# 454,000 Harbor Freight jack stands recalled for risk of collapse



## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Subject says it all. I knew there was a reason I don't shop at Harbor Freight.

Details here


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## torus (Apr 8, 2017)

To be more informative:
https://images.harborfreight.com/hftweb/recalls/Jack-Stand-Recall-56371_61196_61197.pdf

Parts numbers in the name of the PDF


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## hcbph_1 (Apr 11, 2020)

I had not heard of this, thanks for sharing and helping to keep everyone safe.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

I won't stop shopping at Harbor Freight because of it.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I won t stop shopping at Harbor Freight because of it.
> 
> - JackDuren


neither will i


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## Nicky (Mar 13, 2007)

I appreciate the share.

I do occasionally shop at harborfrieght. My rule is never to purchase anything that safety related, electrically operated or pneumatic. Lessons learned the hard way.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

The only HF tool I would buy is the $7 pull saw. I have a couple of their clamps but they are flimsy and for very light duty.


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## Sark (May 31, 2017)

Jack stands are such simple items I can't see how one would fail…and probably someone got severely injured or killed when the stand failed hence the recall.

I had a car jack fail once, and it was the jack stand that saved my friend's life. Man was that scary. Fast, furious and loud when the car crashed down on the jack stand. It dropped maybe 3 or 4 inches.The engine block stopped 1" above my friend's head, but no harm done.

Harbor Freight stuff, I use some, but nothing that's mission critical. I've regretted enough purchases….but then there are times when I need a tool and don't expect to use it more than a few times. So I have a quite a few purchases at that store….


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Harbor freight tool are garbage and the store stinks. 
They should send that junk back to China so they can fill up their landfills.
Ours have enough


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

The Safety Recall Report is here:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2020/RCLRPT-20E016-6561.PDF


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Nice - instead of being forced to recall them by the CPSC or other governmental agency, they conducted their own investigation/analysis and initiated a voluntary recall on their own. HFT may sell some cheap stuff, but they also have some real gems as well. Just because one of their overseas manufacturers dropped the ball on these jacks certainly isn't going to keep me away from their stores.

Cheers,
Brad


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Seems like more of a reason to trust them than to not trust them. I think HF has a lot to offer at very good prices. I'm in Canada full time now and I really miss them. Great company!


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

I agree with shipwright.

I've checked mine . They have a different number and are probably older.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

I have a pair of unknown manufacture. I also have 4 of the safer type that use a cross pin. I'm not married to those ratcheting jobs. I'll throw them in the recycle bin and they can go back to China for another try. I'll still shop at HF, but like was mentioned, probably not for safety items.


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## squazo (Nov 23, 2013)

Give me a digital high five Madmark2, I hate harbor freight.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Seems like more of a reason to trust them than to not trust them. I think HF has a lot to offer at very good prices. I'm in Canada full time now and I really miss them. Great company!
> 
> - shipwright


totally agree.


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

You know what you are buying from there just have to choose correctly. I wouldn't stand under a 1800 lb load on a hft 1 ton chain fall but the flash lights work great. There is not much of a difference between hft and the brands like kobalt, husky, or the craftsman tools they sold at Sears the last few years. Only difference is the store you buy them in.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> You know what you are buying from there just have to choose correctly. I wouldn t stand under a 1800 lb load on a hft 1 ton chain fall but the flash lights work great. There is not much of a difference between hft and the brands like kobalt, husky, or the craftsman tools they sold at Sears the last few years. Only difference is the store you buy them in.
> 
> - corelz125


NEVER stand under a suspended load. That's like OSHA rule #1. I worked in aerospace for many years, and the lifting and rigging equipment was just crazy with the safety requirements, but I will say with good reason. The first time you drop a billion dollar satellite to the ground, you're going to be famous. A case, although it was ONLY ~$300M, and it didn't involve a hoist, but a turnover cart, as we called them. NB- I worked at the Skunk Works, *not *Lockheed Space and Missiles.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

It's been upgraded to 1.7 million units now.

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/05/20/harbor-freight-jack-stands-recall/


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

I'm guilty of shopping there on occasion. 
This doesn't change my opinion of them one way or another. 
I'm just gearing myself more towards trying to buy American whenever I can.
I don't mind spending a little extra to rid our country of them (China products).


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I have 5 of their purple spray guns. That's all I have ever bought from them. No stores in Alaska. Freight to Alaska is rather high. I can't see the point of buying something cheap and spending a fortune to get it here.


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## RCCinNC (Jul 4, 2017)

I enjoy the store…fun to browse…and have purchased a few smaller items. The 1/2" adjustable drive belt is (was?) a steal. The titanium nitride coated drill bits, not so much. Not a huge fan of harbor freight overall, but a lot of their stuff can be improved with a bit of ingenuity…a fun process in itself.

Hysterically bad show out for awhile, "1000 Ways to Die," had an episode where a guy was crushed by a V8 that fell on him when his cheap engine hoist chain broke. This means nothing of course, but the hoist they used for the "re-enactment" was a dead ringer for the harbor freight version I saw a few days later. Fortunately for "that guy" they seem to have a pretty good return policy…


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Ah yes…..nothing better than the Grand Crusade….

When a Milw. Hammer Drill pooped out on me, when I needed a few hundred tapcon holes drilled…bought a "Warrior" brand hammer drill from H-F…Not only did it finish my job….it is still going strong on my Grandson's project,

Sandpaper belts, f style clamps, a 2 wheeled hand truck, and a few other items, as needed.

"The place stinks.." Hmmm, my guess would be..you have never been in a REAL Hardware store, say from the 1960s and earlier….

Reminds me other another Grand Crusade….seems a fellow south of here, launched such a Crusade against all things from Minwax…...turned out, sales of Minwax was hurting his sales of P&L 38 Varnish….wonder how that turned out…...

Nobody is forcing you to even walk into the store…..let alone buy anything….and take that paper bag off your head when you do sneak into the place…...You could just buy your Jackstands at AutoZone…..I'm sure they are SO much better…..

Harbor Freight Haters….such an entertaining lot of…..


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

Dark lightning if you followed every osha rule to the T nothing would ever get done. Some of the rules they came up with you can't always follow. It is fun to walk around and browse just like when you were a kid in a toy store.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Got my notice. Of course, this is after I spent 6 months under my car sitting on these very stands. I tried to see how they could be knocked lose and can't see it. Tempted to just clean up the teeth in the casting and keep them. THat is the only thing I can see is with enough side force rocking, it could pop a tooth.

Not sure a recall notice here really demands a dozen flames. HF sells cheap tools. They do a very good job of it. A large portion of what they sell is sold under different brands for two or three times the price, all coming from the same Chinese factory. Pick your target.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

Here's a good image showing the difference between the recalled version and the correct one.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

yeah you can bash em all you want,they saw a problem and took action to make a recall when they wern't forced too,many companies would just pretend there was no problem.ill be back again,and again.this shows me there a responsible company.how horrible,we should all boycott them-lol.


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## BusterBrown (Jun 6, 2013)

Looks like mine are part of the recall. So, what should I use the store credit on? I'm avoiding Chinese products whenever possible, which has obviously and significantly reduced my HF purchases. They do have some stuff from India and Taiwan though.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Looks like mine are part of the recall. So, what should I use the store credit on? I'm avoiding Chinese products whenever possible, which has obviously and significantly reduced my HF purchases. They do have some stuff from India and Taiwan though.
> 
> - BusterBrown


well i say if your light on clamps their f style clamps cant be beat for the money ?


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

Yeah! My HF jack stands are not versions being recalled.
Guess I should go jack up truck, use jack stands for support and sleep under it tonight! sic
NVM

OP - Thanks for posting the notice.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> yeah you can bash em all you want,they saw a problem and took action to make a recall when they wern t forced too,many companies would just pretend there was no problem.ill be back again,and again.this shows me there a responsible company.how horrible,we should all boycott them-lol.
> 
> - pottz


<cough> Firestone/Bridgestone blowouts <cough>


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> Dark lightning if you followed every osha rule to the T nothing would ever get done. Some of the rules they came up with you can t always follow. It is fun to walk around and browse just like when you were a kid in a toy store.
> 
> - corelz125


Where I used to work, if there was no way to avoid a potential injury while working under a suspended load, a waiver was written and Safety signed off. The technician who would have had their appendage(s) in the position of potential damage was informed during the pre-task briefing as to the danger. There are ways to address all the risks associated with an operation, and remediate them as possible. That remediation could actually result in damage to the deliverable hardware if the lifting device(s) failed, which is extremely seldom.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> yeah you can bash em all you want,they saw a problem and took action to make a recall when they wern t forced too,many companies would just pretend there was no problem.ill be back again,and again.this shows me there a responsible company.how horrible,we should all boycott them-lol.
> 
> - pottz
> 
> ...


yeah had a ford explorer with those tires,got a free set of new tires.problem was exposed and the problem was fixed.what do you want? <cough>


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## mousejockey (May 6, 2010)

They did donate all of their inventory of masks and gloves to first responders. Voluntary recall, it seems to add up to a responsible company. Not all of their tools are top quality but some needs are for just occasional use.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> They did donate all of their inventory of masks and gloves to first responders. Voluntary recall, it seems to add up to a responsible company. Not all of their tools are top quality but some needs are for just occasional use.
> 
> - Myles Standridge


the bastards how dare they-lol.some people like to bash companies for doing the right thing.HF didn't make the stands but they did the right thing to fix it.


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## AMZ (Jan 27, 2020)

I have 2 recalled and 2 that are not. The four have held my 48 Chevy off the garage floor for at least six months out of twelve for the past 4 or 5 years, while work is performed. Two will go back and replaced.

I buy for the job at hand and not "maybe in the future".

With one or two comments about OSHA, I had a consultant do a walk through at my plant, and his opinion is such that to require, for example hearing protection, is admitting a problem, therefore you should correct the problem and not require ear protection.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

> Harbor freight tool are garbage and the store stinks.
> They should send that junk back to China so they can fill up their landfills.
> Ours have enough
> 
> - Aj2


That's a little harsh IMO. Every manufacturer has recalls that are safety related. (Ford, GM, Hasbro toys, Ikea dressers etc) and a huge amount of tools with American names on them (Milwaukee, Dewalt, Snap On, Jet, Delta, Powermatic, the list is endless) are made in China and Taiwan. Apparently HF realized the problem and recalled their product. Good for them. I shop at HF all of the time and will continue to do so. Am I going to buy my next table saw from there? No. But my $39 104 piece drill bit set is 6 years old and still going strong. HF fills a niche for me and I'm glad they do.


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## dbw (Dec 2, 2013)

In my experience some of the stuff at HF is okay and some is a POS. For example I purchased a dial indicator from HF a few years ago and it is awesome.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Here s a good image showing the difference between the recalled version and the correct one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is a significant difference, thanks for adding some reality to the hate bash.

All I will say is Eric Schmidt sends me emails letting me know what they do, and plan to do. I'm NOT getting kept up to date by any other seller, or maker. I'm sure not getting anything from Jeff Bezo$. The very short list of American makers has it as a fact of life, if you want all types of tools, some will be Chinese. HF is the everyman's place to shop, but if you are finding smallish tools from some other maker, that are better made, go ahead.

I have a 21 degree full head framing nailer that I know has shot several HUNDRED thousand, if not millions of nails, still going pop pop pop. It was a get me through till I could …... Unlike the Senco it replaced I can go anywhere, and as long as they are 21degree and have a full head, it will shoot through that gun.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

The OP better not shop and Ford, Chev or thousand of other places too.

Ford Knew Its Transmissions Were Dangerous. It Sold the Cars, Anyway.

https://www.hlmlawfirm.com/blog/ford-knew-its-transmissions-were-dangerous-it-sold-the-cars-anyway/

Lots of stories like this in the world.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

> Here s a good image showing the difference between the recalled version and the correct one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*The company said it learned of the issue in the China-made product in January and that it is likely due to the machine tooling used to make the stands having become worn out over time.

Harbor Freight believes that only the most recently produced stands are affected, amounting to 5 percent of those in circulation, but is recalling all 454,000 that were manufactured between June 13, 2013 and Nov. 22, 2019.

Neither Harbor Freight nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said if any injuries had been reported in relation to the issue. The company said it has begun a review of all of the jack stands it sells.

Owners of the products can return them to Harbor Freight in exchange for a store gift card of their full price. Information on how to identify the affected stands can be found at this link.*

If HF realized there was an issue, recalled and replaced without being sued and forced into it I like them even more.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Here s a good image showing the difference between the recalled version and the correct one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ditto.


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