Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1356279
12/20/12 01:15 PM
12/20/12 01:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,363 Rancho Cordova, California (Sa...
hemi71x
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,363
Rancho Cordova, California (Sa...
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I also have one of their 12 ton units. Works well for anything that i have used it for in the way of rebuilding of upper, and lower control arms, pressing studs in and out of brake rotors, and most anything else suspension, and brake, wise. I guess if you have the bucks to go for the 20 ton press, and want to upgrade to that unit, it probably will be a pretty good investment, in tools.
RF-4C Phantom 69-370 Zweibrucken, Germany
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Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: hemi71x]
#1356280
12/20/12 01:26 PM
12/20/12 01:26 PM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,344 Cincinnati, OH
6T6Cuda
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,344
Cincinnati, OH
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I have the 20 and like it and it is quite useful, but the thing I do not like is how much play there is in the upper rail, not sure how to make it better, but if you have things lined up and it is a little bit cocked, the top piece will move and could cause you to start pressing out of center.
I have thought about putting some tefflon baring slides on the top piece to remove some of the slop but have not got round-tuit
other than that, very much worth having
My dad built one years ago, same basic design except the jack pushes on a plate and only the shaft moves in a close tolerance slide this is a better design, but I can not exactly explain it...
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Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: 6T6Cuda]
#1356282
12/20/12 01:41 PM
12/20/12 01:41 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
I have the 20 and like it and it is quite useful, but the thing I do not like is how much play there is in the upper rail, not sure how to make it better, but if you have things lined up and it is a little bit cocked, the top piece will move and could cause you to start pressing out of center.
I have thought about putting some tefflon baring slides on the top piece to remove some of the slop but have not got round-tuit
other than that, very much worth having
My dad built one years ago, same basic design except the jack pushes on a plate and only the shaft moves in a close tolerance slide this is a better design, but I can not exactly explain it...
Never noticed that with mine, but like I said it's over 20 years old easy. Bet mine was made in Taiwan or Japan when we hated them. I don't think china knew how to weld 25 years ago? lol
Last edited by Challenger 1; 12/20/12 09:44 PM.
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Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1356284
12/20/12 03:35 PM
12/20/12 03:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,080 Niles , Ohio
therocks
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
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oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,080
Niles , Ohio
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At the one shop we had a 3500 buck OTC press.It had all kinds of accesories.Last shop we had that one.Used it quite a bit and no problems.Just had to as said scrounge plates etc to press bearings and such.Rocky
Chrysler Firepower
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Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: RodStRace]
#1356287
12/20/12 11:46 PM
12/20/12 11:46 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
As with any tool, consider how often you will use it, how much space it takes up and finally for HF stuff, if you can find a good used quality one for the same or a bit more.
If you get a press, start looking around for steel. Blocks, tubing in different diameter and such. I found when in the shop that I always needed something to hold one part and something to press the other part. Sockets work on some stuff, but you always need another little bit somewhere to do a clean press. A box full of adapters is almost as important as the press.
Yup, it helps when you have a shop full of pipe like I do. I got 10-15 peices of short pipe, some nipples, some cut off flat sitting around that was used for one job or another. Which is which? I have no idea.
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Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?
[Re: coffeeman383]
#1356289
12/21/12 11:44 AM
12/21/12 11:44 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,941 Holly/MI
Dean_Kuzluzski
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,941
Holly/MI
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I've had my 12T HF press since 1986 (26yrs). Just used it last week to press off all the pistons from the rods of the 3 core motors I recently tore down. Worked great. The bottlejack/pump has an override/relief valve that won't let you over extend itself. Only caveat I'd mention is to get the 20T for the extra grunt and remember that heat is your friend when using a press. Along with a big hammer. to shock a pressurized load.
R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04
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