Harbor Freight Jack Stand Failure: Understanding the Recall and Safety Implications (2024)

FAQs

What was the problem with Harbor Freight jack Stands? ›

A design flaw caused by old tooling in the factory that constructed them could cause the pawl to disengage, letting the jack (and the vehicle on top of it) suddenly and unexpectedly drop. If you have jack stands from Harbor Freight, please take a minute before reading on to see if they're affected by the recall.

Over 1.7 million Harbor Freight Pittsburgh 3-Ton and 6-Ton Jack Stands have been recalled due to a manufacturing defect. The defect can cause the jacks to collapse while in use and potentially result in severe injury or even death.

Unfortunately, a defective car jack or jack stand can fail even after taking all possible precautions.

Always use the jack on a solid, hard surface that is level to prevent rolling. the load to fall. Keep all body parts including arms, legs, fingers, & toes clear of lifted loads at all times. jack must have the lifting capacity of the entire load being lifted.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with an item purchased from Harbor Freight Tools, you may return the product within 90 days for a full refund or replacement, whichever you prefer. The limited warranty term is 90-days beginning on the date of purchase or order.

A hydraulic jack fails to lift heavy loads if its ram is not working properly. This happens for multiple reasons like rust, lack of lubrication, overloading, or low/high oil level in the reservoir. There are a few solutions to this issue. Every hydraulic jack has a specified lifting capacity.

If you're not well-versed in the history of Harbor Freight, the company was brought into existence by the father-son duo Allan and Eric Smidt in 1977, and almost 50 years after its founding, the Harbor Freight franchise is still owned by the Smidt family, with Eric Smidt currently acting as owner and co-founder.

Harbor Freight Daytona Jacks

All Daytona products, like jacks and creepers, also carry Harbor Freight's standard 90-day warranty for material and workmanship defects.

Eric Smidt, Owner and Founder. Eric Smidt is the owner and CEO of Harbor Freight Tools which he co-founded with his father, Allan Smidt, in 1977. Under Eric's leadership, Harbor Freight Tools has become the leading discount tool retailer in the United States with over 1500 stores and 25,000 associates nationwide.

Give your car a few light shoves to verify that the stands are all in place. Ensure the vehicle is level, with all stands are raised to the same height. If everything checks out, your vehicle should be safe to leave on stands indefinitely under normal conditions.

What causes a jack to fail? ›

Jacks are pretty simple; they're pistons that use hydraulic pressure to lift cars (or whatever you're working on) into the air via a system of pipes and chambers. The reason they fail is either because rubber seals wear out or the check balls (tiny little BBs that help move the hydraulic fluid between chambers) fail.

Check the weight capacity of the jack and don't try to lift more than the recommended weight. Read your car's workshop manual to find the correct place to position the jack. Only use the jack at one of these points. Using the wrong lifting point might make the jack could slip or tip and the car may fall on you.

So, apply some common sense and use the little two-ton jack stands for small passenger cars, three-ton stands for medium to large cars or mid-sized SUVs, and real five- or six-ton truck jack stands for a full-sized truck or SUV.

All jacks shall have a positive stop to prevent overtravel.

Floor jacks also provide only one point of contact, which can leave your vehicle unstable and prone to tipping if you lift it from the middle. Not only do jack stands protect you and your vehicle from falling floor jacks, but they also provide multiple points of contact that help you avoid tipping issues.

Any time you lift a vehicle—any time you lift a vehicle off the ground—there must be safety equipment in place that properly rated for the weight of the vehicle. For many wrenchers, two-post lifts and portable car lifts aren't yet in the picture, so jack stands are required for safe lifting.

Car ramps have enhanced safety features that make them more stable than jack stands. They offer a larger surface area, which adds traction to the ground and supports the car's wheels. Another advantage is affordability. Ramps are ideal for oil changes and other maintenance that doesn't require extensive work.

Work on a clean, paved area so your vehicle is on even ground. Avoid jacking your vehicle in a place that's bumpy, near heavy traffic, or covered in gravel. Make sure each side of your vehicle is level so the jack or jack stands can't slip out from underneath it.