Thanks for telling us what is good to buy from Harbor Freight. I appreciate you taking your time to do these videos. You obviously work on vehicles with all these tools you are showing us so you absolutely know what is good and what is just complete junk.
Good video. Im a professional technician, and a good majority of my tools are Craftsman and Harbor Freight. The main problem people have is they do not research tools before buying them. There are a lot of great Harbor Freight tools! I do have my Snap-On and Matco tools, however I can not afford, nor justify, spending so much on tools. Honestly, its hand tools. Thats were one needs to invest. Other than that, there are so many other options than the tool trucks. Aside from the Carlyle brand, Napa's Evercraft is a damn good tool line. Bought my first tool box filled with Evercraft tools for $120 from Napa 12 years ago, and I still have them, havent broken one damn socket or wrench.
The story you told about being young and being ripped off by mechanics and them putting a lien on your car and then taking your car, you know that that hits my heart. I'm glad you became a mechanic and sharing your knowledge.
I'm a mechanic. it's not ripping off. it's called making money. Also, I hate people watching me work. doesn't mean i'm a scam artist. don't throw us all under the bus because of a few bad apples.
bluegoldent you can watch me work from the outside bay door. no customers in the shop. safety/insurance issue. not making this up. serioiusly though nobody likes people looking over their shoulder. now if you are one of my friends thats one thing. If you are just joe customer sorry you need to take a walk.
I know about the insurance policies. As I stated I'm the of customer if I pay I over see the job. To many times my ball joints been popped and told I have a bad ball joint when I knew for a fact it was new. Also the other things that happen in shops if they damage anything the customer is untold or charged. So my voice stand if I pay I watch if not I go to the next shop or Annie up and do the job my self.
I totally agree with you about using cost effective tools, as long as they get the job done. People sometimes just go to snap on and mac just cause they re "sexy"
"Do you know what I mean?" "Do you understand what I'm saying?" No, sorry, I'm stupid and don't understand simple English. But thanks for checking to see if I'm 'getting it'..
Yes, you are right: we Americans take our DIY and our tools seriously; we enjoy playing with ourselves and our tools better than playing with others......
Must fully agree here, there is tons of stuff on the tools market that's branded by the "big" guys and priced accordingly. If you look at the cases and the way the tools are laid out in the cases, many are exactly the same. Brake caliper rewind kit is a prime example, I've just bought a 9pc hose clamp plier set for £24 ($17) I can see a 7pc Britool set for nearly £200 ($140) and it's from the same Chinese manufacturer. So, shop around yes you will make mistakes and yes there are tools you need to pay decent money for, but hopefully you wont be making $200 mistakes only $20. Keep up the great vids.
Chrome Molybdenum is pronounced "Chrome Moly-be-denim". Matco has a nice set of ADV Impact sockets in all sizes including swivel sockets. They are also made out of Chrome Moly-be-denim. :)
as a professional tech for bmw there are tools I also vouch for from Harbor freight for example, 1/4 and 3/8 metric sockets why buy them for 100+ each set from snap on or matco ect when Harbor freight has them for 15 to 25$ a set. I. have abused my 3/8 sockets every day since day 1 with my impact. I do it for a living not yet have they broken it's been 3 years. when I can I go to Harbor freight and buy tools here and there. it a life style to me it's my paycheck and my Hobbie totaly agree with you man
I agree with you. HF has saved me a lot of money over the years as just a DIYer/Helping out friends and neighbors. I can't afford the snap on stuff for the the most part. I do have a Snap On box I got used off the truck as a repo, and I love my snap on creeper and drop light, but for my wrenches, sockets and stuff. I love my cheaper tools. My snap on ratchet is actually my least favorite one. I got for my Stanley and Husky ratchets 99 percent of the time.
some tools u see from harbor freight are the same as the big name tool companies just literally with the same exact taiwan/china tool just with the other companies stickers on the box
You are right on with this as I bought a Taiwan copy of a Victor Oxy Set and it is virtually the same as Victor and I/3 rd. the price and Victor accessories bolt right on.
I work as diesel mechanic now and before that I did regular automotive electrical. I buy my tools based on need and how novel they are. I have certain tools from snap-on that only snap on makes and other tools from them that I use every single day. Then I move down a notch and decide how often I use it or abuse it and buy craftsman/cobalt or similar. Then if there is something I know I'll use once and it will collect dust for a year I head right to harbor freight. Generally the cost of the tool is still way cheaper than the cost someone would charge me to do the job. Hell I did one job with an electric impact from harbor that made me many many times the cost of the tool. It was basically disposable after that and it's still doing work.
If you weld, their welding wire is fantastic. Either flux core or regular wire. Just make sure when you buy it, it says made in Italy. It's made by INE, fantastic welding wire.
The first socket set shown has diesel injector sockets, VW, Cummins, etc, and a couple O2 sensor sockets thrown in. Obviously they can be used for other appropriate bolts, but they are mainly injector sockets.
dude i am happy for you i like that you showing people that you dont have to spend tons and tons of money on tool trucks i am a body man and i only jump on the tool truck 52 time and i havent never jump back on i buy my stuff from harbor freight and amazon
Cool. I have been on the fence about that sensor socket kit. It probably wont get a ton of use, but I want it to work when I need it. Glad you gave it the thumbs up. Thanks
I got the metric 1/2 in drive Metric HF impact set 2 years ago. No problem. They are meat. I mainly used the 22mm for my tire lug nuts. I oil them and keep them in good shape. I just use 'em as hand sockets, so they will never ever break. I'm in the commercial cooking, refrigeration and HVAC trade. I gotta have smaller tools mostly that hold up. I use good shit.
I can attest to the quality of the ball joint press. I've had mine for years and I've used the heck out of it. I've press many a ball joints in Ford F350s, GM trucks, and all sorts of cars. I've even used it to press the main C frame bushings on Cat D3 dozers. I've actually had enough press to crack a hardened cat bushing that was out of spec. Most of the stuff I work on is from the salt belt or old so my press has always been close to a torch. So it has been through the ringer. It's great. It even does a good job of releasing the tension on torsion keys. Well worth the money
Harbor freight has that little $20 air ratchet, used & abused & I'm not sure why it still works but it's as smooth as the day I bought it! I actually bought that in place of a mac I had that broke & as far as performance goes, the only difference is the mac was quieter! Also that digital torque adapter is top notch also, love it! I agree about buying your basics from better quality manufacturers, but that Pittsburgh pro line of tools is significantly better than the regular Pittsburgh. But I would still try to find some craftsman or husky
Thanks for the HF review! As a potential mechanic/tech just starting out, the info is greatly appreciated. I love your passion for this industry! Keep those videos and reviews coming!
I think you nailed when you said "is like finding jewelry at the beach" for me the thrill is to find those giant killers for cheap,some guys dont want to be bothered and just purchase the "good stuff" and that's ok too.
Watched all 3 must-haves. Well done.. You speak of HF the opposite way I do of the "big 3". I've said for years everything Snappy sells is NOT "the best". "HF does indeed have some jewels in the sand". I've hated for years looking at Mac or Matco stuff on the truck and you can just see the "re branding" of OTC or whatever and the truck guys always say "they make that for us" and leave thinking "no, you purchase from them.." Huge difference in my book.. You've successfully sub-sided my fears on some your HF "must-haves" I've wondered about for years (like the fuel pressure gauge set). So what Impact guns, air ratchets, or impact swivels do you use? I've been a die hard snap-on impact swivel user/believer for many years. I just picked up the 1/2 inch earth quake from HF on sale and was pleasantly surprised. Was an excellent backup when my barely used AirCat died (I fixed) and my 15yr old IR231 would not stop running with trigger off (I rebuilt) ..
I have used Snap On impacts, IR impacts, and some earthquake from HF. Nowadays, I can care less what others think, as long as it works. When I first started, I bought all the best, but then most were stolen, I purchased Craftsman, IR, anything I could find. I grew up poor, unable to purchase anything, now I have it, I can care less as long as it works. Right now, I'd buy Ingersoll Rand. I'm cheap i['ll use it for 2 years, buy another, then return the old one.
+RomanAutomotive their hand tools are the best. ive bought power tools from them that just didnt compare to other brands like mac or IR. but there special tools are great too. just remember with harbor freight you get what you pay for.
+James Brooks Again you get what you pay for. I prefer to use the Snap-on hand tools, they are just simply better. But then again I have been a professional mechanic for the last umpteen years and have seen allot of tools come and go, but the snap-on ones stay. That is not because of the price but because of the quality.
You are spot on! HF has tools that are super and they have some junk! I am like you, I worked as a jet overhaul technician for 35 years before I retired. I can tell you the specialty tools made by Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney, GE aren't pretty. I think people look at the pretty chromed SNT and see quality. Yes they are good no doubt, but at quite the cost. Don't get me wrong, I have a ton of SN tools and they are great. They fed my family for years. If you need some of these specialty tools that HF sells for a once in a while use they work fine!
I have a most of these sets and you're right they do work great and for the price and warranty, it's worth saving the thousands of dollars buying from the big brands.
Its a way of Life ,could not have said it better. Good job bro first time ive heard someone tell it like it is,.break a snap on tool and see how long it takes to get a replacement if he doesnt have one on the truck
hell yea thats why alot of my shit is craftsman, i can go to any sears and or kmart (theres like eight of them in my county) and find what i need replaced TODAY not in whenever the fuck the truck guy can get it...
Thanks for the vids and the professional opinions. I visited one of their stores a few months ago and I've been dropping about $100 every week there since. I bought my 19 y.o. son a bunch of Christmas gifts from there to get him some tools to work with. B4 he had to wait on me to come home so he could use my tools. I am not a full time mechanic so it is good to see your endorsement of some of their products.
I'm using harbor frieght 12 pt wrenches. The DO suck compared to the high end brands, but they get the job done. Usually. I find they don't grip bolts as tightly so they tend to slip where other more expensive wrenches do not. I'll end up replacing them with MAC or Snapon eventually but for now they're great, I don't regret purchasing them. Oh also, I did use the box end of a 17mm as a stud puller the other day... installed 3 really tight (slightly too big) studs with it. I was hammering on it continuously with my impact gun to pull the studs through. No damage to the wrench at all.
+kevin smith. Wrenches are one of those items you have to be careful with at HF. There are some sets that will come in both metric and standard but the standard set has some odd sizes. If you compare the sets you will find that both sets are identical. One is just marked for metric while the other is marked for standard. It may be possible that you inadvertently picked up one of the sets affected by this. Look up your set and read the reviews as there is someone that has usually caught it and posted a warning. Of course if you happen to have both sets you can always compare. Of course, if this is not the case than I guess we just chalk it up to one of those Harbor Freight crappy tool situations as they do push some junk too.
I'm an automotive student at my high school and your must have videos from harbor freight are very helpful and I love harbor freight too because it's easy on my wallet my dad was a master mechanic for Honda for 15 years and his tool box consisted of all mac matco and snap on and he says harbor freight quality is very surprising he says he wished harbor freight was around when he was wrenching because he would use there tools in a professional environment
Many of these tools can be used for free from your local parts store. If you're mechanic and use these tools frequently then sure buy them if you're just fixing your own cars check with your local auto parts stores and save yourself a few dollars.
I'll agree that many of the specialty sets sold at harbor freight are a great, inexpensive way to be productive, but I must comment negatively on one of your "must have" set's. Oddly enough, it's the set favored most prominently by other posters here... In defense of positive comments on the tool I was not so pleased with, I have seen first hand that on occasion, Harbor Freight does make quality improvements to some of their products. I have the same ball joint service tool and adapter set featured in your video. I bought those sets almost 20 years ago, and I won't argue that despite the poor quality of my press, it did of course pay for itself the first time I used it. I will however add, that I owned a similar set by MAC that looked identical, but I could beat the crap out of with my impact, and it never flexed, nor failed to operate smoothly. I actually sold that set used for $80 when I left the shop, which is why I needed another just a few years later, and opted for the $30 press from Harbor Freight. After doing 2 lower ball joints on a GM 4x4 1500, the crappy steel bearing in the jack screw of the press had flat sides, causing the screw NOT to turn smoothly under pressure. That was an easy fix, I replaced it with a 5/8" chrome ball, which is still fine all these years later. Were I to buy one of these presses today, I'd swap that ball bearing before ever using it. Again, I considered the tool paid for once I completed the job for which I purchased this tool. I'll add further that before I had another problem with the press, I'd probably used it to replace 5 or more sets of U-Joints. I lent my press to a friend who was doing ball joints on a 4x4 F-150. He finished the job and didn't say he had any problem. Several months later, I needed to to U-Joints on a friends truck, and noticed immediately that the press body was bowed so badly that the anvil landed with it's center on the very edge of the press. Did my friend abuse this tool? I'd have to say "YES", albeit unintentionally. He was using my 600 ft. lb. MAC (IR Clone) impact. I'm sure he just wasn't paying attention, and thought I lent him a higher quality tool. I noticed my presses tendency to flex the first time I used it, so I pampered it during each use, tightening only by hand, adding only small amounts of pressure at a time, then hammering the surrounding area of the control arm to relieve pressure. Granted, that is a more proper use of the tool, however, I could beat the crap out of my old press, and it never flexed nor failed. I did my other friends U-Joints using my hydraulic press instead, after which time, I decided to try and fix this tool. Since I was not concerned with damaging it's temperment, given how badly it was bent without evidence of stress related cracks, so I set it up in the hydraulic press, heated it's center until I had about 2 inches of cherry hot steel, then used the press to close it up. I had to repeat this a few times to make it true, but I'm using this crappy press again... As I said before, I make a habit of pampering this particular tool, and, doing so, it still worked fine to do ball joints on my wife's 2000 Escalade just a few months ago. I had considered replacing this press, but when I looked for it at harbor freight, they only carry a version that has a limited selection of 4x4 ball joint cups, and are charging what I sold my MAC press for. I thought, if I could replace my $30 press for a new $30 press, I'd have done it. I just didn't want to pay nearly tripple, especially when I already had the 4x4 adapter set which I'd purchased separately all those years ago. I can't comment on the quality of recent ball joint presses sold at harbor freight, mine is 20 years old. I can say that while mine was easily worth what I paid "several times over", that it is anything but a "quality" tool... I will say, that as you, and many of your posters have said, Harbor Freight does make it possible for those of us who cannot afford to pay "tool truck" prices, to make repairs on a dime. As for the rest of the sets you showed, I actually agree on all of them. I've done quite well with their specialty sets, and have only had a few that I could really gripe about. Honestly, even the sets I have gripes about tend to have paid for themselves rather quickly. OK, here are my biggest HF specialty set gripes: The Radiator Pressure tester kit is my biggest gripe. It works well for testing cooling system pressure. I have yet to find a cooling system for which this kit is lacking adaptability as it comes with a good selection of adapters. I'll say that I hate the plastic bodied pump, it feels so flimsy while I'm pressurizing a cooling system, but my biggest gripe is that it has NO provision for testing a cap! The first thing you always want to test before pressurizing a cooling system is the cap! My second gripe is the Pittsburgh "Pulley Remover and Installer" set. It removes stubborn pulleys without a problem, but the only time I used the kit to re-install a steering pump pulley, which I easily removed with this kit, the shaft adapter for my Delco pump began to stretch before the pulley was fully seated. The adapters look hardened, but they are very soft. I'm glad it stretched without breaking, allowing me to remove the tool, then complete the job with a hardened bolt, a stainless nut, a piece of scrap steel and the thrust washer from this kit. It's a $20 kit, and it mostly worked. It removes such pulleys just fine, and that's the harder part of the job, so it still paid for itself... I didn't intend to ramble so long on such trivial issues. I'm not arguing with you on any specific point. I agree with most of what you said. I felt compelled to mention my displeasure with my ball joint press. I do know how to use it, both properly, and improperly, and while it's worth what I paid, it really is kinda junky, and I can see why others have had such a bad time with them. My 20 year old set looks identical to yours, but maybe yours was drop forged, and mine was manufactured with fewer quality controls. I'm not arguing the value I've gotten from the purchase, I'm just saying mine was made of extremely poor quality, and perhaps others have had similar luck. I thank you for giving your honest opinion on these sets. There are probably a lot of people who have no idea what types of tools are available to them at such low prices. Keep up the great work! Steve
I bought 2 short "stubby" metric box end wrench over 25 years ago. The company's Snap On tools didn't fit the purpose. I still have those 2 wrenches and those "Snap On" tools all gone. Someone I worked with called them snap on contact, they'd break on contact with work. Then it happened to me, screw driver tip snapped off, long combo wrench dropped and became two pieces, dead blow hammer split on the face. Never again will I trust Snap On.
I subbed! Buy HF, if a socket etc... breaks replace it. I busted one 3/8 socket, abused it with an impact. No surprise there. Appreciate your passion, ignore the naysayers, they're probably making monthly payments to Snap On because their shopmates shame them if their tools aren't off a truck.
I prefer the term less expensive. for those of us on fixed budgets and don't have to rely on our tools to make a living, I Just can't justify paying for premier name brand tools, especially when if it breaks I can go buy 20 more and still spend less. However you are right, I do recommend that you do scrutinize the tools and make sure that you get the best deal for your money thanks for your channel and advice for how to choose a good tool.....E.B.
Digging the energy of this video. Totally agree about it being a way of life. All though I'm not a pro, I'm more then happy to spend all day and night in my garage working on something for myself, friend, family or just tinkering around. It's true, they do get jealous spending time with my bike, cars, etc in the garage. How's the wielding coming along?
The O2 sensor set is not the best. The socket expands and rounds out the sensor. trust me on this i have used this set. Not all of the pieces in that set are that way, but the deep socket with the slit on the side will expand on really tight O2 sensors. I have a Craftsman set that has the same issue and my buddy has this HF set. The craftsman set is a little better but the socket with the split on the side flexes and it gets really close to rounding O2's out. I had a really thick KD O2 socket that worked great but it was really thick and bulky. I think i may want to pony up and buy 1 Snap-on O2 socket or heat up every sensor before removing.
Didn't think I'd like this video but its very good, once you get into it you moved right along. One thing, when I bought upper and lower balljoints for my 1 ton Ford E350 van from autozone they gave me the balljoint press free for a week. No sense buying the tool in that case. I buy good quality power tools, Milwaukee 18v impact wrench etc, but use all Harbor Freight sockets, non moving part/tools seem to be a safe bet, I've found anything with batteries or a motor is risky. HF is the tool porn superstore.
I don't think ya'll know what "Going out of my way means". Me REPLYING is going out of my way. And I'm not going to say I'm not going out of my way to reply, simply b/c your the one that got confused about the meaning, not me. Could you imagine what kind of stupid that would make me, hahaha. It would be laughable, and likely make someones day. Which is what you did with your so called comeback.
I bought the lug nut set,your video open's with, about 3+ year's back, $59.00 .... mine look's identical,except mine is stamped",Earthquake","CR/MO" ...when I search online, my Earthquake set (from Harbor), is $129.00 and up !!!!!! agree with you, some junk,but Gold too. if you shop right !!!
Thanks for this great video Yes there are some really good toolson harbor fraigh specially the black impact suckets are really good I been using them never have a problem with them
Everything is made in China or Taiwan but Macco and Snap-on cater to rich clientele because they don't know better; it is like shopping at Walmart or Target: they both are selling pretty much the same items but they charge more at Target because it caters to rich clientele.
Thank you for making this video. I appreciate that you distinguish being the quality levels of the different makes of tools. I see that some people in the comments are pretty much posting without hearing what you are saying, or they at least don't acknowledge it in their comment. Keep doing what you're doing. Make more videos as you test more products. Be thorough and consistent like you are in these videos.
That ball joint press is made out of soft metal. I have personally seen a guy warranty it out three or four times before he was able to accomplish the replacement of 2 ball joints. Personally, I find Snap On to be ridiculous. But I did spring for their $500+ ball joint master kit because I got a $115 savings discount through my work. I know that it will never fail!
I really like shopping at Harbor Freight. I have a set of impact SAE and metric sockets that have worked out just great. $20.00 per set. Some of their products are well done and some not so much. But I think their Predator engines are masterpieces for the price.
Funny my wife let the boys barrow most of my tools needless to say when we go The their house red white and blue painted tools are at all 4 of those kids house. She needed a head job on her town and country, She soon found out why I don’t borrow tools as she had to buy more tools for me. Harbor freight is her favorite place now. I’m lucky it was going to be 15 hundred for a guy to do the job she spent 1/3 on tools for me to do the job. I learned a long time ago buy a cheep set of tools and replace the ones you use the most as needed with better quality. Most of the harbor freight tools are life time warranty.
That depends on how you look at. My uncle use to work for the Ford Dealer as a mechanic and said before that the mechanics have to make each repair be no less than 1 or 200 bucks or they actually get fired over it even if that means doing stuff that doesn't need doing or something like that.
Its true the price it costs for labor alone pays for the cost of these tools. Now if you want to buy Snap-On it is just cheaper to pay for the labor at the stealership.
I have about 15k dollars worth of tools from Snap On, Matco, and Mac sitting in my bay at work. They've paid for themselves ten times over. I don't use cheap junk to pay my bills.
romanautomotive I keep my local harbor freight in business I'm there at least twice a week I love most of there hand tools and even when you do break them there life time warranty I've had my cordless drill for 2 years with no problem 3 ton steel Jack and a small welder all have held up to use and abuse
