Tool sale! Harbor Freight Aluminum Racing Jack

Pazuzu · 06-01-2016, 05:23 AM

I just got a HF coupon email, the 1.5 ton aluminum racing jack which is just sooo sweet is on sale for $60, which is about 1/2 what it normally runs. I have one and use it preferentially over all of my other jacks, and will get another with this sale.

It reads as $90 at the website 1.5 Ton Compact Aluminum Racing Floor Jack with Rapid Pump®
But get on their email list, and you should be able to get the coupon.

At 1.5 tons, this is perfectly capable of lifting either end of the 911 or the side with the jack adapter, I use mine twice a week and it doesn't flinch. It also has a nice heavy aluminum handle which fits over your average 1/2 breaker bar, so it comes with a free cheater bar! Weee!!!!

RichardNew · RichardNew's Garage

Mine lasted a year.

Richard Newton
Are Air Filters All the Same?

Pazuzu · 06-01-2016, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardNew

Mine lasted a year.

Richard Newton
Are Air Filters All the Same?

That means it's time for a new one! On sale!! Weee!!!!!

Driven97 · 06-01-2016, 05:39 AM

I use the 3 ton steel that's also on sale for about the same price. Heavy SOB but it's holding up quite well for about 3 years.

dafischer · 06-01-2016, 05:59 AM

Nuts. I just bought one of those a month ago...now it's on sale. Does work nicely, though.

Tippy · 06-01-2016, 06:04 AM

I paid the same at Autozone for the same jack.

PCA7GGR · 06-01-2016, 06:33 AM

I've had good luck with this horror fright jack. Cant say the same for the Sears "Craftsman" with too a dump after a year. It was going to cost more to fix than it cost.

"Craftsman" my butt.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Do you have the coupon code off the coupon? Would you share it with us? I get HF on-line catalogs and coupons, but didn't get that one.

bpu699 · 06-01-2016, 06:41 AM

Buy the heavy duty steel one, I think its $100 on sale. It will lift a freight train, and hasn't failed...

Pazuzu · 06-01-2016, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Do you have the coupon code off the coupon? Would you share it with us? I get HF on-line catalogs and coupons, but didn't get that one.

26181310

Add it to the cart, then put that 8 digit code in the "coupon code" section.

Good in person or online

Coupon Display

One of those will have a working bar code...

Pazuzu · 06-01-2016, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dafischer

Nuts. I just bought one of those a month ago...now it's on sale. Does work nicely, though.

If it was within 30 days and you have a receipt, I think HF backdates coupons...

Pazuzu · 06-01-2016, 07:10 AM

And yes, the steel one and the 3 ton ones and all that are better, but this thing is light enough to toss in the frunk when you're going on a drive or going to do a wrenching session somewhere, and won't break your back nor the car having it up there. I will use a slightly weaker tool if it turns out to be easier to deal with, and these are soooooo light that I don't mind pulling it out for any small chore.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Got it! $71.50 with tax and shipping (only $6.95 shipping !?!). Thanks Mike!

tobluforu · tobluforu's Garage

I have had that one for 5 years now, works great, so far.

Rednine11 · 06-01-2016, 08:46 AM

I have two of them. I use them all the time. never had any problems with them

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rednine11

I have two of them. I use them all the time. never had any problems with them

Bought the larger aluminum one at HF. Maybe $160 on sale. Eight years. Bled it a time or two and fasteners need to be tightened periodically. No issues with the pump. Good service.

Mark Salvetti · 06-01-2016, 10:13 AM

I've had bad luck with this jack too. First one was no good out of the box, wouldn't lift anything even after bleeding. Exchanged it for another, and this one the handle won't stay down. Release the handle, and it comes up until it hits the bumper or the side of the car.

Every time I use it, I expect it to fail suddenly. I never get underneath without jack stands, but I worry about dropping a disk brake on the concrete if I am changing tires.

Only reason I still use it for anything is that it's probably 10 times lighter than my Made in USA Lincoln jack.

Mark

jwill911 · jwill911's Garage

I have a steel 3 ton jack I bought at Sears oh about 30 years ago and it still works great.

Those light weight aluminum jacks are great for toting to the track.
jw

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

If you want the HF jacks to last, keep the valve open when not in use. 7+years no issues with my low profile aluminum jack and 5+ years on the motocycle jack for my engine drops.

KTL · 06-01-2016, 10:40 AM

I'll shamefully admit i've had a few too many of these jacks. They're really false economy IMO. Buy a different brand, higher quality jack light duty "racing" jack and you'll not run into problems. I know it's hard to resist the temptation of the bargain price. But like a lot of the guys have said, these jacks are a crap shoot- some times you win, some times you lose. It's a shame these jacks are just that, a crap shoot, because a jack obviously has safety associated with it.

Like the old saying goes, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is." is often applicable to these jacks. I know some guys have had great luck with them and congratulations to them. I've got a local buddy with an older 1.5 ton US General version from HF (current branding is Pittsburgh, and i'm not sure if that really matters) and it's lasted him like, wow, almost 10 years now. Another buddy has the larger capacity, als an old US General, and it too has lasted him like 13 years. I'm really surprised by their long term success, based on my experience with the same kind.

So i've had three of these cheap little jacks. A little over 10 yrs ago, first jack puked itself when it hit max lifting height. Shame on me? No, it should go into what's called bypass mode when it hits max height. So I swore I wouldn't buy another one. Maybe 5 years later I disobeyed myself and bought another. Lifting the corner of a moderately heavy car (BMW E39 5 series), the pump lever/pivot point snapped. Sonofa........

So the third time, just last year, I bought one for just light use around the garage. Like jacking on dangling suspension or additional support like at the tail of the transmission when removing the 911 drivetrain. My point is, I wouldn't put these little SOBs to the maximum test. I suggest intelligent use of them for seemingly light lifting, even though 1.5 tons does equate to 3000 lbs, which isn't light. The current one I have is really sensitive with respect to the release/lowering. I've lifted one corner of the 911 with it and I just can't lower the loaded jack slowly, no matter how ultra-sensitive I am to precisely/slightly twisting the handle to lower it. It drops quickly every time. Annoying.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times and just tell me to STFU because I am simply a complete moron, considering the money i've wasted on economy jacks (this type and others) over the years.