Harbor Freight jack

[NO LIFT]

My US General aluminum jack from Harbor Freight needs help!!

When I try to raise the car, only the last 1/4 of the pump stroke results in lifting action.

Does it need fluid? Does it need bled? If so, does anyone know how?

Plese spare me the drivel of why I should not have bought a Harbor Freight jack in the first place...it has worked great for 4+ years!

[Por_sha911]

After about 4 years of infrequent use, my HF AL jack did exactly as you described. I bought a bottle of Jack fluid at Sears and filled and bled the jack (as per the manual that came with it) and it works like new again. Check for leakage and if not, you have a cheap and easy fix.

[NO LIFT]

Does anyone have the instructions and can tell say how to bleed the HF jack?

Thanks !!!

[Driver8]

http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/40000-40999/40105.pdf

There you go.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I love the Chinese calling a product "US General."

[RWebb]

makes perfect sense...

they export it to the US

and it Generally crap

[TechnoViking]

I have a couple HF jacks. Same issues, same fix. No complaints here.

[Por_sha911]

Everyone says what crap HF jacks are. I've heard the same said about Craftsman and they are twice the cost. I will admit I had a bad (almost deadly) experience with a pair of HF jack stands and I will not trust my life (or my car) to them again but the jack has been great. Keep in mind that I don't use it daily.

[bigsid]

Por-sha911: can you elaborate on your hf jack stand failure? What size and model were they?
Thanks

[NO LIFT]

Thank you Driver8 !!!

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by bigsid

Por-sha911: can you elaborate on your hf jack stand failure? What size and model were they?
Thanks

I bought them about 4 yrs ago when I got my jack. 1.5 Ton. I put them under the car for the first time and about 15 seconds after I eased the car onto the stands one of them failed. I was seconds away from sliding underneath
IIRC there is a bolt (more like a pin) that holds the lever that releases the extended part of the jack up. It just sheared off and the jack fell to the lowest position. When I returned it, the manager gave me a full refund and a new set of stands (which are still in the unopened box). I went across town and bought a set of Craftsman stands that are far more solid.

BTW, has anyone seen the humor in "NO LIFT" posting a problem with his jack not lifting?

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Everyone says what crap HF jacks are. I've heard the same said about Craftsman and they are twice the cost.

Craftsman = Also made in China junk.

See the jacks available for sale on this site.

Nonetheless, this subject has been beaten to death here. Do a search for "floor jacks".

P.S. - "NO LIFT" registered on this site to ask a question about his jack, so the name fits.

[azasadny]

You trust your life with this jack? I wouldn't... be careful!

[T77911S]

i have an HF jack. i had another for 10years +, the seals went bad but i could not find new ones. i hated my new HF jack. when i would lower the car, the jack would literally drop it. there was no slow lowering f the car. i guess it needed to be broken in, it is much better now.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by azasadny

You trust your life with this jack? I wouldn't... be careful!

Maybe I don't use a jack the way you do. I LIFT the car and then put it on jack stands. I am not underneath when the car is being raised or lowered.

T77911S: I don't have any of those issues. Did you bleed the jack when you purchased it?

Anyway, as was mentioned, this has been discussed before (hey, for once I didn't get accused of being rude for pointing that out ) and as they say: to each his own

[Nine9six]

RE: Harbor Freignt Jack...
Harbor Freight tools are only good for extremely limited or one time use. For a tool as important as a jack, Harbor Freight is not in my list of top 10 tool suppliers.