Creator III
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Harbor Freight gear
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Red_Leaf_Overland
Rank V
Advocate III
Just my opinion, you shouldn't cheap out on recovery gear. Snatch blocks especially, on cheaper units, can have more play on the pulley from side to side which can actually grab a winch cable and bite into it causing damage and premature failure of the cable ( steel or synthetic). Straps may be fine as long as they have the proper working load ratings.
Member III
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They're fine. You won't have the brand power at camp but you'll at least have the equipment. Their cheap tool bags are perfect to hold a few shackles and a strap. I have one bag that's two shackles a 30 foot strap and a pair of gloves, another bag has a Ditch Pig kinetic rope with 2 soft shackles. They pack in these bags quite nicely.
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!
They are most likely made in the same factory as name brand gear.
The HF Snatch Block looks exactly like the ARB Snatch Block I bought about 20 years ago. If you have synthetic rope I would look into one of those synthetic Snatch Rings.
Off-Road Ranger I
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Small farm tractors weigh around 8,000 lbs going all the way up to 40,000 lbs. I’ve never seen, nor heard of a farmer using Harbor Frieght as a source for anything important, let alone extraction equipment. You’ll get the best bang for your buck at Tractor Supply, or any other farm supply store. The straps and shackles I’ve purchased there over 10 years ago have been through hell & back and not a single fray or loose stitch. Farmers buy their straps there for good reason. My last and final purchase from HF was a bushing press. Before use I replaced all the hardware with grade 8. After the third pressing the thing shattered. The bolts didn’t fail, the steel ripped apart. If the tool is important to life & limb, stay away from harbor freight. ( no, I don’t work for TS, yes, I was born & raised on a farm)
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
I'm a farmer and don't buy any tools or supplies at tractor supply they are over priced, I use harbor freight tools exclusively ever since craftsman went to shit. In fact just this weekend I used my hf predator brand earth auger to drill a 5 ft deep 8" wide hole into black clay for a new service pole. For non tool related needs we go to attwoods or order from rural king like livestock feed and medications not all farmers are factory farmers with endless amounts of money to throw at things that don't really matter. Hf does something very rare these days they stand behind their tools and will replace any hand tool that breaks at no charge , power tools you'll have to buy the warranty. So yeah hf works just fine especially if you don't work for the company farm like tyson.
FishinCrzy
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I've got things from both HF and TS. Agree that TS is a little pricey but sometimes it's the most convenient. From HF I have a small Predator inverter generator and compressor that are working fine for light duty. Same with a tile saw I picked up for a few projects. Various bits, blades, grinding stones, etc. are all ok. The solar lighting from HF only worked a year or two before the elements got to them but they were very inexpensive so it was a wash. I have seen the contractors there at HF with a handful of electric hand tools that looked well used trading them for new ones. That plan works for them I guess.
When I want better grade gear I go for names like Stil, DeWalt, Ryobi, etc. Depending on how critical the function and how much it is used. BTW, I just bought and installed some Milwaukee storage containers. Two on the roof rack and others in the truck bed because they are rugged and fit well. They have various sizes and a base plate that was easy to attach to the roof rack. They have rubber seals to keep out dust and moisture...I hope. Not inexpensive but quality generally cost a little more. Here is a pic of the base plate:
Also at Home Depot and few other places.
i worked offshore and we did a lot of rigging and started having serious failures when the made in china shackles and snatch blocks, etc started showing up out in the oilfield. our company put out warnings and banned shackles made in china. i doubt anyone here will put a shackle thru the stress that it would see on an oil rig, but its still a serious concern. i agree with the posts that HF gear is OK and probably the same stuff you'll buy elsewhere under a different brand. i also agree that recovery gear is pretty important and can cause serious injury or damage if it fails. i would say the best solution would be to buy the HF stuff and just go a size or two bigger. if a shackle is rated for 5K and your winch can pull 5K...go with a 7.5K or even a 10K rated shackle.
if you really want quality, go with a Crosby shackle. crosby shackles are forged and tempered and the chinese imports are cast. just like anvils. a good blacksmithing anvil is forged and cost about $2000 and a chinese import anvil is cast and about $400.
i use a lot of HF shackles and mainly use them with my excavator pulling and lifting heavy stuff...i haven't had any failures, but i do use a shackle rated for a lot more than i'm doing just to be safe.
if you really want quality, go with a Crosby shackle. crosby shackles are forged and tempered and the chinese imports are cast. just like anvils. a good blacksmithing anvil is forged and cost about $2000 and a chinese import anvil is cast and about $400.
i use a lot of HF shackles and mainly use them with my excavator pulling and lifting heavy stuff...i haven't had any failures, but i do use a shackle rated for a lot more than i'm doing just to be safe.
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They do carry a good stock of recovery gear but nearly all of it comes out of China. Probably the same place HF gets theirs.
Off-Road Ranger I
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I get it, I’m off a family farm, we used to get all our sundries at the feed mill / co-op or the locally owned hardware stores. Craftsman did go to shit until now, as Ace Hardware handles that line and they’re the same as they’ve ever been. Around here though, since Agway closed down tractor supply is the go to for our local farmers. HF is in town & nobody wants to go into town for anything.
Enthusiast III
If it is what you can afford at the moment, go with it. Yes, the longevity and durability are not as good as some of the higher quality brand name things but its better to have something as opposed to nothing. Double up on some things if you have to (snatch blocks and straps). HF stuff is not meant to last forever and Definitely put it on a list of upgrades and or must-do's and work on that list as you can afford it. I've worked on all types of engines (car/train/aerospace/farm) and the biggest take away is the best tool is the one you have handy and available to you. Yes, the fancy stuff is nice but if you don't have it available then its a moot point anyway. Upgrade as you can afford it but don't skimp on the life saving and protection stuff.
Creator III
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We used to have Agway here for farm supplies but I haven't seen one in a long time.
Creator III
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Creator III
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Creator III
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The bag looks good and will be better than this tote.They're fine. You won't have the brand power at camp but you'll at least have the equipment. Their cheap tool bags are perfect to hold a few shackles and a strap. I have one bag that's two shackles a 30 foot strap and a pair of gloves, another bag has a Ditch Pig kinetic rope with 2 soft shackles. They pack in these bags quite nicely.
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!www.harborfreight.com
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Red_Leaf_Overland
Rank V
Advocate III
The big brand blocks like Warn and ARB do have a noticeable difference in play. A lot of companies have grease fittings on the block as well to help with longevity ( even Smittybilt). I would see if you can check out a 4 wheel parts or some sort of offroad shop that has a showroom and see if they have some on display to look at even if your not buying them, just to see the differences.
I spent a lot of time behind a counter of an offroad shop ( about 8 years) and have seen and used all kinds of different products that are on the market ( though I have to say also don't have big brand recovery gear).
I am by no means trying to upsell on the big brand stuff either, because I run a Smittybilt strap and snatch blocks. If it fits the budget go for it, but make sure you keep an eye on it because winch line is expensive these days lol.
I spent a lot of time behind a counter of an offroad shop ( about 8 years) and have seen and used all kinds of different products that are on the market ( though I have to say also don't have big brand recovery gear).
I am by no means trying to upsell on the big brand stuff either, because I run a Smittybilt strap and snatch blocks. If it fits the budget go for it, but make sure you keep an eye on it because winch line is expensive these days lol.
Creator III
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Creator III
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Great tip on the Crosby Shackles. Did some research and you are right, they are high quality. Forged not cast is the way to go.
Cheap is great until it isn't. I go to rigging supply places to get my stuff. I like Lift-it out of Pomona CA. for most of my gear. their soft goods are made by them and they do know their stuff. I meet them at Expo west a couple of years ago under a different name, they were looking at off-road recovery division.
