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-   -   Harbor Freight jack stand recall (http://forums.carmudgeons.com/showthread.php?t=159438)

adrz 05-20-2020 05:53 AM

Harbor Freight jack stand recall
 
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...of-collapsing/

I have been using them very sporadically (and for short jobs anyway), with the jack as a backup option, but lesson learned not to go for the cheap stuff anymore... :(

FC 05-20-2020 07:08 AM

Glad you are ok. One of my basic rules is never to trust my life to a HF product. I'll never get under anything being hoisted or supported by one. That's despite generally hearing surprisingly good things about jacks, etc. But Jack stands are relatively cheap, so that's not a place to skimp. I'm fortunate not to use them anymore thanks to having a lift, but long ago even right out of college, I got a pair of nice Craftsman Professional jack stands rated for more than double my car's weight.

For the record, I think HF is fantastic for some products. And in some respects, steel is steel, but the moment your life depends on engagement, tolerances, fit, etc., that's when I say no.

I may sound like a hypocrite because I do own one of these but that is merely meant to prevent a vehicle from tilting, taking relatively small amounts of load. And for it to fail, a bunch of bolts would have to shear off or a bunch of large threads would have to shear.

Nick M3 05-20-2020 08:06 AM

Yeah. I’ve fully sworn off the ratchet type jack stands.

These days, I use these exclusively:
ESCO 10498 Jack Stand, 3 Ton Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019JVIPM..._VfsXEbQRYX5P7

I’ve had good luck picking them up discounted from the warehouse division.

FC 05-20-2020 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 559415)
Yeah. I’ve fully sworn off the ratchet type jack stands.

These days, I use these exclusively:
ESCO 10498 Jack Stand, 3 Ton Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019JVIPM..._VfsXEbQRYX5P7

I’ve had good luck picking them up discounted from the warehouse division.

Oooh, yeah. I like those! Pins in double shear can take a crazy amount of load. The platform feet are badass too, instead of the edge of bent sheetmetal.

Nick M3 05-20-2020 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC (Post 559416)
Oooh, yeah. I like those! Pins in double shear can take a crazy amount of load. The platform feet are badass too, instead of the edge of bent sheetmetal.

And the rubber pad at the top is WAY more useful for us since we aren't *usually* working on solid axle cars. (They make axle saddles as well.)

zach 05-20-2020 09:48 AM

Nick - those look great. For our next SUV, I've pledged to finally get a second set of snow wheels / tires, rather than just swap tires onto the same set of wheels twice a year. Does anyone have a recommendation for an aluminum 3 ton jack?

Nick M3 05-20-2020 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zach (Post 559420)
Nick - those look great. For our next SUV, I've pledged to finally get a second set of snow wheels / tires, rather than just swap tires onto the same set of wheels twice a year. Does anyone have a recommendation for an aluminum 3 ton jack?

You don't need a 3 ton jack. I lift my diesel truck with a 2 ton jack.

Specifically, this one: https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/TOL-DK20.htm

Home use is this jack, but definitely not truck suitable: https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...m?pn=TOL-13HLQ

Edit: It's worth noting that the DK20 is now approaching 20 years old and still works like new. My wife even stored it outside for several years. I'm thinking about rebuilding the piston just because it seems like I probably should.

zach 05-20-2020 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 559421)
You don't need a 3 ton jack. I lift my diesel truck with a 2 ton jack.

Ok great! What 2 ton jack should I get? :D

Nick M3 05-20-2020 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zach (Post 559422)
Ok great! What 2 ton jack should I get? :D

Scroll back up. :p

zach 05-20-2020 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 559428)
Scroll back up. :p

Thanks!!

Nick M3 05-21-2020 08:46 AM

1 Attachment(s)
Holy worn tooling, Batman!!!!

FC 05-21-2020 09:15 AM

Holy crap!!!! :eek::eek:

Really hard to tell, but those almost look like they were redesigned to be manufactured with a different process. The cradle looks different.

Regardless, that just shows the company has no QC whatsoever even on components people trust their lives to.

Nick M3 05-21-2020 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC (Post 559450)
Holy crap!!!! :eek::eek:

Really hard to tell, but those almost look like they were redesigned to be manufactured with a different process. The cradle looks different.

Regardless, that just shows the company has no QC whatsoever even on components people trust their loves to.

I mean, I've always hated that kind of jack stand, but that is INSANE.

FC 05-21-2020 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3 (Post 559451)
I mean, I've always hated that kind of jack stand, but that is INSANE.

No doubt. The effect of worn tooling should never be spotted by eye, even at close inspection. Ideally, tool wear is picked up by micrometers or even more sophisticated/accurate equipment before it even gets outside tolerances. You generally start seeing a statistical drift away from normal. That you can plainly see the wear from many feet away is preposterous and, IMO, obvious criminal negligence if someone were to get hurt.

I get that this is HF, and they won't control their products like high-end engineering/manufacturing companies might. But you have to at east check critical safety components.

What faith can one have that their sockets or impact tools have the right hardness and won't splinter upon impact and take an eye out? Whatever little faith I had in HF is totally gone now.

FC 05-21-2020 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC (Post 559450)
Really hard to tell, but those almost look like they were redesigned to be manufactured with a different process. The cradle looks different.

Still hard to tell, but it almost looks like the one on the left is a casting (:ack:) or forging (I hope!) that went through a secondary machining operation to clean up the geometry. The one on the right looks like it is skipping that secondary machining. You need much bigger radii if you don't machine it, so the geometry is crap now. The aspect ratio of that "O" is different, I believe.

Just a possibility.

clyde 05-22-2020 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC (Post 559454)
Still hard to tell, but it almost looks like the one on the left is a casting (:ack:) or forging (I hope!) that went through a secondary machining operation to clean up the geometry. The one on the right looks like it is skipping that secondary machining. You need much bigger radii if you don't machine it, so the geometry is crap now. The aspect ratio of that "O" is different, I believe.

Just a possibility.

Looking at the teeth, I can see where you're going. Looking at the saddle, it's hard to see how you get from the shape on the right to the one on the left through machining...but certainly not my area. :dunno:

It reminds me a lot more of counterfeit Chinese sports jersey where none of the colors, shapes, fonts, sizes, or placements are quite right. If someone's wearing one on the street among people wearing other types of clothing, the average Joe may not notice anything amiss. But, if someone is wearing that knock off at a game where most people are wearing the correct versions, even someone that doesn't have clue notices something is different about that one.

FC 05-22-2020 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyde (Post 559480)
Looking at the teeth, I can see where you're going. Looking at the saddle, it's hard to see how you get from the shape on the right to the one on the left through machining...but certainly not my area. :dunno:

I must have not been clear. In short, we are in agreement. I'm not implying they stopped machining it. I'm saying they moved to new, crappy tooling so as to avoid machining altogether. Hence my pointing out that the font is different, pointing to a different tool.

kognito 06-14-2020 05:01 PM

Other than rags, sanding disc's, cheap batteries. Friend don't let their friend buy from Harbor Freight.

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/06/14/...stand-failure/


I'm sure there other things I didn't list that are fine from Harbor Freight, but if its failure can hurt you, don't try to save a few bucks on it at HF

Nick M3 06-15-2020 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kognito (Post 560341)
Other than rags, sanding disc's, cheap batteries. Friend don't let their friend buy from Harbor Freight.

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/06/14/...stand-failure/


I'm sure there other things I didn't list that are fine from Harbor Freight, but if its failure can hurt you, don't try to save a few bucks on it at HF

You really have to go case by case and on reviews. I ended up buying my toolchests from HF because I just couldn't come up with a better alternative. They are WAY better built than any of the competition at that price point. Decently welded, thicker sheet metal, better casters, nice drawers, etc.

One thing that I have generally observed is that it seems that anything cast at HF seems to be a lot more likely to fail.

Josh (PA) 06-15-2020 11:31 AM

1 Attachment(s)
I thought this was funny. Hopefully it doesn't offend anyone.


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