Harbor Freight Tool Review(s)

[Jeff]

I do a fair amount of mechanic work these days. I am a certified Chrysler tech but I have not bothered with SAE's and I rarely work on customer vehicles. I just do internal and warranty work on new stuff. Gotta leave the customer pay work for the guys living on it. Also, I install most of the accessories that get put on at the dealership and I do nearly everything related to Auto/Video and telematics. That being said I don't exactly make my living with my tools. Tools like everything in life are only an investment if they make you money (or your path to the money MUCH easier). Most guys buy Snap-On (MAC, Matco, Cornwall, etc.) because they write it all off on their taxes and they can get 0% truck financing. The truck financing is nice and I have used it quite a bit in my path to the shit ton (close to $9k I figure) in tools and tool storage I have. At this point probably 60% is Snap-On, 10% Matco, 20% Craftsman and that last 10% is HF and other. I mostly buy from HF things that can't (shouldn't) really fail because of how they are made or things I use very rarely. My impact sockets are HF...its hard to fuck up an impact socket.

Oh, their Winches are BOSS. I have had two now, just picked up a 12,000lb unit for my new trailer, had a 6k on my old (Evan's old) red trailer. They work really well and they are a great value for the money. Their floor jacks...not so much. I got one of their steel low profile jacks because the 1940's low profile the shop had broke. This thing didn't even make it out of the box before it was messed up. Had to drill and hilicoil the bolt that holds the handle on. Past that it seems ok but I don't give that handle much time.