The Harbor Freight Tool That Can Come In Handy If You're Working On An Older Car

Working on cars requires a pretty robust arsenal of tools. As a result, walking into somewhere like Harbor Freight to stock up isn't a challenge. In fact, the chain has gone out of its way to provide specialized items for such needs. For example, Harbor Freight has many gadgets to help with DIY car projects, along with several handy tool sets that make working on older vehicles a breeze.

Few things are as frustrating as working on a car, only to find that the hardware is unusable. Over time, nuts and bolts can strip, with screws becoming near impossible to remove with drill bits. Similarly, holes can lose their threading, further weakening the connection. This is where one of Harbor Freight's Tap and Die Sets can save the day. The tap elements are intended to rethread holes and reestablish connection with hardware, while the die externally rethreads bolts, studs, and the like. This covers what a tap and die set can do, especially if working on an older car in need of some hardware repair. With that said, there's more to know if you're considering Harbor Freight's set offerings.

Of the many tool brands owned by Harbor Freight, a few offer tap and die sets for easy older car repair. Despite sharing a parent company, these sets aren't all the same. Its options feature metric and SAE measurement systems and come at varying price points. The cheapest is currently the Pittsburgh 21-Piece Carbon Steel SAE Tap and Die Set at $11.99, while the most expensive is the $139.99 Icon 41-Piece Metric Tap and Die Set. The latter is also the highest-rated with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating average from over 140 buyers. Thankfully, the rest also possess largely positive ratings, with none making the list of Harbor Freight tools you should think twice about buying.

Evidently, while each's piece-count factors into the price differences, there's more to the cost than this aspect alone. Looking through the selection, you'll find a few different material options. The aforementioned Pittsburgh and Icon sets are made from carbon and tungsten molybdenum steel, respectively. If you're concerned about your set lasting for the long haul, the $89.99 Pittsburg 45-piece Titanium Nitride-Coated Alloy Steel Metric Tap and Die Set comes with a special protective coating that ensures longevity. Ultimately, the set that's right for you should be based on your needs, habits, brand preferences, and budget.