Just for the record I own a sears yellow. Great jack but too narrow & the platform gets in the way. I also have a 8 year old sears red copy & it's good but the crossbar that connects the platform also gets in the way.

So I was out in NJ yesterday & passed a Harbor Freight, stopped in & came home with their yellow jack.

First the HF jacks are not the same as Sears, not even close. My Sears yellow has all steel wheels & the $179.00 HF aluminum jack has cheap plastic wheels & has cheaper parts throughout. Their cheap $89.00 yellow jack felt a lot cheaper then the Sears red but I got a decent deal & took one home.

I put it together & my first impression is other then not having a crossbar connecting the platforms so it's easier to get to parts under the bike it is one cheap POS. Two tiny screws, not bolts & nuts, to hold the bottle jack in place. The safety bracket bent in my hands while trying to release it from its highest position. Hmmm, mine has 5 lock points, the manual says 4. I called HF & they said don't used the top position as the bottle won't go high enough to release the lock. So the lock bar is a little bent out of shape now. No problem, the cross member is sooooo soft just bend it back by blowing on it. The T bar is sooooo thin other than moving the jack without anything on it, it's worthless. And the manual states do not lift anything with the rear wheels touching the ground and don't move it with a bike on it with the T bar handle. The support wheel screws must be used to get the wheels off the ground. And by looking at the sloppy loose bearings in the rear casters I can see why.

And I haven't even lifted a bike yet

Well, back it's going. Anyone want a great deal on a Sears yellow or an older Sears red clone so I can go get a J&S or Pitbull? Local pickup only.

BTW, I'm sure the HF will work fine but it is put together like a POS

IMHO, you get what you pay for. 89-20% coupon, $71.00. If you can't afford more it will work but beware.

 

Screw it, time for a pitbull, it's Christmas

 

 

Been using a HF for 3 years now......no problems.

 

Funny I said the same thing (in a different way ) and got **** for it, just like you said it is one CHEAP POS

 

It will do the job but it is what it is and that's all I said. For the price it will work & unless you're careless your bike shouldn't fall off. Just check all the fasteners often. If anyone wants to call it good quality they must be delirious. I don't own a J&S or Pitbull so I'm not trashing it because I have better. I'm just giving my honest opinion. Take it FWIW.

 

I've owned the Sears Yellow jack ...until it got ripped off. And now i own the HF $65.00 jobber... I've only had my bike in the air about 10 times... since i bought it new in 08' .... Both jacks worked out great for me.. No complaints for the amount of times i've lifted my bike.

I don't feel i need to spend a fortune on a jack for the amount of times i actually use it... As both jacks are solid enough for me.

 

Seems kind-a nutty to me. Spend close to 20 grand for your bike, add all kinds of high dollar extras, use $10 a quart oil then turn around and put all that on a $65.00 jack!!??

 

Funny I said that also,I guess you and I are the only ones that get it. It is kinda humorous how people will justify buying junk tools".Oh I don't use it much so it will be fine" Yeah right up until it breaks or fails and hurts somebody or does damage , then their running to the lawyers office to sue somebody

 

Well I started this thread to give my honest opinion of the HF jack. Lots of riders here say the HF jacks are exact copies of the Sears jacks. They are not. On the other hand not everyone here has a 20k bike & can afford a $400 jack so the HF/Sears are other alternatives. They both work but as I said the HF is built with cheap parts. It is a cheap POS jack that will work, just don't expect a quality jack.