Literally anything else
Buy harbor freight; if you use it enough (properly) to break it then buy a higher quality version.
this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2025
87 points (100.0% liked)
memes
13498 readers
3676 users here now
Community rules
1. Be civil
No trolling, bigotry or other insulting / annoying behaviour2. No politics
This is non-politics community. For political memes please go to !politicalmemes@lemmy.world3. No recent reposts
Check for reposts when posting a meme, you can only repost after 1 month4. No bots
No bots without the express approval of the mods or the admins5. No Spam/Ads
No advertisements or spam. This is an instance rule and the only way to live.A collection of some classic Lemmy memes for your enjoyment
Sister communities
- !tenforward@lemmy.world : Star Trek memes, chat and shitposts
- !lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world : Lemmy Shitposts, anything and everything goes.
- !linuxmemes@lemmy.world : Linux themed memes
- !comicstrips@lemmy.world : for those who love comic stories.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Exactly. I’m not going to wait until I can afford Snap-On tools to fix my AC belt.
I broke this while replacing brake pads today.
Fuck Harbor Freight. At least I have 5 other extensions, all other brands that aren't made of frozen peanut butter.
Harbor Freight also makes torches. Just saying.
Yeah, I broke this while working on brakes today, a torch ain't got any business anywhere near the ABS sensors.
It broke trying to loosen one of the 17 millimeter main mount bolts. The extension was apparently made of poorly tempered metal, plain and simple.
a torch ain't got any business anywhere near the ABS sensors
It does if you know what you're doing. Although a magnetic inductor is a better choice, but most mechanic cosplayers won't have those.
Also, why not use 1/2 inch? Maybe a deep well instead to lose the extension.
Plenty of ways not to rely on a cheap extension for break away, doesn't matter the brand they can all snap with misuse.
I didn't have 1/2" drive tools. I've been doing brakes and other vehicle repairs for over 20 years and I've never needed 1/2" drive for anything besides drive axle and strut mount nuts.
This was just a couple measly 17 millimeter bolts. If anything, I would have expected the bolt head to round off first, I've never twisted a 3/8" extension to the point of breaking before.
Hell, I've even done head gaskets using a 3/8" drive and it didn't break. It wasn't HF either..
17mm bolt head means nothing. Does not necessarily correlate with the thread diameter in applications such as caliper bracket bolts. Most will be a flange head bolt with greater than normal thread diameters.
1/2 drive is always the answer for caliper bracket bolts no matter the manufacturer.
Don't blame the tools for your misuse.
I've never seen this happen before unless a cheater bar or hammer or whatever was used. That would be misuse. I was not using a cheater bar or hammer though, I was only using my bare hands and muscle.
If I had a torque wrench, it would be interesting to test a variety of brands of extensions to determine their failure points.
I'm curious, how long is your 3/8 ratchet handle? Pretty hard to get over 80 ft lbs using a dinky short ratchet.
That's why 1/2 is used, for breakaway and the leverage needed to torque to the correct spec. Caliper bracket bolts are pretty important to be tightened correctly.
Update:
From end to end, the ratchet is 7 1/2 inches long.
The center of the ratchet head is about 5/8 of an inch in, meaning there's basically 6 7/8 inches of handle delivering the torque.
Yea man I usually try to use something with at least 12in handle in order to get enough torque.
Usually caliper bracket bolts are anywhere from 65 to 115 ft lbs torque in most cases.
You do not want those to fall out.
Oh, very true, definitely don't want any bolts or nuts coming loose.
I started working on and rebuilding go-kart engines like 30 years ago at age 12, and started working on vehicles around age 22. I've never had any screw, bolt, or nut that I've installed ever come loose, and my roommate's brakes are no exception, they're not going to come loose.
It just dumbfounds me that I managed to twist break an extension like that, with my bare hands and muscles and all.
After breaking the extension, I dug deeper into the trunk to get our boxed in wrenches to tighten everything back up, no problem there.
Honestly I think the extension was made of mild steel, not good tempered steel.
This is the toolkit I was using, apparently Pittsburgh brand...
https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/tool-sets/tool-kits/tool-set-with-case-130-piece-64263.html
My tools are in the vehicle downstairs right now, so I'm not currently sure exactly how long the ratchet handle is, but it's not significantly long. If anything it's basically about the average length you would expect a cheap 3/8" ratchet to be.
Aviation mech, my rule is harbor freight for everything you don't put a lot of force on or trust your life to. (Breaker bars, extensions, sockets, lanyards, jacks, etc) Also Snapon is no longer worth it, it's all Chinese rebranded shit nowadays, I've seen them bend/break as much as any harbor freight tool.
I live about 2 miles from the Snap On factory where they make most of their tools and I'm not in China. I don't know where the materials come from though.
You don't just up and buy a higher quality version when you're stuck on the side of the road, you count your blessings that you have like 5 other extensions, all better brands than HF.
It's almost a nice convenient road kit, but yeah when you can literally twist-break an extension just using your hands and arms, the metal is shit tempered and can't handle torsion forces.
Which is exactly what ratchets and extensions are meant to handle, torsion forces, AKA twisty forces.
Oh for emergency in the car tools totally get the good stuff. But when you are trying to outfit your garage cheaply to get stuff done, it's a good enough starting point.
If you can afford a garage, you can afford good tools. If I had a garage, you think I'd cheap out on my tools?
I had to go back at the bolt in question with a wrench from another kit after breaking the extension. At least I have other better extensions, I just didn't have them with me at the moment.
Well, boomer, most people can’t afford a garage (let alone a whole house). So Harbor Frieght tools it is!
Some of these look like Omega Mart products lol
Thank you for this
The 12 horse noxious fume generator got me.
I'm in these pictures and I accept it.
The muppet grade gloves with various numbers of fingers got me :)
We all are :)
Pneumatic slide whistle?
...
Someone make that real.
Hahaha!
I actually got one of those key shaped folding mini machete things, only cost me like $1.06, counting tax.
Nifty little letter opener, at least that hasn't failed and didn't cost much.
Those Bono safety glasses are hilarious though
Hey my 50' garden hose extension cord does a job nothing else can do.
I love harbor freight. People that shit on Harbor Freight are just gate keeping.
You don't mechanic much do ya?
I broke this while replacing brake pads today, it couldn't handle a 17mm bolt. Thank goodness I have 5 other extensions, all other brands that aren't made of frozen peanut butter.
I actually do, stop being such an elitist. Yeah I've moved on to better tools, but the young and much more broke engineer that I was depended on HF for a lot of things.
Sorry you don't know how to "mechanic" other than with brute force. Try learning a little.
Learn what?
I've replaced head gaskets before using 3/8" drive ratchet, sockets and extensions before, even the exhaust bolts didn't cause the tools (non HF tools) to break.
This HF shit is just piss poor tempered, not suitable for any serious real world use when the extension can't even handle the socket sizes that came in the same kit.
Then you should know bolts in the brakes see the finest dust, the saltiest water, heat cycle almost as much as the engine, etc etc.
I originally laughed at this meme because I've been here. Now you don't seem so funny.
That’s basically what my Wera tools from amazon look like! Some asshole was like “Hey China, can I get a full set of impact rated tools with something vaguely germanic stamped on the outside?”
China: “Do you want us to put ‘impact rated’ on the box?”
Asshole: “Nah… that’s going to fuck our profit margin up.”
Impact rated? Who said anything about an impact wrench, I broke this with a ratchet and my bare hands.
HF is making condoms now?
one was shipped on a boat, and the other was made out batteries
If she’s that good, it’s worth the pain.