Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[gstrom99]

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?

I doubt HF will "eat" the extra $...

 

[jyoutz]

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.

The Hercules tools have a five year warranty. So far, my experience with them is they last and perform as well as my Dewalt tools.

 

[2manyrocks]

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 crossmember.

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 have used a similar procedure of having to unspool the fabric and position the unloader when loading gravel into my truck bed.

One thing that is nearly essential is that the bed be smooth so the unloader fabric doesn't snag. One member installed sheet vinyl flooring on his trailer bed as I recall.

If you want to post some pictures of your trailer gate on your trailer, it would be easier to discuss how to possibly mount the unloader.

 

[MattB4]

Many years back I picked up the HF manual tire changer. Was not impressed with it since it was a pain to mount any but the lightest weight tires with it. A couple of weeks back while perusing items on Ebay I happened to see an attachment for the changer that gives you a duckhead for easier tire removal and remounting. They go for ~$60-100 and with them it is suggested to pick up a rim clamp.

So I bought it and 4 new 6ply tires (the factory ones were 4 ply) for my Yamaha Quad. This morning with the help of a neighbor I changed out all 4 tires in about 2 hours. The biggest issue I faced was breaking the tire bead (the front tires really did not want to let go). And also the front tires did not want to seat the bead after putting the new on the rims. With the help of a ratchet strap, air, and pushing and pulling and cursing a few times the tire beads finally popped into place. The back tires were much easier and required no special effort.

It helps to watch a few U-tube videos for how to correctly use the duckhead attachment. This attachment makes the HF manual tire changer into a decent garage tool.

 

[Oaktree]

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?

Probably the same way everyone else will deal with it, most competing stuff is made in China too. Right now tariffs are kind of a moving target, guess we won't know until the dust settles.

 

[California]

I have used a similar procedure of having to unspool the fabric and position the unloader when loading gravel into my truck bed.

One thing that is nearly essential is that the bed be smooth so the unloader fabric doesn't snag. One member installed sheet vinyl flooring on his trailer bed as I recall.

If you want to post some pictures of your trailer gate on your trailer, it would be easier to discuss how to possibly mount the unloader.

Yes I'll likely need vinyl flooring.

As for mounting the unloader ...

Here's a photo I've posted before, and an enlargement from it. (The trailer's sides and tailgate were removed for that trip). The tailgate has pins at a 45 degree angle that drop into those holes at the back of the frame rails then stick out holes on the the bottom. This means the tailgate can be turned over and set back in flat, like a pickup's dropped tailgate. But this tailgate isn't suitable for the unloader to slide material across. (Third photo - tailgate is same as this front panel).

I can't clamp the unloader to those frame rails in the second photo because I need those holes clear, to receive the tailgate's pins.

The rear crossmember is 1x2 tubing. I could nail a wood block behind it (under the deck) to make the thickness uniform for a clamping surface, and then cut down the unloader narrower. But the straps? And with the unloader installed, the tailgate pins couldn't drop down far enough to engage.

My thinking at the moment is make an additional rear crossmember with pins, duplicating the bottom edge of the tailgate. Bolt the unloader to that. Carry the crossmember/unloader assembly on top of the gravel. (There's 170 inches of fabric, plenty to loop back over the tailgate.) Then for unloading install this crossmember/unloader in place of the tailgate.

When I get back to the ranch Tuesday I can post more photos if I've made any progress!

 

[5030]

Better fix that busted light as well...

 

[California]

Better fix that busted light as well...

That light was fixed long ago. Not to worry.

The photo is from 2013, the day I bought this Yanmar 186D. Still have it - and the Subaru.

 

[alexpops]

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?

Probably pretty much like last time ... Far fewer (if any) 25% off coupons, less "free" with purchase promo's, a bigger push into inside track (with probably an increase in the annual fee at re-up time) and "under $10" promotions will become "under $20". I'm expecting 10% off will be the new 25% off going forward and we will see it a lot less frequently unless there is some resolution. I frankly am more worried about Amazon stuff availability given the number of "knock-offs" they wind up selling. That & Everlast replacement parts if needed.

As I understand it, the HF business model is more about Cash-flow than "profits". From what I've read, they factor their sales, & the owner pockets the difference to the tune of billions. High interest rates probably impact him more than base costs, but he has to worry about how much capital he has tied up in inventory & sustainable financing. If availability becomes an issue? ... good bye HF, since as much as cheap, the advantage of HF is I can walk into a store & get a tool I need to finish the job NOW as opposed to in a day/week/month. If I want something to hand down for generations or use every day in a commercial (read "regulated") environment? It won't be HF. But If I need to finish bleeding brakes or recharging AC by myself in the backyard? I won't be waiting for the Snap-on/Mac/Matco/take your pick truck. If the HF tool lasts 2-3 jobs? I'm probably ahead of the game. Different story on their welders, since pretty much ALL welders come from China these days & the key differences are component specs (capacitors/motherboard quality) and duty cycle.

 

[5030]

Most NEW welders today are 100% solid state IGBT units. Actually own 3 of them, all HF units. 3 IGBT welders and 3 transformer units that aren't made anymore. China and Taiwan have flooded the market (via Amascon mostly) as well as Everlast and they are all about to take a hit I suspect. The IGBT welders I own are light years ahead of the old transformer units and they are all digital and all have memory as well. Problem is, if they puke, you might as well landfill them because they are not repairable, lest not by a person with limited electronics experience like me. No more knobs to twist or setting to remember, the welders remember them for you and they are all touch screen and the IGBT machines can make a backyard welder look professional.

I read elsewhere that the Chinese industrial complex is balancing on the edge of folding and the Trump trade war I believe will push them over the edge.

How about Grizzly? All their stuff is imported. Hope they have a lot of machines in inventory. If they don't, they are hosed as well. They always tout in the catalog how their machines are made in Taiwan. Last time I checked, Taiwan was part of the Peoples Republic of China, or close to it.

Bad times for Asia in general. They brought it on themselves however.

I follow International shipping on G Captain and 'What's going on with Shipping' on YT. Both sites give you good insight into the international maritime situation.