The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...

[RedneckWelder]

3/8 right angle air drill is a FAIL in my book. the one I have won't stop when you let off the switch. Going back tomorrow.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-reversible-air-angle-drill-67474.html

Left hand drill bits are a big fat FAIL too. Didn't even drill one bolt out...got about 1/8 deep in the bolt before it the bit dulled...and didn't do hardly worth a damn for that 1/8" it did drill. I expected pretty ****** bits but got a little more than I expected...I was hoping it would last for at least one bolt. Bits will also be returned tomorrow.

http://www.harborfreight.com/13-piece-left-hand-drill-bit-set-95146.html

I've had decent luck with HF air tools (die grinders and cutoff tool) so I expected the $35 drill to at least work decently but not be anything to write home about, perfect for my limited use...I didn't expect it to be a safety hazard right off the bat. Annoying.

 

[Kenskip1]

Well I may as well jump onboard. I purchased a pair of ratchets Saturday evening.I have read good things about them.I am not impressed however, it is to soon to make a definitive decision. They are officially on probation.

 

[tw05]

Well I may as well jump onboard. I purchased a pair of ratchets Saturday evening.I have read good things about them.I am not impressed however, it is to soon to make a definitive decision. They are officially on probation.

...been debating about purchasing these. What issues are you having with them. I have been reading a lot about these lately but it seems like 90% of the posts are people arguing about harbor freight vs other tools. More first hand experience reviews for these ratchets would be great.

 

[Bagherra]

I've been debating on getting the flex head ratchets...but for the life of me, I can't figure out the flex head advantage...

 

[tw05]

I've been debating on getting the flex head ratchets...but for the life of me, I can't figure out the flex head advantage...

I mostly do simple work on my cars....brakes, belts, pulleys, etc. The longer handle is great for extra leverage but sometimes an obstacle is in the way when you want to rotate such a long handle. The flex head can clear the obstacle better. Not always the case but it's what I use them for. It's the type of tool you don't realize you need until you buy it. Its a life saver sometimes.

My first flex head was a $20 Stanley 3/8th locking flex head with extendable handle. Great ratchet and extremely tough. Its actually a little longer than the Pittsburgh pro ratchet when fully extended. Only downside is it doesn't have a comfort grip handle and its not as fine tooth. If you want to make it fine tooth I believe you can swap the gears over from a Bostitch flex head ratchet.

More info on the Stanley/Husky flex ratchet: http://www.truckinweb.com/editorial/1210tr_truckin_tough_3_8_inch_ratchet_test/

 

[stikman56]

Sooo after skimmng thru over 1000 posts.. Is it safe to say harbor freight is ****

That a question or a statement? You worded it like a question with no punctuation at the end, so WTF knows?

 

[stikman56]

Don't shop there. Problem solved.

Yeah, it's a pass/fail thread. Not a "is it all good or all bad" thread. If you feel it's not worth going there, don't go, not really that tough. All the posters that gotta say it all ***** in this thread ,blah blah blah....don't buy it. I like it that way, cause when I go to get something I want, ( that I know is a good product, because yes, there are good items there....tool snobs ain't ever gonna admit it, cause it would hurt their pride or something) , there's a better chance it'll be in the store , the more people think that it's junk.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I've been debating on getting the flex head ratchets...but for the life of me, I can't figure out the flex head advantage...

Knuckle clearance and obstacle clearance. That simple. My flex heads are my favorite ratchets.

The HF flex heads are not so good due to the floppy heads. But get a good locking flex head or one with some detents, and it's a lot better.

 

[G_P]

Knuckle clearance and obstacle clearance. That simple. My flex heads are my favorite ratchets.

The HF flex heads are not so good due to the floppy heads. But get a good locking flex head or one with some detents, and it's a lot better.

Yes, flex heads are great. My go to ratchets are a MAC flex head and a NAPA roto head. Once you use one you'll want more!

 

[ndr1968]

Well, you haven't skimmed very well then. No, some of it is ****; some of it is not. That's point of the thread, to separate the wheat from the chaff.

I propose that Harbor Freight Tools changes it's name to Harbor Freight Tools and Tools Kits. Recent example: The dirt bike stand Item #66552. This thing had an 11" minimum height (I needed 9") and the pedal lever was the wrong shape and didn't allow the mechanism to lock at the top of the movement. So, I spent half the day out in the shop chopping and modifying the thing and now it works pretty good. My point is that a lot of their tools are priced like "kits" and sometimes require the same amount of work that a kit would to get them to a usable state.

The second photo shows the "field expedient" I had to resort to the first time I took it out to camp (before the modification).

 

[NC-Shaun]

I propose that Harbor Freight Tools changes it's name to Harbor Freight Tools and Tools Kits. Recent example: The dirt bike stand Item #66552. This thing had an 11" minimum height (I needed 9") and the pedal lever was the wrong shape and didn't allow the mechanism to lock at the top of the movement. So, I spent half the day out in the shop chopping and modifying the thing and now it works pretty good. My point is that a lot of their tools are priced like "kits" and sometimes require the same amount of work that a kit would to get them to a usable state.

The second photo shows the "field expedient" I had to resort to the first time I took it out to camp (before the modification).

Which reminds me.....The HF dirt bike stand. The stand you posted a pic of is a pile of dung, there are much better options for the lifting stands.None of which are cheap. For a 240lb MX bike there really is no reason to need a lifting style stand. I use this type of stand to store and service my 290LB dual sport bike. My stand was about $120 bux for this application.

http://www.harborfreight.com/dirt-bike-stand-67151.html


1000 Lb Capacity Dirt Bike Stand
Pittsburgh Motorcycle - item#67151

This stand is great! I bought this and used it for my YZ450F. So nice to have the oil change hole in it, and the rounded edges made sliding it over to my bike or sliding it a few inches with the bike on it easy and much more quiet than my over priced brand name aluminum version ($100 vs $25) So I sold the high dollar Pro Circuit aluminum stand and kept the HF stand.

These stands are a great gift for that one buddy who is so cheap he still uses 5 gallon buckets turned upside down to support all 3 of his $8k dirt bikes

This is what a real lift stand looks like and costs.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/28665/i/msr-pro-lift-stand?SITEID=MSN+SEARCH+NON-BRAND+none&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=10007&creative=4760510586&device=c&matchtype={MatchType}

 

[ineedtools]

In my defense 5 gallon buckets are readily available from a host of suppliers nearly 24/7, light, durable, hold a good amount of tools and kit, and are extremely cost effective.

 

[NC-Shaun]

/\ See, a perfect gift opportunity! /\

 

[OutlawDrifter]

i have had good luck with their ratchets, grinders, orange dead blows, and sockets. i'm not afraid to buy tools there, because i have realistic expectations of those said tools.

the angle grinder i have now has been in service 4 hard years, it doesn't live an easy life either. i've got their mid-level mig welder, aside from the gun, it has performed quite well in the last 3 years.

i'm on my second creeper, but for 18 bucks i can afford to replace one every few years.

 

[NC-Shaun]

i have had good luck with their ratchets, grinders, orange dead blows, and sockets. i'm not afraid to buy tools there, because i have realistic expectations of those said tools.

the angle grinder i have now has been in service 4 hard years, it doesn't live an easy life either. i've got their mid-level mig welder, aside from the gun, it has performed quite well in the last 3 years.

i'm on my second creeper, but for 18 bucks i can afford to replace one every few years.

Which creeper do you have? I need one

 

[Bagherra]

Dammit...you guys did it again!!

Now I gotta get one of those flex head ratchets.....

thanx...lol

 

[owenst7]

Which creeper do you have? I need one

I've had the standard light duty square tube frame/rectangular/$20ish dollar one that you see relabeled at Napa, summit, auto zone, etc for about 7 years. I use it on a very distressed concrete/gravel driveway. The only thing I can complain about is that my tshirts get caught in the casters (but that's cuz I'm not dressed appropriately Lol).

I'm only 160 lbs. I'm sure that makes a difference.

 

[owenst7]

I've been debating on getting the flex head ratchets...but for the life of me, I can't figure out the flex head advantage...

I love roto heads for certain things like getting to the bottom engine mount bolts on a gm truck.

I hate flex head ratchets because they never stay where you want them, and you can't manipulate the joint with your wrist with one hand like you can with a roto head due to where the fulcrum is.

I tried the LOCKING flex head that Matco sells. I went and bought 3 Armstrong (Matco's OEM) locking flex heads from HJE immediately after. They are now the ratchets I use 95% of the time. I like them more than my Snap Ons.

 

[ndr1968]

Which reminds me.....The HF dirt bike stand. The stand you posted a pic of is a pile of dung, there are much better options for the lifting stands.None of which are cheap. For a 240lb MX bike there really is no reason to need a lifting style stand. I use this type of stand to store and service my 290LB dual sport bike. My stand was about $120 bux for this application.

http://www.harborfreight.com/dirt-bike-stand-67151.html


1000 Lb Capacity Dirt Bike Stand
Pittsburgh Motorcycle - item#67151



This stand is great! I bought this and used it for my YZ450F. So nice to have the oil change hole in it, and the rounded edges made sliding it over to my bike or sliding it a few inches with the bike on it easy and much more quiet than my over priced brand name aluminum version ($100 vs $25) So I sold the high dollar Pro Circuit aluminum stand and kept the HF stand.

These stands are a great gift for that one buddy who is so cheap he still uses 5 gallon buckets turned upside down to support all 3 of his $8k dirt bikes

This is what a real lift stand looks like and costs.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/28665/i/msr-pro-lift-stand?SITEID=MSN+SEARCH+NON-BRAND+none&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=10007&creative=4760510586&device=c&matchtype={MatchType}

I'm 160 pounds soakin' wet. I'm 65 years old with a bad back. The "lift with your knee and bounce it up on there" type stand simply is not an option for me.

Thanks for posting that. I saved myself a hundred bucks and shipping it looks like. My stand is now 9" - 16" lift range and locks at the top and doesn't need the pin to hold it up there.

Still, my point about many HF items being "kits" is valid I think. There are others. The welding cart, after throwing away the chains and replacing with solid bottle brackets and replacing the front casters with heavier versions is another example.

The photos show what I did to make this "kit" work. Don't be deceived by the welding at the "U" bracket. I chopped the height at the top not the bottom. You have to keep the bottom the same. After cutting off the top for the chop I got it welded back on 90 degrees out! And so I had to fix that by moving the "U" bracket around to match. That's what happens when you don't do this stuff every day. It's all good, even when I have to go back and fix a fu!

 

[MoparTrucks]

I've had the standard light duty square tube frame/rectangular/$20ish dollar one that you see relabeled at Napa, summit, auto zone, etc for about 7 years. I use it on a very distressed concrete/gravel driveway. The only thing I can complain about is that my tshirts get caught in the casters (but that's cuz I'm not dressed appropriately Lol).

I'm only 160 lbs. I'm sure that makes a difference.

Any bigger guys have one of these creepers? I finally wore out an old wooden Western Auto creeper I've had for about 30 years and I run about 225lbs.

For the price I don't mind buying one every year or so but I don't want to go **** up the first time I use it. My shop floor is smooth concrete.

 

[SteevoLS]

I'm about 160lbs and my red plastic creeper will flex and drag if I roll around without shifting my weight to my shoulders (right on the casters). I have heard that HF has made the plastic more rigid in the last year or two.

I would just try one in the store. There are always at least a couple loose at my store.

 

[LordPsychon]

Looking for any feedback on this


1/2 in. Drive SAE & Metric Lug Nut Impact Sockets 7 Pc
Pittsburgh Automotive - item#69781

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-sae-metric-lug-nut-impact-sockets-7-pc-69781-9166.html

or this

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-...ue-lug-nut-impact-socket-set-11-pc-69829.html


1/2 in. Drive Super High Torque Lug Nut Impact Socket Set 11 Pc
Pittsburgh Automotive - item#69829

Both are Passes in my book - I have both and granted I'm not using them every day but for Cr-Mo at this price who can complain? No damage to the fastener or the socket yet but I haven't tried to crank them on an impact wrench yet (just an impact driver with a socket adaptor).

 

[paigej]

Any bigger guys have one of these creepers? I finally wore out an old wooden Western Auto creeper I've had for about 30 years and I run about 225lbs.

For the price I don't mind buying one every year or so but I don't want to go **** up the first time I use it. My shop floor is smooth concrete.

I've got one of the newer ones and I can even roll around in hard packed dirt behind the garage on mine. I weigh in at 230

 

[NC-Shaun]

9 piece wobble extension set....


9 Pc Wobble Socket Extension Set
Pittsburgh - item#61278

FAIL- The first time I used the 1/4 inch extension to remove and install a 10mm bolt on the coil packs of my truck (8 ft lbs) they jammed up in the socket every time. These will be returned next trip to the store. The 3/8 also didnt hold the socket very tight, so when I installed my spark plugs with the spark plug socket I had a very difficult time getting the socket off the spark plug ( even though I used die electric grease on the spark plug socket rubber to aid in the release)

 

[shifterkart]

The wire that comes in the blue tub is a lot better apparently. I've used it to hold suspension parts together to get off the trail and its held up awesome. My buddy has the same tub with a few different brand names on it, so I'm guessing they're all the same just relabeled.

Sorry if the picture doesn't show it but the safety wire we bought were the ones in the blue tub. They failed not once but multiple times on race day. Engine mount bolts and rear bumper guard which came loose. A simple test is to wiggle the wire back and forth to see how much it'll take to break. You'll notice its more brittle and breaks easier than the better ones which i've bought at the motorcycle store with a brand on it. Haven't had them break on me yet.

 

[MoparTrucks]

I've got one of the newer ones and I can even roll around in hard packed dirt behind the garage on mine. I weigh in at 230

Thanks for that, I think I will pick one up then.

 

[wildbill23c]

Are the HF air compressors any good for occasional use for inflating tires, and running nail/staple guns? I'd like to get a belt drive, but seems those are only on the larger compressors. At least something that has a lubricated pump the oil-less compressors seem to not last very long especially if they are being used for a longer period of time...not to mention the ones I've used in the past doing finish carpentry never would start in the cold weather. So either a smaller size belt drive or at least a compressor with an oil-lubed pump is a must.

I need to do a rebuild on the 30+ year old Montgomery Wards Air Compressor that my grandfather has and don't want to be without a compressor.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Any bigger guys have one of these creepers? I finally wore out an old wooden Western Auto creeper I've had for about 30 years and I run about 225lbs.

For the price I don't mind buying one every year or so but I don't want to go **** up the first time I use it. My shop floor is smooth concrete.

I weigh 230 and I killed an HF creeper in fairly short order.

I replaced it with a Lisle Jeepers Creeper.

 

[PJNJ]

I weigh 230 and I killed an HF creeper in fairly short order.

I replaced it with a Lisle Jeepers Creeper.

I agree. I compared the Lisle to the HF. Based on the reviews, I spent the money; bought the Lisle two years ago and can't believe I wasted my money on cheap creepers all these years. My weight fluctuates between 250 and 265 during the year and I have had no problems with it. I have bought a lot of HF - shop press, pulley puller/installer, brake caliper press, impact sockets, etc. - and they have been good to great. But I would skip the creeper.

 

[MoparTrucks]

I ordered the Lisle 93102 creeper off of Tooltopia for $64.93 incl shipping and handling. I thank you both for the recommendation.

 

[bsaint]

7400 replies. Does HF have 7400 products lol.

I bought the axle puller slide hammer set. Two bearings done and I probably will replace it with something a little more heavy duty. The anvil looks like its going to break off next time I use it.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I ordered the Lisle 93102 creeper off of Tooltopia for $64.93 incl shipping and handling. I thank you both for the recommendation.

You'll like the Lisle a lot.

 

[cheechi]

I weigh 230 and I killed an HF creeper in fairly short order.

I replaced it with a Lisle Jeepers Creeper.

I weigh a little more than you (stop looking at me like that)

I had the plastic crack right near where the wheel attaches to it on the first one I bought. they replaced it and the second hasn't broken yet but I'm sure it will. I make sure I put my weight on it slowly and it does indeed hold my weight. I think the main issue is it flexes too fast/too much. it will eventually tear apart.

And I will replace it with a Jeepers when it does.

 

[owenst7]

Sorry if the picture doesn't show it but the safety wire we bought were the ones in the blue tub. They failed not once but multiple times on race day. Engine mount bolts and rear bumper guard which came loose. A simple test is to wiggle the wire back and forth to see how much it'll take to break. You'll notice its more brittle and breaks easier than the better ones which i've bought at the motorcycle store with a brand on it. Haven't had them break on me yet.

Ya I'm familiar with the fatigue test. The two tubs I have have great fatigue resistance and are very ductile, but they are several years old. It sounds like they screwed up a good thing. That *****. Hopefully its just a few batches.

 

[MattVette89]

Pulley remover and installer set #40749 - FAIL

http://www.harborfreight.com/pulley-remover-and-installer-set-40749.html

I bought this to remove the pulley on my power steering pump (still on car). The two piece collar for pulling is not cut well and kept getting **** eyed on the pulley (had to readjust it three times to make sure I didn't damage the puller, and it still marred the metal).

The installer part just didn't work period. The bearing (if you can call it that) was so cheap that it would barely spin. I tried extra washers and bearing grease, still no good. When you put pressure on the nut, it just caused the spindle to back out of the pump.

I went to Autozone and got the OEM brand 27031 for $40 and I had the pulley on in less than 2 1/2 minutes. I wish I would have done that in the first place, much better quality and looks similar to one of the matco versions.

HF version looks like the truck brands, way inferior.

HF

OEM

Matco

 

[MattVette89]

On a side note, when I returned the puller set, I picked up some goop hand cleaner - fantastic stuff, big pass.

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-lb-goop-hand-cleaner-40717.html

 

[ChrisLS8]

95832- 4 piece non marring scraper set-PASS

Used them on a Honda block when replacing the cylinder head gasket. Once I was done with the job it didn't even look like I had used them. Comfortable and sturdy.

 

[mopar_johnny]

7 Piece 3/8 in. Metric Crowfoot Flare Nut Wrench Set #68999

Fail - or at least the 10mm was a fail. Couldn't get it to fit on the nut on the clutch line for the slave cylinder on my Dodge Stealth. Had to call up a buddy and his evercraft crow foot saved the day.

 

[LordPsychon]

7 Piece 3/8 in. Metric Crowfoot Flare Nut Wrench Set #68999

Fail - or at least the 10mm was a fail. Couldn't get it to fit on the nut on the clutch line for the slave cylinder on my Dodge Stealth. Had to call up a buddy and his evercraft crow foot saved the day.

All the flare nuts at HF are made in India and they use softer metals and less stringent measurements. I have the Evercraft set from NAPA and it is truly awesome.

 

[warweapon762]

All the flare nuts at HF are made in India and they use softer metals and less stringent measurements. I have the Evercraft set from NAPA and it is truly awesome.

QFT, Evercraft are the best price to performance buy you can go with for crowsfeet. Not sure about their other stuff but I have a couple items of theirs that have paid for themselves at least 10x.