Watch out for that 'universal' flange gasket kit from Harbor Freight

I was in a pinch on a job site in Toledo last month and grabbed a cheap flange gasket kit, the one they sell as a universal fix. It was only about $35, so I figured why not. Big mistake. I used it on a 150 psi steam line flange, and it failed in under 48 hours. We had to shut the whole line down, re-scrape the flange faces, and lost a full day of work for two guys. The material just disintegrated under the heat and pressure. That 'savings' cost us over $1,200 in lost time and a proper gasket. Has anyone found a decent budget brand for gaskets that actually holds up, or is it always worth paying for the name brand stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

karen_nelson402d ago

Cheap stuff always costs more in the end...

verap522d ago

My old Honda Civic from 2003 is still running fine. Sometimes the cheaper option just gets the job done without any fuss. It really depends on what you're buying.