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Dances With
Tornados
posted
I know we have a lot of members who do a lot of work on their own cars and probably get tools and equipment from Harbor Freight so I thought I'd post this, just in case. Falling jack stands are no joke, I'd hate to see anyone here be seriously hurt or killed.
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Harbor Freight recalls 454,000 jack stands over concerns they could collapse.

The affected Pittsburgh-brand three- and six-ton jack stands were in production for six years, and span three separate model numbers.


Odds are good that you or someone you know has a set of these lurking in the garage. Make sure you check the number before you use them again, and tell everyone you know.

People make all kinds of jokes about the quality of tools and equipment that come from Harbor Freight. The truth is that despite its cheapness and tendency to break after a couple of uses, most of the stuff from Harbor Freight is fine. It makes the car industry possible for many enthusiasts on limited budgets, especially when it pertains to things like jacks and jack stands.

It's the latter of those two that has come back to bite us in the ass, because Harbor Freight is now recalling its Pittsburgh-brand three- and six-ton jack stands over risks that they could collapse during use, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF) from March 20, and first reported on by The Drive on Tuesday.

The company is specifically recalling 454,000 units with model numbers 56371, 61196 and 61197. You can find these numbers (PDF) on the label on the top part of the stand on three-ton units, or a yellow sticker on the base on six-ton units.

According to Harbor Freight's NHTSA filing, the problem with these jack stands is that due to worn tooling at the factory, the pawl that engages with the toothed height-adjustable part of the stand doesn't do so sufficiently to reliably lock it in place. A bump or a knock could cause the pawl to disengage, dropping the vehicle suddenly.

With 454,000 units in question, the odds are good that you or someone you know owns a set of these, so please go and check them now and urge your family and friends to do so too. The exchange process is as simple as bringing your affected jack stands to your local Harbor Freight, once stores are reopened, where you'll be reimbursed for them with a store gift card for the current shelf price of comparable models.

Link To Story
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Posts: 11812 | Registered: October 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
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Guess that’s why my 6 ton stands are back ordered indefinitely per the email I just got.

Anyone have a suggestion for quality 6 ton stands?




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Posts: 11444 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
A Grateful American
Picture of sigmonkey
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Just went and looked, and I'll be dipped!

I have a set these Harbor Fright "if the wuhu flu don't kill you, our jack stand kill you now Amellican yerrow yankee dog!!!!" cheap Chicomesium jack stands. And folks wonder why I NEVER lift them above the lowest setting. FUCKING EVER!!!!

Went and took a gander to see what the deelio might be concerning them things and I see the engagement of the shaft teeth and pawl are too shallow and it takes very little to have them drop if they are used in the extended position.

Did I mention I DON"T TRUST ANY GODDAMNED JACK STAND IN THE EXTENDED POSITION!!!! and why you see me piss and moan about having to squirm, like a wurm to get under the car, then lift it up to the nose bleed section, just for a bit of ease in work.

A guy would rather live long enough to get a couple of cold snacks after the wrench bendin' job on his ol' hot rod, than laying up in the "I See You" section of the local hospital, (an pretending to have a fever and dry cough so they'll even look at the guy...) and then waiting for someone else to wipe his ass at several hundred dollars a wipe to be charged to his health insurance. If he even had a few dollars left over after buying the jack stands to pay his premium...

Always leave them stands at the lowest setting.

Better to "scootch and live for cooch", than go for "easy and get squashed greasy", that's my motto anyway.

-notflatterthanaflittergreasemonkey


(so back to the cheap tool place to swap these out for more cheap crap that will be recalled later...)

Thanks, Gene! I owe ya from keeping me from getting flatter'n Oklahoma...




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Posts: 43810 | Location: ...... I am thrice divorced, and I live in a van DOWN BY THE RIVER!!! (in Arkansas) | Registered: December 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:

People make all kinds of jokes about the quality of tools and equipment that come from Harbor Freight. The truth is that despite its cheapness and tendency to break after a couple of uses, most of the stuff from Harbor Freight is fine.


Uh...yeah.

But wait. Cheap chinese crap can break?
 
Posts: 6650 | Registered: September 13, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
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quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
According to Harbor Freight's NHTSA filing, the problem with these jack stands is that due to worn tooling at the [Chinese] factory,
.

Wait! What? A Chinese factory, when left insufficiently supervised and QC'd, cut some corners?!?! (Or, in this case, did not.) Say it ain't so!

I have a pair of small HF jack stands. I'll have to check the model numbers tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up, OKCGene!



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Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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Throw away your shitty stands and get Esco stands with both sets of posts.
 
Posts: 1788 | Location: Spokane, WA | Registered: June 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Unapologetic Old
School Curmudgeon
Picture of Lord Vaalic
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quote:
The truth is that despite its cheapness and tendency to break after a couple of uses, most of the stuff from Harbor Freight is fine.



Yeah, right up to when it kills or maims you.




Don't weep for the stupid, or you will be crying all day
 
Posts: 10719 | Location: TN | Registered: December 18, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
posted Hide Post
I had one of those fail the first time I used it several years ago. I jacked the car up, put the stands in place and lowered the car onto them. One broke immediately.
They have a nice thick glossy paint but underneath all that was rusty steel and a crappy mig weld. A thick blob of weld onto rust doesn’t have much strength. The stand was not in a raised position, on its lowest position so that’s not the only failure point.


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Posts: 9456 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
You can't go
home again
Picture of LBAR15
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Got the recall notice as well but all I have are the Torin Big Red stands. I bought a set of Pittsburghs a while back but didn't like the quality of the welds at all so I returned them right after they came out of the box.


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Life Member NRA

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Posts: 4635 | Location: New Jersey | Registered: June 21, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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Who the hell would trust harbor freight jack stands in the first place?
 
Posts: 3369 | Registered: December 06, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Seeker of Clarity
Picture of r0gue
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I just shelled out for two sets of these. What a great invention!

http://www.jackpointjackstands.com/





 
Posts: 11354 | Registered: August 02, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Stlhead:
Throw away your shitty stands and get Esco stands with both sets of posts.


They look nicer with a pin instead of ratchet but still Chicom and Chicom welds. Also much more expensive. Price is each, not a pair.


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Posts: 9456 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici
Picture of ChuckFinley
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quote:
Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Who the hell would trust harbor freight jack stands in the first place?


Fixed it for you.




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Posts: 5643 | Location: District 12 | Registered: June 16, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
posted Hide Post
This company has USA stuff.

http://usjack-com.3dcartstores...Jack-Stand_p_22.html


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Posts: 9456 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Altitude Minimum
Picture of BOATTRASH1
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I have Jack stands. Need to check them. But I prefer to use 6x6 blocks stacked for safety.
 
Posts: 1199 | Location: Shalimar, FL | Registered: January 24, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Master-at-Arms
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Mine fall way after those production numbers but I wonder if they would take them back as a cs gesture?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: apf383,



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Posts: 7489 | Location: Stuck in NY, FUAC  | Registered: November 22, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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USA made jacks and stands: http://heinwerner-automotive.com/
 
Posts: 3229 | Location: MD | Registered: March 23, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I received an email informing me of the problem with Harbor Freights 6 ton jacks. This occurred while my Jeep was up on those stands in my garage. Yikes. I’m returning them today. Not everything from HF is junk. I’d put my 3 ton Daytona floor jack up against much more expensive name brands. But really, how tough can it be to make jack stands that do not collapse?

Silent
 
Posts: 1019 | Registered: February 02, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
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quote:
Originally posted by limblessbiff:
Who the hell would trust harbor freight jack stands in the first place?


That was my first thought too.

So cheap Chinese jack stands offered by a company whose cheap Chinese tools are well known for breaking... will break?

Imagine that.
 
Posts: 32428 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
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Thanks for sharing. It doesn't apply to me, but I passed along as it is very timely with a 3-day weekend coming up (i.e. many people wrenching on their vehicles this weekend).



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Posts: 23099 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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