Harbor Freight Tools that DO SUCK II

[5030]

Predator engines and Predator gas powered stuff from HF is generally good and every Pred engine I have (I have 3) has been perfect. IMO, they have the best value in small engines anywhere.

 

[bcp]

Went from a twist drill to a 'untwist drill. Should have reversed the rotation of the drill motor and re-twisted it...lol

I agree, the HF drills are basically junk. So are their tap and die sets, totally worthless.

I find their tap and dies useful for cleaning dirty threads.

Bruce

 

[Ford850]

I have had the 35407 tap and die set for 15 years or so, and it's performed well for me. I really take care when using it though, expecting less than stellar quality and knowing most failures of taps and dies are due to user error.
I have to add the O-ring sets to the DO suck list though. I bought the large O-Ring Assortments (red and blue boxes) figuring they were cheap and not expecting a lot, but thought I could use them in hoses, hand sprayers, etc, that didn't need the best quality. What I soon found was they are all undersized slightly. Not enough that I can use the next larger size, but just enough that they are too small to seal properly. Those that I can use end up dry rotted within a few months and need replacements way too often. I rarely reach for those boxes anymore, and find myself buying properly sized O-rings from hardware or box stores most of the time.

 

[5030]

Chineseum rubber in general is sub standard and prone to rotting. besides, it stinks (smells) terrible.

 

[the old grind]

Just about any 4" rimmed pneumatic tires are the worst examples of s__ rubber from Asia. I suppose if they bulked-up a batch of mix with charcoal instead of coal dust the smell might not be as bad. That said they can be diced and used to kindle brush piles or nailed onto sticks for torches when hunting Bigfoot.

 

[5030]

Didn't know that. I learned something. Now I know why it stinks.

 

[daugen]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

I have been waiting to post here the demise of my new 79.95 HF powerwasher. However...it's been used three times so far,
has more pressure than expected, and none of the cheesy fittings have broken yet. In fact hooking up the hose to the unit was
easiest ever. I downsized dramatically and have gone from a 4000psi GX390 powered unit to this little wimpy green thing.
For 80 bucks, there is no way this thing will last.

of course I have found if you want to wreck an inexpensive powerwasher immediately, just loan it out to a friend or neighbor.
They always yank on the cheap easy kink hose and 30 bucks later I get my baby washer back. I found out long ago that a 4000 psi
powerwasher will peel off labels and stickers on equipment far quicker than I liked. So I always had two, one high powered gas and a cheapy
electric one for cleaning off farm equipment.

 

[Alan W.]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

I have been waiting to post here the demise of my new 79.95 HF powerwasher. However...it's been used three times so far,
has more pressure than expected, and none of the cheesy fittings have broken yet. In fact hooking up the hose to the unit was
easiest ever. I downsized dramatically and have gone from a 4000psi GX390 powered unit to this little wimpy green thing.
For 80 bucks, there is no way this thing will last.

of course I have found if you want to wreck an inexpensive powerwasher immediately, just loan it out to a friend or neighbor.
They always yank on the cheap easy kink hose and 30 bucks later I get my baby washer back. I found out long ago that a 4000 psi
powerwasher will peel off labels and stickers on equipment far quicker than I liked. So I always had two, one high powered gas and a cheapy
electric one for cleaning off farm equipment.

Mine has just recently started acting up after many years of being put through more than I thought it could do.
They were blue when I bought mine.

 

[crazyal]

walk down the aisle in Tractor Supply and sniff the tires....yikes.
I'm hoping that the complete lack of oversight and QC in so much Chinese product
built for the lowest price point is slowly improving. What is worrisome is wondering about what
banned toxins they are getting rid of by dumping them in the rubber compound disguised as something benign...
But I've never started to itch so who knows.

........

The tube in the front tire on my backhoe needed replacing so I bought one of TS Travelers brand tubes. Since it had been decades since the tire was removed lots of rust formed inside the wheel and the rim had some damage. I spend an hour or so removing the rust and dents and then grinding smooth anything that I felt could be an issue. While trying to stretch the tube to put it on the wheel it ripped wide open. After removing it I pulled on the rip and it tore like a piece of paper. I figured it was just a bad tube so I exchanged it for the ony other one of that size they had in stock and tried stretching it in the store and it ripped as well. The casher just said "I don't think a tube should do that" and refunded my money. So I bought a Firestone brand tube and within minutes the tire had air. Tires and tubes at TSC are no better than HF.

 

[bmaverick]

The tube in the front tire on my backhoe needed replacing so I bought one of TS Travelers brand tubes. Since it had been decades since the tire was removed lots of rust formed inside the wheel and the rim had some damage. I spend an hour or so removing the rust and dents and then grinding smooth anything that I felt could be an issue. While trying to stretch the tube to put it on the wheel it ripped wide open. After removing it I pulled on the rip and it tore like a piece of paper. I figured it was just a bad tube so I exchanged it for the ony other one of that size they had in stock and tried stretching it in the store and it ripped as well. The casher just said "I don't think a tube should do that" and refunded my money. So I bought a Firestone brand tube and within minutes the tire had air. Tires and tubes at TSC are no better than HF.

exactly. Tubes are crappy everyplace now. Bet an ant can move a china rubber tree plant. LOL

I do have a quad set of the 4-inch rim tires on my Gorilla Cart. The originals did not even last 1-year. The H-F ones are going on 4-years now. They are tubeless.