New Harbor Freight 72" Massive Toolbox Review

[tooltrader]

Someone just asked me to start a new thread on this Harbor Freight toolbox because there were so many questions about it when I posted it on the “show us your toolbox” thread. So here it is. I just bought the new 72" Harbor Frieght toolbox for a total of $1364.00 (tax and everything). I purchased it in a local store with a 20% off coupon. Orginal price was $1599.00. This is the EXACT same toolbox sold by Northern Tool for over $1000.00 more ($2600.00 + $350.00 freight delivery). You can read the reviews of it at northerntool.com

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...3086_200343086

and see what the others said about and paid for this same toolbox. Sears is now selling the exact same toolbox for $4000.00. The Sears part number is 81345. It is made at the same factory in China with just a different name plate on it. It is a great toolbox made with 18 guage steel. I had a two bay Matco toolbox (MB8525 -14drawer) and needed to upgrade to something larger to fit all my tools, I simply outgrew the two bay toolbox. This 20 drawer (72"x29"x46") toolbox is very well built. Weighs 880 pounds. Drawers are 26.5” deep. The drawers are "GripLatch" just like the professional series on Sears Craftsman (I actually like this better than the "detent" of the Matco toolbox because rolling it around the drawers would sometimes open because of the heavy tool weight inside). Some of the specs can be downloaded on an adobe attachment for the manual on the Harbor Freight website by putting in the item number 67428. I would say it is about 85% as good as a Matco or Snap-On box. Meaning it has a very nice finish it just has a couple of small welds every so often (very nit picky) you can see along the seams (these are hidden on Matco) and I had to put a top mat on it because the one it came with was very thin. I also had to replace the drawer liners with better ones. That is about the only difference. Again, it has very heavy duty steel (18 guage) and a heavy feel when you pull the drawers although they do move with ease from the ball bearings. It has all roller bearing drawers, spring casters, and hevy duty steel with powder coat paint. It only comes in red but it didn't matter to me. I would never pay full price for a new Matco, Mac, or Snap-On toolbox. It's just far too much money. I paid $1500.00 for my Matco box used after 10 years (it was in excellent condition), however I got a deal on it. A used three bay Matco or similar, in very good condition, is around $3000.00. I only buy American made tools because they are the best (no offense to those who but HF tools) and I've had too many problems over the years with Chinese or other foreign made tools breaking at the worst posible time. The toolbox Harbor Freight makes is obviously made in China but it is very well built and very heavy duty (and all I'm using it for is to store my tools in). I know it will last me the rest of my life even with a lot of use, however I am not a professional mechanaic. Just a shadetree mechanic-do it yourself kind of guy. This is an incredible buy for a toolbox this size and of this quality. Here are some pictures of the toolbox. I took the "US General" name plate off the Harbor Frieght toolbox and replaced it with a Craftsman emblem/plate. I grew up on Craftsman tools. My dad used them and passed them down to me and now I have a HUGE collection of Craftsman tools. I just had to have the Craftsman emblem on the toolbox. I tried to be as descriptive as possible. If there are any other questions, just ask away.

[tooltrader]

Here is a picture of the Matco 2 bay I replaced with this toolbox. I bought this one for $1500.00 5 years ago (it was ten years old {used} at the time). I just sold it for $1400.00 so it basically paid for this Harbor Freight one.

[Bull]

This is awesome. How are the casters? Does it move easily when full? Can you get pics of the drawer slides? The weld quality?

In the pics, the finish looks VERY good.

[momswgn]

Your lucky, my local HF doesn't carry the 72" in stock. I would have to pay for shipping. I'm considering the 72" Extreme box form Strictly Tool Boxes. I've never touched either of these boxes but the price difference is probably only $2-300 total. The Extreme comes with a SS top but no spring casters.

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by Bull

This is awesome. How are the casters? Does it move easily when full? Can you get pics of the drawer slides? The weld quality?

In the pics, the finish looks VERY good.

The casters are just like the Faultess ones on the Matco/Snap-On boxes but of course are copied. It rolls and swivels easily with all my tools in it. It probably weighs about 1200 to 1300 pounds fully loaded with the tools. The springs on the casters make it very easy to roll over uneven surfaces or expansion joints in the concrete.

I'm out of the country for a few days on business so I can get some pictures of the drawer slides when I get back.

The weld quality is good but again not up to the matco/snap-on standards. You really can't notice anything unless you are really looking closely at the seams (and that's getting very picky).

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by momswgn

Your lucky, my local HF doesn't carry the 72" in stock. I would have to pay for shipping. I'm considering the 72" Extreme box form Strictly Tool Boxes. I've never touched either of these boxes but the price difference is probably only $2-300 total. The Extreme comes with a SS top but no spring casters.

I too looked at the different toolboxes that StrictlyToolboxes.com sells but this was a better buy for me because I really needed the 20 drawers (the Extreme and Montezuma and I thing Mountain boxes have at the most 17). The stainess top is nice but I never needed it on my old Matco box and witht he rubber mat on top I can replace it for $30 bucks if I need to and it is stain/oils resistant and the tools stay put if I roll it around. (although, I don't roll it around much because I just use a service cart that I load up with tolls for that).

[momswgn]

Anybody know of any HF in the Southwest with these boxes in stock. Would be nice to use that 20% off coupon.

[930dreamer]

Hello, can you post the item/model number. I can't locate on HF?

I found it

[Fedwrench]

I guess putting a Craftsman logo on a Chinese box isn't any worse than Sears doing it. Of course, someone may go crazy trying to find the box in a Craftsman tool catalog but, that's entertainment.

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by Fedwrench

I guess putting a Craftsman logo on a Chinese box isn't any worse than Sears doing it. Of course, someone may go crazy trying to find the box in a Craftsman tool catalog but, that's entertainment.

That's right. Just about all Sears Craftsman toolboxes are made in china. Waterloo, which makes 90% of toolboxes for Sears (and even makes the new $9,000 toolbox series just like Snap-on) for sears. Has outsourced all the Sears toolbox manufactuing to China.

[M-technik-3]

No stores around this area carry that box just the small one. Shame I'd ratther have the longer box than 2 smaller 44's.

[ManicMechanic]

Looks like a Torin box, but pretty nice for the money

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by ManicMechanic

Looks like a Torin box, but pretty nice for the money

Actually, this is the same toolbox as a Torin. It is made by the same factory in China. I emailed the Chinese factory and talked to the Torin company (Torin Chase) in Ontario CA. Torin Chase is the largest toolbox distributor in the world. Most, if not all, of their toolboxes are made in China. The Torin brand that they sell in NorthernTool stores around the country is all made at the same factory that this one is. This is the exact same toolbox as the 72" one on the Nothern Tool website that sells for $1000.00 more. The name plate on the toolbox is the ONLY difference. Check out the reviews and what othes paid for by going to www.northerntool.com and checking out the Torin 72" toolbox.

[PistolWhip]

That thing is NICE! I didn't even know HF had a box that big, or that nice for that matter. I'm not impressed with the US General box that you usually see at the HF stores even a little bit. The finish is HORRID and the drawers don't seem to be even remotely close to the quality of my Ranger box.
That's 72"er looks much nicer than the US General box. I know my local store doesn't have it, but I'd love to see it in person.

[200horse]

seen it in person and coming from a guy that has owned may snap on tool boxes this is a steal !!!

I will end up buying one some day

i think its well made for the money

[Jthomas]

What size are the drawers? depth/width

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by Jthomas

What size are the drawers? depth/width

The side drawers are 14.5" wide the middle drawers are 35" wide and they are all 26.5" deep. All are grip latch.

[Joel 67]

Do you use Hansen or similar style socket racks? If so, can you stand up a fully loaded 1/2" deep rack in one of the top drawers, or is the drawer too shallow?

I ask because on my box, the deep drawers are near the bottom of the box and it is a pain in the arse to have to bend down to get the tools I use most often.

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by Joel 67

Do you use Hansen or similar style socket racks? If so, can you stand up a fully loaded 1/2" deep rack in one of the top drawers, or is the drawer too shallow?

I ask because on my box, the deep drawers are near the bottom of the box and it is a pain in the arse to have to bend down to get the tools I use most often.

The socket rails are just the plain old steel ones you can get anywhere. I got mine at Harbor Freight for 89 cents a peice. I then screwed them into some aluminum bar stock at Home Depot. I bought all the rails (around 20 of them) and the bar stock for a total of about $35.00. The rails in the photo that you see below are all in the large top drawer...so yes the largest 3/4" or 1/2" socket you have will easily fit in the top drawer on top of socket rails. The depth of the top drawer is around 4 3/8".

[tooltrader]

Originally Posted by Joel 67

Do you use Hansen or similar style socket racks? If so, can you stand up a fully loaded 1/2" deep rack in one of the top drawers, or is the drawer too shallow?

I ask because on my box, the deep drawers are near the bottom of the box and it is a pain in the arse to have to bend down to get the tools I use most often.

Pictures of the socket rails in the top drawer.