Non'Harbor Freight Tools That Suck

RichZ · Jan 7, 2014

I thought it might be valuable if we warn each other about tools other than Harbor Freight that suck.

Here's my first warning:

This past weekend, during this below zero weather I had a flat tire on one of my brand new snow tires. The kid at the tire shop must have put it on TIGHT with an impact wrench, because I couldn't get it off with a four way lug wrench, and when I went to get my compressor and my impact wrench out of my unheated garage, I found my air hoses had cracked from the cold. I thought I'd get a cheap corded impact wrench for times like these, and I found a Kawasaki Impact wrench at TSC for $69.99. I figured it had to be good enough to just take lug nuts off, and it might be a good back up tool for not much money, so I bought it (yeah, I know the Harbor Freight impact wrenches are good, but the nearest HF is an hour away, and we have a TSC in town). Well, that Kawaski impact wrench wouldn't even budge those lug nuts. I ended up calling a buddy, and we put a pipe on the end of my 4 way wrench and got the lug nuts off. After I got the tire off, I went back to TSC and returned the Kawasaki. The manager said that he wasn't surprised. I asked him, why he sells them, if he knows they suck. He told me that he told his regional manager that he didn't want to carry the Kawaski tools, but he was told it was a corporate decision to carry them, so he has no choice.

So, the Kawaski impact wrench SUCKS.

diesel lover · Jan 7, 2014

Had to change the bald tire on the rear of my girlfriends car. The air compressor in my friends garage is not heated! There must have been water in the air tank still or something I did not have air pressure to remove the lignuts with my own impact. Possible the air compressor was not building and was froze for a few minutes.

I don't like four ways and don't use them!! Your too far away from the lug nuts so you loose applied torque. I have the harbor freight 10$ 24 inch breaker bar and it will remove 1 ton truck lug nuts!!! Was shocked because the snap on one is 130$ or more. With a long breaker bar and tight socket you stay close to your work!

JJZ 109 · Jan 8, 2014

Had a similar experience with an electric impact wrench that I bought at one of those traveling Cummins tool sales. On the second use, the brushes fell out of the piece of crap. Some assorted hand tools purchased there were also of dubious quality.
That crap was purchased in my younger days. Lesson learned. I still occasionally buy from HF, but you have to keep in mind the purpose of the tool and work within its limitations. Sometimes it just isn't cost effective to spend big money on a tool that will be very seldom used.

Gary Fowler · Jan 8, 2014

I bought some Skil 18V drill drivers from Walmart a couple years back, I actually bought 2 so I would have a spare battery as the battery alone cost as much as the drill set. The batteries didn't last a year before they started discharging to 0 when not on the charger and one of them quit taking a charge altogether. Not a good choice at all.

paulharvey · Jan 8, 2014

Stanley screwdrivers; got a dozen or so; all crap soft metal, bend, twist, and wear out on one or two uses.

Stanley channel locks: help up fine or light use but snapped when I reallly put some butt behind it (no cheater bar or hammers, just muscle)

Stanley Warranty: stores no longer warranty; and warranty department said to mail them to North Carolina (my expense) where they would make a decision on weather to replace.

Cummins tools 3/8" air impact, no torque ; barely more than good finger tight; stiol could get a lot more with 3/8" ratchet.

brin · Jan 8, 2014

I have to say I am a big fan of Harbor Freight....When they first started as a mail order outfit years ago...they did have some junk but still I save a lot on some things....Now I think they are great and I have a store 15 min. from me... My. Mrs. has a choker chain on me to keep me from going there without her so she can control me...I am a tool nut...Granted they may not have the kind of tools a Professional who works them hard every day needs...but for the average homeowner or farmer they are just fine and especially for a tool you have to have but for only limited use...It would be shame to have spend big $$$ for a tool you may use once or just once a yr.

triptester · Jan 8, 2014

Lately I have found better value with HF than American brands. I bought a Milwaukee porta-band and a table base for it. The saw works fairly good but the blade occasionaly pops off, a problem I rarely had with my 11 year old HF saw. The Milwaukee saw base is very poor quality, at $250. The castings look like there was gravel in the mold. The depth stop is useless. The chain vise binds and is dificult to operate.
Then there was the new Dewalt 4 1/2 angle grinder that burnt up in 90 seconds. Returned that one for exchange. The replacement works but the gear housing gets hot after light use.

After looking at all the American brand power tools I had trouble finding one that wasn't made in China.

RichZ · Jan 9, 2014

Related to my first post.

About a year and a half ago, I bought a new air compressor from our new TSC. Not only was it on sale, but they threw in 100 feet of PVC Tool Smart air hose. I normally prefer only rubber air hoses, but hey, free is free. It was that free Tool Smart PVC hose that was cracked last weekend. I've been thinking of replacing it, but never got around to it, and it cost me for being cheap. That PVC hose sucks.