floor jack - what size

[footprintsinconc]

i want to buy a floor jack. i have a small mvp 2.25 ton jack. its ok, but its a pita to lift one side then the other .... but it doenst work well on my van because the frame is already like 12" off the ground.....so i want to get one.

should i get a 2.5ton or 3ton?
should i go for a brand name like craftsman or any other that you suggest?
should i buy new or used is fine?
if used, then what should i look for?
is the hf models good, because they will be less expensive.

thanks for all the input and advice.

[jussi]

ur lucky day

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...00100383&aff=Y

[Uncle Cracker]

I got the HF big, screamin' mother of all aluminum racing jacks when it was on sale and I had a coupon (bottom line cost about $100). It will pick up your house in 3 pumps...

It's this one...

[cabinetman]

i want to buy a floor jack. i have a small mvp 2.25 ton jack. its ok, but its a pita to lift one side then the other .... but it doenst work well on my van because the frame is already like 12" off the ground.....so i want to get one.

should i get a 2.5ton or 3ton?
should i go for a brand name like craftsman or any other that you suggest?
should i buy new or used is fine?
if used, then what should i look for?
is the hf models good, because they will be less expensive.

thanks for all the input and advice.

I have several floor jacks and some small ones that are easier to pick up. The problem is that even in the above post, the range is only to 15". My humongus floor jack that I can hardly pick up without turning blue goes to 21". You may have to have some sort of spacer to put under it for increased height. That would also help if you are in rock or sand.
.

[mater]

Sam's has a nice Michelin for $59. I think it is 3 1/2 tons.

[JimD]

I have a HF that will lift 19 or 20 inches. My son wanted one for his pickup and I got another for my SUV. It has a pipe handle and will lift 3 tons if I remember right. I do one end of my SUV (two wheels) at a time. Lifting is good, lowering is not so smooth at this point. Sometimes I have to use a wrench on the bleed valve (instead of twisting the handle). It weighs about 80 lbs. I think it was a good buy for me. I only use a few times a year and can live with the sticky valve (not tightening it too tight helps a lot). I think I paid about $40 on sale. It was their cheapest model with a pipe handle that will go to at least 19 inches.

I also use HF 3.5 ton ratcheting jack stands. They work fine.

Jim

[LinuxRandal]

Down at the shop, we have an old USA made one. Now, to my knowledge, there is only one left made here, and you would pay over $400 for it. The same thing, sold at Sam's (the Michellin), was I thought $65 when I bought it a few years ago. (for home, don't get as much use as the shops) The biggest things I see is
1. Look at its base width. Use a wider jack for larger vehicles and a narrower one for cars like a Festiva
2 Make sure you go for more weight, rather then less (I had loaned a higher dollar aluminum jack to a friend for a project, he brought it back to the shop and one of the former employees, picked up a tow truck with it, and bent it (won't go down completely). After I found it useless (would go down low enough to get under what I needed, yet the most weight aluminum jack I had seen), I ended up leaving it there for motor work (motor mounts and such).
3. Keep a bottle of jack oil with it. Make sure you read the directions to see if it is the type that requires burping the first time or not, and watch for leaks.

Now it requires fewer pumps then the older one, and there are times I will run it down to the shop, due to all of them being in use (awaiting parts for cars). But I have found down there, that isn't always useful (probably more use at home)

[steve-norrell]

Since you specify "floor" jack, I assume all the jacking will be indoors. Not long ago, no self-respecting pickup driver in the west or far north would consider going anywhere out of town without one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=6530

Of course, if you are always on concrete or pavement, then the "ranch" jack is not needed. We sometimes called these "high lift" or "bumper" jacks.

Also, as mentioned in an earlier post, keeping a couple of 2 x 8s (for under the base of the jack) handy is not a bad idea in any case.

Regards, Steve

[footprintsinconc]

jussi, that is what mvp small one looks like. they are good on storage and all, but you cant lift (dont want to risk lifting) one end at a time (too small of a footprint).

you are right, you are only going to get like 15 to 18in lift. if i want to lift higher, i would have to use lumber. i didnt think of that, but have seen it being done a lot. i just measure the bottom of the rear axle, its like 8" above the ground. the thing with the bigger jacks is, you can lift one end at a time. i you point out jim, i do need to get bigger stands, the small ones that i have are kind of maxed out when i lift the van.

as for those bumper jacks, steve. those are one scary things. all the old gm, old, chevy use to come with those jacks. always scared the **** out of me because the car would rock when you lifted it with it. those were days when the bumpers were solidly attached to the car.

so i guess i should buy a new jack. its probably worth it in the long run. i will be using it occasionally only since its for personal use. as for the hf one, uc, i was looking at the same one you said, but there is a 3ton one but without rapid lift. its for $70. it did see this other one that jim you mentioned. will have to see what sams club has, if its a good one, that may be the way to go.

thank you all for the replies. i guess the choices have been narrowed down to the three at hf and the sams club one.

[steve-norrell]

as for those bumper jacks, steve. those are one scary things. all the old gm, old, chevy use to come with those jacks. always scared the **** out of me because the car would rock when you lifted it with it. those were days when the bumpers were solidly attached to the car.

You are probably right, especially about the bumpers. It has been years since I owned one and I have been driving a pickup around Alaska for about 15 years without one.

Their real value was in their height -- real handy in off-road situations -- especially if you had the habit of carrying a couple of short 2 x 8s in the back.

When we had the motor home, I used those 'bottle jacks', rated around 8 - 10,000 pounds. Again, a couple of 2 x 8s were always handy, and often necessary, to get the job done.

Now, with better tires and good roads, I usually only carry the jack issued with the truck.

I might add that I wouldn't be without one of those floor jacks -- very handy for that twice-a-year-ritual of chaning tires for the season.

Good luck, have fun lifting and watch out for your back. Steve

[jonmulzer]

We sometimes called these "high lift" or "bumper" jacks.
Regards, Steve

We always called them "suicide jacks". :P