I tested the HF Lifetime Warranty claim for hand tools

[pontiac428]

What kind of "engine" were you lifting?

Uhhh, that's kinda embarrassing. It started out smoothly. You see, there's pictures all over the internet of people using an engine hoist to move Bridgeports. Many pictures... I thought it might be a "thing" folks do. Hey, what could go wrong? Well, the introductory chapter to my mill's manual said the model mill I was moving was 1,850 lb heavier than a Series 1. Like, it gave the weight in exactly those terms. So, there's your answer. I'm just glad I didn't catapult the trailer through the ceiling during the ordeal. I don't have good access for a forklift, but that's no excuse for trying to do a forklift's job with an engine hoist. In the end, it was pry bars and wood blocks that finished the job, and I didn't damage my machine, myself, or my buddy.

 

[Eddyde]

Reminds me of back in 1976 when I was a computer field engineer. I'd requisitioned a pair of Klein dikes from our corporate supply depot. First time I used them, one jaw broke right off at the pivot. [Yeah, I was cutting a coat hanger, but still shoulda done the job.] I mailed the pieces back to Klein, wrapped in an irate note. They mailed me a replacement pair. Now, 43 years later, I still have them, currently they hang on the rack above my home machinist workbench.
Greg

Wow, I guess even the top shelf brands make duds every now and then. I have acquired 4 Klein lineman's pliers since and have cut much heavier than coat hanger with them. All but one still cut perfectly, the other was the one I spaced out and cut into a live piece of Romex...

 

[HiltzVW]

What did you do to break your breaker bar? I have three or four of the HF bars in medium to large sizes and abused them for years. Okay, I do have a proper USA 3/4 drive 1000 mm bar if needed... but I have used the Proto cheater pipe (an actual tool) on my HF breaker bars many times. My HF breaker bars survived two deployments and years of active duty on Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M88s turning bolts 15/16 and up without issue. The way I see it, the breaker bar and their dead blow hammers are the only tools worth buying at HF, and now you're ruining that for me! What will I be able to buy at HF now without feeling that sinking feeling in my stomach that there's nothing left in the store that I would actually want to own?

I was removing the 36mm rear axle nut on an Air Cooled Volkswagen. They are torqued to 300 ft/lbs and that doesn't account for rust seizing it on etc. I had a 3ft cheater bar on the breaker bar, so it definitely was abused beyond normal use. I still haven't removed the nut, even with a 3/4 impact. Something is wrong. I think the previous owner tried to use a big pipe wrench on the nut (you can see it was damaged) and crushed the castle nut so that it won't back off.

 

[HiltzVW]

I plan on doing a similar experiment to this video in Lowe's with some of my older Craftsman tools that are broken

 

[FOMOGO]

Could it be a left hand thread? If not a fire wrench will take it off without damage. Mike

I was removing the 36mm rear axle nut on an Air Cooled Volkswagen. They are torqued to 300 ft/lbs and that doesn't account for rust seizing it on etc. I had a 3ft cheater bar on the breaker bar, so it definitely was abused beyond normal use. I still haven't removed the nut, even with a 3/4 impact. Something is wrong. I think the previous owner tried to use a big pipe wrench on the nut (you can see it was damaged) and crushed the castle nut so that it won't back off.

 

[HiltzVW]

Its not a LH thread... but I probably will cut it off now and try not to damage the stub axle that it threads on to

 

[MrWhoopee]

Back in the day I broke two Craftsman 1/2 in. flex handles in the same day. I broke the first one removing the rear axle nuts on my VW bus, jumping on a 4 ft. cheater pipe. I broke the replacement putting the nuts back on using the same cheater. The same Sears salesman replaced both of them without a single question. It's good to know someone is standing behind their tools like that again.
I've since purchased a 3/4 in. breaker bar.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I had a broken Pittsburgh Pro 1/2 drive breaker bar and so I figured it would be interesting to test the return policy without a receipt or any proof of purchase.

What I found was HF has a really easy way to get a warranty replacement, just like at Sears way back when I used to be able to walk in with any Craftsman hand tool and walk out with another one.

This really impressed me about HF.... I did an undercover video on my YouTube channel if anyone wants to see how easy it was.

For purposes of accuracy, that tool you broke is a flex handle. I know that everyone calls them a breaker bar, but they are not.
This is a breaker bar, it is much stronger than a flex handle.

 

[SLK001]

I had some HF 3/4" pipe clamps for over 20 years that were bad out-of-the-box (on a pipe, the moving jaw would jam). I still had them in their original packaging and one day read the "lifetime guarantee" on the box, so I thought that I would test their word. I walked in, told the cashier that I had a warranty return and she told me to go pick up the replacement item and then check out. In and out with new clamps in less than 30 minutes (with 25 of those minutes just checking out the latest stuff).

 

[tmenyc]

My 45 year old craftsman socket wrench gave up the ghost recently. I walked into an Ace with a Craftsman sign to do the exchange. The first clerk had no idea what I was talking about. The manager overheard it, came up to me and said "I'll take that and let's go find your new one..." 30 seconds after I had a spiffy new socket wrench. Can't complain.
Tim