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Harbor Freight just sent out a recall for their 3 and 6 ton jack stands ..they are failing..................... 

Harbor Freight is now recalling its Pittsburgh-brand three- and six-ton jack stands over risks that they could collapse during use, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF) from March 20, and first reported on by The Drive on Tuesday.

The company is specifically recalling 454,000 units with model numbers 56371, 61196 and 61197. You can find these numbers (PDF) on the label on the top part of the stand on three-ton units, or a yellow sticker on the base on six-ton units.

According to Harbor Freight's NHTSA filing, the problem with these jack stands is that due to worn tooling at the factory, the pawl that engages with the toothed height-adjustable part of the stand doesn't do so sufficiently to reliably lock it in place. A bump or a knock could cause the pawl to disengage, dropping the vehicle suddenly.

Return them to a store and get a Gift Card aka store credit.

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@IaM-Ray posted:

I never did like regular jack stands because I felt the handle seemed to not flimsy on some that I saw at my HF or PAuto so I opted for the big red with the slide in lock pins which lock the pawl at the height you selected.... see the pin below. 

 

Do you have a model number Ray, I can find the double lock but without the feet. Those feet look like they would be easier on the garage floor. I ask because I actually live with a "Garage Queen" , she prepped and paint the floor so its personal now.

Manf date is 2013-2019.  Some user feed back on this site.  One guy posted photos of the finger he almost lost.  We're redoing our condo's dock.  I'm going old school and saving the short PT 2x6" & 4x4" 

https://www.thedrive.com/news/...ld-suddenly-collapse

It's just so hard to find tools that aren't made in China, India, Pakistan.  Even new Craftsman tools are made in China.  Plus the 2 Sears near me are no longer in business. 

Don't buy the $3.99 dial tire PSI gauge from HF.  The head blows off at 36 PSI despite being rated for 100.  

I have four stands similar to Jimmy's (Tubular with center pin) which I got at a yard sale for a place that stored RV trailers and such, plus four more similar to the HF versions in Alan's post.  

For those last four, I'll check them, anyway, just to make sure they engage properly, but IIRC (it's been a long time) they came from Carquest or something years ago.  Still, always good to check your equipment when your life and limb depend on it.

Don't want to end up like 8-fingered Bob or the old, grizzled mechanic at Peterson's garage when I was a kid - They called him "Lefty" because he had no "righty".  

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

Warning ...update Harbor Freight Jack Stands

Now, Harbor Freight has had to announce a second recall, covering the new jack stands that many folks purchased to replace those covered by the initial recall.

Back in Pittsburgh brand three- and six-ton jack stands were recalled by Harbor Freight because of a manufacturing defect that could cause them to collapse under load, potentially causing injury or death. Customers were asked to return the stands in exchange for a gift card, and affected units were pulled from shelves. 

In a customer email sent today by Harbor Freight owner and founder Eric Smidt, the company revealed that a "small number" of the replacement Pittsburgh three-ton jacks stands suffer from a welding defect, and, like the original batch, could fail while supporting a vehicle. (The initial recall from May had to do with insufficient ratchet tooth engagement, attributed to excess wear in the dies used to manufacture the stands). Smidt says the welding defect wasn't discovered in the initial investigation, and the affected model (SKU 56373) has since been added to the list of recalled stands.

See the full letter from Harbor Freight owner and founder Eric Smidt below.

Smidt says the company has taken the time to investigate all of the other three- , six- and 12-ton Pittsburgh jack stands it currently sells, and hasn't found any further defects. However, if you own any of these Pittsburgh jack stands and no longer feel comfortable using them, the company will take them back in exchange for a refund or store credit—even though they aren't covered by the recall and have not been found to be defective. A full list of the Harbor Freight jack stand models eligible for a refund can be found here.

"I want to apologize to all of our customers," Smidt said in his email to customers. "While we've dramatically grown our team of engineers and inspectors, and intensified our tests and inspections, I assure you that the lessons learned from this will drive further improvement."

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