PSA RECALL on 6-Ton Jack Stands from Harbor Freight

Working under your vehicle can be a rewarding experience and jack stands should be major part of the tools needed to work safely under a vehicle. This is a PSA in case you own a pair of these HF 6-ton jack stands with part# 61197. Present a copy of the pdf to speed the reimbursement process.

Description of Defect :
"For certain units, the ratchet teeth on the jack stand lifting extension post may inconsistently engage the pawl to a sufficient depth"

 

Thanks for posting....

 

Woah. I have a pair of these. Thank you!

 

No laughing matter but please do not attempt this at home....lol

 

Oh shit! Thanks for this! I've had the heavy end of a tractor on these for a week!

 

NOTE: there has been a Harbor Freight RECALL UPDATE that adds model# 56371, 61196, and 61197

 

Quoted from Jalopnik:

"Moral of the story here though: If you’ve got Harbor Freight jack stands that were recalled, check in on the above-linked cases to figure out what to do. If you have other Harbor Freight jack stands, I’d strongly recommend ditching them or relegating them to non-life-preserving duty. Being crushed by your car because a cheap jack stand failed would be such a deeply awful way to be killed or maimed, why risk it to save a few bucks?"

 

I got an email from Harbor Freight directly. Plan on taking them back in short order. Stay safe all!

 

I think I have the ones from your OP.

Thanks @aggrex .

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

38846 is the jack stand part number I use. Still has me nervous.

 

Got some orange painted jack stands from HF several years ago that I hope to see added to the recall. The metal pin that holds the pawl in the lift handle falls out easily. I'm thinking of bringing them back anyway and leaving them there.

 

My 6 tons aren't listed. My old 3 tons are.

 

I returned mine about 3 weeks ago. What a cluster fuck. They couldn't issue a return on the computer so just gave me cash. WTF.

 

Slightly out of focus youtube video that gets to the point

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwcWdKwPvhI

 

Thanks for posting. I have 2 sets of these!

 

I think these are ones I have won’t be able to verify or return for a year stuck in Hawaii for a project

 

Thanks for the update,

I specifically looked for stands that were pinned, like below, not too many out there unfortunately.

I settled for Larin's 6 tons' from Fleet Farm.

 

Harbor Freight has defective stands, pretty scary stuff. I just looked at my 6 tons and they don't look to be part of the recall, I'll have to check my 3 tons later. If you have a set go check the numbers.

https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/harbor-freight-recall-jackstands-collapse/

Now insert the "that's why I don't buy harbor crap" comments below.

 

I have 2 sets of thei 6 tons and 2 sets of their 12 tons. Never had any issues and not concerned. I'll check the part numbers, but if the vehicle doesn't fall after lowering it onto the stands and rocking the shit out of it trying to make it fall I think I'm fine. I always have redundancies in place regardless if my life is at risk from the vehicle too, floor jack, other stands, etc.

Kind of scary it took like 7 years for them to notice this possible failure, but also never heard of one failing and everyone and their mom has their stands.

 

Thanks for moving my post, I didnt see anything in OT but didnt check here.

Just checked my 6 tons and they're not recalled. I need to check my 3 tons still.

@Kwe1982 (great year) I started using my HF stands for backup only lately and started using these Esco stands. They're so much better in my opinion. The big pads on the feet don't sink into asphalt easily, they're pinned, and the big round pad on top gets a better hold on most of my cars. Not cheap but these are good quality.


@Sunnier here we are

 

Damn I have a pair of the 6 tons.

 

Thanks for posting this! I saw it somewhere in another thread (this one, actually ) then lost it. I have two of the grey 3- ton stands shown on the right, and one is bent so it won’t compress again. I guess now they WILL take it back.

 

Thank you!

 

When I returned my 61197 set that part# was no longer in the system. I declined a replacement set (new red version) and took store credit for future use. Ez to blow it on useful disposable crap they sell...lol

 

Print the pdf on the recall because not every store manager or cashier knows what’s happening or maybe they do but this pdf could speed things up.

 

I'd never buy anything from HF or if it's made in china if there was any risk of safety involved. If the tool was no where to be found unless it was made in china, I'll pay someone else to do the job. I won't risk life or limb on cheap tools.

 

Same here.

I needed to bury some wires a few years ago and was next to a HF store and needed a shovel.
Do I really even need to go on with the story?

How can they build a bad shovel?

We kept breaking the shovel and returning for a new one and on and on and on and I promise that is was not the level of hard work that was the problem either.

Oh and of course the best part........it was not the handle that was breaking!

 

I have four 6-ton & four 3-ton Pittsburgh stands from HF. And a Pittsburgh floor jack. I asked a mechanic I know well several times before buying "are you sure they're safe? It's HARBOR FREIGHT." I was assured all is ok.

My stands are a different model number than the recall, but they're going in the trash anyway. Just ordered a couple 6-ton stands from Amazonian - US Jack brand. Only ones I could find that are 100% USA made. Really hurts the wallet at over 200 bucks for only two....but for this, it's worth it.

Several several times I was under a car changing the oil with these Pittsburgh jack stands. More often than not I was pretty nervous....even though I keep the floor jack engaged, too, as a backup. I have a lump in my throat now thinking about it.

***If you have an iPhone, always keep that close by when under a vehicle. I've read a news article or two of someone being saved because they were able to yell "Hey Siri....call 911" after a vehicle came down on them & they were pinned.