Hot take: Harbor Freight engine hoist vs. renting one from AutoZone

I needed to pull a 350 small block out of a '78 C10 in my driveway in Phoenix last month. Rented a hoist from AutoZone for $45 a day, but by day three I was already at $135 and still fighting with a seized flywheel. Finally just bought a 2-ton folding hoist from Harbor Freight for $180 on sale, and I can take my sweet time now. Has anyone else hit that rental breaking point where buying the cheap tool just makes more sense?

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jake_chen3mo ago

Day 3 and paying more than a Harbor Freight hoist is a rite of passage.

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emmajackson3mo ago

My buddy's first hoist lasted 4 years before the cable snapped and dropped his engine block right onto his oil pan. I mean, Harbor Freight stuff can be fine for light use but there's a difference between a hobby setup and trusting your knuckles to something. Maybe it's just me but after seeing that I'd rather pay extra upfront than replace a transmission because a $200 hoist gave out.

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