Jack Recommendation
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Jack Recommendation
I need to purchase a hydraulic jack and was hoping some of you might have recommendations for what I should purchase and what I should avoid. I did some research and they vary tremendously in price so there must be some good reasons why I should avoid cheaper models.
The smaller the better because my garage is small.
The smaller the better because my garage is small.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Get a good one with as much cast iron as you can afford to store. 3 tom minimum, 6 is better. I found a pretty good deal on an air jack on ebay, worked out pretty good.
Sears has pretty good floor jacks
Sears has pretty good floor jacks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Breckenridge Colorado
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
Get a good one with as much cast iron as you can afford to store. 3 tom minimum, 6 is better. I found a pretty good deal on an air jack on ebay, worked out pretty good.
Sears has pretty good floor jacks
Sears has pretty good floor jacks
Also check to see what the overall travel length of the jack is. The first one I got only went to 14" and that was not high for what I needed. If you can get one that has 18" or so of travel that will be much better. If this jack is ONLY for the vette then one that goes 14" might be enough.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Make sure the jack will slide under the frame where you want it.Also make sure if the handle is under the frame it will jack from that low position.The jacks I use are very old but dimensions are good for a vette.Total lift 21" at pad-4" at pad all the way down--the frame height on my is 5-5/8 this is what you need to be low -so you can get the jack under the car.A buddy of mine just bought an aluminum one from Sears that is low but doesnt lift very high and has a roller instead of frt. wheels-its not too bad for home jack and its light.Stay away from the jacks that wont jack with the handle in the lowest position and then raising that handle only an inch or so.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Sep 22, 2006 at 01:07 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: mckinney tx
jacks
i bought one from napa. 4 ton i think, 18 lift, has a nice flat thick rubber on the lifting pad, foam wrapped around the lower half of the jack handle so you won't scratch your car if the handle hits it while jacking it up. i paid $220 for it and it came with (2) 3 ton jack stands. i love it!! thinking about buying a second one for the shop.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 2
From: Melrose Florida
I've personally had great results with the cheap ones! From auto parts chain stores or even Wal Mart.
Usually 2-ton, pretty small roll around, often come w/decent jack stands in a box for maybe $50.
If you don't need the roll around, then bottle jacks are even cheaper, but are usually higher at lowest point.
I also have a larger one, but I find that I usually grab the smaller ones, as I can carry them around the obstacle course that is my garage.
Steve
Usually 2-ton, pretty small roll around, often come w/decent jack stands in a box for maybe $50.
If you don't need the roll around, then bottle jacks are even cheaper, but are usually higher at lowest point.
I also have a larger one, but I find that I usually grab the smaller ones, as I can carry them around the obstacle course that is my garage.
Steve
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Breckenridge Colorado
Originally Posted by halfmoontrail
I've personally had great results with the cheap ones! From auto parts chain stores or even Wal Mart.
Usually 2-ton, pretty small roll around, often come w/decent jack stands in a box for maybe $50.
Steve
Usually 2-ton, pretty small roll around, often come w/decent jack stands in a box for maybe $50.
Steve
However, as I mentioned above the first one I got (which was at Wal Mart) did not have enough lift for me to jack up my X-Terra enough even to change the tire. Check and make sure that the one you get has enough lift for what you need to do. I agree that the smaller cheaper ones are much easier to move around and work with, but make sure they will work for your needs.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
For the average weekend wrencher the $40-$50 AutoZone or AdvancedAuto Jacks are fine, they come with a lifetime warranty so just bring it back when it fails.... my $40 jack is leaking and I'll return it this weekend... no big deal...
No matter what you buy and how much you spend - ALWAYS use solid jackstands and DO NOT trust the jack when working under the car
No matter what you buy and how much you spend - ALWAYS use solid jackstands and DO NOT trust the jack when working under the car
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Verdad Gallardo
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Appleton Wi.
I've got one I bought at Sears. The first pump of the handle goes to the lifting surface, very handy,then it pumps normal. So you don't have to sit and pump 10 times to get it to the frame. Also has a 22" lifting height, and is just as low as any other floor jack. 6000# cap. and will easily fit under any part of the VETTE i have tried. And I lifted every part of that car. And if you like Matt Kenseth it is yellow and black.
TJ
TJ
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by DWncchs
6 ton-will it go under side of car-sounds a bit bulky
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 7,106
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
this is the one I use and I'm pretty satisfied with it.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
a 4-ton aluminum jack. goes as low as 3 3/4" to get under the frame including under the sidepipes on my '65 to as high as 18 1/2".
The aluminum construction also makes it easier to manuver around the garage.
If you need to get jackstands also, I use the 6-ton models. They are more heavy-duty weight rating wise than needed but the extra margin makes me fel safer and more importantly the larger 6-ton and 12-ton models have a larger size base footprint so they are safer and less chance of them tipping over for any reason while you are lifting and lowering the car.
Think about when you have put one side of the car up on jackstands and are now jacking up the opposite side of the car..... the car is pivoting on the jackstand itself as you are lifting the other side. It's real nice to have that comfort feeling of safety with the larger footprint of the bigger jackstands.
These are the jackstands that I use:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
a 4-ton aluminum jack. goes as low as 3 3/4" to get under the frame including under the sidepipes on my '65 to as high as 18 1/2".
The aluminum construction also makes it easier to manuver around the garage.
If you need to get jackstands also, I use the 6-ton models. They are more heavy-duty weight rating wise than needed but the extra margin makes me fel safer and more importantly the larger 6-ton and 12-ton models have a larger size base footprint so they are safer and less chance of them tipping over for any reason while you are lifting and lowering the car.
Think about when you have put one side of the car up on jackstands and are now jacking up the opposite side of the car..... the car is pivoting on the jackstand itself as you are lifting the other side. It's real nice to have that comfort feeling of safety with the larger footprint of the bigger jackstands.
These are the jackstands that I use:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
