Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

I see the 3/8" air couplings are back in stock. This coupon is in today's New Products email. I like these.

 

[California]

Not HF - But if you buy from Temu, Shein, AliExpress - Don't order anything from overseas presently.

USPS stopped delivery of China Post parcels, pending guidance on the new tariffs. Shipments under $800 had not been subject to customs duties.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/05/usps-temporarily-suspends-inbound-packages-from-china-hong-kong.html

 

[California]

Not HF - But if you buy from Temu, Shein, AliExpress - Don't order anything from overseas presently.

USPS stopped delivery of China Post parcels, pending guidance on the new tariffs. Shipments under $800 had not been subject to customs duties.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/05/usps-temporarily-suspends-inbound-packages-from-china-hong-kong.html

Well that didn't last very long.

US Postal Service briefly halts packages arriving from China and Hong Kong

Normal service resumes after initial suspension, in latest episode of growing trade war between the US and China

www.theguardian.com

 

[QRTRHRS]

24" breaker bars; interesting comparison. Awhile back, I wanted a long breaker bar to carry in my van if I happened to need to change a tire and someone had over tightened some lugnuts. I had an Icon coupon so I used it on a 24" breaker bar only to find it an inch to long to fit in my emergency tool box that I carry.

So, I put the tool in my box and the next time that I was in HF, I measured the Pittsburgh breaker and it was about one inch shorter so I bought it and put that one in my truck.

I needed some more muscle to change out the serpentine belt on my van so I got the Icon bar but it was to long so I then retrieved the Pittsburgh bar. That to was to long so I had to get one of my ratchet's onto the tensioner and then use a short length of pipe for more muscle.

After I finished changing out the belt (fun job), I got to looking at the breaker bars.


The Pittsburgh is on top.

The Icon is a bit more "refined"

Sorry about the image quality. My whole point here is that for the average user, the Pittsburgh tool should be fine budget wise. I have no idea if the more expensive Icon uses a higher grade of steel?

 

[California]

HF quality has improved drastically. I have the previous HF breaker bar. Bare metal handle. From the days when HF quality was random.

I had to weld the ends of the pressed-in swivel pin to stop it from falling out.

After that the tool has been flawless.

 

[Topzide]

Fit and finish seem to be the biggest difference! Carry the Pittsburgh on the tractor in case they're dropped or lost. In order of refinement, Pittsburgh, then Quinn, and then Icon. Icon has same fit and finish as Snap-On!

 

[rangerfredbob]

Might be too late to help anyone but for anyone that's even remotely interested in a "surface conditioning tool" HFT is clearancing out the Bauer version to rebrand to Hercules... the Bauer one is $60 if you can find one and comes with 3 drums... I bought two spares...

 

[JeepHead]

Might be too late to help anyone but for anyone that's even remotely interested in a "surface conditioning tool" HFT is clearancing out the Bauer version to rebrand to Hercules... the Bauer one is $60 if you can find one and comes with 3 drums... I bought two spares...

I wanted this and all the stores around me were sold out. I ended up buying the Hercules on Friday for $100 during the sale, but it only came with one wheel.

 

[KubotainNH]

Might be too late to help anyone but for anyone that's even remotely interested in a "surface conditioning tool" HFT is clearancing out the Bauer version to rebrand to Hercules... the Bauer one is $60 if you can find one and comes with 3 drums... I bought two spares...

Huh, I see it in stock at my local store and on clearance but it shows as $120 online. I'd buy it for $60, pass on the $120.

 

[DFB]

24" breaker bars; interesting comparison. Awhile back, I wanted a long breaker bar to carry in my van if I happened to need to change a tire and someone had over tightened some lugnuts. I had an Icon coupon so I used it on a 24" breaker bar only to find it an inch to long to fit in my emergency tool box that I carry.

So, I put the tool in my box and the next time that I was in HF, I measured the Pittsburgh breaker and it was about one inch shorter so I bought it and put that one in my truck.

I needed some more muscle to change out the serpentine belt on my van so I got the Icon bar but it was to long so I then retrieved the Pittsburgh bar. That to was to long so I had to get one of my ratchet's onto the tensioner and then use a short length of pipe for more muscle.

After I finished changing out the belt (fun job), I got to looking at the breaker bars.

View attachment 2805500
The Pittsburgh is on top.
View attachment 2805801
The Icon is a bit more "refined"
View attachment 2806028
Sorry about the image quality. My whole point here is that for the average user, the Pittsburgh tool should be fine budget wise. I have no idea if the more expensive Icon uses a higher grade of steel?

Too answer your question IMHO I really don't think you're getting any more bang for your buck bumping up in price to the ICON branding on these things.

The other 1/2" drive 25" PP breaker all steel they sell is cheaper by a few bucks but has a much larger head design.

That Pittsburgh Pro breaker bar with soft grip handle is really one to have. I've owned that one among a several. 2 others that HF sold many, many years ago, bought thru the mail order also with rubber grip handles. I've seen them bend before...but nothing has broke. The real small one in the photo is a Tekton.

Sometime back (actually 8 years ago now) long before the Icon label appeared @HF RealTool Reviews compared that Pittsburgh Pro cushioned grip handle breaker bar to the Snappy and a few others

 

[California]

HF quality has improved drastically. I have the previous HF breaker bar. Bare metal handle. From the days when HF quality was random.

I had to weld the ends of the pressed-in swivel pin to stop it from falling out.

After that the tool has been flawless.

Day late .... I found my old photo of this project, welding in the swivel pin so it doesn't fall out any more. "Some Assembly Required".

Related - who says you can't do decent work with flux-core?

 

[California]

HF Tailgate Unloader - any advice how to mount this on a trailer?

The instructions assume you have a pickup tailgate to wrap its straps around.

I have a 4x8 utility trailer with a lift-out tailgate, ie lift the tailgate a few inches to get its pins out of their rear crossmember holes.

I don't mind welding up something if that's what's needed.

Advice invited!

 

[KubotainNH]

Not sure if this helps you. If not, please share what you end up doing.

 

[California]

Not sure if this helps you. If not, please share what you end up doing.

Thanks! Yes that did give me some ideas to work with.

 

[crazyal]

Thanks! Yes that did give me some ideas to work with.

I have a similar trailer and I cut one of the hinges off. I reversed it so the tailgate can be removed by sliding to the side. When it's upright held in place with the latch pins it can slide far enough to come off. If it's flipped over onto the bed of the trailer it also can't come off. If needed I can take a picture.

 

[California]

I spent a while trying things, puzzling how to resolve the issue illustrated in several YouTube videos: A trailer tailgate isn't suitable for the unloder same as a pickup's tailgate. This unloader can only replace the tailgate, it can't be mounted with the trailer's tailgate in place.

Bringing home gravel with no tailgate would be a traffic safety issue and would likely cost me a ticket.

The best (only) solution I've come up with is - a temporary mount for the unloader that installs with the same downward pins as the tailgate. These pins go down into the rear of the frame rails.

Then to use the unloader - before loading gravel on top of the fabric, unspool the excess fabric out the back onto the ground, set the tailgate in place, then loop this excess fabric and its axle up over the tailgate and carry it on top of the gravel on the way home.

At home, lift the taigate out and set the axle with spooled excess fabric where the tailgate was.

This would need a mount with two big pins facing down, same as how the tailgate attaches now. Fabricating that 'artificial tailgate' mount should be simple. It would be similar to the trailer adapters others have in their YouTube videos, except removable.

Anybody have other alternatives?

 

[KubotainNH]

Might be too late to help anyone but for anyone that's even remotely interested in a "surface conditioning tool" HFT is clearancing out the Bauer version to rebrand to Hercules... the Bauer one is $60 if you can find one and comes with 3 drums... I bought two spares...

I mentioned after your original post that these were still full price in my area but I left a browser up for it on my PC. Low and behold, today I see the clearance price of $60 with limited supply at my local store. I called them and they were nice enough to put the last one aside for me which I now have in my possession. We'll see how useful it ends up being. Thanks for sharing!

 

[newbury]

 

[5030]

Get the 5 AH battery, it lasts longer....lol I wonder with the tariff's, how HF will cope with it? Will they pass the tariff cost on to the customers or will they eat it to remain competitive?

 

[CPTKILLER]

Bauer can be good but the warranty is always short. I found that many of their grinding wheels, saw blades, and drill bits rarely work or last as well as name brands. I used some of their welding rods in a pinch with no issues.