Floor jacks

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charley
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Floor jacks

Post by charley »

To the DIY car maintenance crowd, what are your recommendations for floor jacks. I do most of my own car repairs and maintenance, and have made do with a 2-ton trolley jack with a 2 ft handle. I was gifted this jack, but it's leaking and not worth repairing. I just got an older Walker jack (model J-122) that is very sturdy, but needs to be rebuilt. It seems that this would cost about $150. Is it worth it, or should I just get a new, imported jack (~$80 at harbor freight) and plan to replace it every few years?

One repair shop I called said it's a good jack and 'worth it's weight in gold.' On the other hand, I've read some positive things about imported jacks, and price-wise it seems to make sense. Pardon the pun, but is there a boglehead jack?
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gatorman
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by gatorman »

I've got a HF jack. The valve seems a little difficult to turn, but the price was so good I'm ok with it. I say buy the HF jack. The $120 aluminum version is on sale for $70. Here is a link to the coupon:
http://www.harborfreight.com/
I've got the cheap steel version.
-g
Last edited by gatorman on Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
toblerone
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by toblerone »

charley wrote:should I just get a new, imported jack (~$80 at harbor freight) and plan to replace it every few years?
Yes. My cheap steel HF jack has lasted 7 years and going strong. Treat it right and it should last a long time. Don't overload it or leave it under load (using jackstands, right? :!: )
At one point I had their aluminum jack, very nice and light, but sold it with a car.
The only way I would spend more on a jack is if you are doing a lot of DIY.
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Jay69
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by Jay69 »

I think my jack is 3 ton dual pump, I would go out and look in the shop but is below 0 and the shop is 400' from my house, I'm not that nice 8-)

I do love the dual pump, its fast and quick, but and this big I have no issue with the over the seas jacks but do get some well built jack stands (spend the big bucks here) and get used to using them all the time!!!! When working on the car if you are taking the tire off toss that under the car as well.

I worked at a stealership in another life and saw my fair share of cars slip off/fall down etc. Even saw a few loose a foot on the hoist, that will wake you up.

Congrats on taking the time to learn how to fix and take care of your own car, self preservation is a good thing. Today's stuff is easier to fix then the crap I worked on in the 80's with 700' of vacuum lines! They don't make them like they used to thank god :wink:
"Out of clutter, find simplicity” Albert Einstein
Ryan_in_Chi
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by Ryan_in_Chi »

I have this one:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200345429

It works really well. It was recommended to me by a pro. He owns one too.
curmudgeon
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by curmudgeon »

Sometimes Costco has a decent value option on floor jacks. Of course, it will be a different make every year. I've had the one I got there for about 15 years now with no issues (moderate amount of use).
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charley
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by charley »

Thanks for all the replies. I'm glad to hear more positive reviews about import jacks. I've read good things about HF and Arcan; with a HF coupon their jacks are a steal.

I feel bad getting rid of a classic tool, but the old Walker jack only has a 1.5 ton capacity and rebuilding it myself (which isn't trivial) would still cost $60-70.
may pop
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by may pop »

The Arcan jacks are good ones for the money. You will not be disapointed.
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hicabob
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by hicabob »

The cheap floor jacks seem to have a very good lifetime - except ... once I lent mine to a neighbor who was doing tie rods/ball joints on his truck, the considerable hammering (which the jack took the indirect impact of) trashed it. The replacement Sears jack he replaced it with has lasted a couple decades w/ light use and seems the same as when new.
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N1CKV
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by N1CKV »

I have a cheap HF orange painted jack. It lifts my full size truck just fine. I use jack stands if the wheels are coming off, but that's a good practice anyway.
I've worked in an automotive shop in the past as a service manager, I can say the HF jack's valve isn't nearly as smooth and predictable as the more expensive professional line of jacks. You have to be real careful and move it slow to keep it from dropping too quick, but it works just fine.
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OnFire
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by OnFire »

I had the same debate with myself and decided against the HF jack. I looked on eBay and found an aluminum Crafstman New In Box for sale with Buy It Now for I think $90. I'd rather buy a bit better quality and not take the chance with the cheapest tool I can find. Not worth it to me for a critical tool, because if it fails, very bad things can happen. ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!! I don't care if you use milk crates or cheap harbor freight jack stands. Use something. In my work as a paramedic I once found a guy with the entire weight of the car's brake rotor pinning his forearm to the ground, and another guy under his 70's Cadillac after the jack had somehow come down. We used it to pick up the car to get him out, so I don't know how it failed, but he was as dead as fried chicken.
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Topic Author
charley
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by charley »

The Arcan jacks are good ones for the money. You will not be disapointed.
That second endorsement (Ryan_in_chi as well) for Arcan on this board, and adds to the other positive things I've read. Costco carries an Arcan model, and their customer service/return policy add a lot of value to this purchase.
ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!!
I agree completely. It seems that all jacks can fail, regards of price or country of origin, and that one should never rely on a jack.
Spirit Rider
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by Spirit Rider »

hicabob wrote:The cheap floor jacks seem to have a very good lifetime - except ... once I lent mine to a neighbor who was doing tie rods/ball joints on his truck, the considerable hammering (which the jack took the indirect impact of) trashed it. The replacement Sears jack he replaced it with has lasted a couple decades w/ light use and seems the same as when new.
This qualifies for an honorable Darwin award. What in anyone's cranium would ever suggest that you perform any maintenance up on a jack and not jack stands.

Jacks are for raising and lowering only. Also, I sure hope the neighbor wasn't using the jack as a compression device. Another improper use of a jack.

My father drilled it into my head a thousand times. The proper tool for the proper job. Drilled refers to methodical, repetitive training. Although, in this case the individual involved maybe used a drill to clean out his earwax, resulting in the loss reason and common sense.
thewizzer
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by thewizzer »

OnFire wrote:I had the same debate with myself and decided against the HF jack. I looked on eBay and found an aluminum Crafstman New In Box for sale with Buy It Now for I think $90. I'd rather buy a bit better quality and not take the chance with the cheapest tool I can find. Not worth it to me for a critical tool, because if it fails, very bad things can happen. ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!! I don't care if you use milk crates or cheap harbor freight jack stands. Use something. In my work as a paramedic I once found a guy with the entire weight of the car's brake rotor pinning his forearm to the ground, and another guy under his 70's Cadillac after the jack had somehow come down. We used it to pick up the car to get him out, so I don't know how it failed, but he was as dead as fried chicken.
I can't speak to the quality of their jacks specifically, but I doubt a Craftsman is much of a step up from HF. I know it's not the same, but I wish I would have bought a HF tool chest instead of a craftsman.
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dratkinson
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by dratkinson »

Seem to recall buying my pair on sale (~$30 in the '80s) from an auto parts store. Don't remember which. The small 2-ton jack is labeled "Team Mechanix", the 3-ton jack stands "Allied Automotive". They've paid for themselves a few time over (avoided shop labor), but I no longer have any strong desire to crawl under vehicles. Still, they come in handy for the occasional odd job. Their last use made it easy to lift my quieter new/old ~400lb Onan 6.5NH backup generator onto its newly-made mobile cart. So they still serve.
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hicabob
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by hicabob »

Spirit Rider wrote:
hicabob wrote:The cheap floor jacks seem to have a very good lifetime - except ... once I lent mine to a neighbor who was doing tie rods/ball joints on his truck, the considerable hammering (which the jack took the indirect impact of) trashed it. The replacement Sears jack he replaced it with has lasted a couple decades w/ light use and seems the same as when new.
This qualifies for an honorable Darwin award. What in anyone's cranium would ever suggest that you perform any maintenance up on a jack and not jack stands.

Jacks are for raising and lowering only. Also, I sure hope the neighbor wasn't using the jack as a compression device. Another improper use of a jack.

My father drilled it into my head a thousand times. The proper tool for the proper job. Drilled refers to methodical, repetitive training. Although, in this case the individual involved maybe used a drill to clean out his earwax, resulting in the loss reason and common sense.

The neighbor in question was perhaps not the brightest bulb in the circuit but his occupation was a mechanic at the local Toyota dealer so yes, he should have known better - of course use jackstands or at least concrete blocks if you crawl under a vehicle.
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FrugalInvestor
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by FrugalInvestor »

Harbor Freight jacks are fine as are Costco's.
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
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yatesd
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Re: Floor jacks

Post by yatesd »

I have had the same Craftsman floor jack for many years with no real issues (just a little heavy). Sometimes get tempted by the aluminum version.

Sam's Club also tends to have decent options.
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