Harbor Freight tools torque wrench falls apart..
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Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JustinH
I consider everything at harbor freight disposable.
Agreed. And since I don't consider any tool I own disposable, I own nothing from Harbor Freight.
This. I'd rather pay a little more for a tool that won't break when I need it. Craftsman all the way. I've only broken 2 craftsman sockets (using them in a way they weren't designed for) and they exchanged them no questions asked.
Originally Posted By: JustinH
I consider everything at harbor freight disposable.
Agreed. And since I don't consider any tool I own disposable, I own nothing from Harbor Freight.
This. I'd rather pay a little more for a tool that won't break when I need it. Craftsman all the way. I've only broken 2 craftsman sockets (using them in a way they weren't designed for) and they exchanged them no questions asked.
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Alternatives?
Yes, a Precision Instruments torque wrench from Amazon or ToolTopia is a much better alternative.
Alternatives?
Yes, a Precision Instruments torque wrench from Amazon or ToolTopia is a much better alternative.
A fair bit of their stuff is junk. A fair bit is surprisingly good quality. A fair bit is middling. Buyer beware.
I have a bunch of HF hand tools, HF jackstands, and a HF steel low-profile jack. They do the job, the jack pretty darned well. Some of the hand tools, like the flare nut wrenches, held up to abuse far better than I thought they would.
The stuff I have is either proven to be good, or looked to be well-made in the store.
I have a bunch of HF hand tools, HF jackstands, and a HF steel low-profile jack. They do the job, the jack pretty darned well. Some of the hand tools, like the flare nut wrenches, held up to abuse far better than I thought they would.
The stuff I have is either proven to be good, or looked to be well-made in the store.
I have the HF 1/2 torque wrench that I bought to torque lug nuts on wheels. I wanted something just for that purpose. I do my own tire rotion. Since everything else I saw in a reasonable price range was imported I went with the HF wrench. I have had it 3-4 years and it is a fine tool. Now if I were in the engine overhaul business then I would go with a much more expensive tool that is USA made if their are any left.
Originally Posted By: tig1
I have the HF 1/2 torque wrench that I bought to torque lug nuts on wheels. I wanted something just for that purpose. I do my own tire rotion. Since everything else I saw in a reasonable price range was imported I went with the HF wrench. I have had it 3-4 years and it is a fine tool. Now if I were in the engine overhaul business then I would go with a much more expensive tool that is USA made if their are any left.
+1 I bought mine exactly for the same reason, it works fine.
I have the HF 1/2 torque wrench that I bought to torque lug nuts on wheels. I wanted something just for that purpose. I do my own tire rotion. Since everything else I saw in a reasonable price range was imported I went with the HF wrench. I have had it 3-4 years and it is a fine tool. Now if I were in the engine overhaul business then I would go with a much more expensive tool that is USA made if their are any left.
+1 I bought mine exactly for the same reason, it works fine.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: tig1
I have the HF 1/2 torque wrench that I bought to torque lug nuts on wheels. I wanted something just for that purpose. I do my own tire rotion. Since everything else I saw in a reasonable price range was imported I went with the HF wrench. I have had it 3-4 years and it is a fine tool. Now if I were in the engine overhaul business then I would go with a much more expensive tool that is USA made if their are any left.
+1 I bought mine exactly for the same reason, it works fine.
I concur with both of these posts.
Harbor Freight has given me the opportunity to own tools that I never would have purchased elsewhere because of price. Not because I can't afford it but I refuse to spend the money for my limited need.
Originally Posted By: tig1
I have the HF 1/2 torque wrench that I bought to torque lug nuts on wheels. I wanted something just for that purpose. I do my own tire rotion. Since everything else I saw in a reasonable price range was imported I went with the HF wrench. I have had it 3-4 years and it is a fine tool. Now if I were in the engine overhaul business then I would go with a much more expensive tool that is USA made if their are any left.
+1 I bought mine exactly for the same reason, it works fine.
I concur with both of these posts.
Harbor Freight has given me the opportunity to own tools that I never would have purchased elsewhere because of price. Not because I can't afford it but I refuse to spend the money for my limited need.
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
I'd rather pay a little more for a tool that won't break when I need it. Craftsman all the way. I've only broken 2 craftsman sockets (using them in a way they weren't designed for) and they exchanged them no questions asked.
I had a 1/2" Craftsman torque wrench split its ratchet pawl after only gentle use. I found out that the warranty was only 90 days. The pawl wasn't available as a replacement part, only a redesigned head which would have cost almost as much as the wrench.
Since then I have bought mostly H-F torque wrenches. I probably have a dozen of them. I've only broken one of them, when I needed to use it as a breaker bar. It took jumping on it, with the head supported by a jack stand, for the square drive to fail. And when I took it back, they exchanged it in under a minute with no questions.
So, in my experience, the H-F torque wrench is a better tool with a far superior warranty.
The original poster's story is curiously lacking in detail. Just "fell apart"... hmmmm
I'd rather pay a little more for a tool that won't break when I need it. Craftsman all the way. I've only broken 2 craftsman sockets (using them in a way they weren't designed for) and they exchanged them no questions asked.
I had a 1/2" Craftsman torque wrench split its ratchet pawl after only gentle use. I found out that the warranty was only 90 days. The pawl wasn't available as a replacement part, only a redesigned head which would have cost almost as much as the wrench.
Since then I have bought mostly H-F torque wrenches. I probably have a dozen of them. I've only broken one of them, when I needed to use it as a breaker bar. It took jumping on it, with the head supported by a jack stand, for the square drive to fail. And when I took it back, they exchanged it in under a minute with no questions.
So, in my experience, the H-F torque wrench is a better tool with a far superior warranty.
The original poster's story is curiously lacking in detail. Just "fell apart"... hmmmm
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I bought a 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar, and the thing fell apart on the floor of my truck while I was driving home. The screw threads were stripped. I returned it and bought another on. So far it works. I got it for taking off lug nuts.
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I bought a 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar, and the thing fell apart on the floor of my truck while I was driving home. The screw threads were stripped. I returned it and bought another on. So far it works. I got it for taking off lug nuts.
Originally Posted By: Loobed
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I bought a 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar, and the thing fell apart on the floor of my truck while I was driving home. The screw threads were stripped. I returned it and bought another on. So far it works. I got it for taking off lug nuts.
Wow that sucks. What screw threads are you referring to? I own three of them. I keep one in each vehicle, for lug nuts, so far so good.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I bought a 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar, and the thing fell apart on the floor of my truck while I was driving home. The screw threads were stripped. I returned it and bought another on. So far it works. I got it for taking off lug nuts.
Wow that sucks. What screw threads are you referring to? I own three of them. I keep one in each vehicle, for lug nuts, so far so good.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I got the 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar few months ago, had been using it several times already. It's pretty good for what I paid for it (20% off coupon on sale price of $9.99), plus tax it was less than $10.
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I got the 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar few months ago, had been using it several times already. It's pretty good for what I paid for it (20% off coupon on sale price of $9.99), plus tax it was less than $10.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I got the 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar few months ago, had been using it several times already. It's pretty good for what I paid for it (20% off coupon on sale price of $9.99), plus tax it was less than $10.
Got mine with the same exact deal. For less than $10 IMO it is tough to beat!
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Those ratchets aren't bad. Their 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar is pretty good too, especially for the price.
I got the 25" 1/2" drive breaker bar few months ago, had been using it several times already. It's pretty good for what I paid for it (20% off coupon on sale price of $9.99), plus tax it was less than $10.
Got mine with the same exact deal. For less than $10 IMO it is tough to beat!
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
So, the cover plate screws came loose and fell out. My cover plate screws loosened up once. I tightened them and all has been fine since.
If you have the pieces, you can put it back together. If you lost any of the screws, you should be able to buy replacements at any decent hardware store.
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
So, the cover plate screws came loose and fell out. My cover plate screws loosened up once. I tightened them and all has been fine since.
If you have the pieces, you can put it back together. If you lost any of the screws, you should be able to buy replacements at any decent hardware store.
Quote:
With wheel bearings costing $150 and plastic intakes running over $400, I cannot a afford a Harbor Freight torque wrench.
+1 I cant afford to work with junk tools either.
With wheel bearings costing $150 and plastic intakes running over $400, I cannot a afford a Harbor Freight torque wrench.
+1 I cant afford to work with junk tools either.
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
So, the cover plate screws came loose and fell out. My cover plate screws loosened up once. I tightened them and all has been fine since.
If you have the pieces, you can put it back together. If you lost any of the screws, you should be able to buy replacements at any decent hardware store.
I don't think we're talking about the same wrench. I have a 25" breaker bar, AFAIK there are no screws. The ratchet wrench has screws. I'll have to have a look now.
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: Zako2
I got maybe 6 months of service out of it. I mostly used it to torque wheel lug nuts and for minor mechanical work. It was good while it lasted. Alternatives?
How did it "fall apart?"
Did you unscrew the handle too far? Did the screws on the cover plate fall out?
The cover plate, the screws, and the whole internal mechanism came out in pieces. This was a 1/2 drive model. It seemed to work perfectly while it lasted. I am not complaining as I got it for $15 with a coupon.
So, the cover plate screws came loose and fell out. My cover plate screws loosened up once. I tightened them and all has been fine since.
If you have the pieces, you can put it back together. If you lost any of the screws, you should be able to buy replacements at any decent hardware store.
I don't think we're talking about the same wrench. I have a 25" breaker bar, AFAIK there are no screws. The ratchet wrench has screws. I'll have to have a look now.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I don't think we're talking about the same wrench. I have a 25" breaker bar, AFAIK there are no screws. The ratchet wrench has screws. I'll have to have a look now.
We're not talking about the same thing. I was responding to a post by the OP. He made this thread because his HF torque wrench "fell apart." It appears his cover plate screws came loose, allowing the mechanism to fall out.
Other people started talking about the HF breaker bars, but I'm not referring to them.
I don't think we're talking about the same wrench. I have a 25" breaker bar, AFAIK there are no screws. The ratchet wrench has screws. I'll have to have a look now.
We're not talking about the same thing. I was responding to a post by the OP. He made this thread because his HF torque wrench "fell apart." It appears his cover plate screws came loose, allowing the mechanism to fall out.
Other people started talking about the HF breaker bars, but I'm not referring to them.
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