Ensure These Harbor Freight Tools Last Longer With This Simple Maintenance Tip

Harbor Freight sells hundreds of different power tools aimed at DIY enthusiasts and cost-conscious professionals. They can be a game changer for home improvement projects, including everything from repairing vehicles to welding, woodworking, and yard and garden maintenance. The three principal power tool brands are Warrior, Bauer, and Hercules (Harbor Freight owns nine tool brands in all). Each has a different price range and performance levels, and either a brush or brushless motor. 

Brush motors are compatible with cordless tools and are often still used in budget models; however, brushless motors make more efficient use of the available battery power. One of the main reasons is that within a brush motor, the carbon brushes make physical contact with the coil winding (commutator). This creates friction. Energy is required to overcome that friction. It doesn't matter with a tool that is plugged in, but it does cause a battery to drain more quickly. Friction also causes the brushes to wear, so if you have a Harbor Freight power tool with a brush motor, the simple maintenance tip to ensure it lasts longer is to replace the worn carbon brushes. 

Brush motors have been around for well over 100 years. They are well-proven, usually reliable, and relatively cheap to produce. Brushless motors were introduced around 2004, as cordless tools became more popular. If you don't know what type of motor your tool has, you can check your owner's manual.

Don't be put off by tools with brush motors, thinking this is a task that you need to do often. Not only are these models almost invariably more affordable than their brushless equivalents, but the carbon brushes can last anywhere from 50 to 200 working hours. There may be reasons to splurge on a quality cordless drill with a brushless motor, for example, but if you only use a tool occasionally, the brushes in a budget model could last a lifetime.

However, if the tool is used rigorously, is stopped and started frequently, or is regularly subjected to dusty and dirty environments, brush wear can be an issue. There are some easily recognized indicators that the brushes need changing, and most of the time, you don't need to start taking the tool apart to determine if that's the problem.

Electric brush motors often give off small sparks, but if this happens frequently, it may indicate that the brushes are not making continuous contact because they are worn down. Another common indicator is that the tool starts, then cuts out for no apparent reason, then starts up again. It may also get a lot hotter than usual, and you might hear crackles or hisses coming from the motor. If you're getting one or more of these symptoms, it's a clear sign the brushes on your Harbor Freight tool need to be replaced.

To change the brushes, you'll need to disassemble the tool. This also gives you the opportunity for one final check: it's recommended that brushes be changed if they're down to ¼ of their original size or less. Some of Harbor Freight's tools come with spare brushes (which are useful for comparison), or they can be ordered online.

The brushes can be located using your owner's manual. There are two, one on either side. The exact procedure may vary slightly from one Harbor Freight power tool to another, but the replacement is typically similar. First, make sure the tool is unplugged or the battery is disconnected. Use a Philips screwdriver to remove the main brush holders and then a thin screwdriver or a nail to release the worn brush. The new ones simply push in, and the tool is reassembled. Take your time. You may want to take some photos with your phone as you dismantle the tool, so you know where everything goes when you put it back together.

Harbor Freight actually recommends that the work be carried out by a technician. If you do it yourself, it will invalidate any remaining warranty, though given how long brushes last, that's likely to have ended. Also, with Harbor Freight's competitive prices, it may not be worth taking it to a repair shop. Doing it yourself is not difficult and will ensure your tool lasts longer.