Quoted from HydrogenHuman:I'm having this problem with my Harbor Freight lift where when I try to press the release handle, it won't engage smoothly.
So for example, I'll jack up a machine, and then I'll try to gradually release the hydraulic pressure, but there seems to be this threshold point on the handle where it just won't release. So what ends up happening is I have to keep squeezing it harder and harder, and all of a sudden it releases a large amount of pressure and it causes my machine to fall several inches.
Has anyone encountered this issue and if there's a fix for it? I don't want to end up damaging a machine one day because it drops too fast.
I find the trick is to squeeze REALLY, REALLY gently and slowly. Like crazy slow, with just barely increasing force. Usually that prevents the sudden drop for me, and then I get a smooth descent for the pin. But it is tricky to not accidentally squeeze too hard, too fast.
I've also noticed that it's worse the heavier the object that I'm lifting/lowering.