If not Habor Freight then where?

Okay, I just read about 90 pages of commie slam'in, and general *****ing on a search, but nobody seems to know where I can buy a good USA made engine picker (lift). Only one mentioned, Menintools for $400 + $60 shipping. Is this my only option? I was just about to go buy the $169 HF picker but thought I would see what HAMBers thought - not very much.

 

HF has it's uses when you're on a budget and you aren't needing pro-feshunal tools...

 

My engine hoist is from there and works great. I bought it at a yeard sale for 50.00, and it looked like it had plenty of use before I got it.

 

Auctions. Most manufacturing company or farmer auctions have one for sale it seems. Oldie but goodies - grab a newspaper and make a weekend of it.

 

craigslist, ebay ,,local want adds,,there are so many just laying around un used,,Why buy a new one,,Good used one free to maybe $100 bux

 

I prefer USA quality tools also but some things from China work, and this is one of them, save money on the picker and spend it on the project or other US built tools.

 

I don't know of any reasonably priced ones for the home hobbyist.
I bought mine from H_F 26 years ago and it still works fine! It's been abused to hell, left out in the rain (with the ram exposed, had to scotch bright the rust off), dropped etc. and yet it still goes up and down just fine

 

a couple of my buddies have the HF pickers ,engine stands and jack stands I have an old Snap-on that my old service manager traded me to let him use and old utility trailer for a month when he was moving -of course I had to replace tires and repair wiring first -so free wasnt actually FREE !!!

 

my engine lift is from HF. had it for years and it works fine. only complaint is that its small, had a hard time gettin a sbc high enough to get into my 58 chev. and even extended all the way out, it didnt reach the motor mounts. had it shoved against the bumper and we had to have a few guys push back on the motor to get it to the mounts. and extended all the way out like that its only supposed to have about 500 pounds on it, not a sbc/th350 combo.

 

HF units are OK. I suggest getting the larger one.
The ram is the only thing that shouldn't last forever.

 

Is this a typo??

I never heard of Harbor Freight til about 5 years ago

 

those things just get in the way 364 days a year I would rent or borrow one
I just reinforced the beam in my shop and use come alongs I can lift a tank
I hate those things

 

I have had my HF one for almost 10 years, never had a problem. It is a 2 ton that folds up so can be stored out of the way

 

I got one from a flea market for 165 if I remember right. It's the same as the H.F. ones and it works fine. Like someone else said, some of the China stuff is fine, some is not. In this case, you would be fine.

 

craigslist....i see em' on there all the time...i got a heavy duty engine stand & hoist for $70..

 

unless you need it for a project coming up this weekend I'd shop Craigs list and other local places and papers. get a better one for less than a new HF, or the same HF one for even less used.

 

or you can always go to the other Harbor Freights and pay more (tractor supply, sears, etc) . . . nearly anyplace anymore, and still get "made in anyplace except America" or so it seems.

While some stuff might still be made in the US you gotta really look hard to make sure it is. But as said by others, check out the used places, CL, eBay, etc. I've seen a few engine hoists in garage sales, one last spring for $25.

 

you could build your own, i have a harbor freight one i bought after my godfather's picker's cylinder dumped out on me. Then I went out and bought a new cylinder for my godfather's homemade picker cause it was so much better than the HF unit. Doesn't take much steel to do it.

 

the leveler on my harbor freight engine hoist exploded under weight of a lincoln MEL motor. crushed my hand. trapped me. it sure was cheap though.....

nowadays, why bother buying new-- as it's mostly all corrupt, foreign **** ? buy used, high quality-- save on cost and no sales tax... garage sales, craigslist, hamb, etc are your friend...

-scott noteboom

 

at least it didnt land on the fender!!

only kidding, glad you are alright!

 

I have a HF that has also been abused and still sits outside. I just throw a tarp on it. Still works everytime I grab it. Was 160.00 or so quite a few years ago.

Paid for itself on the first job I did with it. So I guess I got it for free.

 

nowadays, why bother buying new-- as it's mostly all corrupt, foreign **** ? buy used, high quality-- save on cost and no sales tax... garage sales, craigslist, hamb, etc are your friend...

+1

 

I can remember buying through there catalog by mail in the 90's.

 

nope, they've been on the west coast forever.... just opened up a bunch of stores in the last 10 or so...

 

Sam's club down in florida had them Goodyear brand .About 4 years ago . Real nice cherry picker Might be american made . I don't think america is even american made anymore.

 

I bought my generic one from a friend getting out of racing. he's back in and I loan him Mine. lol. works great, and is the fold up model

 

Hi FritzTownFord,
I bought a AC Delco unit at O'Reillys for a tad over $200, but it turned out to be Chinese-made too. But it has been a great unit and all good welds. If I was you and needed to buy a HF unit, a lot of our hot rod mags are posting a HF 20% coupon nowdays. That might save you a bit. If I was you, I might see if they will let you inspect it first for good welds and correct ***y. I bought an extra engine stand a year ago, just to store an engine for a while, and it was welded all crooked. Had to cut it some and reweld. Guess welder (Chinese) was hitting the rice wine too much that day) I bought a welding tank cart recently, marked down to $50 and used a 20% coupon and got it for $40 plus NM tax.. Really good unit for that price. Hope you find a good deal soon....Good Luck...duane

 

Harbor Freight was founded in 1968.

 

Thanks for the input. Yeah, Scott I read your post - wow! I don't like or need a leveler cause I'm going straight in on my RPU without rad or grill. Casey, I'll need the lift for a while cause I'm working out the mounts,angles,etc. but I'll be tripping over it no doubt. (good to see you last week!)

I think I'll buy one from HF but I'll get the 2 ton model just in case. I'm only dealing with a SB Ford and 5 speed so I should be fine.

As for Craig's list - I live over a hour from any major city so it's not easy to inspect stuff and see a lot of junk in a day.

Thanks for the fast response - The HAMB at it's best!

 

I bought mine about 6 years ago from a place in Traverlers Rest,South Carolina and paid about 175.00 bucks and it IS made in the USA.





2 ton unit and the cool thing about this one is it has 6 rollers on the bottom,,,one each on the extension legs and 4 on the base,,and the boom drops down to store in a 30" space.