Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[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?

I fabricated a removable mount to use the HF Tailgate Unloader on my 4x8 trailer. All its mounting hardware assumes an ordinary pickup tailgate so it doesn't match the blunt end of a trailer at all.

I welded up a replica of the bottom edge of the existing tailgate, which mounts by dropping pins into holes in the frame rails.

The bearings for the fabric shaft are now two inches beyond the back of the trailer, spaced by 2x2 heavy gauge box tubing. This spacing is needed for the diameter of the rolled fabric.

The unloader fabric is sufficiently long to carry it home from the quarry looped up over top of the mounted tailgate, and down inside the trailer. Then at home swap them.

Next step is to weld a 3/8 drive socket into the opposite end of the fabric shaft to rotate it with a cordless drill - when its not under a lot of tension. Because it feels like hundreds of turns of the long crank handle to wind in the whole length of the fabric.

Note to others interested in doing this: the width of the fabric plus the axle bearings is considerably greater than 48 inches so this won't mount inside a trailer that is only 4x8. And fabricating something removable to mount the fabric axle beyond the end of the trailer isn't trivial. So this isn't a simple project. I almost returned the kit after a long time puzzling over how to mount it.

I'll post some photos when its complete.

 

[newbury]

I'll post some photos when its complete.

Please do!

 

[California]

The HF Tailgate Unloader is designed to temporarily strap to a pickup's tailgate.

Mounting it on the back of a trailer requires creating a new mounting method.

After much thought I welded up a removable mount duplicating the bottom edge of my lift-out tailgate.

Note the base of the standard tailgate. I had to duplicate that. (The pins are angled so the tailgate can be mounted with the inner face down to make a longer deck - clever!)

I made a removable crossmember from an old WWII army surplus sheet metal angle by welding on sloping pins like the real tailgate, and a 2x2 spacer to get the spool up and back. Note I had to mount the spool's axle bearings upside down compared to how they are used on a pickup. All of the stress on this device pulls toward the trailer so this should work fine. I don't intend to load anything near the ton rated capacity of the device.

Sorry about the crappy welds. We found that angle crossmember and many more, under a rental that Dad bought in 1968. That house was a remodel that had started as a WWII prefab using many angles like this to link metal panels together. There was so much rust pitting on this after 50+ years stored outdoors that it wouldn't polish smooth to weld to. Welding it made lots of sparks. The 2x2 box was cut from an exercise machine.

How it all fits together.
The pins go down into holes at the back of the left/right frame rails. You can see where one pin emerges below.

5.5 ft of excess fabric. Plenty to turn some up at the front of the trailer, and still carry the spool home from the quarry looped up over the tailgate and carried on top of the load. Then at home, remove the tailgate and mount the unloader spool in place of it.

I had to narrow the fabric by a half inch to make everything fit within the width of the bed.

That's the driver-side crank handle, also shown in the first photo.

My improvement on HF's design, a socket welded into the passenger-side end of the spool axle. To turn with a cordless drill.

Now to try it out! Assuming it works as intended, I'll trim off the excess plastic hanging down, that was made to fit a pickup's tailgate.

 

[2manyrocks]

Appreciate your sharing what you did. I've thought about doing this myself.

Did you cut the fabric with a hot knife to keep it from fraying or was that not needed?

My experience has been to not overload it because if the load is too heavy, it won't unload without having to shovel out enough material to get it to unroll. Also helps tremendously if the trailer bed itself is slick.

 

[California]

Did you cut the fabric with a hot knife to keep it from fraying or was that not needed?

My experience has been to not overload it because if the load is too heavy, it won't unload without having to shovel out enough material to get it to unroll. Also helps tremendously if the trailer bed itself is slick.

Hot knife? No. I expect the edge will fray but not enough to affect usability.

This will be used mostly to haul orchard prunings including heavy chunks so I expect the fabric will take a beating, get frayed and punctured over time. So a ragged edge won't be what ends its usefulness. Maybe blue tarp material will be suitable for replacement fabric.

I agree the one ton rating seems unreasonable. One of the YouTube reviewers tore open the point where the handle fits the tube. I won't carry that much weight.


Are these on closeout? Now the HF listing has no details.

 

[2manyrocks]

In Tennessee, the HF listing looks same as always except price is now $54.99.

I doubt blue tarp will work as replacement fabric. Maybe their mesh tarp material is similar, but whatever fabric they are using for the unloader seems stiffer.

 

[California]

In Tennessee, the HF listing looks same as always except price is now $54.99.

You're right.

I just got home (Central Valley) from the ranch (Sonoma Coast) and HF's page displays normally here.

This home PC and the ranch laptop both have Windows 7 so I assumed they run identically. First time I've seen a variance in over a decade using both.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Thought that I would bring this thread back up again. I bought the Pittsburgh adjustable spanner wrench for my 4 1/2" grinders after misplacing yet another standard spanner. Works really well, better than the standard which for me tended to slip out of the holes.

I also want to praise the Hercules 110V 4 1/2" grinders. I do like my Baurer battery powered grinder for quick jobs in the field or whatever. But the 11amp plug in grinders have way more power. I have two but am watching for them to go on sale so I can grab two more.

 

[jjeff]

Seemed like whenever I needed a spanner wrench could never find one so I attached them to end of chord on grinder with a zip tie. Or if I need one usually can get a disk off by turning it with a gloved hand, Or a needle nose pliers can work good also.

 

[JeepHead]

The Ikon wrenches go on sale today for members. It's 40% off which is about the best deal they ever give on them. I have been eyeballing this set....

https://www.harborfreight.com/promotions/40-off-icon-wrenches-wrench-sets/extra-long-professional-double-box-flex-ratcheting-wrench-set-5-piece-56694.html

 

[Tinhack]

Seemed like whenever I needed a spanner wrench could never find one so I attached them to end of chord on grinder with a zip tie. Or if I need one usually can get a disk off by turning it with a gloved hand, Or a needle nose pliers can work good also.

I have one tool box drawer that has accumulated about seven or eight of those wrenches from different tools. But yeah, they tend to get lost easily.

 

[Jrasband]

I have one tool box drawer that has accumulated about seven or eight of those wrenches from different tools. But yeah, they tend to get lost easily.

I always put the disks on hand tight, that way you can usually get them back off by hand.

 

[Tinhack]

I always put the disks on hand tight, that way you can usually get them back off by hand.

I've never had that happen with the disks I use. I put them on by hand but it seems heavy grinding always tightens them up too much to remove them by hand. And for sure wire brushes can't be removed by hand.

 

[JeepHead]

On my angle grinders, I always put the disks or the wire wheels on and off by hand. I usually wear gloves to get a better bite and save my hands which are in rough shape to begin with.

 

[jjeff]

Pretty sure most angle grinders I own turn in a direction, so the rotation keeps the wire wheel, flap disk, wafer wheel or whatever you use, tight and further tightens it. Problems for me happens when a wafer wheel explodes definitely don't have the strength or grip anymore to turn the collar alone. Harbor freight and other 4.5" grinders are pretty inexpensive so being a self proclaimed tool junkie I have acquired a handful of 4.5" grinders leaving specific grinding wheels on each one all the time. I use a cordless grinder specifically for wafer wheels and cutting some steel. Cuz it's really nice keeping a power cord out of the way when making cuts at odd angles or cutting seized bolts or pins.

 

[California]

My favorite angle grinder is the 11 amp Hercules corded one. It seems to be a perfect twin to the similar DeWalt. Recommended!

My only cordless angle grinder is a Ryobi 18 volt. A disappointment. It has slower rpm and less resistance to slowing down compared to HF's 4.5 amp $10 grinder. I put a wire brush on the Ryobi and dedicated it to cleaning weld slag.

 

[jjeff]

yrs ago starting using a 18 volt DeWalt no way could I run a abrasive grinder blades for much time. So I started using 4.5" cut off wafer wheels on it worked great for that still have that grinder sounds like its on its last legs but still works for occasional use up north. Fast Forward bought a new 20 volt brushless DeWalt 4.5" 6 or so years ago that thing is great no comparison to my old 18 volt. I've owned a cheap corded HF 4.5 lasted about a year but was super cheap and worked for awhile. Found better brand name 4.5-9" corded grinders on sale occasionally, from Makita, to Milwaukee brands and a few old metabos before Menards carried them. They definitely seem to perform better than earlier hf ones I've used, by being able to remove more material cuz I think they have better more powerful motors and spin at higher rpms. Previously said yrs ago I bought a HF band saw with adjustable down pressure I really like that thing. Still working good.

 

[California]

Silver \ black 'extreme duty' tarp. Silver side to the sky?

This is on a tarp shed where previous tarps haven't lasted a second year.

 

[flyerdan]

Grok's thoughts on it, I tend to agree...
For the best lifespan of a silver/black tarp, use it silver side up. The silver side is typically designed to reflect UV rays and heat, which helps protect the tarp material from degradation caused by prolonged sun exposure. This can extend the tarp's durability, especially in harsh weather conditions. The black side, while effective for blocking light or absorbing heat, is less resistant to UV damage over time. Always check the manufacturer's recommendations, as some tarps may have specific coatings or designs that affect this advice.

 

[jjeff]

Anyone have any experience with those hf extreme duty tarps and how long they last? Will be used year round permanently mounted for a roof on old greenhouse. Green house not used for growing anymore just storage. Approx 25'x22'.