see how it likes that
Sanny81
Well-known member
Has anyone tried the HF snap ring pliers? The reviews are pretty terrible but I'm just curious if they're that bad.
Sanny81
Well-known member
Thanks for the quick reply!
No problem! I just started on here recently but LOVE this forum. This thread is a great asset bc it allows you to sift through the junk at HF and find their few hidden gems. It also has helped me in figuring out their coupon/discount scheme to exploit the lowest prices possible. I have a set of Kobalt snap ring pliers. They are also not amazing but they are much better than the HF ones.
Coupon/discount scheme? More than just printing off the 20% off one and taking it in? Please explain.....
Well a 20% coupon doesn't always net you the "best" deal they ever offer. The same item will sometimes be "on sale" for $180 sometimes, $170 sometimes or $160 sometimes. The "regular coupons" are not as good as the "Super Coupons" but the Super Coupons also vary (the red 30" rolling tool cart for instance is typically "best priced' at $169 but there are some super coupons that have it for as little as $164. There are also 25% off coupons out there.
This website is awesome:
http://www.hfqpdb.com/
Sweet, thanks! But I always buy with the coupon, and so far, I have gotten the % off of the sale price, so I would think that is the best deal....of course 25% is better than 20%, but i dont always come across those.
Thanks for the link to the site too!
malibu_rod
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2012
- Messages
- 41
I had a pair and they are terrible, put them into the round toolbox. Like the other member mentioned, save your money and by a good pair.
Dont bother. Just get the Channellock/Craftsman reversible ones.
Bagherra
Well-known member
I love how HF advertises prices in its flyer are "on sale" even though some items are cheaper in the store...
and sometimes you can luck out and find an item in the open box section that is missing nothing but has been marked down 20% and you can still use the 20% off coupon
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
They flex badly. I returned them the next day.
Then I Drove to sears where I bought this set of two (made in USA) snap ring pliers on sale for $19. They work great!!!! http://www.sears.com/craftsman-2-pc-qtr-turn-reg-convertible-retaining-ring/p-00947385000P
I've never found any brand of snap ring pliers with replaceable tips tha I like.
Chris
Last edited:
bubinga
Well-known member
anyone happen to try the set ACE hardware sells?
These didn't even last for the single use I bought them for. These are a solid FAIL
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
not only hf but any snap ring plier from china. all junk
Bought one of the big floor standing drill presses with a 20% coupon, motor died after 20 seconds of run time, didn't even drill on anything. It was a known risk I took, returned it the next day. I no longer buy anything with a motor from HF.
ninjamunky85
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2015
- Messages
- 63
Fail on the 45 bulb LED work light. This light looks like it would be pretty bright,.. well it's not. I was extremely disappointed with how little light it actually puts out when I first plugged it in. Was also disappointed to find out that it has no on/off switch.
I thought this light would compliment my Husky LED work light nicely, but when I turn on the Husky one next to it you can't even tell the HF one is on. Will be returning in the morning.
I thought this light would compliment my Husky LED work light nicely, but when I turn on the Husky one next to it you can't even tell the HF one is on. Will be returning in the morning.
this is a given on almost everything.
their mixing drills #60436 (although the chucks arent that great, dont stay tight all day) rungreat. i use them daily. one died in forward, so i keep it for a back up in a pinch. they get tossed in mud, dirt and water on the regular.
i came home, turned off the lights and plugged it in the living room (15x15) i think it was brighter in their without the light. straight back to the store.
bagged89s10
Well-known member
It's like the right angle drill I once bought to drill some holes when I was wiring my kitchen. Motor started grinding within a few hours.
The angle grinder they sell I've been told is notorious to fail. I bought one that lasted a few years (until I ground the cord on accident) and the replacement I have has lasted a few years as well without problem. I suspect keeping the duty cycle low will make it last a lot longer.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
Bought the composite pro ratchets based on the reviews here on how warm they are in your hands. It was in the low 20s in my shop this evening and I was using my freezing crafstman ratchet when I remembered the composite ones. The ratchet warmed up instantly in my hand. That's a pass for me.
The thermometer in the photo was on 20°f when I picked it up but went us a couple degrees when I held it.
Chris
The thermometer in the photo was on 20°f when I picked it up but went us a couple degrees when I held it.
Chris
Yep, I made the switch last year to those ratchets. I was skeptical on the extendable ratchets until I discovered how convenient they are as well. Side Bonus....They are tool box space savers! I still need to scoop up the 3/8 1/4 extendable ratchet and do the 3/8 pushbutton conversion to it.
Parrothead
Well-known member
I've got one too, though it's in my road box and I've used it sparingly. My home use is a Ridgid and the HF version is comparable. You will notice the HF tubing cutter is made in Taiwan.
bobbycos
Well-known member
Is there a thread on how to do the conversion
skulldrinker
Well-known member
and to think I only got one of these for working on Batteries. Need a heated creeper now.
I forgot, I do have one HF tool that is motorized, which hasn't failed...yet. It is their 2HP 15A cut-off saw: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-14-inch-heavy-duty-cut-off-saw-91938.html
I use it occasionally to make cuts in metal for welding projects. Except the one I got a couple years ago is Pittsburgh branded and is silver/maroon in color, but the same part# now shows the black one in the link provided. The Lowes/HD ones appear to be very similar if not identical designs in most cases, probably comes down to China vs Taiwan being the only real difference (HF being China).
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
These aren't sold or advertised as a terminal wrench. I never used composite anything to work on batteries and haven't seen others do this either. Undo the negative terminal before undoing the positive terminal and you should be fine. Reverse the order for installation.
Others were raving about how good they are to work with in the cold, I was just pointing out here that they are great for that. There are also videos of people putting these ratchets through torture tests and they held up great.
put a heating pad on your creeper!
Chris
Last edited:
soj
Well-known member
You shouldn't have given up as quick as the motor did!
I bought this cement mixer about 12 years ago. Got it all assembled (lots of nuts and bolts), turned it on and the motor just grunted and stunk. Not wanting to go through assembly again, I returned just the motor and they swapped it out. It is still going strong after mixing hundreds, maybe into the thousands of bags of cement. It is a big PASS.
You don't say which drill press you bought, but I have this one, the 20" 12 speed. I have had it for about 4 years, gets occasional use and works great. The table is bigger than most and has T-slots that accept Bridgeport type T-nuts. I got this set from Enco to use with it. I also changed the keyed chuck to a keyless one, cause I am lazy like that. This drill press is a big PASS.
-JP
Bagherra
Well-known member
Anybody got one of the motorcycle lift tables?