For the HF bargain hunters - you can also find deals online you won't find in the store. If you print out the online price, they will honor it in-store.

 

It's true it goes both ways, but the reason I say that is I bought these knee pads for $9.99 online. I also bought a 10x10 EZ UP. The EZ UP was backordered but the Jack and Knee pads arrived. I then discovered my local HF store had the EZ UP in stock so I went down there, and can you believe those same knee pads were "an advertised special" for $2.49!!!!!

OMG, I was pissed. Then in the catalog that came with my order it had a price of $4.00. The picture and caption were identical. So I called up HF to cancel the online order for the EZ UP, and asked about the knee pads. They told me that if an item I bought is ever advertised by them or a competitor for less within a year, they will match it.

Sounded cool to me, so I asked about these knee pads. First they said the stores are independently owned and run so nothing they could do about $2.49. Ok fine, so what about the catalog price? Well the item number was slightly different. She said it's the same product, but from different manufacturers so that's why the pricing is different.

That's how they protect themselves. They have multiple manufacturers for the same products--thus they can sell the same items at different prices without losing any money. Doesn't leave a good impression in my mind. Still there are some bargains if you look hard enough and have good timing!

 

Just got a note that the jack is backordered...looks like I may use the MINI jack to swap my tires this weekend.

 

Well, the jack came in. Works great!

Question from a jack newbie...how to store it? I.e. do I store it w/ the handle "loose" or "tight" or does it matter?

TIA

 

while i was organizing my garage today, i noticed that my
harbor freight hydraulic jack's front roller is locked up. i tried
WD40 and tapping the roller but no luck. it's frozen.

any suggestions?

im digging around for the warranty my wife purchased when she
gave me that jack for my b-day a few years ago.

 

found the replacement warranty! hope to get a new one during
lunch... keeping my fingers crossed.

 

After its soaked for awhile it will free up mine did the same thing, I got it wet and it started to rust a bit so a little WD-40 and a few hours wait it was fine once more

 

Same thing happened to me a year or so ago with my HF jack I use to swap tires when racing. Front roller seized up, and it was potentially dangerous since the jack would jump a little bit when going up. I disassembled the front roller, and it had a bur inside the roller. I simply got a drill bit of the correct size out of my toolbox, removed the bur, greased up the roller (no bearings inside, just a roller on a bolt), and it has worked perfectly ever since. About 1/2 worth of work was a lot quicker and simpler than the hour+ it would have taken to take it back and exchange it. It has worked better than new ever since.

You probably have some small debris or a metal bur inside the roller that caused it to seize up. Just remove the bolt/stud that goes through the roller, clean it up, grease/lube it up, and you will be good to go again.

-Keith

 

thanks guys! i will try this if the store won't take the replacement
warranty for watever reason.

 

got a new one!

btw, what is a good preventative maintenance so that this doesn't happen
again? just WD40 after each use for the day?

 

The Harbor Freight jack isn't bad though I don't know that anybody mentioned it is for all intensive purposes the same as a Craftsman, Blue-Point (Snap-on) and others that look just like it.

As for torque wrenches I firmly believe there is a difference in quality when it comes to torque wrenches... and yes I believe Snap-on is the best.

Buying a Snap-on tool is easy for regular folk that aren't professional technicians, buy online at snapon.com.... but before you say it chasing down a dealer for warranty issues can be a pain. But I wouldn't buy anthing else.

 

That all depends on what caused the roller on your old jack to seize up. Dirt, metal bur, rust/corrosion, other? WD-40 is a decent rust preventative and penetrant, but a rather poor lubricant. If the problem was rust, regular applications of WD-40 should do the trick. If the problem was a metal bur, a heavier oil would provide better lubrication and keep the front roller spinning freely. After taking mine apart and cleaning up the roller and through-bolt and lubing it up, it worked noticeably better than when new.

-Keith

 

is the through bolt removable? meaning, does it slide out of the
roller? or is it part of the roller along with the ***** (bearing)?

 

There were no bearings on the HF jack that I own. Just a through-bolt/stud with the roller which just has a hole through the middle, spinning on the bolt/stud. The bolt/stud is removable.

-Keith

 

thanks for the info! now i can visualize what i was up against.
definitely needs lubing after use.

i didn't re-purchase the store's replacement warranty this time so
i'll be sure to take it apart if this happens again.

 

got another one today. i was using my HF one and a pos one
from the past i got from Autozone to turn my tires in the winter time
on my G35C. the piston took forever to pump up on the pos one so
just got another HF one (on sale). so now i got convenience and
a backup at all times.

 

Since this thread is about hydraulic jacks (and torque wrenches??) I'll post here. I have found the answer for everone who wants a full car lift, but can't afford the cost or dosen't have the space. There's a company called EZ Car Lift (http://www.ezcarlift.com/) who make a fully portable lift that can be slid under the car, then raises it (all 4 wheels at once) by using a cord-type electric drill to drive the mechanism. When it's not needed, it can be leaned against the wall! The lift will get the car 26" off the floor - a whole lot better than jack stands and a creeper! Once the car is "up" it's supported by the lift so there's no danger of it falling off. They even have caster wheels so you can push the car to another spot without having to lower it.

I have absolutely no financial interest in this company or product, but I know what I want for Xmas!!

 

4inches off the ground.... might/might not be a problem.

 

That's pretty neat. I like the concept and execution. A lot of dough, but cool nonetheless.

 

Oh, my, that EZ Car Lift is sweet! Wow, total weight 165 lb and the heaviest individual component of it is only 65 lb ... portable, transportable, plus it works in small areas. Definitely on my dream list!

 

Yeah, the heaviest part of the lift is the price. And there's no way around the $150 shipping charge unless you can go to the manufacturer and pick it up (L-A Cal. I think).

I also really like the TR3 in the picture on the home page!