I'm sure my calipers aren't the same as ate sold today but mine have lasted many years. I babied then at first but not for a long time. They get used & abused & still repeat within half a thousandths. I know of one bad run of then that the display flashes but even those still measure.
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Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?
- Thread starter HMF
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2013
- Messages
- 13
I have bought lots of Harbor Freight tools both electrical and manual and have been overall very happy with the value. One way I look for quality on the mechanically items (Wrenches, sockets, etc) is where they are manufactured. I have found items "Made in Taiwan" to be of a much better quality. Especially their socket ratchets.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2013
- Messages
- 13
I have bought lots of Harbor Freight tools both electrical and manual and have been overall very happy with the value. One way I look for quality on the mechanically items (Wrenches, sockets, etc) is where they are manufactured. I have found items "Made in Taiwan" to be of a much better quality. Especially their socket ratchets.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2013
- Messages
- 922
I have the HF Ball Joint puller kit. It worked fine for some minor uses like U-joints, and when I used it to replace the ball joints on the right side of my jeep, I thought all my troubles were because I didn't have the right adapters and had to "wing it". Last Sat. I tried to use it with a custom bushing puller that I made on the lathe ,and no matter what I did, it kept going crooked. I looked at the end of the screw and found it was bent! Ok, a few minutes on the lathe and it's square again and back we go to the car. No it's still going crooked. Took a step back and really looked at it and that 5 or 6 pound C-frame for the puller was bent! both the cup end and the screw were pointing outwards by a good amount. Turned a quick job into an all-day event as I had to cut out the bushing (front track bar) and that led to other fun. I may write it up since I had to make some tools. 
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2015
- Messages
- 34
I'm not a big fan of Horror Freight; it seems as if everything electrical that I ever bought there ended up in the trash. The worst burn was the $300.00 concrete vibrator that I bought in advance of need. The first time that I used it it died in the middle of a 20 yard pour on the hottest day of the year. Then I found out that they wouldn't warrant it because it was five days out of warranty
I have to admit that the MIG welder cart that they sell is a good value for the money though.
Having "Chicago Electric" on prominent display in my shop was more than I could handle, so the cart got repainted in Miller blue with some Miller decals applied.
Scott
I have to admit that the MIG welder cart that they sell is a good value for the money though.
Having "Chicago Electric" on prominent display in my shop was more than I could handle, so the cart got repainted in Miller blue with some Miller decals applied.
Scott
I'm not a big fan of Horror Freight; it seems as if everything electrical that I ever bought there ended up in the trash. The worst burn was the $300.00 concrete vibrator that I bought in advance of need. The first time that I used it it died in the middle of a 20 yard pour on the hottest day of the year. Then I found out that they wouldn't warrant it because it was five days out of warranty
I have to admit that the MIG welder cart that they sell is a good value for the money though.
Having "Chicago Electric" on prominent display in my shop was more than I could handle, so the cart got repainted in Miller blue with some Miller decals applied.
Scott
Well done with the decorating.... we all have our standards... <grin>
I assume your talking about the C clamp style. I've been a auto tech & a parts retailer for the better part of my life. While I've used those style tools & never had the problem with them & the ones I've used were usually already bent from someone else's abuse. It is a common problem. That is a long distance to put a greater deal of pressure on & your going to get flex which changes the alignment. So even if you started with everything in perfect alignment it wrong start that way.
A suggestion on using this tool is to put what your pressing under load them to smack the piece housing the ball joint with a hammer. It is usually a tapered fit for the ones that look like tie rod ends so they don't even need this tool. All you need to do is have some weight pulling down then start taping the side of the piece the joint is going through. Bushing should work the same way. Apply pressure with the tool then rap on the side of the housing. If they are stobren from carosion wet them with some ATF or kerosene to soak for an hour.
Hope this is helpful. Tie rod ends come out very easy almost all the time. Kinda like a center in the tail stock of your lathe but you'd be taping on the female part of the taper & not the ball joint itself.
Sorry this seems harder to put in word then it is to do.
I'm not a big fan of Horror Freight; it seems as if everything electrical that I ever bought there ended up in the trash. The worst burn was the $300.00 concrete vibrator that I bought in advance of need. The first time that I used it it died in the middle of a 20 yard pour on the hottest day of the year. Then I found out that they wouldn't warrant it because it was five days out of warranty
Scott
Sorry to hear your luck. I've been using their tool for years with great luck. I have no more problems with their tools then I do with tools from other places. However if it is in the warranty period the one I shop at will gladly exchange or refund. I can't say that for other retailers. Advance Auto will(at least used to when I managed them) honor the manufacturer warranty. All other retailers I've seen only give you thirty days & make a really big deal out of it that you are the scum of the earth for returning it.
I didn't even remember them carrying a $300 concrete vibrator. I bought my $80 one about 10 years ago & it is still in the box. However I have bought some stuff that I waited till the warranty was over before using it. I usually just buy another & return the one I had with the new receipt. Most of the lifetime stuff they don't make you have the receipt but some will so I do the same for those.
I know this doesn't go with the pass or fail theme but I hope it is still helpful.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2015
- Messages
- 34
The more expensive vibrator is patterned after a commercial Wico model with 13' of hose. Your 80 dollar model is probably the one that is mounted to a hand drill for doing sidewalks, etc.
I recall that I have a "pickle fork" style ball joint tool from HF that was a good value.
Scott
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2014
- Messages
- 2,852
Bought an HF 2hp compressor duty motor on Friday and mounted it on my "new to me" Jet 1340 lathe. Took the lathe out t Jim Dawson's and got it wired up and running.
Th motor lasted about 30 seconds before it went bad. Jim thinks a cap went bad in it. I went back and got another one and we ran it in for about an hour. It got up to 209 degrees with no load on it. I will be looking for another motor, but for now this one gets me going with the lathe.
I wouldn't recommend this motor. I just though a motor was a motor, but apparently not.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-compressor-duty-motor-67842.html
Th motor lasted about 30 seconds before it went bad. Jim thinks a cap went bad in it. I went back and got another one and we ran it in for about an hour. It got up to 209 degrees with no load on it. I will be looking for another motor, but for now this one gets me going with the lathe.
I wouldn't recommend this motor. I just though a motor was a motor, but apparently not.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-compressor-duty-motor-67842.html