Harbor Freight has come out with new Pittsburgh low-profile creepers in a range of colors.
It looks like these low-profile Pittsburgh creepers were available in gray, and now they are also available in black, blue, and green.
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Harbor Freight sent out a newsletter about the new Pittsburgh creepers, and I find the new product expansion to be interesting for two reasons.
First, new colors are great! Harbor Freight’s US General tool boxes, carts, and accessories are available in a range of colors. Why not color options for their creepers as well? Seems like a good idea.
Second, Harbor Freight’s marketing has deviated a little from their usual “everything must go,” “blow out,” and “unbelievable prices” strategies. Sure, there’s still a “compare to” mention in the newsletter and on the product pages, but that’s not the main focus.
Features & Specs
- 40″ length
- 18-1/4″ width
- 300 lbs load capacity
- One-piece PVC frame
- padded headrest
- 6 swivel casters
- Built-in tool storage
- Non-rusting
Harbor Freight describes these creepers as being oversized and low-profile, and able to clear the undercarriage of most vehicles.
Price: $35
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The blue, green, black, and gray creepers are only available in-stores. Harbor Freight has another gray creeper that’s identical in appearance and available online, but it’s unclear if there are differentiations or reasons for the separate listings.
Comparison
This looks a lot like the Pro Lift mechanics creeper, although the Pro Lift has a higher load capacity (350 lbs) and is made from HDPE rather than PVC.
There’s also a less expensive Pro Lift model without built-in tool storage trays – $34 via Amazon.
Jared
Does PVC vs. HDPE make a difference?
Looks good otherwise. I’m in no rush to replace my current creepers, but a model like this looks like something I would consider.
Is this style without any padding comfortable? My current creepers don’t bug me and obviously don’t have much (maybe an inch), so I presume this curved design would be fine.
Chris
HDPE is probably more chemical resistant.
Adabhael
HDPE likely also less awful for the planet and the people who manufactured it, and more likely to be recycled. Vinyl is nasty stuff, especially when chlorinated.
Paul
Boy are you totally showing your ignorance. The most common polymerizing agent for vinyl ester is indeed chlorine, a derivative of salt domes. It is highly corrosive. In the environment it almost immediately reacts with moisture in the air to form hydrochloric acid which is neutralized very quickly back into salts. There are no long term residual effects. Other than corrosion it is so benign it is the key ingredient in bleach and not even mentioned by the anti-salt crowd that go bonkers over sodium.
Polyethylene (HDPE) on the other hand starts out similar to vinyl esters…leftover crude oil sludge is treated to produce ethane. The ethane gas is mixed with benzene which is derived from natural gas as the polymerizing agent. Benzene is much more stable and a known carcinogen. Unlike chlorine it doesn’t just neutralize in the environment. With both of them capturing the fumes is a key part of the manufacturing process for both environmental reasons and production losses. Benzene easily goes into drinking water and aquifers and is hard to get rid of. It is one of the things all water plants test for annually.
Then there is the political side. EU is basically full of oligopolies because of the nature of their political system. It’s very easy to be subject to industry capture.PVC is cheaper (lower margins) so the plastics industry has convinced the EU to ban a lot of cheaper uses to drive up profits by promoting pseudoscientific studies. This is sort of like doing studies on asbestos fibers that are not commercially useful (fibers are way too small) and not even chemically the same stuff then applying the results to those that are commercially used since there was no carcinogenic effect when the tests were run on commercial fibers.
I can prove that water is toxic too. Would you like a liter of ultra pure HPLC water to drink? Hint: it has all kinds of “poison” symbols on the bottle but i can assure you it’s just water. Based on this shouldn’t we ban drinking water? Because that’s what your claims are based on.
With both of them you get small amounts of residual organic molecules many of which are toxic or carcinogenic in high concentrations but are not known to be harmful in low concentrations. Still pseudoscience run amuck has made this a “controversy”.
There are performance differences. Basically think of HDPE like a very thick piece of taffy and PVC like very dense styrofoam. HDPE is going to bend and flex and tear apart easier but it survives impacts much better. So if you work with a pit instead of a lift and creepers get knocked in or you drop stuff on it, HDPE is a better choice. PVC is going to crack easier but it is inherently stiffer so it won’t flex and bend like a noodle under your weight so much. If you fit the “shape” and are working flat, form fitting creepers like this beat my metal frame padded one but i work more on trucks and SUVs.
Ben
What a great technical comment…. that starts out with an insult. Why? Why not just go into the technical, which is very interesting.
Jared
Here’s a very similar-looking version sold in Canada. Also 40″ long, but it states 280lbs capacity.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/product/PA0008879942
Nate
Almost everything you said was inaccurate or outright nonsense:
> *The most common polymerizing agent for vinyl ester is indeed chlorine*
No, chlorine is not a “polymerizing agent”. The base vinyl chloride monomer is, as you might notice from the name, already chorinated. Polymerization is initiated by organic peroxides. The monomer itself is produced by chlorination of naptha or alkene feedstock, sometimes using mercury-based catalysts. As Adabhael said, nasty stuff.
> *a derivative of salt domes.*
Um, you mean a derivative of salt? Who cares where the salt comes from?
> *In the environment [chlorine] almost immediately reacts with moisture in the air to form hydrochloric acid, blah blah*
Nobody cares about free chlorine. The environmental hazard in PVC production comes from the chlorinated organics, for example the vinyl chloride monomer, which is a recognized carcinogen. There are also concerns about plasticisers (e.g., phthalates) and lead-based heat stabilizers, neither of which are used in bulk HDPE.
> *The ethane gas is mixed with benzene which is derived from natural gas as the polymerizing agent.*
No, benzene has no role in polyethylene production. An early production method used benzaldehyde, but that’s a very different chemical and is safe enough to be used in food flavoring.
> *PVC is cheaper (lower margins) so the plastics industry has convinced the EU to ban a lot of cheaper uses to drive up profits by promoting pseudoscientific studies.*
Evidence, please. This sentence doesn’t even make sense.
> *This is sort of like doing studies on asbestos fibers that are not commercially useful (fibers are way too small) and not even chemically the same stuff then applying the results to those that are commercially used since there was no carcinogenic effect when the tests were run on commercial fibers.*
No, all types of asbestos show carcinogenic activity. There is a wide variation in danger between different types, and the most commercially common type (chrysotile) is the least dangerous, but it is still a universally recognized carcinogen. Plus, the more dangerous amphibole asbestos was widely used in commercial products, for example ceiling tiles.
> *There are performance differences. Basically think of HDPE like a very thick piece of taffy and PVC like very dense styrofoam.*
This is silly. HDPE is nothing like taffy, in any way. And PVC’s properties are highly variable, depending on plasticizers and other additives, but “very dense styrofoam” doesn’t accurately describe any kind of PVC in common use.
The rest of your comment regarding the properties of the two materials used in these creepers isn’t very useful, because there’s so much variation in the properties based on chemical and manufacturing methods, particularly for the PVC. You have no way of knowing, for example, that the HDPE product will “bend and flex and tear apart easier” or that the PVC is “inherently stiffer”, because you don’t know what kind of HDPE is used, and you don’t know how heavily plasticized the PVC is. Plus, you have no idea how these products are physically structured. It’s possible you’re right, and it’s also possible you have it completely backward.
Franco Calcagni
I agree with Ben, no need to insult. Otherwise, good answer.
Matt F
He led with an insult because why bother skipping it when you are mixing conspiracy theories with bits of science. There is a bunch of technical truth in his statement, with some half truths (asbestos description in particular), and some outright misguided oversimplification (political motivations for regulation). He is right to point out that polymerization of vinyl ester with chlorine isn’t the one thing that makes it evil, there is a lot more going on.
Environmental and health impacts of plastics is very complex and application specific. It is particularly complex for PVC, which is a chameleon like plastic that is available in formulations that span from rigid like PVC pipe to soft flexible clear tubing.
For environmental and health impacts, you have to consider the various stages of a product lifecycle including production, exposure during use, and disposal. In the context of a creeper, there are likely not major differences that can be determined without complex analysis.
This stuff is complex. Something as basic as where a material is actually produced can give it a very different environmental impact profile on the production side.
In most industries PVC regulations (Europe and elsewhere) have to do with managing migration of components of the material. PVC formulations are particularly prone to migrations of components, so there are specific regulations addressing this. Not a big concern for a creeper, more so for a dialysis tubing set. HDPE generally presents less exposure risks, but it is much harder to formulate and process it to be good as something like flexible tubing.
As for part performance, this is going to have as much to do with the part design as material selection. These things go together. PVC can be formulated to be just as tough as HDPE (I’m looking at you impenetrable PVC clamshell packaging). Ultimately, the only way to tell which product is stiffer is to use it, bounce up and down. As for toughness, that one is hard to tell as it has a lot to do with things like managing stress concentrations and the exact formulation in the case of PVC.
So in summary just using the product or reviews will provide the best performance info.
Rick
The Harbor Freight creeper is 4″ longer and 2¼” wider than the Pro Lift.
Neither one would work for me though, I’m 6’6″.
I will continue to slid on a piece of cardboard. LOL
W
I’m 6’4″. To get my head on the pad, I have to hang my butt off usually
Bruce
I picked one up today. My old craftsman creeper has tears in the padding and the wheels are significantly smaller. This one rolls nicer. PVC may no be ideal, but it’ll hold up to oil and grease which is what it’s going to see most often. I’d be careful with the brake clean.
Mac
If I only had concrete or asphalt. Everything at my place is 3/4 minus.
RonJon
Pvc should be stiffer and resist sag when your fat butts all lay in these things on a hot summers eve lol
Jason
I’ve always just used a sheet of cardboard, but the Lisle Creeper is on my wish list. It does seem like the raised head position of the Lisle Creeper would be more comfortable. Still, the tool trays on today’s post are a nice feature.
Frank D
Did HF do awaywith their flyers?
Have not seen one in a while.
Stuart
A lot of tool retailers have been doing so well that maybe Harbor Freight decided to save on printing and advertising fees?
Frank D
Quite possibly. What struck me as odd is, I can’t even find any of their usual flyers or attention grabbers on their site. It is one thing to go digital only. But that’s not happening. Looking online briefly, there is a YT video that appears to say everything printed was stopped a month ago, just paid inside track now.
My 0.02, no more coupons as usual will backfire on traffic and sales.
Rick
They still have their super coupons in some magazines.
Robin
I’ve noticed more communication via email and their app. I haven’t received a flier in several months maybe a full year.
They still have paper fliers in their stores.
I still don’t understand their marketing and how they are able to get away with comparing their pricing to a major National brand and still say you’re saving $XXX over buying the National brand.
rob
Indeed, they did away with flyers. They’ll, have revolving sales (no coupon required) and a random one or two coupons online and instore per month. Or something of that nature.
Bob Smith
I’m still using my wooden Craftsman creeper from 1970.
Bob
The red colored HF one I had did not hold up well. The part where one of the wheel assembly’s mounts busted. Never was all that comfortable to begin with. But like other tall guys said I might be out side the one size fits all size( 6’4”).
I’ll just go back to using my ancient oak, bronze and steel creaper I was using before. Might recover the vinly head pad tho.
Adabhael
Thanks to all for the additional information, especially Nate for the chemistry, and Matt F about the need to assess impacts across the whole life cycle for a particular product. I made a broad generalization extrapolating too far from my familiarity with prior work assessing the polymers in general or building construction applications (e.g. https://doi.org/10.1021/es101640n) and not enough on this specific application. I apologize for being so glib in my first comment, and I am taking the opportunity to learn more.
mattd
you can get this for $27.99 through 3/19/2021 with this coupon http://www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/4746_ITEM_40_IN.__300LB._CAPACITY_LOW-PROFILE_CREEPERS_1615491280.9833.jpg you can just show them on your phone.
David Tran
I have their grey ones and it does not look any different, the only difference is with coupons in the past,it cost only $19.99.
Everything that harbor freight decide to give color options to marks the price up considerably I feel
Dave Brock
has anyone else tried these, any more reviews?
david brock
another month later and no updates? Come on folks, someone had to have bought this and would be willing to leave a comment.