A harbor freight tool made it through the whole project.

[Wabatuckian]

Car had firestone tires when we bought it. 1 blew last year and another blew this week.

So I decided since I hate paying for something I can do with some tools (an excuse to buy more!) I would buy the tire changing setup from HF for 60 bucks.

It was a pita because they didn't provide mounting hardware. So thanks to Amazon I was able to buy concrete anchors and have them next day. Today I installed them.

First tire was a learning curve and took 45 minutes or so and the second took about 15. The 3rd/final took about 25 because the tpms was broke and I had to replace the stem altogether.

So back to the topic, the tire changer setup lasted my complete project and can still be used!

Now I need to get an alignment and balance.

I've been looking hard at these. It's good to know they last.

My son managed to snap the valve stem off the TPMS on one of my wife's tires. I couldn't break the bead to replace it, so I ended up having to have Walmart dismount the tire so I could replace it, then remount the tire after I was done. (Got a call from wife today that her tire kept going flat. The Walmart mechanics had left the valve core loose!)

I figure I'll be replacing the TPMS units with regular valve stems. They should be replaced at every tire change, and the fact that they're not any longer is why my son was able to break one off.

I hate everything about new cars.

 

[femurphy77]

I have a HF die grinder, actually two, that I paid about $17 each for with another $3 for the lifetime warranty. My 40 year old Black and Decker laid down mid project on a weekend and I was desperate. Anyhow whenever I burn one up I take it down and get another one under the warranty but with the spare I don't have to shut down until I replace the burned out one. I did finally score a nice Bosch grinder though.

 

[DragonGunner]

Got the tire changer also. Works perfect for atv and sxs tires. Worked good in car tires but no way I could get another tire on the car rim. I gave up trying to put atv and sxs tires on with it also. Do it on the ground and seems to work.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I bought a bunch of Pittsburg sockets when I was in high school, learned a lesson about paying for quality. I've broken a couple of the big HF vices, but some things I will buy there, like ammo boxes, moving blankets, cutoff wheels, little boxes of o rings etc. I've been curious about their higher quality stuff and given these reviews may try their impact when my Hitachi croaks. If there's a fairly specific tool I'll only use once I'll gamble on them, line a random socket or steering wheel puller.

 

[INP8riot]

I bought a very expensive item from HF. Made it through my project. You can laugh if you want...but it worked great!

 

[Brandon]

I do have a Yukon tool box. Its good.

 

[K_W]

Their issue is consistency. Harbor Freight buys in lots and the quality of those lots varies over time.

I bought a Pittsburgh breaker bar and put in the drawer for a few months. First use, it twisted the square off on the first lug nut. It wasn't even over tightened, just 100 ft lbs on a Ford Ranger.

I exchanged it for another one and that one took off all 20 nuts, and has worked great for years. You just never know what you'll get.

For the most recent project, a Toyota head gasket, I bought the Pittsburgh long reach 3 piece hose clamp pliers set. They worked really well, and it would have sucked not to have them... but the steel was very soft. The hose clamps really wore on the teeth and by the end of the project the smallest (and most used) pliers was losing it's teeth and having trouble maintaining grip on the clamps.

Their digital calipers however have been great.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I have bought quite a bit from harbor freight lately, and it seems to me like they're higher lines of power tools are actually pretty good quality. I wouldn't hesitate to buy pretty much anything from them anymore. Their Predator line of generators have been great for me so far.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I have bought quite a bit from harbor freight lately, and it seems to me like they're higher lines of power tools are actually pretty good quality. I wouldn't hesitate to buy pretty much anything from them anymore. Their Predator line of generators have been great for me so far.

Do you have any experience with their 3/8” and 1/2" cordless impacts? I was reading that they're actually pretty powerful, and I'm looking to replace a cordless impact I shouldn't have bought from AutoZone. That damn thing is barely adequate for bicycles work.

 

[firecadet613]

Some of their stuff is good.

Their Predator generators are top notch (I've ran one 60+ hours straight in a few outages), as are their Bauer tools. I have the 10" miter saw and a buffer/polisher that just won't die...

 

[INP8riot]

That backhoe had a Predator engine on it. Seriously, first pull starts warm or cold. I have around 40 flawless hours on it.

I only have a Dewalt drill and an impact, so I'm not losing a ton of $ In 2 batteries. I'm thinking of converting all battery tools to Bauer or Hercules. Probably Hercules due to the 5 year warranty.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I was in HF one day, and a young couple with their two daughters came in. One of the girls asked "Why did we have to come here?" and the mom replied "This is like Toys R Us for daddy".

 

[MCgrease08]

That backhoe had a Predator engine on it. Seriously, first pull starts warm or cold. I have around 40 flawless hours on it.

I only have a Dewalt drill and an impact, so I'm not losing a ton of $ In 2 batteries. I'm thinking of converting all battery tools to Bauer or Hercules. Probably Hercules due to the 5 year warranty.

By all accounts I have seen the Hercules line works great. Bauer not so much. I would not personally put money into any Bauer cordless tools.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Do you have any experience with their 3/8” and 1/2" cordless impacts? I was reading that they're actually pretty powerful, and I'm looking to replace a cordless impact I shouldn't have bought from AutoZone. That damn thing is barely adequate for bicycles work.

My dad has the Bauer 1/2" cordless impact and it works great for him. He doesn't use it too terribly often, but it seems pretty to be solidly built.