5 Harbor Freight Pittsburgh Automotive Tools You Can Only Buy In-Store

You may or may not realize it, but the bulk of the items you find for sale through Harbor Freight Tools’ online and brick-and-mortar outlets are from brands that are actually owned by the retailer. To that end, they are sold exclusively through those very outlets.

If you’re unfamiliar with the brands owned by the family-operated home improvement chain, that list includes Pittsburgh, which designs and manufacturers budget-friendly devices for DIY jobs of all shapes and sizes. If you’re shopping for Pittsburgh-branded products through the Harbor Freight Tools website, you’ll find a wide variety of non-powered devices, including hand tools like wrenches, drivers, and pry bars, as well as heavier duty gear such as motorcycle lifts, car jacks, and shop cranes to choose from.

Despite the wide array of tools and devices, you might be surprised to find that quite a few of those Pittsburgh-branded tools are not actually available for purchase online, and instead bear the “In-store Only” tag on their product page. Whatever reason the retailer has for assigning the tools those labels, you will indeed have to journey out to your local Harbor Freight Tools store if you want to add them to your collection. Here’s a few Pittsburgh automotive tools we think are worth the trip.

Working on a car can be tough enough on your body, whether you’re simply leaning over the engine or changing a tire. It should go without saying that anything that needs to be done underneath the car only further exacerbates the stress on your body. A creeper will not entirely solve that problem, of course, but it will go a long way in easing that stress, particularly on your back.

Pittsburgh does indeed make creepers for Harbor Freight Tools, but at the moment, if you want to bring the brand’s low-profile model into your garage, you’ll have to visit a store to do so. Well, that’s true of the green, blue, and black versions at least, as the white model appears to be available for purchase online. If you’re looking to add a little color to your shop, however, it’s in-store or bust.

The creeper boasts a 300-pound weight capacity, and its frame is manufactured from a single piece of high-impact PVC. The low roller is also fit with six swivel casters, has small storage areas on either side, and is oil and solvent resistant. On top of that, it features a built-in padded headrest and should be rustproof to boot. While some users report quality issues, the creeper boasts a 4.5-star rating overall, with many claiming it’s a sturdy, capable device worth the $39.99 price tag.

Harbor Freight has become a bit of a hot bed for shoppers in need of an affordable automotive floor jack of late. While Daytona is, perhaps, the brand most often mentioned in reference to Harbor Freight’s car jacks, Pittsburgh has more than a few available in the Harbor Freight marketplace too. Daytona may boast a few desirable qualities by comparison, but the Pittsburgh floor jacks should more than meet the needs of those who often dwell in shop environments.

Pittsburgh’s Low-Profile Racing Floor Jack may be one of those worthy shop additions, though you will have to step out to a Harbor Freight outlet if you want to put one to work in your own garage. It’ll also cost you some $229.99 at the checkout counter as well.

If the floor jack’s 4.8-star user rating is any indication, it may be worth both the cost and the trip, with Harbor Freight shoppers largely praising it for its low-profile design and ability to lift many smaller automobiles. Regarding the floor jack’s abilities, Harbor Freight claims its dual-pump system allows it to lift its capacity 5,000-pounds in a mere three pumps. It’s also made of durable and lightweight aluminum, fit with a rubber saddle to prevent scarring of the vehicle’s body, and designed with a half-turn release mechanism for smooth and easy lowering.

Circling back to smaller non-powered hand tools in Pittsburgh’s lineup, there are quite a few ratchets, bits, and sets to choose from, most of which are available for purchase through Harbor Freight’s website. While you can have a proper look at Pittsburgh’s 1/2-inch Drive Extendable Ratchet through the company’s site, you cannot actually purchase it there.

The good news is that if you do head out to your local Harbor Freight store in search of the ratchet, you might get a little bit of a discount on it, with its product page currently noting it is selling for $19.99, which is down $2 from its typical retail price of $21.99.

That modest price buys you a 4.8-star rated tool that most users claim is capable, and even above average for the price point. They claim it’s durable as well, with Pittsburgh manufacturing it out of chrome-vanadium steel. The 72-tooth telescoping ratchet boasts six locking positions and is designed to extend from 12-inches up to 18-inches in length to make it easy to reach bolts in harder to reach engine places, while also allowing for additional torque when needed. On top of that, the tool is backed by Pittsburgh’s lifetime warranty, ensuring you should be able to get a replacement if it fails due to any defects in workmanship or materials.

Working on a motorcycle is a prime time pastime for gearheads who prefer vehicles with just two wheels. It can also be pretty dangerous, however, as such modes of transportation can easily be thrown off-kilter and topple to the ground or onto the very person doing the tinkering, which will result either in severe damage to the motorcycle or your body.

Thankfully, there is a very easy fix to that conundrum, as brands like Pittsburgh manufacture stands to hold the motorcycle in place while you work. Pittsburgh’s model is, essentially, an all-steel wheel chock that secures the front wheel of the bike and locks it in on the back side. The tilting wheel adapter can be adjusted to fit tires between 15-inches and 22-inches in size, is fit with two eye loops for additional securing via straps, and can handle a motorcycle up to 1,800-pounds in weight.

Perhaps best of all, the stand is typically priced at $69.99, making it a low-cost way to protect yourself and your gear, even if you will need to get to a Harbor Freight store to procure one. Users would have you believe it is worth that investment, bestowing on it a 4.6-star rating, though some claim it is prone to sliding when loading and unloading the motorcycle.

If you’re looking for a heavy-lifting crane that is a little more focused on use in a garage environment, Pittsburgh’s 2 Ton Foldable Shop Crane is another item that looks to be well worth the drive out to your closest Harbor Freight outlet. That is assuming, of course, that the crane is currently in stock at that outlet. For the record, you can find that in-stock status out for this, or any Pittsburgh products listed here by checking their Harbor Freight product page online.

The foldability of this 4.7-star rated Pittsburgh shop crane makes it ideal for any garage or workshop lacking in space, as you can easily store it away when it’s not in use. It’s also equipped with six 3-1/2-inch casters so you can easily roll it around the space when needed. Apart from that, the crane is designed to lift up to 4,000-pounds, which should be more than sufficient for many DIY garage projects.

The ASME-PASE compliant device is also equipped with an extendable boom arm that stretches from 41-inches to 61 3/4-inches. In terms of height, the crane also adjusts from 75 3/16-inches to 90 1/2-inches, so you should be able to use it when lifting engines out of some trucks and SUVs. Those engines will be held by a sturdy Clevis grab hook with safety latch equipped with safety latch.