m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

Right- if you use it twice you've made the right choice.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I have had this one for about 6 years and it is still a tremendous win.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

I just had to replace the a/c compressor on my prelude... I weighed it, and said F-it and went to Jiffy. I dont expect to ever have to do it again soon.

thegrapist

That's what I said every time. Unfortunately here I am. Hopefully you have better luck than I did.

Picked up these two last weekend. I don't know how accurate the indicator is, but I'm amazed at how effed everything that rotates on my car is. Definite WIN.

http://www.harborfreight.com/multipo...ment-5645.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-...cator-623.html

RotorNutFD3S

iTrader: (33)

Win
3" High Speed Cut-Off Tool
Item # 67425
Manufacturer: Central Pneumatic
Current sale price $19.99
LINK



I have cut a LOT with this and haven't had an issue yet. Also using their pack of 10 wheels for something like $8.

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Win
Two Piece Foldable Saw Horse Set
ITEM # 41577
MANUFACTURER: Not Listed
Current sale price $32.99
LINK



They work like they should and are great as inexpensive saw horses.

----------------------------------

Win
1.5 Horsepower 7" Bridge Tile Saw
ITEM # 98265
MANUFACTURER: Chicago Electric Power Tools
Current sale price $179.99



Stand and blade were not included, but using the $30 saw horses mentioned above, not having a stand was a no issue. Bought a Bosch diamond blade from Home Depot and went to town. Performed without issue and made the job a lot easier, tiled a kitchen, breakfast area, mud room, laundry room, and 3 bathrooms.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

FAIL: 10/2/55 Amp, 6/12 Volt Battery Charger/Engine Starter #66783


The charging function on it failed after about a year and half- maybe a dozen uses. Still kicks some amps for starting assist (will not and never did start a Miata w/o a battery with at least some amps).

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

^FWIW these are currently on sale for $9.99 minus 20% coupon = $8

elesjuan

iTrader: (11)

Fail: Pistol Grip Tire Inflator with Gauge $9.99


http://www.harborfreight.com/pistol-...uge-68270.html

Item will still inflate your tires however it leaks air without squeezing the trigger, no longer stays clipped to the valve stem, and the gauge quit working after about ten uses.


Fail: 4 Piece 1/2" Drive Lug Nut Socket Set $19.99



This set is different, they discontinued the set I bought. What I bought had nylon plastic covering the outside of the sockets which were supposed to protect the wheel from damage. They didn't fit a single wheel I had with a recessed lug well.


Win: Portable Tire changer and bead breaker $49.99 (Discontinued)



Win: Motorcycle wheel adapter for above changer (Don't recall cost, also discontinued.)




Win: Horizontal / Vertical bandsaw ($100 off craigslist)



The older green model is what I scored for $100, they're typically $249 for the newer model which is better quality than mine. The stand of this saw is made of 18 gauge sheet metal and secured together with ******* piano hinges. The rest of the saw is made of cast iron and pretty sturdy, will actually make some very good straight cuts after it was properly adjusted. The motor needs a different tension mechanism, but works none the less.


Win: 10 Piece Metric/Standard T-Handled Hex Key Set $4.99




FAIL: Central Pneumatic composite angle die grinder $9.99 (Discontinued model 92995)



I have a 60 gallon DeVilbiss compressor (150psi unregulated) and that die grinder doesn't have enough power to cut plastic without stalling.



Win: Cummins Tools 4" Angle Grinder $29.99



Hearing so many negative comments about the Harbor Freight version I opted to get one from Cummins tools six years ago. Still running strong!

gearhead_318

iTrader: (1)

NOT ANYMORE! I was just installing new locking wheel nuts, sucker broke when I was tightening a nut. It will still loosen things, just wont tighten anymore.

flounder

I think that one's lifetime replacement^^^

I actually like harbor freight ratchets. I use this one at work daily, it feels very sililar to the MAC swivel but about $75 cheaper. Also lifetime replacement.

jboogie

this thread made me laugh. lol I've been an assistant store manager at Harbor Freight for a year and a half I'll give you the run down. If your not willing to change a caster, maybe change out some hardware on something or if your stranded if it brakes Harbor Freight isn't for you. But, for the most part it really is good stuff, they rip off the best.

Wins:
jacks, hand tools (Gear wrenches!),most generators, air tools, power tools (except the 12V li-ion), float charger, flashlights, buffers, anything hydraulic, blast cabinets, them paying my bills

Fails:
that stupid little 12v car heater (switch), flooring nailer (cheap metal handle otherwise good, but 1/4 the price of the alternative) batteries, metal blades (don't cut anything medal with any HF metal, abrasives are great), all other battery chargers, wire wheels (use eye protection!) air regulators, tire gauges, vices, inner tubes in the hand trucks, black and orange plastic clamps, PVC air hoses, screw them for ripping off others hard work R&D and paying 12 year olds a bowl of rice a day to build it.

gearhead_318

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I'll see if I can get a replacement. Do you know if I'll have to have a receipt or if I could just put the $ towards a different tool? There's a torque wrench I want...

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

WIN but...

The included hose is worthless, so plan on using some properly rated plastic tubing OR getting a compression T and copper tubing for the feed line. The valve alone is worth the $9 IMO. And well worth not having to drain your compressor manually.

Automatic Compressor Drain Kit ITEM # 68244

Ryanxstorey

iTrader: (2)

The only things I've bought from HF in the past year were an engine stand which worked well, zip ties, and padded mats for my tool box drawers.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Bringing this back to share my FIRST ever experience with Harbor Freight Garbage.

First up we have the 7 piece tube flaring kit @ $10.99.



http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece...-kit-5969.html

I got this specifically to save me from having to replace the entire front line on one of our trucks. Instead I hacked out the bad area, got a new section of line and went to use this "kit" to flare the old line.

The clamp is a total JOKE and cant hold the line no matter how hard you tighten it. The cutter actually works halfway decent, but it should considering its a brand new blade. I didnt use the benders and probably never would.

Overall I give this flare kit a thumbs down. I would have rather put the $10 toward a good kit.

Next up in the god forsaken multi use transfer pump @ $7.99.



http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-u...ump-66418.html

To get to the brake line I needed to replace, you have to remove the gas tank. Well I was in a hurry and didnt feel like wasting time draining all the gas and removed it with a FULL 20 gallons. Needless to say all I did was make it harder for myself. lol

So I got this pump to drain the tank into 5 gallon containers before I put it back in. I also figured it'd be nice to have around the shop for oil, antifreeze, etc etc. Wrong. Its garbage. It ------- blew the "out" end of the hose off about 10 times, shooting gas all over the place in the process. My legs included.

It leaks, it falls apart and to be quite honest I would've been better off sucking on the end of the hose and putting it in the container. I just wanted to feel like a human being and have a tool to do the sucking work, but apparently it was too much to ask. So not only a thumbs down, these all need to come off the shelf and get thrown in the dumpster.

Last item on the fail list is the generic one man brake bleeder @ $4.99.



http://www.harborfreight.com/one-man...kit-37201.html

Ok ready for this. Here's how far I got with this thing. I had one of the guys hop in the truck to pedal it for me and I got on the creeper. I opened the package, took it out, looked at it and threw it on the ground. Junk. I wish I took a closer look when I was in the store.

I just cracked the valves and let it spew all over the place. ---- it. lol

Your better of buying a large coffee and a bagel at DD than buying this thing. Stay away!

Now we have the first of the 2 winners. 8" flat file @ $2.29.



http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-...ile-96626.html

Its just a file, but considering the amount of FAIL I was having with the other tools I expected this thing to just fall apart while using it. In the end it did me well and cleaned up my rough edges nicely.

Lastly is just a pair of needle nose pliers @ $3.49.



http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-...ers-39635.html

I didnt use these for much, but for what I did they seemed OK. They snip nicely and have a fairly nice grip to them.

So out of the $30 I spent at Harbor Freight Garbage, only the file and pliers prevailed. I'm tempted to go back to return the other ---- and let them know what I think about their store and tools, but I don't have the time really. I still might though. Just because the gas spitting all over my lap really pissed me off.

Thankfully a buddy down at the excavator's shop let me use his tubing flare kit, otherwise I wouldn't have had the truck finished that night.

I was debating the 3ton jack they have on sale for $65 cause we desperately need a new jack at the shop, but I'd rather spend double and get something for my money. Other than possibly going back to throw my dirty bag of used tools up on the counter for a refund.....I'll never go back.

ZX-Tex

iTrader: (15)

WIN
Heavy Duty hand Riveter
http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-d...tle-66422.html


I needed to install some larger rivets that were slightly too big for my small hand riveter so I picked up one of these. Works great. I have used it with aluminum rivets with no problems. The collection bottle seemed goofy at first but if you are installing a lot of rivets it is actually nice to have.


WIN
Nylon Spring Clamp (in various sizes)
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_16134.jpg


I bought a few of these in different sizes and it works well for small clamping jobs, like holding together materials while being glued/fastened/match drilled/whatever. Cheap and effective.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Since this is bumped, I'll contribute.

FAIL - pneumatic brake bleeder.



It actually DID work, but broke and was actually PUSHING air into the ------- brake lines by the fourth caliper. This was on a 240sx with ABS, and it actually worked well until it failed and did the OPPOSITE of what i wanted.


Win/fail - HF compression tester



Basically I have no idea how accurate it is. Gave me ratings of 150psi on each cylinder, read online that these are notorious for inaccurate gauges. I compared to gauge to another cheap china gauge i had in my garage and it was 5-10psi low compared to that one(which i doubt it accurate either).

However, it DID let me compare the difference between the 4 cylinders, and the difference between wet/dry cylinders - which gave me some confidence. Not a complete fail, i would use it for a reference- but would never trust the gauge.


My only two contributions are basically fails - but i've had good luck with HF in the past and will keep trying their ----. I've got some ratchets and hand tools that are alright from them - and my engine hoist looks EXACTLY like the one posted here earlier and works 100% perfect (although it was an o'rileys special.).

curly

iTrader: (25)

Vash, did you wire wheel the paint off the lines? I know my NAPA double flare tool I used wouldn't grip the lines unless I did that.

I basically stay away from harbor fright until a post here specifically says "buy a $X.99 set of (insert tool name here) for this job". Such as the 11" pliers for my compressor C-ring.

Only $7.99 and after I hack sawed a notch in the tips like others have said, they worked great.

For $8.99 this torch was awesome, although they don't carry the butane.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

I've had these forever and they always win. And they're useful for more than just hoses.


These have a their place between C-clamps and the spring clamps. They're good for high clamp force when you need to set your clamp up with one hand. I probably use them more than any other clamp. Win.
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-...ers-39534.html

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Honestly, the line was quite nice. No paint no rust. I snipped it past the rusted, rotted out section and that's where I wanted to flare it. Line was nice and clean and almost looked too good.

The Harbor Garbage tool couldnt hold it tight, but the other one did it in one shot. The guy said he's had it since he was in school and he's probably in his 60's, so its pretty damn old.

They just dont make ---- like they used to anymore. Right old bro? lol