HF tools that suck

[forester2]

I bought one of the small tire changers to do mower and ATV wheels. Works OK. Do not buy the super cheap socket set to leave on the tractor or in the truck- 1/2 inch ratchet busted first time. Small stuff work OK and is nice to have around. I agree with some of the other posters; garage sales and auctions can be great.

 

[patrick_g]

I have had the cheap Chinese socket set in 3/4 inch drive for at least 10 years (15?) and I don't use it often but when I do I often abuse it. It has never failed me. The first couple times I put a 4 ft cheater on the breaker bar I knew I was boldly (stupidly?) going where no one should go but no ill effects. Maybe If I were a pro and used the set to the limit every day it would fail but I don't and it hasn't and I am glad to report it cost $39.95 and has a lifetime guarantee.

I also have a click type torque wrench in 3/4 drive from HF. It is nearly 4 ft long and goes up to 600 lb-ft. I use it for a breaker bar (not to exceed 600 lb-ft) and it holds calibration and is still a good torque wrench. My upgrade wheels on my one ton Dodge Cumins take 450 lb-ft on the lugs. so I carry "Excaliber" with me for just in case.

Pat

Pat

 

[bjr]

#59, I had a Coats Rim clamp tire changer and I sold it and bought the HF manual. Once you get some tire spoons of various sizes and 25 lbs of tire and tube compound you'll do fine with manual one. Get the manual one mounted to a large steel plate or bolted solid to the floor and away you go. I did buy air tank called Cheeta for inflating and setting the beads and it works great. The Coats machine had jets that were supposed to pop the beads but they never worked from the get go. I use the HF static tire balancer also. My adult children can never seem to afford tires and so good ol' dad comes thru with some garage sale or Flee market second hand tires that I can mount and balance myself. I alway have get new patch cement though, 'cause the stuff get stiff and old every time I go to use it. Oh yeah, There's a web site called PatchBoys that seem to have deals on patches and cement. bjr

 

[Dargo]

I have had the cheap Chinese socket set in 3/4 inch drive...

3/4 inch drive set used by hand, yes, 1/2 inch stuff, no. I've never used any cheater bar so my 3/4" breaker bar, ratchet and sockets have held up okay for me. I can easily destroy their 1/2" stuff though. If the sockets don't split the ratcheting part of the ratchet breaks. All of my 1" drive stuff is IR though. Working on heavy equipment I do use cheater bars and I think my 1" anvil drive impact would destroy any Horrible Freight sockets they may carry in 1" (and I don't know if they even do).

 

[tallyho8]

#59, I had a Coats Rim clamp tire changer and I sold it and bought the HF manual. There's a web site called PatchBoys that seem to have deals on patches and cement. bjr

I went to patchboys.com and they sell patches that you put on jackets not ones to patch tires with. The correct website is www.patchboy.com.

 

[Sackett2]

I'm a auto tech, so some tools from HF have surprised me
1/2 inch drive metric impact socket set 10. Never broke one (yet)
1/2 inch thinwall lug socket set, 10. Was told it would last 6 months, just broke #2 (of 3) after 7 years.
sawzsall, "0" lasted 1 trigger pull
battery operated lugwrench "0" didn't even take off the 1st lugbolts on a Subaru in the shop.

 

[Runner]

Not really a tool, but the HF 12 inch long receiver hitch tubes are made of tubing that has the seam on the inside. This interferes with the drawbar when you install it.

Anyone have any good ideas on what kind of tool one might use to grind out this metal ridge inside the receiver tube? I can't get my die grinder in there far enough.

 

[Danno1]

Not really a tool, but the HF 12 inch long receiver hitch tubes are made of tubing that has the seam on the inside. This interferes with the drawbar when you install it.

Anyone have any good ideas on what kind of tool one might use to grind out this metal ridge inside the receiver tube? I can't get my die grinder in there far enough.

Dyna file, air file, hand file............. in order of preference.


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[Skyco]

Not really a tool, but the HF 12 inch long receiver hitch tubes are made of tubing that has the seam on the inside. This interferes with the drawbar when you install it.

Anyone have any good ideas on what kind of tool one might use to grind out this metal ridge inside the receiver tube? I can't get my die grinder in there far enough.

Noticed the same thing when looking at some on sale at HF a few weeks ago, noted the seam and grabbed one of their drawbars for a test insertion. No go. They used the wrong type tubing for their product, http://www.allmetalsinc.com/steelsquaretube/T250250238.html It also looked a little thin walled compared to what I usually buy....not sure I'd trust it for high load even if I could get the seam out

On another note- picked up the 10 lb reel of their .035 flux core welding wire. Took it back after using 2 feet of it...stuff was terrible, very porous welds. Tried some name brand I had on a small 2lb reel, welded much better. Now have a 10 lb reel of name brand (Hobart) on the way, found it on the net from a welding supplier even with shipping for less than I can buy it locally.

 

[Sherweld]

On another note- picked up the 10 lb reel of their .035 flux core welding wire. Took it back after using 2 feet of it...stuff was terrible, very porous welds. Tried some name brand I had on a small 2lb reel, welded much better. Now have a 10 lb reel of name brand (Hobart) on the way, found it on the net from a welding supplier even with shipping for less than I can buy it locally.

On the same note, Just ran out of HF 10# spool .035 flux core in the middle of current fork lift project. Looked for something closer to home for a quick replacement. Lowes has Lincoln brand for substantially less money than HF, and the real bonus is that I simply can't believe the difference. The welds look far better, and seems to penetrate better, not to mention how much more smoothly it puddles and flows as well as a much more stable arc.

As a long time stick welder, still getting used to this wire feed business with a little Lincoln 135 Plus.