Floor Jack

[Korndogg]

Where's a decent place to get a floor jack? My dad got a real nice Michelin one pump jack from Sam's a long time ago for $60 and it is still working great. I need to pick one up tomorrow and I was wondering where is a good place to get one from that isn't $200 and up. I tried looking at reviews online but the only ones with good reviews are ones that are like $300.

[gen2guy]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_auto-repair+jacks+floor-jacks

[Korndogg]

Thanks. Yeah I was going to stop there tomorrow to see how they looked.

[awsomeears]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200326598_200326598

Those are nice looking...

[Cryptic]

I say they are all crap. Seals always fail eventually. Just buy a 3000lb aluminum one at Harbor Freight. It's lasted longer than anything else I've ever had and was alot cheaper and lighter.

[BR3W CITY]

My pops and I both have the HF aluminum jacks. They make a couple different ones, I have the lower profile/heavier of the 2, he has the standard model. His has lasted for about 5 years now, and MAYBE moves 1/4"/hour in FREEZING weather. Thats about as good as anything I had, and the other Craftsman floor jack we have leaked after a year and can't lift as high or as fast, for about $40 more

[-stew-]

I have one of those michelin ones from Sam's and I love it. Bought my dad an equivalent Karen from fleet farm a few years ago. I was nice until it failed this weekend. I'd look to see if the Michelin. One is available anywhere.

[BoosTT]

I have an awesome 3 ton from northern tool. The lifting range is amazing. Something like 3.5" to 23"! I've had no issues with it and the extra few inches it lifts the car is very nice. I think the brand is big red? It came with a pair of 3 ton jackstands and the total was around $140 a few years ago.

[pOrk]

I needed a low profile one so I bought the one from hf for 89 bucks and I love it, would buy another if it fails

[Korndogg]

Ok thanks for the input guys! Yeah I was looking at the sears ones and their tools have gone to shit recently so I was a little leery with getting a jack from them.

[TheRX7Project]

I say they are all crap. Seals always fail eventually. Just buy a 3000lb aluminum one at Harbor Freight. It's lasted longer than anything else I've ever had and was alot cheaper and lighter.

This

[Cryptic]

Craftsman is especially a piece of shit. I cant believe there's no way to redo the seals on these things. I've looked into it and couldn't come up with a solution.
Mine was a "Professional" series too. Bunch of junk.

[77thor]

Harbor Freight... http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=floor+jack

[bikedad]

I have this one from HF that I bought for hauling around in the RX7 when going to the strip.
It breaks down nice and weighs nothing. I actually find myself using it for quick jobs on my Explorer also.
Was on sale recently for $69

http://www.harborfreight.com/rapid-pump-15-ton-compact-aluminum-racing-jack-68053-html-7814.html

[PonyKiller87]

I have an orange HF 3 ton, it has worked for about 6 years now, but the release sucks, its all or nothing. Its nearly imposible not to drop things with it.

I also have a Craftsman 3 ton professional that has been going strong for about 5 years now. This one is a heavy beast but I like it because with no load it goes up fast, 2 pumps and it will reach what ever your trying to lift. And it has about 2" higher lifting capacity than the HF.

If you guys are having so much problems with them failing your either overloading them or using the wrong fluid in them. I find that using Snow Plow pump fluid works best, its pretty much just a very cold rated hydrolic fluid so you don't have to worry about it getting thick in the winter.

[jbiscuit]

Remember to use jack stands when lifting a car ALWAYS. I wouldn't get under any car with ANY of these Chinese made jacks. Sure they MIGHT work just fine but I'm not trusting them. I put stand under my cars for even simple tasks like oil changes. And I agree with above comments: Go Harbor Freight. They are all coming from the same Chinese sweat shop anyways so why not pay as little as possible for it? The Craftsman junk is probably the same as the HF jack anyways.

And yes nearly ALL Craftsman tools are now made off shore. So be very cautious taking your US-made craftsman stuff into the store for a warranty return...you will almost always get a lesser quality Chinese replacement.

[Korndogg]

I always use stands when under a car and I also leave the jack up for extra measure.

[BoosTT]

I always use stands when under a car and I also leave the jack up for extra measure.


I'm pretty sure this is a rule... I hope no one uses just a jack while they are under the car!

[GRAMPS SS]

NICE THREAD Mark...was going this week for a floor jack as well...need a light one for WOW..now I know where to go...thanks for starting this thread...

[Korndogg]

No problem bud! lol

[Lv2xlr8]

I bought an Arcan XL 35 its a 3.5 ton. Its low profile, lifts fast and high. Bought from Northern tool.

[badass88gt]

Be careful when buying a jack, especially the HF ones, make sure to note the max height. I bought the aluminum one listed above and it only goes up 14", just barely high enough to get my jackstands under my car, then gotta use blocks to get it up high enough for even the first notch on the stands. I got burnt with that jack, now it just sits in the corner, I use my 3 ton low profile for everything.

[Korndogg]

Yeah I looked at the heights since some of what I use it for will be on my truck .

[pOrk]

The low profile steel ones do 20" lift and 24" height, depending on which length jack you get.