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Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions?

Posted By: coffeeman383

Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 03:17 PM

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!

Attached picture 7511292-12tonpress.jpg
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 04:15 PM

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
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 04:41 PM

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.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 04:47 PM

I've got that one. Works great. Mine is about ten years old.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 04:48 PM

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?
Posted By: BDS871Cuda

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 04:59 PM

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.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 05:08 PM

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.
Posted By: hemi71x

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 05:15 PM

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.
Posted By: 6T6Cuda

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 05:26 PM

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...
Posted By: RodStRace

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 05:38 PM

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.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 05:41 PM

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
Posted By: DrCharles

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 06:42 PM

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.
Posted By: therocks

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/20/12 07:35 PM

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
Posted By: coro500net

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 01:27 AM

I have one and it works ok but like what has been said the table is not spaced enough to get wheel hubs through.
Posted By: m88mark

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 03:44 AM

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.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 03:46 AM

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.
Posted By: 360view

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 12:27 PM

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?
Posted By: Dean_Kuzluzski

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 03:44 PM

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.
Posted By: DoctorDiff

Re: Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press opinions? - 12/21/12 04:10 PM

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.
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