Harbor freight

[Woodsplitter67]

I stopped at my local harbor freight last week for the first time. I made 1 purchase from them a few years back on line and got a chain sharper for my saws. I needed to purchase a motor, as the honda I needed is not available until spring and Im still working so I purchased a 13hp predator engine. Its a match for the GX 390 OR 340.. got it on and broke it in.. I can say this.. its tough to start.. once running it dose a good job, I can say though its been in the mid 20s when trying to fire it up so hopefully it gets better after running for a while.
I found the staff to be nice people and helpful
The store is pretty cool with lots of stuff, I think that im going to shop there more for my shop supplies. Its all off brand/different brand items but the stuff seams to work and is definitely reasonably priced

Anyone running the predator motors

 

[peakbagger]

The reputation with the Predator's is if they do not break down soon after purchase, they will run for a long time. The buyer is the final quality control so make sure you run it for an extended period while it is still under waranty (save your paperwork). Good luck if you ever need parts.

I use Harbor Freight hardware like tools but avoid things like drill bits, saw blades, abrasive cut off blades and abrasive in general. I have nice looking set of Titanium Nitrided drill bits (the gold ones) from Harbor freight that are supposed to be good for steel. Almost every one was dull after the first hole if it even made it that far. Obviously the heat treatment was poor. I have also seen cut off blades that looked good but had 1/10 the lifetime of name brands. A lot of their carbide tools are made with cheap carbide, it doesnt keep a sharp edge.

I and others have had mixed luck with their electric power tools. For one off use probably okay but nothing to bring to a job site.

 

[bholler]

They really are starting to get much nicer stuff now. It's no longer all cheap disposable crap. Of course they still have that but also have introduced higher end lines as well. I have one of their top of the line mig welders and honestly it works just as well as my buddies millermatic for 1/3 the price.

 

[Jags]

I use the impact sockets from there. A little thicker than some brands but I have abused the heck out of them with a quite powerful impact and have yet to break one.

 

[Dan Freeman]

I bought the 5-ton electric splitter they sell (same one sold under other brand names). Split 3 and 1/2 cords with it. No problem. I did snap off the control handle when I put it upright to check the hydraulic fluid (forgot to remove it first). Called HF and had a replacement within a week. Can't complain about that.

 

[peakbagger]

A lot of my big Unimog hand tools came from Harbor Freight. Some of them are pretty crude, they work but its obvious some steps were skipped.

 

[xman23]

A lot of it of it is knockoff's of old school quality products from around the world. So with the mechanical stuff, most of the time you can tell what your buying. Yes steel temper quality may not be good. I assume most stuff, parts are unobtainable. And how do warranties work?

Is there a unsatisfied customer return policy? I ask, as HD used to take anything back for maybe a year.

 

[brenndatomu]

I used to buy a little stuff from HF...increasingly avoid the place in recent years due to trying to support USA products...or at least not china if possible.
We actually have a HF opening in the next town over soon...not planning a trip there.
Anyone else ever get a headache from all the cheap plastic tools off gassing in there? It gets me sometimes...never noticed that in any other store...except someplace with heavy perfumed scents in the air...and I try like heck to stay outta them places!

Weird that your engine starts hard...that's one thing that most people like about the Predators, they often start like a Honda too...1-2 pulls

 

[tlc1976]

As everyone says their stuff is hit or miss. I bought one of the 20 ton presses on sale. It’s worked well for u joints and wheel bearings. It does leave a puddle of oil in the drip tray but that’s fine. Torque wrenches work well, caster carts, really nice heat shrink tubing. I like the hot knife for cutting an old windshield out. It lasts through 1 windshield but only cost $20.

I used to have to drive an hour and a half to the nearest one. Thankfully they just put one 12 miles away last summer.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Im interested in the supplies.. shop towels a couple tools like oil filter wrenches, and tools like screw drivers ect.. I don't care if there not that great, I could buy the highest quality tools and the guys will still louse them.. I have to buy new sets of everything once a year.. Nobody cares as long as im buying... the younger generation couldn't care less..

 

[peakbagger]

I used to buy big bags of tie wraps from HF, I used them on several projects. Its quite noticeable that they get brittle and snap a lot quicker than the Home Depot tie wraps. Over the years I have always bought the silver tarps from them. The grommets are just plated tin but the material seems durable. I keep a huge blue one stashed away just in case if I ever need to cover a roof over. When the pieces of my modular home showed up in 1988 and was partially installed, a similar tarp saved me a lot of problems before the roof was installed. The blue ones definitely have a shorter life but the price was right.

 

[qwee]

My 3.5 HP Briggs engine blew on my little splitter after about 8 years of regular use. A predator was installed. It failed after about 1/3 the use of the Briggs. Now what?

A sprinkler shop had some new Honda GC motors (they pulled them off pressure washers and upgraded to the Honda GX motors). I tried to fit a GC on my splitter and it was a no-go (wrong shape). So, I could get another Briggs or upgrade to a Honda GX engine.

I decided to spend the extra $$$ and get a Honda GX motor. I just changed the initial oil after splitting about a cord of Siberian Elm. So far so good. I think I'll sell the parts (or whole engine) off of the blown predator engine.

 

[hedge wood]

I stopped at my local harbor freight last week for the first time. I made 1 purchase from them a few years back on line and got a chain sharper for my saws. I needed to purchase a motor, as the honda I needed is not available until spring and Im still working so I purchased a 13hp predator engine. Its a match for the GX 390 OR 340.. got it on and broke it in.. I can say this.. its tough to start.. once running it dose a good job, I can say though its been in the mid 20s when trying to fire it up so hopefully it gets better after running for a while.
I found the staff to be nice people and helpful
The store is pretty cool with lots of stuff, I think that im going to shop there more for my shop supplies. Its all off brand/different brand items but the stuff seams to work and is definitely reasonably priced

Anyone running the predator motors

I have ran Predator motors for years and have yet to have a bad one. I have many on a buzz saw, water transfer pumps and a towable boom lift. I have put them on wood splitters for other folks but I have bigger V twins on my splitters. I don't use mine in the winter much but a while back I needed my boom lift and it was fifteen degrees that morning and I had to pull the air cleaner and give it a shot of starting fluild to get it going as the battery was going dead. That hyd pump pulls hard in the cold. It has the 13 HP predator with electric start. Its been on that lift for ten years plus.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I have ran Predator motors for years and have yet to have a bad one. I have many on a buzz saw, water transfer pumps and a towable boom lift. I have put them on wood splitters for other folks but I have bigger V twins on my splitters. I don't use mine in the winter much but a while back I needed my boom lift and it was fifteen degrees that morning and I had to pull the air cleaner and give it a shot of starting fluild to get it going as the battery was going dead. That hyd pump pulls hard in the cold. It has the 13 HP predator with electric start. Its been on that lift for ten years plus.

Yes had to pull the air cover and I gave it a shot of Carb and choke cleaner, it started.. dont like doing this.. Ill see how this goes

 

[edward dillon]

I found on predators when shutting down at the end of the day I would shut the fuel off and let run out . Turn fuel on with choke a few days later and it’s starts no problem.

 

[MTASH]

I have been running a Predator 20 ton splitter for 6 years and haven't touched it other than changing oil. It doesn't always start on the first 1-2 pulls but isn't terrible.

On the other hand, just had a Fortress 27 gallon/200 psi compressor fail after only 2 years. Found the connecting rod broken and the crank sheared off.

 

[lazeedan]

I have JD 757 zero turn that I repowered with a Predator 22hp (670cc) vertical shaft a few years ago . I take car of 3 acres with it. It has treated me well so far. I would recommend.