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Rant and I need a new floor jack

3K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  matt167 
#1 ·
RANT.....I was outside checking the tires on the 65 and I noticed one is a 255/70 where the other is a 255/60 on the front. so I start removing The 70 to put a 60 on it.I get the jack to lift it and my jack is dead so I get another jack which is smaller and it's also dead.I then use a scissor jack and get it all the way up and guess what the tire is still on the ground.I move the jack in another place and finally get the tire up and then try to remove the tire and guess whst? the tire is stuck it won't move a inch.......I then pour gas on the truck and strike a match I WISH

Anyways I need a jack and Im thinking about the harbor freights lite weight racing floor jack.its only 89 bucks and im heard good reviews on it.for the price you can't beat it if the reviews are true.my old craftsman jack lasted 10 years thru rain and snow but boy was it heavy
 
#3 ·
I had a JCPenney steel jack for 30 years and decided I needed an aluminum jack. Bought a HF 2 ton that lasted less than a week, then "stepped up" to a Sears 3 ton that would barely lift the front of my Dakota. It lasted a year and a half before it dumped my truck while doing a release and damaged the hood. After being thoroughly disappointed with the aluminum junk, I'm back to NAPA steel jack. And it can be rebuilt too...

Russ
 
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#9 ·
I know the manager of the local H-F; its a double-edged sword LOL
She flat out told me NOT to buy an -aluminum- jack from them. She (yes she) picked out the 2-ton, pig-iron, low-profile, Chevy orange one with the white handle. I don't see it on their website, but next time I go to my Dad's; I'll get the PN. Her comment to me "I had one return in 3yrs and that one was because the oil seal leaked - almost none of the sub-200 dollar alum. jacks have sleeved bores, they'll scratch the bore and leak - no repair either. Her advice was the biggest jack you can afford; with the low profile
 
#15 · (Edited)
I also got that one to replace my 35 yo sears jack because the seals went. The new one has served well. It is not made USA as those are priced very high and mostly for service garage with daily use.
These jacks with the orange/white are made in china, however they use Japanese pistons and made of the best molychrome metal and don't leak like the cheap ones from the big box stores do after using once.:welcome:

they come down fast so beware !
 
#10 ·
I've got two HF aluminum floor jacks and they are not new. Newest one is 3 years old. One is standard pump, and one is the quick pump style. I've had no issues with either, and would buy another if I needed it.
HF gets a lot of bad press (deservedly on some items!) but the floor jacks sure have given me a lot of good service over the years I've had them. And I don't consider a floor jack a "critical" piece of equipment. I do consider jack stands critical! I'd never get under a car while on floor jacks, as I use them simply to lift, and then jack stands to hold the load.
 
#12 ·
When my craftsman 3.5 T steel jack stopped working I bought 2 of the 1.5T aluminum racing jacks from HF. I've had them for over a year and use them almost daily on my old Cadillacs with no problems. HF stuff is getting better. You can now buy extended warranty and get free replacement. My engine hoist got borrowed and never returned so I went to northern tool and bought one of those made in USA Torin hoists. Put it all together and tried to lift a motor out of the back of my truck. As soon as I put a load on it one leg would twist and the opposite side base wheel would come off the ground. When that leg twists you can't steer that thing. I called the manager and he swapped out bases. It's a lot better but the base is still not square. Then when you fold the legs up for storage and use the handle to push it the legs fall back and smack your knuckles. If you put the jack handle in the storage location and start rolling it the handle will fall out. Not very well built or designed. So I went to HF and bought the same type hoist for less money and it doesn't have any of the problems the Torin hoist does.
 
#13 ·
Have a HF low pro iron jack. Works great and in three pumps the car is moving up. Love it. Go to their website and read reviews before you buy see what others have experienced with the products. Remember, most all this stuff comes from the same country, brand name means little anymore!

OH and of course NEVER work under a car without jack stands!
 
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