Harbor Freight Customer's Replacement Jack Stands Immediately Failed Too

thedrive ^

[central_va]

There’s just not much made in the USA any more. We can’t compete globally for cheap stuff with the likes of China, India etc.

That is total globalist BS.

[cquiggy]

They broke under the weight of a VW Golf.
That’s a pretty light car.

[Mastador1]

They are the go to place for that tool you need once to get a job done but probably won’t ever use again, so why pay top dollar for a top shelf tool. When it comes to safety equipment only a fool scrimps.

[clearcarbon]

I like Harbor Freight tools in situations where there's a risk that the tools may be stolen or when a tool is to be loaned.

Results: No thefts. No borrowers.

[right way right]

Yeah, I have some of the recalled stands.
I will just re-weld them correctly to avoid the trip and won’t buy em again.
Cheap damn China crap.
No more.

[garandgal]

Watch for local auctions and estate sales..be sure to check both “on site” and online auctions. I have done many auctions where the owner of a car repair shop was going out of business or had to retire for health reasons. The high-end tools won’t be “cheap” but they will be about 20-40% of new cost depending on the other bidders and the popularity of the tool.

However, if you keep a REALLY close eye on estate/downsizing sales...there are many guys who just like to work on cars who have accumulated Snap-On & Mac tools for their home garages. Those sales don’t attract the guys who have racing shops or existing shops, because there is not a large quantity...just this and that, but many basics. The tools at those sales can go for 10%-15% of new prices (they may be older, but that might be a good thing)! Plus, you can often pick up nice, older Snap-On & Mac tool cabinets.

Look at Auctionzip, Hibid, or Proxibid to find local sales. Might take you awhile, but you too can accumulate the vast array of really nice tools that I’ve seen in dozens of home garages. I’ve talked to the owners..that is exactly how they aquired them:)

[trebb]

I always used floor jacks (with more capacity than needed) to get them up and then put the jackstands (plural to keep weight from being applied obliquely ) and left the floor jack in place as a safety net.

[wally_bert]

I bought one of the tiny electric grinders as a stop-gap until a better name brand one by Black & Decker could arrive.

It’s about as trustworthy as the proverbial $2 pistol but I have to say I got a good one. I’ve whacked quite a few chassis bolts with it.

The B&D one is identical except for the color.

[wally_bert]

I sometimes use a good ole scissor jack but I don’t ever trust a jack for any reason.

https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-1019818378-green-scissor-jack-raises-lowers-rear-underneath

Don’t laugh too much at the rust.

Sometimes I use the jalopies and related as props. I think that clip sold once.

[21twelve]

I wasn’t sure how good my HF torque wrench was so borrowed my neighbor’s wrench as a double check. He’s a mechanic for a large fleet of vehicles and has all the fancy tools.

Both wrenches were about the same. Of course I have no idea which one was more accurate, but for my purposes it doesn’t matter.

The only trouble is he has since moved so I can’t check and see how much the HF wrench might have changed over time. I suppose there is a spring or some such in there that will stretch over time?

I have another neighbor that is old and was a mechanic all his life. He laughs at me with my torque wrench. “Aw - just get it good and tight. But not too much.”

[Romans Nine]

Make sure you back it down to zero when you store it and for the occasional user on non critical items you will be fine.

When you set it there is tension on the internal beam which will loose accuracy much more quickly if left like that when stored,

[21twelve]

Thanks. Yes, I do always store it set to zero. Oh - my HF wrench is very “grabby” when bringing up the tension. Sometimes have to back it off and try again to get through a place where it “sticks”. The neighbor’s quality torque wrench was nice and smooth and easy to dial up.

But the few times I use it each year I can get by.

I try to do most of my own work on my cars now. It is sort of fun when the job is complete. (And to think of all the money I saved). Although I have to watch numerous Youtubes from various folks (and read the comments) to try to discern which guys to listen to and which not to.

Sort of like with my neighbors! The old guy versus the former neighbor that would use a torque wrench on most bolts.