Harbor Freight Scissor Lift - Getting my A4 in the air

[betyouaint]

Love em or lothe em, Harbor Freight do sell some pretty useful gear at great prices. Whether you trust the quality is down to you and I've read a lot from haters who would definately not consider "risking their life" to something like the Harbor Freight (Central Hydraulics) Scissor Lift. Either way, for anyone interested, I bought the lift and spent the day trying to get my B7 in the air, and I've posted a link to the video below. It's currently in my garage until I lay an external pad to take advantage of the full height as my ceiling isn't high enough.

https://youtu.be/1yIsL-JrsK0

If you are interested in the lift, there are a couple more videos on my channel too where I look at the quality of the fabrication and the damage that it took during shipping.

BTW, if anyone knows any more suitable jacking points, please let me know!

[betyouaint]

[Nollywood]

Wow.

I work on big rigs for a living, some with a gross weight exceeding 36 tonnes. Safety is paramount here.

I have not had any experience with Harbour Freight lifts, nor read any reviews on them. But after watching your video clip, and from the little I can see of the lift’s construction, I can see where the “haters” as you call them, are coming from. I would not be working under a car supported by this lift.

And no, that does not make me a “hater”, it makes me a realist. Calling people who don’t feel this lift is safe “haters”, is both juvenile and inane.

Still, it’s your car, your money, your choice and your life. Thanks for sharing this product.

[betyouaint]

Calling people who don’t feel this lift is safe “haters”, is both juvenile and inane.

I don't call them haters but you will find that hating on Harbor Freight is most definately "a thing" across many forums. I was simply using the phrase in the futile hope that this post wouldn't turn into the usual lashing out at "inferior" Chinese tools. Looks like that failed.

But if you want to use your lack of context as an excuse to throw accusations of being "juvenile and inane" directly at me for using such terminology, then that is of course your right.

[Nollywood]

I don't call them haters but you will find that hating on Harbor Freight is most definately "a thing" across many forums. I was simply using the phrase in the futile hope that this post wouldn't turn into the usual lashing out at "inferior" Chinese tools. Looks like that failed.

But if you want to use your lack of context as an excuse to throw accusations of being "juvenile and inane" directly at me for using such terminology, then that is of course your right.

I wasn’t attacking you, and I apologise unreservedly if that’s how it came across.

I have no idea if it’s Chinese-built or not, my views on this lift stem from my watching the video, and seeing the construction, as much as I can from the short clip.

I hope it all works out for you, and it does all you expect it to, and more.

[B5A4coastie]

My concern here is how do you do anything with the exhaust, transmission or rear of the engine; and if you use the suspension as part of the jacking points, how do you work on that as well? Thank you for posting the pictures and detailed video, but I believe if I ever get around to purchasing a scissor style lift, it’ll be the two individual lifts that lay along the sides of the car and still allow access to the entire underneath of the vehicle.

[eljay]

I like my QuickJack, but I can see the advantages of the scissor jack.
Ultimately, a 2 or 4-post lift is the best, but for us with regular house ceilings either one works well.
Scissor jack provides more height (mid-rise), but is harder to store.
QuickJack is easy to store, gives only low-rise height and requires access from front or rear, but I have access to everything under the car and all the suspension bits.

[Seerlah]

I like that design, especially with the safety locking latch. Does not lift that high, but high enough to lay comfortably underneath on a creeper.

[rhfosu]

Harbor Freight is Chinese junk, like everyone says...but, I agree they sell some useful stuff at low prices that almost justifies the risk. As long as this had a mechanical fail safe, a ratchet mechanism or other, I am sure this is probably fine. I "trust my life" to a harbor freight aluminum floor jack and stands and they haven't let me down once in 8 years. Thanks for the review.

[aluthman]

Most of the stuff in my garage is from HF. I just don’t like that style of lift. You’re too limited in what you can accomplish with it.