Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

[TexasBayFisher]

Anyone here using them?

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Their LED trailer light kit specifically:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95974

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Also notice they have some SUBMERSIBLE lights:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94137
Must be a new style because I hadn't seen those before, tail/stop/turn all in one.
The description says they've got 18 "super bright" LEDs in each light and they definitely look like larger LEDs. May get those instead since they are probably brighter.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Harbor Freight is great for that one time a year tool you might need. But most of their stuff is chinese crapola.

The problem is much of the stuff made today one buys from Overton's Gander Mountain, West etc is the same crapola sold at Harbor Freight, but branded under the stores name

They do look good though. You should buy a set and report back if they worked out for you but . . . .

I'd be leery though since stops lights, turn signals etc are such an important part of safety while towing. You would hate to have someone ruin your upcoming boating time while you are waiting for parts after someone smashed into your motor . . . because you saved a few bucks and a wire fell off the Harbor Freight stuff.

Oh Ya, be prepared to get a rain check. HF does a lot of bait and switch with their coupon specials. I've been waiting two weeks for their $9.99 1/2 inch click stop torque wrench. The first time the guy told me they don't give rain checks on coupon specials that are only so many per store. I went back two times and they never got them in. So the clerk gave me a rain check. The coupon never said any limit per store except 1 per buyer.

They figure most people rather than drive back and waste gas they will just pick another model off the shelf (classic bait and switch).

For $10 it will be nice to keep on board when I have to swap props out. My prop needs to be torqued to 55 lbs.

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Well I did not intend for it to become a debate about harbor freight, but you have a negative outlook on things. Many of their products are good quality, especially for the price. I've had very good luck with just about everything I've ever purchased from Harbor Freight over the years so my experience is quite different than yours.

Their specials are just that, specials. If you arrive late in the after noon once 400 people have cleaned out the store, they will be sold out. Some of their voltmeters and things like that are too cheaply made, however their sockets.. wrenches.. hand tools, are great values.

Picked up a compression tester there last week for 20 bucks.
Quick disconnect, the whole nine yards. That setup would cost over $100 anywhere else.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

I have not use Harbors Freights trailer lights, but I have used other electrical devices they sell without a problem. One thing about trailer lights, they are not complicated and most stores sell generic sets. I probably will be buying that set when I am ready for new lights.

Now, if they were selling outboards I probably wouldn't buy theirs.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

I'm sure they're fine, I'm using the walmart specials on my trailer without a problem.
Harbor Freight's "Haul Master" line of stuff (anything ahving to do with trailers) all seems to be of supprisingly good quality compared to the rest of their stuff.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

I know one thing, if your lights are having problems, its well worth the $20 to just buy a new set with wiring and everything, I tried monkeying with the shorts in my old lights, took far less time just to replace them.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Well I did not intend for it to become a debate about harbor freight, but you have a negative outlook on things. Many of their products are good quality, especially for the price. I've had very good luck with just about everything I've ever purchased from Harbor Freight over the years so my experience is quite different than yours.

Their specials are just that, specials. If you arrive late in the after noon once 400 people have cleaned out the store, they will be sold out. Some of their voltmeters and things like that are too cheaply made, however their sockets.. wrenches.. hand tools, are great values.

Picked up a compression tester there last week for 20 bucks.
Quick disconnect, the whole nine yards. That setup would cost over $100 anywhere else.

Ya, I'm always negative when a store yanks my chain with their coupon specials . . but hey, people gravitate to what they can afford and continue to put up with their sales tactics.

If 400 people go into their store, then they should be prepared with 400 units or say in the ad only so many per store.

You wouldn't be an employee at Harbor Freight and are trying to push these lights on this forum would you?

I just gave you my opinion and experiences with the store.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Harbor Freight IS selling outboards.

Weight: 55 lbs.
ITEM 66992-0VGA
$699.99

I was looking at the trailer light kits at wal*mart and I liked the look of the rectangular LED trailer lights, looked identical to what harbor freight is hawking for $50 but for $40 at wal*mart.

I don't have much Harbor Freight stuff but the 1"-2" 3/4" drive socket set I got for $65 has served me well for the last ten years, the cheap ratchet imploded but the breaker bar is till rocking steady, and I have not split or broke any of the sockets.

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Ya, I'm always negative when a store yanks my chain with their coupon specials . . but hey, people gravitate to what they can afford and continue to put up with their sales tactics.

If 400 people go into their store, then they should be prepared with 400 units or say in the ad only so many per store.

You wouldn't be an employee at Harbor Freight and are trying to push these lights on this forum would you?

Your comments and baseless accusations suggest I am corresponding with someone in at least a border-line paranoid delusional state of mind.
How did read my question and come up with that??
People are not conspiring, the world is not out to get you, and I do-not work at Harbor Freight, alright?
A HF employee making minimum wage would not waste their time.

They have good deals, I wanted to get some feedback on a particular trailer light kit before I buy it! If you don't like the thread because it has to do with Harbor Freight, then MOVE ALONG and do us a favor by sparing us from your negative replies.

You need to work on maintaining your composure and not insulting people who shop at a store that you happened to have a bad experience at.
It's too bad you had a poor experience, however you do-not need to ruin this thread by insinuating people who shop there cannot "afford" anything more expensive. Fact is, I can afford to spend much more than that on an equivalent product, but I don't spend extra money unnecessarily.

They don't use the "tactics" you suggest, there is no bait and switch scheme going on, you're imagining the whole thing due to them running out of something you wanted because you showed up late.
WHEN THEY RUN OUT, THEY RUN OUT. Show up a day after the sale and all of the high demand items will be sold out! This is common sense stuff.
Good grief.

It's odd that you are suggesting people "gravitate" to Harbor Freight because that's the best they can afford, yet you have practically ruined this thread because you are complaining about a CHEAP item that you missed out on buying there! Oh.. the irony!!

You're being belligerent and it would be more appropriate for you to keep the negative remarks to yourself.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Expidia... It's not just Harbor Freight. It is everybody out there. Have you tried to buy a Wii game lately? No rainchecks, very limited stock. However, you do have a point. Harbor Frieght has only certain stock on certain days.
They are a low cost, cheap source. I remember a couple of years ago they got some automotive fuses that would not blow soon enough. RECALL. DAMAGED WIRES. big issue! (sorry for shouting) I use them for many things but not for quality unless I know exactly what I am getting. Much of the stuff they carry is rebranded from good manufacturers names.

But, on the original question. My current set of lights is from Harbor Freight (at least I think so, can't remember for sure). They are traditional lights (incandescent, not LED) and they work just fine. Most trailer lights are almost identical. Similar tooling and similar design. As far as the LED lights, I would be a little more cautious. Apparent larger size in the LED does not necessarily mean the actual LED is brighter, nor does brighter imply better reliability. As an automotive electrical engineer, I am inherently not trusting. If you get a traditional set of lights, grease up all the conections including the bulb sockets with some waterproof grease. That way they are less likely to corode.

TerryMSU

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Roger that, Terry.
Though the 18 LED ones are a little more money and say they are submersible, the regular ones don't say that. My experience with their products is if one costs a bit more money the quality also goes up, but that ain't always true.

Will go take a look and see if they are worth 50 bucks. For a Harbor Freight product that ain't exactly cheap LOL.

BUT, I do like the fact they are sealed, submersible, all-in-one units.

 

[gnrboyd]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

I have not used the Harbor Freight lights but I have looked at them a couple of times as a possible replacement to my aging Wesbars. I do see the 49.99 LED rectangular set go on sale from time to time for 39.99 so if you are not in an immediate need situation, you might save ten bucks by waiting. Also, you can go to their web site and sometimes find prices less expensive than what they show in the store. If you print out the price on the web and bring it to the store, they will match the price. You can also sign up to receive email specials but I would warn you to use one of the free yahoo/msn type email addresses because once you sign up, you seem to get tons of them. They may have specials in those emails not advertised in the store. (Sorry.. my post was more related to product pricing than actual experience using the product.)

As for HF in general, I'm sometimes bothered by their quality and sometimes it meets my needs just fine. Like Expida, I too wanted to get one of their 9.99 1/2" drive torque wrenches they have in a current sale flyer. I went to the store after receiving the flyer in the mail and they had none. The clerk said they didn't even have them for the beginning of the sale and that item sells out quickly even at regular price. I was given a rain check but it's still irritating that the marketing and purchasing department don't work better together to ensure these things don't happen. Once in a while is understandable but when it happens more often (as is the case with many retailers) one wonders if it is intended to just get you in the store to buy other stuff.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Your comments and baseless accusations suggest I am corresponding with someone in at least a border-line paranoid delusional state of mind.
How did read my question and come up with that??
People are not conspiring, the world is not out to get you, and I do-not work at Harbor Freight, alright?
A HF employee making minimum wage would not waste their time.

They have good deals, I wanted to get some feedback on a particular trailer light kit before I buy it! If you don't like the thread because it has to do with Harbor Freight, then MOVE ALONG and do us a favor by sparing us from your negative replies.

You need to work on maintaining your composure and not insulting people who shop at a store that you happened to have a bad experience at.
It's too bad you had a poor experience, however you do-not need to ruin this thread by insinuating people who shop there cannot "afford" anything more expensive. Fact is, I can afford to spend much more than that on an equivalent product, but I don't spend extra money unnecessarily.

They don't use the "tactics" you suggest, there is no bait and switch scheme going on, you're imagining the whole thing due to them running out of something you wanted because you showed up late.
WHEN THEY RUN OUT, THEY RUN OUT. Show up a day after the sale and all of the high demand items will be sold out! This is common sense stuff.
Good grief.

It's odd that you are suggesting people "gravitate" to Harbor Freight because that's the best they can afford, yet you have practically ruined this thread because you are complaining about a CHEAP item that you missed out on buying there! Oh.. the irony!!

You're being belligerent and it would be more appropriate for you to keep the negative remarks to yourself.

forum note: message not read.
poster added to igore list

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

Your "igor" list!
Oh no, I guess that makes me Dr. Frankenstein

Are you sure you won't be keeping tabs on all the conspiring Harbor Freight shoppers?


You aren't fooling anyone with that poorly executed move. If you ignore someone the only result is their posts come up minimized. Just like your posts are minimized on my screen.

Don't give up your day job, and now see your way out of the thread and stop being a nuisance.

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

...

 

[Expidia]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

As for HF in general, I'm sometimes bothered by their quality and sometimes it meets my needs just fine. Like Expida, I too wanted to get one of their 9.99 1/2" drive torque wrenches they have in a current sale flyer. I went to the store after receiving the flyer in the mail and they had none. The clerk said they didn't even have them for the beginning of the sale and that item sells out quickly even at regular price. I was given a rain check but it's still irritating that the marketing and purchasing department don't work better together to ensure these things don't happen. Once in a while is understandable but when it happens more often (as is the case with many retailers) one wonders if it is intended to just get you in the store to buy other stuff.[/QUOTE]

My point exactly . . .This is all I was trying to do was to warn people of their shoddy bait and switch tactics before one jumps in their car and wastes their gas and time when chasing HF's coupon specials.

Funny, my Son came over for dinner last week and said he drove down to HF only to find several people mulling around the shelf looking for the same unit. They had all the other ones in stock.

When stores pull this stuff send in a complaint to your states AG office. They come down hard on these practices.

On quality equipment . . . One should be worried if you're a passenger on a rig which the captain outfits his boat with HF stuff

It's bad enough out there for us boaters when quality equipment breaks down while on the water. These are the same boaters that break down on the water due to sub par equipment, only to try and flag you down to tow them in and waste your boating day.

I don't know what he had to say as he appeared to be just a flamer, so he was added to my ignore list and poof he is gone great feature.

This is a well moderated site and a great family site . . . I've only had to use ignore with two other flamers since I've been a member. Don't take abuse from a flamer who attacks you because he's bored with life, add him to ignore and poof, he's gone, it actually deletes "all" their previous venom from view

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

forum note: message not read.
poster added to igore list

You failed miserably in your attempt to fool people into believing that was a real forum message.
However I am ignoring you Sir, due to your rudeness and for being totally inept.


Now go make yourself useful and do something other than attempt to ruin every thread you post in. Much obliged.

 

[TexasBayFisher]

Re: Harbor Freight Trailer Lights

I don't know what he had to say as he appeared to be just a flamer, so he was added to my ignore list and poof he is gone great feature.

This is a well moderated site and a great family site . . . I've only had to use ignore with one other flamer since I've been a member. Don't take abuse from a flamer who attacks you because he's bored with life, add him to ignore and poof, he's gone

Check yourself. I quoted your response to my question asking if anyone had used this particular trailer light kit.
Your responded with a bunch of non-sense suggesting people buy HF products because that's all they can afford.

You are the one being abusive, and I believe you are now worried that a moderator will take action against you for it. Perhaps the mods will favor you if you say something warm and fuzzy about the website even though you're violating the rules by ruining this thread intentionally by being problematic.
What you're doing now is projecting. You Sir are the one who is bored and you are the only person who posted a bunch of negative comments directed toward individuals who shop there, suggesting that's what they can afford. Immediately after that you complained about not being able to purchase an item from there.
You contradict yourself with each new post.

The fact that you tried to FAKE a forum message says a lot.