Harbor Freight recalls over 1.7 million jack stands that can suddenly collapse

Harbor Freight is recalling over 1.7 million Pittsburgh-branded jack stands that can suddenly collapse due to a manufacturing flaw. It warned its customers that they need to stop using the defective stands immediately.

The recall campaign includes three- and six-ton stands wearing item numbers 56371, 61196 or 61197. The number is found on the label that's normally affixed to the top or the base of the stand depending on the model; it should be clearly legible. Harbor Freight told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it realized the tooling used to make the stands near Hangzhou, China, had become worn out due to age and was manufacturing inconsistent parts. As a result, the ratchet teeth might not be deep enough to hold the lifting extension in place if a shift in weight occurs, like when you're banging on a rusty brake drum with a mallet, and the stand could collapse without warning. That's bad news if you're under it, working on a 4,700-pound SUV.

There's no word yet on whether any injuries or deaths are blamed on the defect. There is also no word on whether the stands, manufactured by a supplier named Jiaxing Golden Roc Tools Co., Ltd., (and exported by Shanghai Shen Da Import and Export Co Ltd.), might have been sold by other retailers.