Harbor Freight experts needed!

[maxreloader]

Greetings!

Please enlighten me in the ways of getting maximum discount(s) at Harbor Freight. I already know about the 10% off if you open a charge card with them... but.. there has to be a secret squirrel discount member code or something "better" available. If I was to find a way to get 25% off in total I just may bite on a larger ticket item from them. Any and all suggestions will be considered.

Thank you all!
Max

[Winger Ed.]

If they won't give you the double brother in law, with a preacher's discount:

Shop in a big blue city and just steal what you want.

If it's less than about $750. the govt. won't prosecute.

[farmbif]

it confuses me how so many of us are pretty much anti china and continue to support this giant Chinese sales agent to send our dollars to them. as more and more companies try to ramp up made in USA production I think its of utmost importance to support them even if the goods I might need cost more.

[BamaNapper]

Check out their inside track club. Depending on how much you're buying, it may be worth joining.

[justindad]

Harbor Freight is garbage. I bought an auger there to build a 350 ft chain link fence. I’m 75% done and I am on my fourth return after these things break. The time lost returning these things is not worth the discount price. Absolute garbage.

[Shawlerbrook]

If you sign up for their advertising online they occasionally send 25-30% off coupons as well as other coupons for specific items. I am not a fan of most of their motorized tools but their hand tools suffice for occasional use.

[Winger Ed.]

it confuses me how so many of us are pretty much anti china and continue to support this giant Chinese sales agent to send our dollars to them.

It's the same mentality as the green freaks and liberals in general.
You're supposed to get off of petroleum and modern technology because it pollutes---- but not them.
Your cars and guns are bad, but not theirs.
You aren't supposed to hire illegal aliens, but they can because they're cheaper.

[Thin Man]

A few days back I was shopping in a local hardware store. The clerk told me they were out of the item I needed, then added I could probably find a reasonable substitute at Harbor freight. I answered back, "Oh, you mean China Freight?" He looked back at me with a grin and just nodded his head. And so it goes.

[brassrat]

I bought the cheaper, battery charger and a heatgun. Both got returned quick and their more expensive replacements are doing fine. I bought two more chargers too.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Since they quit the paper flyer coupons, the best there is, is signing up on their website and giving them your email address, so you get the advanced notice of when they run their 20%, 25%, and 30% e-coupon deals...read the small print, they have more stringent restrictions on those, then they use to.

[Recycled bullet]

I like the Daytona floor jack better than the Snap on floor jack. I regularly use both.

I have a mostly complete set of snapon swivel sockets from 7mm all the way to 24mm in 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch square drive. You don't want to know what it cost.

I use the harbor freight sockets to knock universal joints out with a hammer. I do not use them to turn bolts they are inadequate for heavy commercial use.

My point is sometimes you roll the dice with hf. I like the hf ball peen hammer and since it cost three dollars I don't mind periodically soaking the handle in antifreeze to tighten the head.

I would never have to put up with that crap with better made tools.
The snap on hammer is over a hundred dollars.


I've had hf 14 mm wrench snap changing engine mount and passenger side axle in a Toyota Rav 4 and smashed my head and almost broke my right hand because of it. The entire wrench set is thirty dollars.

In comparison the snap on 14mm wrench is so strong that I can wrap the handle with a rag and do pull ups with it, with out it breaking

or do stupid stuff like using a three foot piece of exhaust pipe on it as a cheater pipe and I weigh 225 pounds. I am strong enough to make the wrench visibly flex. The one wrench cost almost 50 dollars.

Up to a point you get what you pay for and in my case since I am a automotive mechanic full time in a shop..I'll pay extra not to break my fingers and lose work because of it.

There's a time and place for everything.

[DougGuy]

I bought one of the miniature torx tools, about the size of a Zippo lighter with 8-10 bits that fold out, says "Pittsburgh Pro" on it ya right LOL..

I used the smallest one, the T5 on a tiny screw and it simply rounded itself off never loosened the screw, it was too soft to even booger up the screw. I took it back and they made me take a store credit instead of cash or refunding back to my debit card. I try to limit my purchases there to ZERO.

BTW, a small allen wrench I had easily removed the torx screw without issue.

A box of mostly Stanley sockets, several sets, was taken out of my truck one evening by some low life burr head, I would prefer the Stanley over anything at Horrible Freight. I'm hunting now for the right Craigslist or fleabay or Marketplace deal to replace what was stolen.

[elmacgyver0]

The discounts used to be good on everything, if you read the fine print, you will see they are no longer good for the bigger items like lathes, mills, welders etc.
It seems like a lot the American made stuff is actually made in China if you check carefully.
I blame our politicians more than the consumer, it was their policies that forced manufacturers to move to China, Mexico or wherever.

[Winger Ed.]

It seems like a lot the American made stuff is actually made in China if you check carefully.
I blame our politicians more than the consumer, it was their policies that forced manufacturers to move to China, Mexico or wherever.

Between the EPA, OSHA, zoning regulations, and labor costs that made it impractical--
Very little metal casting is done for larger items in the US any more, and hasn't been for a long time.

[Omega]

I will buy made in the US stuff when I can, and when the price is right for what I get. But much of the stuff I need is either not made here anymore, maybe assembled, but not made here, or priced beyond my needs. And the price, IMO, doesn't match the quality many times. Many companies price their products high just because of the logo on it, not because of it's quality. There are some things worth the price, no doubt, but they are rare.

[kerplode]

In my experience, the best way to save money at Harbor Freight is to not shop at Harbor Freight.

Unless you're looking for something you really will only use once, you're better off eating ramen for a week and buying something that isn't disposable Chinesium crap...

[dverna]

I have some junk and some JUNK form HF.

I have had one of their heat guns for 10 years. Lent it out a couple of times, used a few times myself and for $15 I have no complaints.

Same for a 4 1/2" angle grinder. Used it a lot more and it was $10 on sale. Have had it for 10 years or so.

If I was using something a lot, I would invest in a better tool but sometimes good enough is good enough.

Seems like a lot of people use their cheap little cut off saw to shorten .223 brass for .300 BO. Maybe there is a better option?

Not sure if my "devotion" to Dewalt cordless tools is justified but I keep buying them. They have served me well, except for the 18V NiCad battery life. The Li-Ion 20V seems a lot better. But now I have a bunch of "useless" 18V Dewalts. Not sure I gained much over buying "useless" HF tools that were less than 1/2 the price.

[Rickf1985]

If you check you will find that 20 volt tools are actually 18 volt. And as far as Harbor Freight goes, They have good and they have bad. The Daytona jacks are used at pro shops all over now. Just as good as Snap on at a fraction of the price. And a neat little thing I found out, if you take the drawer out of your 1500.00 Snap on toolbox you will find it slides right into the same size US General box, perfect fit. Know what that tells me? Same manufacturer. I paid 450.00 for that box. Granted, if you buy the bottom line tools that is what you get, bottom line quality. But they usually have several differing grades of each tool.
I am a firm believer in Buy American BUT, Most of the comparable American stuff I am seeing nowadays is no better quality, and sometimes worse, than the Chinese stuff and substantially more expensive. I understand supporting America but I also understand the fact I have a very meager pension. I need to evaluate what I am buying and get what I consider the best product is for the money, regardless of where it comes from. Sorry to say that but sign of the times for some of us.

[Old Two Wars]

I bought a Harbor Freight laser transit tried to just shoot a level box with it to pour concrete couldn't even make it to set up wihlthout failure also thought about a gas driven air compressor from there NOPE got A Ingersoll Rand from Tractor Supply. No No No on any more Harbour Freight.

[slim1836]

I get cheap batteries from HF for my grandsons' toys, y'all know why. He does not turn things off and we can't keep up with it. I got a cheap heat gun for Carnauba Red lube and heat shrink tubing and it works well. Will not buy hand tools as my Craftsmen tools work for me along with what I already have.

Slim