Harbor Freight leakdown tester $29

Is that the place in the N. Carolina on the east side of I-95? I heard the place is price driven, not quality! Rebuilts/knock-offs?

 

You need to be very selective in purchasing "tools" from HF. Generally, the quality of the steel/iron is a long way from the stuff we are used to seeing.

So over 30 years, here has been my experience:

I bought a high lift type jack from them and bent the main shaft on its first use.

I tried their pilot bearing puller and broke every set of jaws trying to get a bearing out.

I bought an engine stand from them and it worked fine. The trick was that the engine stand was "rated" for a 1000 pound engine and mine was about 300.

I bought a 400 pound sheet metal Brake/Shear/Roll machine from them and it is fine as long as you don't mind fiddling with it to keep it going and you don't use any metal close to its "rated" capacity.

The low dollar air tools are a joke.

For a recent seismic foundation upgrade on an old victorian, i tried one more time and just barely got by with their stuff, even though i bought larger and more "powerfull" than i needed. Their "steel" cut off saw took forever to go through 1/4 inch angle iron without bogging down Ditto for their big drill press.

I will not even get into their drill bits

If you can buy a higher "rated" tool to get your job done, it may work.

It is like a plackard on my Engineers wall that says, " Quality is like buying oats, If you want first quality oats, you have to pay the price, If, on the other hand, you are willing to settle for oats that have been passed through the horse, the price MIGHT be less"

Or the saying inside the Snapon truck, "Long after the sweetness of low price is gone, the bitterness of poor quality remains"

my .02

 

I pass HF every time i go to Florida.

So without further addu....(is that how you spell addu??)
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I have had good luck with HF tools. The engine puller was used a lot when we were racing and I loaned it out on a regular basis, no problems. I have a set of carbide grinders that work well. So far, no problems.
Ed

 

their tools, when used selectively, perform alright. just don't expect alot from them and you won't be dissapointed. one of the sad facts of life is, in most cases, you get what you pay for. adieu.

 

I have a HF jack I bought 17 years ago....still works fine for my occaisional use.

 

Same here. Great stuff for occasional use. I've gotten a LOT of use out of their low-profile light weight floor jack.

 

needed a quick 4" side cutting tool, that and the cutting disk = $22+tax. One time saved me lots. Was recommended to me by another mech. who I was going to hire for about $20 to do it, but he didn't have the time and said to just go to HF and I could do it.

Not all the tools will last long term

 

buy only name brands from them. if you buy there house brand you will end up throwing it away

 

Go to http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/flyer.aspx?CookieTest=Yes

In the search block simply type in "tester" they have the *real* differential cylinder testers for aviation use. In my line of work we use these everyday and this is where to buy one....Very accurate


Good luck!

 

Chinese tool history:

Bought a 3/4 inch drive socket set. The ratchet handle bent during the first set of lug nuts that I removed.

Engine hoist broke off a caster wheel on the 2nd or 3rd use. I replaced the wheel with another Chinese replacement that seemed to be made better.

Bought an air hose reel that was so poorly made that the air hose coupler wouldn't even go on the reel without bending the fitting to make clearance. The thing was still brand new in the box when I tossed it into the dumpster in disgust to make room for more valuable items.

When you shop at Chinese tool stores, better buy 2 of each item because the first one will break.

 

A cheap tool that works well but doesn’t last long may be a good deal for the occasional user. A cheap tool that works poorly, is inaccurate, or breaks before you’re done with it is a waste of money. I’ve bought stuff from HF and the problem is you usually don’t know which of the above you are getting.

 

I've been happy. Quality of Chinese tools has come a long way in the last ten years. You can't even compare problems you've had before with stuff they build now.

 

You really do NOT want to perform a leakdown or compression test on a car that you already own. If the results are "not the best" you are going to be unhappy and be tempted to spend repair $$$$$$$$$ even if it runs just fine.
The only place for these tests IMHO is at a PPI.

 

Looks like they have two online and they're both $39.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94190

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4317


These are Chinese tools and as a home hobbyist I realize what their level of quality is, but I do buy many things there.

 

Are you guys kidding me??? Harbor freight is to guys what Target is to the girls. I spend around a hundred everytime I go there. Of course my main tools are craftsman etc. but for the small stuff you can't beat them. They have o-ring, bolt, nut, cotter pins, washer, fuse, and etc. kits. For a few bucks I throw the kits in one tool box drawer. I don't know how many times I've saved a trip to the hardware store for an o-ring or metric nut. of course the tools are China junk but I've had grinders, volt meters, pliers, etc. for years with no problem. I probably sound like a mark for them but I am very satisfied with the store and most products.

 

Forgot to add, had one tool fail and had no problem exchanging it... about a year later, no receipt.

 

I bought a cheap chinese on last year and had to return it. After reading the instructions and testing it it did not work properly. Then after contacting the
distributor their tech said "yeah, it doesn't work for us either".

That being said, most are made over there but the company having them made makes a difference. I got this one and am very happy with it. It worked as advertised. Get one that reads psi on both gauges not % on one. Then you know what's going on.

http://www.kalequip.com/product_detail.php?pid=26

I found it on Ebay for about $65.

Bob S.

 

I bought a small sand blasting cabinet there a week ago. Its like going to a toy store - nice cheap fun. The cabinet was about $100. Other places were $250. Is the quality poor? Who knows, its a metal box - not much to break there.

Their tools are mostly cheaper quality, disposable type items. But they are a bargain. They have an airbrush kit for $3.99. Works well. I use it to fill in scratches in various cars...not a problem.

I have also bought their nut/bolt vibrator. $149 at Eastwood, $49 at HF. So far, works fine. Looks like an identical copy of the Eastwood product. The abarasive material was $15 for 5lbs...eastwood was $50. For those kinds of savings, its worth trying...

I have my DeWalt tool for the company...and the HF for playing around with...

 

Bought a compressor from them a few years ago. Delivered twice with a broken cylinder and oil leaking everywhere. Gave up and bought a coleman. Went last year looking for a nail gun, left without buying their cheap products and bought a decent one at HD. I won't waste my time going there anymore. Seems more like a flea market than a tool store.
BT