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The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...

hedjhawg

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Apr 4, 2010
Messages
188
Location
Green Bay, WI
Roto head ratchets-pass (very nice)
Digital calipers -pass (read the same as my Starrett)
Dead blow hammers- pass (only the orange ones)
brass hammer-Pass
US General tool boxes 40 inch -pass (super box but not crazy about the finish)
magnetic trays -pass (better than Blue-point)
Stubby Flex ratchets- Fail
Angle wrenches-Fail
Drill bits-major fail
Unibits- pass for now but the jury is still out
1/4 3/8 1/2 combo socket set- Fail
Black chrome socket sets- pass but only come in shallow
ball pein hammers -fail (either wood of F-glass)
welding hammer-pass
Big battery load tester-pass
Fuel pressure gauge set (small set) Fail
Fuel pressure set large-pass
Any harbor freight pullers-fail fail fail
casters =pass great deals
US General roll carts 550&750 models- passX2
Pittsburg extra long wrech set- pass
3/4 inch drive set-pass (never tried the ratchet)
laser temp sensor-pass
Screwdrivers-fail (not a good set in the house
3 pc pry bar set-pass
Extra long needle nose orange handle pliers set-pass
5 pc pliers set-major fail

Tell me about the angle wrenches (I was looking at them tonight, but didn't buy)
 
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bchee

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Aug 20, 2007
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Texas
i'll be interested in longevity....I bought a new ryobi grinder at that price, was thrilled with the deal, and the dang thing started to run backwards after a couple months. Hopefully your luck will be better.

What happens when a grinder runs backwards? Does it start adding material?:lol_hitti
 

IONH

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Feb 12, 2010
Messages
2,043
Location
Central Massachusetts
damn second fail on the spring compressors..

I need to do the springs on my car.
Maybe this will help. I have the same spring compressor set and have used it at least 6 times. Twice while doing my Explorer V8 4WD and the other 4 times on various Mazda powered cars. On the Explorer I used my 1000 ft/lb impact gun. On the Mazda ones I used my 300 ft/lb impact gun (wasn't powerful, read speady, enough for the Explorer).

Edit - I only use a single pair while working on any single strut/spring assembly. I tighten one side, then the other, going back and forth. If you tighten just one side, I can understand why one of them might fail.
 
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Kev442

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Jan 15, 2009
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5,386
Location
Wi
i'll be interested in longevity....I bought a new ryobi grinder at that price, was thrilled with the deal, and the dang thing started to run backwards after a couple months.

On the equipment I repair, there is a resistor on the motor that impedes one set of windings just enough to insure it will always rotate the correct way. If it comes loose, the motor can choose which way it wants to go randomly (just like my microwave turntable). So, the Ryobi might just have a loose wire at that resistor.
 

Indy_500

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Apr 2, 2010
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Location
Appleton, WI
What is the lowest price you guys have seen on these?

Right now i think is the lowest price. you can get the 3/8 for around $10. They've had the same price right now for awhile, their ratchets don't typically go on sale super cheap, but for $10 it's not a huge investment that you need to look for a sale. If you need it, take a 20% off coupon with you and pick it up for $10. I did and i dont' use any other ratchets no more but it. I should prolly pick up the 1/4" and 1/2" drive ratchets soon. But there's a ton of tools i need to get before those. I'm thinking of makin a HF run tomorrow and might pick up another one, we'll see. I got money burnin in my pocket from all the mowing jobs i've been getting lately.
 

subarub4

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Feb 21, 2010
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1,188
Location
Connecticut
I got to use my torque wrench today item # 807 man you almost miss the clicking sound not as loud as my 150 ft lb wrench
 

bosskong

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May 12, 2009
Messages
61
Location
Lawrenceville/Duluth, GA
Anybody own some Harbor Freight Screwdrivers? i only have 2 phillips C-man and 6 regular C-man So i need some more Phillips. I have plenty of misc. screwdrivers but i want a true set.
I can't really comment on any of the screwdriver sets, but I did get a #2 Phillips from Harbor Freight that I love. I'm pretty sure it was only $1 and once I realized how much I liked it, I ended up buying 5 more, so I can leave them all over the house. I own a ton of screwdrivers, but these are by far my favorite. Very sturdy and very comfortable. They look like this one, except they're green instead of orange (not sure if the color indicates any kind of difference).
<img src=http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/370x370/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_3026.jpg>
 

iandh

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Apr 23, 2010
Messages
561
I can't really comment on any of the screwdriver sets, but I did get a #2 Phillips from Harbor Freight that I love. I'm pretty sure it was only $1 and once I realized how much I liked it, I ended up buying 5 more, so I can leave them all over the house. I own a ton of screwdrivers, but these are by far my favorite. Very sturdy and very comfortable. They look like this one, except they're green instead of orange (not sure if the color indicates any kind of difference).
<img src=http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/370x370/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_3026.jpg>

These are knockoffs of the Bahco (formerly Belzer) screwdrivers made in Europe. I saw them in store at HF (no wait, a friend did, I've um, never been to HF) and they looked to be very well made. I can't vouch for the steel quality though.

The real deal Bahco drivers are some of the longest lived screwdrivers I've ever used.
 

mrholeshot

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Jun 22, 2010
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bmrisko

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May 29, 2010
Messages
369
Location
Huntsville, AL
My son bought these in 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 inch He loves them and uses them everyday. They also have a push button release. They feel good, work great and he caught his on sale for about 10 dollars each. He's had them about a year without failure. I'm thinking about a set next time I'm in HF. we have 4 stores in a 50 mile radius

I've got a set of those as well and I find myself reaching for them more than my Armstrongs...
 

mrholeshot

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Jun 22, 2010
Messages
8,043
I can't really comment on any of the screwdriver sets, but I did get a #2 Phillips from Harbor Freight that I love. I'm pretty sure it was only $1 and once I realized how much I liked it, I ended up buying 5 more, so I can leave them all over the house. I own a ton of screwdrivers, but these are by far my favorite. Very sturdy and very comfortable. They look like this one, except they're green instead of orange (not sure if the color indicates any kind of difference).
<img src=http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/370x370/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_3026.jpg>

I was in Harbor Freight today (In hat and sunglasses and holding my head down, lol ) I cruised by these in the screwdriver section. I saw they had a set for like 8 dollars but the shafts were to long for me but they had the right ones in open stock. The Orange are flat blade and the Green are Phillips. I have to agree about the handles as they really feel good. I'm not real sure about the blades though. They look good but only a good workout will show for sure. I paid 1.79 each for 3 #2 Phillips 1.79 each for 2 #1 phillips 1.79 each I also bought a handful of the flat blade screwdrivers with 2 larger ones running 1.99 each. I chuck up a large flat blade into my vice and gave it a quick tug. The end snapped off (intentional abuse) and that was what I was hoping for. Had it bent instaed of snapped I would have been disappointed. The make nice loaners but Nothing holds a candle to my snap-on screwdrivers.
 

mrholeshot

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Jun 22, 2010
Messages
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Tell me about the angle wrenches (I was looking at them tonight, but didn't buy)

Not only do they look unfinished (rough chrome) but they are too thin to get any torque with the cheap steel. They dont get into tight spots where an angle wrench should. A total waste of money. My wife went to Harbor Freight to pick me up a motorcycle jack and got these while she was there. I went back to the store a few week later with them in tow. They are total **** and one of the few things I've ever returned to HF.
 

subarub4

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Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
1,188
Location
Connecticut
Item 98076

2.5 CFM vacuum pump

I've been using for the past 3 days running for 30 min to an 1hr and 30 min and it's great!
 

SCscoutguy

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Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
2,229
Location
South Carolina
Item 98076

2.5 CFM vacuum pump

I've been using for the past 3 days running for 30 min to an 1hr and 30 min and it's great!

I have had one of these for about 5 years now and it ROCKS! I have used it to take out and install a ton of transmissions and it hasn't had one single problem as of yet.
 

subarub4

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Feb 21, 2010
Messages
1,188
Location
Connecticut
only thing ***** is you have to find the pump oil elsewhere.. every time you vacuum whatever you remove goes in the oil.
 

IONH

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Feb 12, 2010
Messages
2,043
Location
Central Massachusetts
I got to use my torque wrench today item # 807 man you almost miss the clicking sound not as loud as my 150 ft lb wrench
The lower the torque, the lower the sound. This seems to be expected to me. Unless when you're at 80 ft/lb it's still very quiet,.. in which case return it because mine is quite audible at higher ranges.
only thing ***** is you have to find the pump oil elsewhere.. every time you vacuum whatever you remove goes in the oil.
Are you talking about the vacuum pump? If so, what do you mean about pump oil?
 
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subarub4

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Feb 21, 2010
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Connecticut
you know when you picked up the 2.5 CFM pump it came with a bottle of pump oil.. well depending on how often you use it, it needs to be changed out otherwise it will not go to deep vacuum anymore.

Harbor freight does not sell the pump oil just by it's self.

As for the Wrench I will try it when I need to do higher then 20
 

IONH

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you know when you picked up the 2.5 CFM pump it came with a bottle of pump oil.. well depending on how often you use it, it needs to be changed out otherwise it will not go to deep vacuum anymore.

Harbor freight does not sell the pump oil just by it's self.
How exactly do you "change" the oil on the vacuum pump?

On most air tools, I believe the oil gets blown out by using air to power it.

I've only used my vacuum pump a handful of times. I've never added oil. When hooked up to my A/C manifold gauge set with the high and low closed, I get about 15psi of vacuum, which I believe is more than enough.
 

Davefr

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Location
OR
How exactly do you "change" the oil on the vacuum pump?

On most air tools, I believe the oil gets blown out by using air to power it.

I've only used my vacuum pump a handful of times. I've never added oil. When hooked up to my A/C manifold gauge set with the high and low closed, I get about 15psi of vacuum, which I believe is more than enough.

What are you talking about??

You don't use a vacuum pump to power air tools!!

Secondly, if your vacuum pump shows 15 PSI then it's not working correctly. Vacuum is measured in Microns or inches of mercury. A good vacuum pump will go down to about 100 microns or 29.9+ inches of mercury.

Vacuum pumps require special oil that's available from industrial and HVAC suppliers.
 

subarub4

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Feb 21, 2010
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What are you talking about??

You don't use a vacuum pump to power air tools!!

Secondly, if your vacuum pump shows 15 PSI then it's not working correctly. Vacuum is measured in Microns or inches of mercury. A good vacuum pump will go down to about 100 microns or 29.9+ inches of mercury.

Vacuum pumps require special oil that's available from industrial and HVAC suppliers.

Thank you I saw his post and this site is so un-cellphone friendly.. yeah vacuum pump oil is way thinner then compressor oil..

the 2.5 cfm pump has a little drain plug under the oil window

some local tool stores have it near me which is good.

Anyways I picked up Item 3962 today.. the Air rubber tip blow gun so I can flush my A/C lines out tomorrow.

Stupid NJ laws says you can't buy house hold items on Sunday's...

Including the free flashlights
 

subarub4

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Connecticut
Hold on a second, what??? Are you serious? So are Lowes and Home Depot not open on Sunday in NJ?


That's a good question I never been in HD or lowes on a Sunday in NJ if they are open I expect a lot of sections to be roped off..

you want something really crazy.. never go to Bergan County, NJ on Sunday.. stores like Target are closed.. not allowed to sell cars on Sunday... and NO houseware to be sold on Sunday.... BUT... BUT!! you can buy alcohol after 1Pm

*edit

I take it back I just found out from a friend that lives in Bergan County.. the HF I go to is in Bergan county and he said HD and lowes are not open on Sundays.

*****... So I said what happens if a flood comes and you need to buy a flashlight lol
 
Last edited:

IONH

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Central Massachusetts
What are you talking about??

You don't use a vacuum pump to power air tools!!
Re-read my post. Perhaps the grammar was slightly off. "On most air tools, I believe the oil gets blown out by using air to power it." by *most* meant *probably all* and *using air* meant *the air used* and *it* meant *them*... newly written it would say "On probably all air tools, I believe oil gets blown out by the air used to power them."
Secondly, if your vacuum pump shows 15 PSI then it's not working correctly. Vacuum is measured in Microns or inches of mercury. A good vacuum pump will go down to about 100 microns or 29.9+ inches of mercury.
I don't believe the gauges go into vacuum at all. Was guessing on the approximate value of vacuum psi based on the same distance on the positive psi increment which they do measure. Guess I was probably close considering On this site measures that 15psi is equivalent to 30.5in/hg which is pretty close to your 29.9'ish which the system would need. Not too bad for eyeballing it, FWIW.
Vacuum pumps require special oil that's available from industrial and HVAC suppliers.
This is the only useful piece of information you provided. Here is the link to the vacuum pump I am using from HF. There is no mention of oil let alone when it should or should not be changed. So this sounds like my specific vacuum pump (which I am not implying is like all or even the majority of vacuum pumps out there) would not apply.

I hope you can reply again soon so others who claim the website is not cell phone friendly can jump on your band wagon instead of trying to reply back on their own. I won't be chiming in again on oil for vacuum pumps so you can feel free to say whatever you please on the topic or ask a moderator to start a new thread for the discussion.
 

subarub4

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Feb 21, 2010
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^ wow man relax? I know the heat bothers people but relax.. all you had to say was you had the air operated vacuum pump.. why keep trying to rattle things up with people?
 

kythri

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Jan 3, 2007
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Lebanon, OR
^ wow man relax? I know the heat bothers people but relax.. all you had to say was you had the air operated vacuum pump.. why keep trying to rattle things up with people?

I have a better question - why do an increasing number of people here feel the need to call someone out in the manner that they do? Why the rudeness? This is supposed to be a friendly place where we can all get together and BS about stuff.

Is it any wonder that people respond in a heated manner when they're attacked simply for saying something someone else doesn't agree with?

The call-outs and accusations of "BS" are getting more tired than the Snap-On vs. World debates. :(
 

Coach James

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Jun 24, 2005
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8,932
Location
Sandhills of North Carolina
Picked up pack of these:

PASS

http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-three-18-inch-magnetic-tool-holders-97847.html

Have worked fine for smaller wrenches, pry bars, etc. I'm thinking of adding one to the tool bench I made for my son to hold the cheapo wrenches I got for him.

Got several of these as well. I use them in the garage and my classroom. I know, how do you screw up a magnet. Well somewhere, somehow, someone has so I put this here.

PASS

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-magnetic-clip-set-98505.html

I bought one of these to use fixing electronic meters at school. For a while it was fine but has worn out quickly. My Stanley set is a lot better.

FAIL

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/screwdrivers/6-piece-precision-screwdriver-set-47823.html

I got this screw driver in the 6 or 8 inch model. I keep it in my electrical bag and it has served me well as a cheap pry bar as well as its intended purpose.

PASS

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-t...-inch-x-4-inch-slotted-screwdriver-94604.html

Keep one of these in my desk at school. Has worked fine of several repairs the last couple years.

PASS

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-t...ce-sae-1-4-quarter-inch-socket-set-41722.html

Coach
 

Indy_500

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Apr 2, 2010
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Location
Appleton, WI
I should probably add to this pass/fail list sometime soon. I've bought practically the whole store lol not as much as mechanicnamedjohn. I probably have around $600-700 invested in HF maybe? maybe i'll add er all up someday
 

bchee

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Aug 20, 2007
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6,148
Location
Texas
I got this "all-in-one" screwdriver, both stubby and regular length.
I can't find it on the site for some reason.

I give both a PASS.

The handle is very comfortable and the tips have been fine so far. I don't know if they fit all phillips. They were only $3 each
 

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Indy_500

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Apr 2, 2010
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Appleton, WI
I got this "all-in-one" screwdriver, both stubby and regular length.
I can't find it on the site for some reason.

I give both a PASS.

The handle is very comfortable and the tips have been fine so far. I don't know if they fit all phillips. They were only $3 each

i just saw that in the store today! But i got the 22 pc. screwdriver set. w/20% coupon for $8! and it came with torx screwdrivers and square heads! i love the grips! and $8!
 

nexum1919

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Mar 5, 2009
Messages
274
Location
Chicago, IL
Anybody had an experience with their radiator pressure tester kit?
I had a chance to take a real close look at it in the store. The case feels solid, adapters are good and clean in terms of finish, the pump felt solid. Quick-disconnects felt good. Only thing felt really flimsy was the hose, although it has strain reliefs on both ends, the hose itself was real thin and lightweight.
I don't know if the hose can be replaced, I didn't have a chance to look at how it's attached. But since adapters use quick-disconnects, i believe the strain on the hose would be much less during regular use.
 
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