Best come-a-long to keep in your toolbox?

[4Eyedturd]

The tow strap thread reminded me about asking this. I keep 2 come a longs in the truck tool box and they’ve gotten me out of a spot or two. Both are harbor freight but I’ve managed to fuck them up or pulled the cable out of the spool end twice. Are the chain style ones worth keeping in your toolbox or stick with a good cable one?

 

[aczlan]

I have a chain type lever hoist and really like it. I like that I can use it to lift and lower things in a more controlled fashion than I feel comfortable doing with a cable come along.
I have also used it to load a backhoe attachment on a trailer, worked well for that too.


Aaron Z

 

[total newb]

The cast iron 3t. Theyre more exspencive but take the beating a lot better.


A smart man with a well thought out and setup hi-lift can use it as a winch, jack, hoiste, and clamp. I like the 60" for more work between resets.

 

[Thatg9659]

I had two come a longs and a chain fall here at the shop somewhere, couldn't find them so I bought a new reese unit, absofuckinlute garbage, pawls don't line up for shit and the ratcheting release is junk, I'm lifting barrels that weigh up to 900lbs with it and It makes me stand with feet far apart. I keep using it even though I found the others since hoping that it will wear into to a better working unit. ave likes the kito lifter but they ain't 30 doll hairs. using a chainfall horizontally sucks.

 

[Hooligan]

I had the HF version for a few years, never used for full extraction of a stuck vehicle, more for stability while the winch worked. Cable itself was too short for real work and the hooks sucked (too small) for holding a strap. But, it had its purpose. Used it around the garage to pull stuff. I killed it last year trying to separate a rusted PTO shaft.

Seems like most of those cheaper cable versions were all the same, I’d look at each stores brand and didn’t seem like any change in quality.

With my recent purchase of a heavy truck - Ram 2500, I ponied up the big bucks for the cast iron version the More Power Puller. It ain’t cheap, $300. It is damn beefy, heavy sucker, has 35’ of synthetic rope.

I haven’t had occasion to use it yet.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I carry a 2-ton Harbor Freight come along an assortment of 2" ratchet straps, some ~5ft chains and a tow strap in all my shitboxes. The system works fine even if I have to go slow.. Sure a big cast one or a chain style hoist would be nicer but if I spend money on everything you idiots think I should spend money on I wouldn't have six shitboxes a front end loader and a machine shop.



Anyone with a stamped steel come along would do well to weld all the nuts to the bolts.

 

[posford]

I've drug a lot of dead vehicles onto trailers with chain fall, a little clumsy to set up but much better than a come along.

 

[Lilyota]

I have a version of this from a company galled Griphoist.

Forward and reverse simply by moving the handle from one location to another on the device.

Incredibly easy to use and stupid aafe.

 

[subybaja]

if I spend money on everything you idiots think I should spend money on I wouldn't have six shitboxes a front end loader and a machine shop.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

The cast iron 3t. Theyre more exspencive but take the beating a lot better.

Yes

My father in law gave me an old rusty one and it ended up being badass. I've used it a handful of times for random shit. My buddy bought a fancy new come a long and it actually looks identical but has synthetic rope. With how heavy mine is, I may do that one day.