Harbor Freight Lift 1000 lb Lift - Fatal Flaw - Read This

[gregforesi]

I agree that this is an interesting read. I'm with Joe Drum and MikeO. I don't want that one (even at 10 cents on the dollar Doug).
All the attaboys you're giving to the HF people (well deserved - a lot of places wouldn't have bothered to respond) will go out the window if that bike hits the ground.
Keep your phone in your pocket when working on the bike. Depending on what side it goes over, you may not be able to reach the land line.

[CYBORG]

would need some serious modification for sure

[Placerville]

I'll wear one of the button things. You know, "Help, my bike lift has fallen on me and I can't get up." One of those....

[CYBORG]

should be ok as long as you can reach the beer

[robbie202]

That bar looks small for the hole as my eyes see it. jb

that's what she said

[CYBORG]

i think i will go to my HF and see what they say about the lift they have on display

[gregforesi]

Robbie202 - that was terrible. I'm proud of you.

[robin1731]

Mine looks better all the time.

[Fred Camper]

Who marketed yours Robin? Looks like a better design to me.

[joedrum]

yes the design here though not perfect is light yrs ahead of the junk not one lift without failure harbor feight weapon

[mcgovern61]

Sorry I am late to this thread, but your lift in the original condition is wrong. The flange plate used as the foundation is upside down! There is no structural strength to a flange plate when the flange is at the bottom. The strength to that plate is when the flange is on the top and the bottom is welded to a structural member such as another plate. When used in the configuration like your frame, they needed to use channel that has a flange at the top and bottom.

The repair you did helps, but there is still a significant amount of stress. Currently, as designed, it is no where near a 1000 lb capacity. Your modification with the square tubing helps.

(I work with structural steel and design full time.)

[Placerville]

Sorry I am late to this thread, but your lift in the original condition is wrong. The flange plate used as the foundation is upside down! There is no structural strength to a flange plate when the flange is at the bottom. The strength to that plate is when the flange is on the top and the bottom is welded to a structural member such as another plate. When used in the configuration like your frame, they needed to use channel that has a flange at the top and bottom.

The repair you did helps, but there is still a significant amount of stress. Currently, as designed, it is no where near a 1000 lb capacity. Your modification with the square tubing helps. (I work with structural steel and design full time.)

Correct. The earlier model of this lift (#68892 shown below) had flanges at both the top and bottom of the lower rail. On the new model (#69904) they used the one you see on mine (at the beginning of the thread). Even if mine had originally come with the double flange rail, I believe the undersized bar would still have bent.

I ran my bike up on mine today, jacked it up, then lowered it on the new support bar. The bar and structural mods held well and seem very solid. Next up, installing the new wheel chock and (non) 'Chinesium' tie-down bolts.

[tomk1960]

I just read this entire thread and all I can say is WOW. That bar looks like Superman got ahold of it. That's definitely a different HF lift than the one I have and certainly a lot flimsier. Here's mine:



The store manager was on top of his game to give you the discount so that you could pay for the welding. I think HF should do the right thing and offer you something as well. The cost is insignificant in comparison to their daily sales worldwide.

One improvement I made to mine was the investment in a much beefier front wheel vise. I also got a scissor jack for situations when I need to get the front wheel up in the air for removal. I have 3 pairs of U-bolts on the table top for strategic placement of racheting tie-downs as well.



Yes, these aren't anywhere close to the quality of the pro lifts that we've all seen, but for $299 on sale, what can one expect. I don't agree that they're dangerous junk, but judicious planning and use should part of the plan when being put to work. I've used mine quite a bit since I got it a year ago and can't imagine not having it now.

Keep us posted.

[Casper]

I do not have any good pictures of my lift, but it is not much better the the current batch of HF ones. I got mine locally, in Calgary out of someone's private garage, on a dark night, for cash only. I think I paid $500.00 CDN. It works, but I do use some extra safety supports, the installed safety system has not bent but it does look suspect. I too have looked at the high-end ones, but so far have not spent the $1500 to $2500 to get one. As long as I have the extra supports I feel safe, but when raising and lowering I make damm sure all my body parts are well clear of the mechanism. Mine you raise and lower from the front, and a structural, or hinge point, failure would most likely cause the bike to fall towards a side or the rear. Mine also has a front wheel clamp that I keep tight until the system is fully back on solid ground.

[Placerville]

tomk1960,

I really like that wheel chock. Can you tell us the brand of it and the scissor jack as well?