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In 2022, I wrote a brief article covering some then-new Daytona jack stands at Harbor Freight. In that story, I talk about Harbor Freight’s notorious jack stand woes and everything it’s doing to correct the dangerous situation. I say Harbor Freight now supplies safe jack stands, despite a reputation it rightfully has on account of some poor product. I continue to state that the jack stands in that article are solid examples of improvements made.
The thing is that your well being is on the line here. I can’t just tell you that something as critical as a jack stand is safe to use after the company selling it has made some serious mistakes in the past. I better put my money where my mouth is. I’m here showcase that I am actively putting my trust in Harbor Freight jack stands by reviewing the Daytona 6-ton jack stands my car is sitting on.
I’m currently installing and reviewing Heidts’ 4-link rear suspension and Pro-G IFS front suspension conversions on my 1969 Dodge Charger. These are intense overhauls that require the car to be on jack stands for weeks on end. Obviously, this is the perfect opportunity to put these Daytona jack stands and my faith to the test.
The Breakdown
Before we go any further, let’s recap the Harbor Freight jack stand situation. Back in 2020, Harbor Freight issued two recalls on Pittsburgh’s three-, six-, and 12-ton jack stands. The first is on account of faulty tooling, and the second is due to faulty welds. Both are major issues that lead to jack stands suddenly collapsing. This is an extremely deadly scenario that should never have occurred in the first place. However, Harbor Freight is at least taking the right steps to rectify the issue. It even set up a buy-back program to refund owners of the recalled jack stands. You can still take advantage of today with no receipt needed if you still have these jack stands in your posesion.
In my piece covering the release of new Daytona Jack Stands, I mention how the designs feature measures that prevent the issues plaguing the faulty Pittsburghs. Those improvements include gusseted frames, cross-seam welds, and locking pins.
All of those design improvements are found on the Daytona 6-ton jack stands I’ve got in my possession. They also have a lift height of 15-1/4 inches to 23-3/4 inches. They feature welded foot pads for better distribution of the load. And, according to the literature, are engineered to meet ASME-PASE industry standards. At the time of writing this, the pair can be purchased from Harbor Freight at $79.99. Six total color options are available. I opted for yellow simply because they show up the best on camera.
Trusting My Life to Harbor Freight Jack Stands
I won’t make this a grand, over-inflated discussion of something simple. We’re working with jack stands. They are tasked with the incredibly important job of supporting your car, but they sort of just sit there.
What we’re really concerned with here is the tendency of the Daytona 6-ton jack stands to collapse or lack thereof. The issue faulty Pittsburgh jack stands have in regards of tooling is poor engagement between the pawl and the jack stand center column. A slight bump is all it takes to cause the center column to suddenly collapse, and calamity to ensue.
The Daytona 6-ton jack stands work to prevent that issue in two ways. The first, and most important being that there’s good engagement of the teeth on the center column in the ratcheting mechanism. The locking pin adds additional security. The cross-seam welds and gussets reinforce the body of the jack stands, which is a much better than the old Pittsburghs.
I have the Charger on these jack stands for about a month total so far. I’ve been doing some pretty annoying, confined, radical work along the way. They’ve been bumped, the car’s been bumped, I’ve been bumped, and nothing’s collapsed so far other than my sanity. I don’t see any signs of cracking, splitting, or impending failure either. Now, these can support way more weight than my 3400-pound muscle car, but I still feel confident in saying Harbor Freight’s latest jack stand designs are just fine. I won’t say they’re the greatest jack stands on the market, but, I have no issue continuing to put my faith in this set or anything with a similar design.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, I find these Daytona 6-ton jack stands are as reliable as I say they are in my old piece. They’re built well, they’re sturdy, and the safety pins offer peace of mind that my old non-Harbor Freight jack stands simply don’t. I have no issue recommending them to someone looking for an affordable yet reliable option.
| | Daytona 6-Ton Heavy-Duty Jack Stands |
|---|---|
| Value | 9/10 |
| Quality | 7/10 |
| Ease Of Use | 7/10 |
| Durability | 7/10 |
| Overall | 7/10 |
I’m not telling you to take my word for it. Regardless of who’s jack stands you’re buying, you need to take things seriously and give them a once over before you use them. Take the time to inspect all the working parts, welds and all. Make sure everything looks good and works properly before putting them to use. Manufacturer defects are an inevitable reality—even with the best design revisions and quality-control efforts. They’ll happen with jack stands from anyone, and it really is up to you to spot them before it’s too late.
It’s also a good idea to regularly check and replace your old jack stands from time to time if they’re rusting, cracking, or generally beat. Yeah. It’s kind of a pain in the neck to replace something that’s so easy to take for granted, but we’re talking about your life being at stake. Put in the extra mile and look after yourself and those around you.
