One thing to keep in mind when using terms like "life depending on it" is that in this country, and most likely in the US as well, it is against labour laws to work under a suspended load. It is a good idea to follow this rule at home as well. There really should be no excuse for being injured by a load (i.e. engine) coming down due to a jack or hoist failing.
Get tired myself of HF bashing sometimes. Was given a new HF bench top drill press years ago. Still going strong. Was looking at a Crafsman drill press before the HF showed up. Went back to look at the Craftsman, here it was just a repainted, made in china, unit same as the HF. Oh, big difference, the Craftsman had red foam pompoms on the handles instead of hard plastic knobs.
I've got a hoist I bought several years ago at O'Reilly's. It was probably made the same place the HF unit was, came from that country anyway. It's lived a hard life, it's sat out in the weather a lot, with the ram all the way down. The blue paint has faded, the unpainted parts have a light coat of rust. I have added fluid to it twice, it leaks at the pump, actually the pump hold down bolt works loose every few years. I don't get under it with a load on it in the air, but I will if the load is close to being set down, like sitting an engine on the mounts. If this cylinder ever goes out, I'll replace it with the air powered HF ram so I don't have to pump it so much.
@ BamaMav , I have the red 2 ton HF equivalent. I think it came from Northern Tool. Anyway, I've made several improvements along the way, but the best was the Air/hydraulic ram conversion. Well worth the money. You wont be sorry.
Like said, never get under anything heavy with out multiple support! I have seen things fall in my career. Harbor Freight or Snap-on! That being said your problem is one of two things! First as many people have stated your ball check type valve could be compromised. Usually easy to check and fix, remove ball inspect, replace ball if damaged, maybe some seat work. The other is the o’ ring on the internal piston could be leaking. Not too hard to fix, remove the big nut at the top of the ram, remove lift rod and piston, replace o’ring. Usually the cylinder does not require any attention, other than cleaning. If it does , it is usually best to replace the whole unit, as has been mentioned! Edit: if you remove that top nut, be careful, there is a lot of hydraulic oil on top of that piston also. After removing the nut, let the cylinder down towards a bucket to avoid a mess. And might be a good time to replace the o’ring in the nut also. Bones
I use HF stuff too. I can't think of a time it let me down or failed in any way. Even when it does finally die, it's cheap enough that I don't feel bad tossing it and just buying a replacement. While we're talking about junk Chinese tools.........Several years ago, (this was before HF took over the cheap tool trade) we used to have "tool peddler" sales come through our area. They would set up shop in church parking lots or a grange halls to sell tools. This was Chinese made junk too. Anyway, we bought a cutoff saw from one of those sales, it lasted exactly one cut and burned up. That's the one time I can think of where a cheap tool let me down.
A lot of those tools from those tool sale trucks will make HF stuff look world cl***, I've got an 1-1/8 wrench from a set off one of them that I bent in the middle taking a nut off a piece of equipment. Their electrical stuff was real suspect as NwRustyjunk said. One of the local farmers would buy several sets of their end wrenches for his workers to use so he could keep them out of his good tool box.
I bought a 3/8" VSR drill at one of those travelling con jobs once. Was drilling a 1/2" hole through a pine ceiling with a flat wood bit to run and electric cable through. Hit a nail, stripped the gears in the drill! They must have been made out of plastic or paper!
They did have good CO2 pellet guns guns though I did get ****ed in on a 6 inch bench vise. One tab broke while bolting it down, then the first time I used a hammer on the shiny machined surface, I almost had two half vises
I did put the air powered ram on my hoist. It works quickly but with an engine on the hook it tends to "bounce" each time the air cycles. It is fine for getting close but it is better to use the hand pump after that.
Bought my HF fold-up hoist over 25 years ago and have pulled & installed dozens of engine of my own & friends cars, as well as lifting bodies on & off at least five cars and a truck I can think of, without any attention at all. Doesn't owe me a penny.
The Jalopy Journal
