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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / August 2007I got another loser!
I bought a thing that looked neat at Harbor Freight. I lose !!! Some of you may have read the tow bar problem - more about that later. For a second time in very short order I have something to go back. Subject: Pittsburgh - Torque Multiplier Lugnut Remover (93645) It looks kind of like the multipliers that I have used when working on larger engines and big machines that require 500+ #ft on some things. I saw a thing titled as Lugnut Remover - It was on sale (18vs30$) "Neat Idea" he said, "I'll get one just for the MH." I looked it over. It looked substantial enough. The handle is kind of short, but I shouldn't need much more than the 250#ft to crack the nuts loose. At a 33:1 ratio (advertised), I should be able to wind up the 6~7" handle enough to get there. When I got home after the day's errands, I put all the stuff away and went to try the new toy on the only wheel that has been off in the last few years. (I got it balanced about a week ago.) I plugged on the 7/8 socket that came in the package, set it to hook in one stud and wrench on another and then commenced to wind the little crank. (By the way - it goes the wrong way - but it is clearly marked.) It got tougher. Then it got seriously tough. - I was really leaning on that crank. (He is saying to hisself - any time now.....) Then - Bang - I was lunging forward - with a piece of the little crank. Now this thing is stuck real fast on my left front wheel...... Well, I was able to pull the piece of the handle off of that side's square drive. Now, I just broke this crank I'm not going to be able to undo this thing with a 1/2 open end. My sockets in that range are all 6-point or a 9/16 might fit. So, I got out the big adjustable and cranked it down to 1/2 and gave it a try. It unwound just fine and I inhaled. Finally, I could look at the pieces. Wonder of Wonders! There was almost a whole 1/16 of and inch of bad weld to hold the bar of the handle to the hub with square hole. It's going back on my next trip that way. Just for grins, I got the wrench out of the tool kit and loosened and retighted that nut. About the tow bar brackets - I wrote a nice e-mail to customer service a Roadmaster and I guess I rattled someone cage real good. CS Rep wrote me back and wanted to know the whole story and asked that I forward the all the messages. I may have news next week. You Know, It's much more fun to learn by watching other people. Matt Colie > I bought a thing that looked neat at Harbor Freight. > I lose !!! [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > Matt Colie  SignatureOle Gar, in the 'lil trailer, under the bridge, down by the river http:coltonmotorexpress.blogspot.com/ Yes, Gar, we know he wrote. Did you intend to add something besides your sig line? SignatureAl Balmer Sun City, AZ > Yes, Gar, we know he wrote. Did you intend to add something besides > your sig line? Honest, I don't know how the hell that empty post got there, I read Matts post but had no intention to reply. :) SignatureOle Gar, in the 'lil trailer, under the bridge, down by the river http:coltonmotorexpress.blogspot.com/ >I bought a thing that looked neat at Harbor Freight. > I lose !!! I have lost more than once...until I finally learned. I think the name "Horrible Fright" is more apt than Harbor Freight! >I bought a thing that looked neat at Harbor Freight. > I lose !!! [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > loose. At a 33:1 ratio (advertised), I should be able to wind up the 6~7" > handle enough to get there. <snip> With all due respect, whadja expect from that cheap Chinese crap from Harbor freight. The brand may say "Pittsburgh" but it is cheap ChiCom junk!! don't waster yer money at Harbor Freight!! Mike I see where "Mike Simmons" <mikesim@yhti.net> contributed: >With all due respect, whadja expect from that cheap Chinese crap from Harbor >freight. The brand may say "Pittsburgh" but it is cheap ChiCom junk!! don't >waster yer money at Harbor Freight!! That is partly true, of course. But it is also partly untrue. While we weren't looking, the Chinese industrial machine has made dramatic strides. Have ye been to a Grizzly store? Virtually all ChiCom stuff, but mostly top drawer quality. And not all HF goods are cheapass knockoffs - or even imported. It doesn't make sense to pay Milwaukee or Porter Cable prices for a tool you will use only rarely. A $2 hammer from HF will perform exactly like a $20 Name Brand if you are an occasional hammer user. Will Sill GILLETTE'S PRINCIPLE: "If you want to make people angry, lie. If you want to make them absolutely livid with rage, tell the truth." "Will Sill" wrote in message........It doesn't make sense to pay Milwaukee or Porter Cable prices for a tool you will use only rarely. A $2 hammer from HF will perform exactly like a $20 Name Brand if you are an occasional hammer user.<<<<<<<<< I agree. There are some items sold at HF that are junk, (like drill bits) but I needed to drill some holes in concrete and a name brand rotary hammer drill is 2-3 hundred dollars. I bought their hammer drill for $59.99 and got a 2 year warranty for $20.00. After a years or so, the trigger started sticking on, so I took it back and they gave me a brand new drill. I also have a set of their pipe wrenches. If you can wait until whatever you want, goes on sale, it will be about ½ price. Like Will said, HF tools are not for industrial use but for the tool you will only use a few times a year, they can't be beat. SignatureJerryD(upstateNY) >I see where "Mike Simmons" <mikesim@yhti.net> contributed: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > tool you will use only rarely. A $2 hammer from HF will perform > exactly like a $20 Name Brand if you are an occasional hammer user. Yeah,some of the stuff in the Grizzly store looks pretty good... mostly machine tools..... however... (there's always a however).... buying Chinese crap sends your money outside of the US and basically funds our future demise. I'll gladly spend more for a US product and keep my fellow Americans employed and my $$ out of the hands of the ChiComs. The Chinese are NOT our friends... Mike I see where "Mike Simmons" <mikesim@yhti.net> contributed: >Yeah,some of the stuff in the Grizzly store looks pretty good... mostly >machine tools..... however... (there's always a however).... buying Chinese >crap sends your money outside of the US and basically funds our future >demise. I'll gladly spend more for a US product and keep my fellow >Americans employed and my $$ out of the hands of the ChiComs. The Chinese >are NOT our friends... I'm very sympathetic with yer POV, but caution that it is nearly impossible to buy genuine Made In USA goods --- and ev en when you do the product is often made from globally-sourced materials, if not actually assembled in East Timor. Not to mention that many an "American" enterprise is partly or fully owned by foreigners. And another issue to consider is whether you wish to subsidize "American" labor unions in their continuing efforts to strangle their employers. A few years back my wife bought me a Genuine Sears Craftsman air ratchet, thinking to avoid the Cheap Oriental Crap even though she paid 3x the bux. It works fine but came with a little sticker "Made in Japan". Last week I shunned the obvious ChiCom welders at Harbor Freight and bought a good ole US-brand Lincoln welder for 2x the $$$. So wot does the label say? Bet ya can't guess, but it ain't China. There are no easy answers. Will Sill The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill >I see where "Mike Simmons" <mikesim@yhti.net> contributed: > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > There are no easy answers. No, there are not <sigh>. My guess is that yer Lincoln welder came from Mex, right? I try extremely hard to buy American but if a US source is not available I then try to buy a product sourced from a nominally Christian country. I know I will be thought a fool for this strategy, but I have my reasons. Mike > Will Sill > The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill I see where "Mike Simmons" <mikesim@yhti.net> contributed: Will: >> Last week I shunned the obvious ChiCom welders at Harbor >> Freight and bought a good ole US-brand Lincoln welder for 2x the $$$. >> So wot does the label say? Bet ya can't guess, but it ain't China. >> >> There are no easy answers. Mike: >No, there are not <sigh>. My guess is that yer Lincoln welder came from >Mex, right? A good guess but wrong in this case. Poland! >I try extremely hard to buy American but if a US source is not >available I then try to buy a product sourced from a nominally Christian >country. I know I will be thought a fool for this strategy, but I have my >reasons. I agree with your thinking but wonder what countries these days are even close to "nominally Christian"!! Will Sill The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill >> I bought a thing that looked neat at Harbor Freight. >> I lose !!! [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Mike Hey... I resemble that a bit... Harbor Freight allows a guy like me to have some tools I would never buy a 10x price at Sears. Most all Harbor Freight tools are warrantied for life [with reciept]. No questions asked. The 'bad' tool Matt bought had a freak bad weld. Most I've bought have worked well. Again, like in the "value" thread... of no value to one, of great value to another.. Obviously Harbor Freight 'found a niche' SignatureOle Gar, in the 'lil trailer, under the bridge, down by the river http:coltonmotorexpress.blogspot.com/ Let me guess. Made in China? |
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