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Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? #1356272 12/20/12 11:17 AM 12/20/12 11:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 600 Vicksburg, MI C coffeeman383 OP mopar
coffeeman383 OP mopar C Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 600 Vicksburg, MI	Questions: 1. I know it's cheap HF, about $120 on sale. Anything better? 2. 12 ton vs. 20 ton ($120 vs $200)? 3. Besides basic cheapness that might need some extra bracing or something, does anybody have a reason to totally avoid this? Thanks guys! 7511292-12tonpress.jpg (2066 downloads)

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356273 12/20/12 12:15 PM 12/20/12 12:15 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska	Quote: does anybody have a reason to totally avoid this? No not really just good spatial awareness of where your hands/body are at at all times in relation to the work & I'd try to avoid overextending the springs depending on what you are working on if possible. HF makes no pretenses about the quality of their stuff & where it comes from & I've used some of their items with fairly good success live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356274 12/20/12 12:41 PM 12/20/12 12:41 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	I've own and use that exact same press for over 20 years now. It has never bent or did anything stupid. For what it cost, how can you afford not to own it? I just looked at mine, it has a 20 ton bottle jack in it, I wouldn't want any less power, but the thing has been worth owning.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: Challenger 1] #1356275 12/20/12 12:47 PM 12/20/12 12:47 PM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 18,678 Fresno, CA Jim_Lusk I Live Here
Jim_Lusk I Live Here Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 18,678 Fresno, CA	I've got that one. Works great. Mine is about ten years old.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: Jim_Lusk] #1356276 12/20/12 12:48 PM 12/20/12 12:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 18,678 Fresno, CA Jim_Lusk I Live Here
Jim_Lusk I Live Here Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 18,678 Fresno, CA	One more thing. It's not good for axle bearing because you can't press them off without maiking a jig as the axle flange won't fit through the plate. I keep thinking I'll make a plate where tehy will fit, but how often do you do axle bearings?

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356277 12/20/12 12:59 PM 12/20/12 12:59 PM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,949 land of 10,000______'s B BDS871Cuda top fuel
BDS871Cuda top fuel B Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,949 land of 10,000______'s	Quote: Questions: 1. I know it's cheap HF, about $120 on sale. Anything better? 2. 12 ton vs. 20 ton ($120 vs $200)? 3. Besides basic cheapness that might need some extra bracing or something, does anybody have a reason to totally avoid this? Thanks guys! Get the 20 ton. We bought one along with a 10 ton port-a-power and both work great. The 20 ram can be taken out and used to jack up heavy equipment. Snap your neck, mega G-force launch, is all I want!

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356278 12/20/12 01:08 PM 12/20/12 01:08 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	These things suck because thay are loaded with paint and chip off everytime you use them making a heck of a mess. Hard to keep your work clean and have been wanting to blast off the stupid orange paint forever but have never done it. I think it's lead paint and I feel a little dumber each time i handle them. Last edited by Challenger 1; 12/20/12 04:41 PM.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: Challenger 1] #1356279 12/20/12 01:15 PM 12/20/12 01:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,357 Rancho Cordova, California (Sa... hemi71x master
hemi71x master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,357 Rancho Cordova, California (Sa...	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

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: hemi71x] #1356280 12/20/12 01:26 PM 12/20/12 01:26 PM
Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 2,344 Cincinnati, OH 6 6T6Cuda top fuel
6T6Cuda top fuel 6 Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 2,344 Cincinnati, OH	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...

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: 6T6Cuda] #1356281 12/20/12 01:38 PM 12/20/12 01:38 PM
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 12,481 Chino Valley RodStRace I Live Here
RodStRace I Live Here Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 12,481 Chino Valley	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.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: 6T6Cuda] #1356282 12/20/12 01:41 PM 12/20/12 01:41 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	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.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356283 12/20/12 02:42 PM 12/20/12 02:42 PM
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 4,220 West Plains, MO DrCharles master
DrCharles master Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 4,220 West Plains, MO	I have the identical 12 ton press too... got it at least 10 if not 15 years ago. Works fine. It's one of the few Chinese bottle jacks I have that DOESN'T leak, but then it doesn't get used much either. Definitely worth the money.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: DrCharles] #1356284 12/20/12 03:35 PM 12/20/12 03:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,064 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,064 Niles , Ohio	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

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: therocks] #1356285 12/20/12 09:27 PM 12/20/12 09:27 PM
Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 480 templeton,ma C coro500net mopar
coro500net mopar C Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 480 templeton,ma	I have one and it works ok but like what has been said the table is not spaced enough to get wheel hubs through.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coro500net] #1356286 12/20/12 11:44 PM 12/20/12 11:44 PM
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 216 E. Okla line M m88mark enthusiast
m88mark enthusiast M Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 216 E. Okla line	I've also had the same one for 9 or 10 yrs & I agree with getting extra plates & round stock. I think I would go with the larger one as I've slightly oblonged the holes & bent the pins. I mostly use mine for smaller stuff & in the winter as my big press is with my compresser behind the shop under a carport & no my freezer aint on the front porch. Not yet anyway.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: RodStRace] #1356287 12/20/12 11:46 PM 12/20/12 11:46 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	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.

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: Jim_Lusk] #1356288 12/21/12 08:27 AM 12/21/12 08:27 AM
Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,162 USA 3 360view Moparts resident spammer
360view Moparts resident spammer 3 Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,162 USA	If the center section of the table were cut, and a piece of heavy wall pipe were welded in at the center, what minimum diameter of pipe would be correct for axles and other similar auto related press jobs? For the specific job of pressing the overdrive section of a 518/46 transmission, what would be the idea layout of the center of the table?

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: coffeeman383] #1356289 12/21/12 11:44 AM 12/21/12 11:44 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,936 Holly/MI D Dean_Kuzluzski master
Dean_Kuzluzski master D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,936 Holly/MI	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

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? [Re: 360view] #1356290 12/21/12 12:10 PM 12/21/12 12:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,016 Polson, MT DoctorDiff master
DoctorDiff master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,016 Polson, MT	I use several diameters of well casings to remove things like wheel bearings. Most muscle cars came with 6" - 6.25" diameter axle flanges. Of course, vehicles with larger bolt patterns used larger axle flanges. Contact info

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