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BC-Buck

My Amazon review of Highlifter lack of quality (Disk brake kit)

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Highlifter front disc brakes kit for 2002 Honda Rubicon. Would have gone into more detail but amazon limits review size.

 

Poor quality and parts out of tolerance (buyer beware)

 

My background, been in precision machining industry for over 40 years. Purchased this Highlifter brake kit because they clamed no modification's to calipers to fit my 2002 Honda Rubicon. I am thinking this kit might be put together over seas. First problem is nut in kit that is used to press out factory studs was not even correct thread pitch. Sent a nut that was coarse threads when studs are fine thread same pitch as highlifter studs. Now is when things get ugly. The new studs have a big shoulder you press into Honda stock hub till bottom out . Busted Craftsman vice trying to press so took to work to use hydraulic press. When not going together correct started doing some inspecting and find out studs where manufactured .026" oversized. So oversized they roll the extra metal into corner of stud and no matter what ton press used shoulder of stud will not seat properly leaving gap which will cause rotor to run out. At this point I am in trouble because I need this bike running for farm use next weekend. I end up boring holes in my Honda hub for correct fit to make kit work. Was not going to leave bad review till after talking to highlifter to let them know about problem with kit.  After two calls no response. You tell operator you have problem with parts out of tolerance and the don't even have common curtesy to call back.

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i found out the hard way..lol. got a kit in awhile back, sure enough, there was a sticker on the bag of parts, '' made in china '' !!..i called them up, spoke to a guy on the phone, asked him..i thought this kit is made in usa ??, he replied, '' most of it is..but some parts are made from global materials '' i replied..THEN YOU ARE COMMITING FRUAD ' !!. he got real quit after i said that for a few sec's..said..'' i can't answer that for you sir ''..well no kidding !!. they used to all be made in usa many yrs ago..but like everyone else..they are outsourced these days.

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1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

BC-Buck , what did that Highlifter kit cost you ?  $329 - $349 maybe 

$375 Like said only reason went with them was concerned about wheel clearance and caliper. Hate to think how many kits are being put on bikes with rotors being distorted during assemble. This was a big vice. That shows how much pressure I was using before going hydraulic. I wish I had not been in a bind to get this bike fixed because kit would have gone back with a nasty note.

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!!

 

If you want to get rid of those breaks, 05-11 Foreman, 05-11 Rubicon, and 06-up Rincon disc brakes will bolt on at the ball joints.  You need knuckels, hub/rotor assemblies, calipers and caliper brackets.

 

Would be costly to buy new, but if you find someone parting out a used bike you can swap all of that onto your machine at the ball joints, and then you'd be able to replace components using OEM parts.

 

That, to me, was the biggest issue with aftermarket brakes; not knowing if you could get replacement components in the future if needed.

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49 minutes ago, jeepwm69 said:

!

 

That, to me, was the biggest issue with aftermarket brakes; not knowing if you could get replacement components in the future if needed.

If these fail quickly will go that rout. I tried that first but not easy to locate used.

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6 minutes ago, BC-Buck said:

If these fail quickly will go that rout. I tried that first but not easy to locate used.

if you can afford it NOW ?..LOL...look over at powersport nation..they have tons of used parts. if ya can't find or afford them there ?, search on ebay, that is my last resort when looking for used parts..and most times they will have what i need on ebay.

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On 9/24/2022 at 8:54 AM, BC-Buck said:

$375 Like said only reason went with them was concerned about wheel clearance and caliper. Hate to think how many kits are being put on bikes with rotors being distorted during assemble. This was a big vice. That shows how much pressure I was using before going hydraulic. I wish I had not been in a bind to get this bike fixed because kit would have gone back with a nasty note.

IMG_0936.JPG

it took me a good few yrs...before i finally broke down, and went to harbor freight, and bought their 20 ton shop floor press, i used to do a crap load of work with my bench vise ?, but there were times i needed more pressure ?, so i got the 20 ton shop floor press..and it has paid for itself these past few yrs.

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This is sad… all my HL products I’ve always been extremely happy with. Hope it all works out!

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On 9/24/2022 at 8:57 AM, shadetree said:

i found out the hard way..lol. got a kit in awhile back, sure enough, there was a sticker on the bag of parts, '' made in china '' !!..i called them up, spoke to a guy on the phone, asked him..i thought this kit is made in usa ??, he replied, '' most of it is..but some parts are made from global materials '' i replied..THEN YOU ARE COMMITING FRUAD ' !!. he got real quit after i said that for a few sec's..said..'' i can't answer that for you sir ''..well no kidding !!. they used to all be made in usa many yrs ago..but like everyone else..they are outsourced these days.

 

Even my beloved Miller welder. Assembled in Appleton, WI, using globally sourced parts.

My ironworker is US made.

Edited by hodge5
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5 minutes ago, hodge5 said:

 

Even my beloved Miller welder. Assembled in Appleton, WI, using globally sourced parts.

My ironworker is US made.

How old is the iron worker?

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1 minute ago, BC-Buck said:

How old is the iron worker?

4 years old. Metalpro 4500.

Edited by hodge5
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we just gotta face facts..until dipstick is out of the wh ?, and we boycott china products ?, we are stuck with imported junk from all over the world..mostly china !. picked up two oil seals from my honda dealer today for my 450 project, first thing i did was flip the bag over, read where it was made ?..no..not china this time !..in Vietnam !!!..lord help us. i knew many yrs ago when shopping at wally world ( walmart ) when i first seen '' made in china '' on products ?, i knew we were headed down a slippery slope right then !. then sears started selling china tools ?, oh man..that hit me very hard..i'm a craftsman tool die hard !!..or was ?!..lol. now lowes is selling craftsman after sears closed their doors. even dewalt is not made in usa..right along with all other top name products. we are sooooooo screwed right now !.

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I like the older Craftsman tools, too. I avoid the new Chinese stuff, and buy the older when I need it. I can usually find what I want on Ebay.

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I've had good luck at pawn shops.... Lucked out a complete set of S&K 1/4 drive socket set with the roto head, 1st roto head ever had, now i have 1/4,3/8,1/2 fine tooth, I'll use them more then any other ratchet...... Payed $50. I also have tools my grandfather gave me one of which is a old school craftman 1/2 in. drive has the metal reverse switch, not that plastic mess. 

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I still have bad memories of first roto heads that where coming out of Japan and could never get them to reverse without needing to finesse them.

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10 hours ago, _Wilson_™ said:

I've had good luck at pawn shops.... Lucked out a complete set of S&K 1/4 drive socket set with the roto head, 1st roto head ever had, now i have 1/4,3/8,1/2 fine tooth, I'll use them more then any other ratchet...... Payed $50. I also have tools my grandfather gave me one of which is a old school craftman 1/2 in. drive has the metal reverse switch, not that plastic mess. 

When I was a kid, my dad had purchased a Ford 3600 tractor from a friend. He also bought a 3/4 inch socket set from the same friend, for $20.00. That set stayed in the barn for years- 30+- and I eventually found the old red toolbox. I asked dad about it, and he said "Take it. I don't need it". 

It's a complete 3/4" Snap-On socket set. It is no longer chromed and shiny, but it is solid and all there. We had never explored what was in that toolbox.

 

Edited by hodge5

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4 minutes ago, hodge5 said:

When I was a kid, my dad had purchased a Ford 3600 tractor from a friend. He also bought a 3/4 inch socket set from the same friend, for $20.00. That set stayed in the barn for years- 30+- and I eventually found the old red toolbox. I asked dad about it, and he said "Take it. I don't need it". 

It's a complete 3/4" Snap-On socket set. It is no longer chromed and shiny, but it is solid and all there. We had never explored what was in that toolbox.

 

I bought Harbor freight 3/4" set. When I put some torque on the set the chrome pops off outside of socket.

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41 minutes ago, BC-Buck said:

I still have bad memories of first roto heads that where coming out of Japan and could never get them to reverse without needing to finesse them.

 

Oh yeah those were junk, but not this S&K I've use a 3 footer cheeter bar on one just like the one with the silver switch (same model as the one taken apart) the one with black switch ? I don't that an S&K could be an updated model but that switch is also metal, i won't hardly use any other ratchet, but these can skin knuckles real easy, but not as bad as those flex heads.i wouldn't take hardly anything for those SK rotos i reckon this should go in the shop tool thread.

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52 minutes ago, hodge5 said:

When I was a kid, my dad had purchased a Ford 3600 tractor from a friend. He also bought a 3/4 inch socket set from the same friend, for $20.00. That set stayed in the barn for years- 30+- and I eventually found the old red toolbox. I asked dad about it, and he said "Take it. I don't need it". 

It's a complete 3/4" Snap-On socket set. It is no longer chromed and shiny, but it is solid and all there. We had never explored what was in that toolbox.

 

 

 Wow! No telling what that's worth...... You can try taking it back to the snap-on tool truck, there hand tools life time warranty ( or they used to be) i took a 3/8 drive that et up with rust, they swopped it out for a brand new one exactly like the one i turned in.

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49 minutes ago, BC-Buck said:

I bought Harbor freight 3/4" set. When I put some torque on the set the chrome pops off outside of socket.

 

Yeah my pops was given a set of china made....... Had the samething happen, then the socket itself would form cracks, i updates to a craftsman 3/4 inch drive set  i wanted SK ........ But at there price .........naw.

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10 minutes ago, _Wilson_™ said:

 

 Wow! No telling what that's worth...... You can try taking it back to the snap-on tool truck, there hand tools life time warranty ( or they used to be) i took a 3/8 drive that et up with rust, they swopped it out for a brand new one exactly like the one i turned in.

 

SnapOn trucks are a joke nowadays , say you go to one while they are at one of their stops , you would be lucky if they help you , maybe something simple ,but you are taking inventory off thier truck that they could sell and they don't get anything from Snap On for doing warranty , we use to have a Snap On distribution store in St Rose Louisiana , but it has long time now closed , the Snap On truck guys  have told me " where is your shop located , where do you live ??? Oh that is Joe Blows area ---- Call and  Go to your designated salesman !!! " ----  Most of the time they don't give you a new ratchet , they just change the guts 

 

I have always loved tools ---- Years ago I got hooked up with these guys from San Antonio Traders from E-Bay when it was good , who were buying ,  at auction all the tools and such  from naval vessels that were getting refurbed in the shipyards in San Diego , story went every time a vessel would go in for major renovation , the tool set was replaced , I have Snap On sockets up to 6 inch , some are 1 inch drive and up to 1 +1/2 inch drive and the multipliers to turn them , some of them big ones have never been on a nut before in their life and I can say they  never will by me 

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I am disappointed that Eric from @SuperATV has not made a comment on the original thread about disc conversion , they were giving discounts to members of this site

 

I have been a test pilot for SuperATV disc kits , I have 3 - 300s with modified 2wd disc kit , 3 - 4wd 300s with disc in the front  , 2 - 450s with disc in the front and rear and working on a 300 / 250 Fourtrax rear end with a disc conversion that I have not finished yet ------ All in all I have 11 Super ATV disc kits in the yard right now ----  and  I have had real good service from them 

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1 hour ago, _Wilson_™ said:

 

 Wow! No telling what that's worth...... You can try taking it back to the snap-on tool truck, there hand tools life time warranty ( or they used to be) i took a 3/8 drive that et up with rust, they swopped it out for a brand new one exactly like the one i turned in.

 

I don't know how the quality compares now, but a new set from Snap-On is $1200+.

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