I've bought two under $100 floor jacks, and after a while the hydraulic fluid sterted to leak. I fill it up but they always leak. I'm saving some coin for a USA made Lincoln. I'm tired of cleaning up after these things and worrys about their erectile disfunction.
I've got a 3 ton Craftsman jack, and it's been fine. It's getting harder and harder to find anything made in the USA anymore. While I'm sure this jack may be an import, for the price it works well.
I have a Sears that i got in 1980 and beat the dickens out of haulin' it around dirt track racin'. Still use it for the dually and tractors. I have a 2 year old aluminum HB that I use on the lighter stuff and it fits nicely under the chrome I-beam front axel of the deuce. They both stay out of the weather when stored and both have, thus far given excellent service. I always drop the cylinder all the way down and close the valve with the handle. Keeping them sealed and the ram all the way in helps to allow maximum life to the cylinders.
I bought a "roush racing" steel one from sams that works okay so far, its a quick lift, but does require more arm power than my old one. It does have a thick rubber pad on the lifting deck that I like. what exactly wears in a floor jack anyway, is it just an O-ring or something? I have an old no brand jack that quit lifting, i'd like to try to rebuild it if possible.
Like Banjorear said, you get what you pay for. I was in the same position as you once and I ended up buy a floor jack from harbor freight because it was cheap and right down the street from my house. It's the biggest peice of crap. For something that you are going to use alot and is going to be lifting your investment...I would really save up and get a good one or buy a good quality used one. I've had no problems with my craftsman.
My mom bought me one of those "scorpion" aluminum jacks from Kragen of all places.... i've had it since christmas and i've used it on everything from my nova to my galaxie without issue. it has a one pump up feature (one pump and you're at the frame rail/diff) and the realease mechanism works really well and allows you to lower it slowly and safely (unlike those POS crapsman i mean craftsman) i think it was like $100 and it works great for me and lets me fit under all of the lowered cars i've had. I don't know where its made, but it works great and is pretty lightweight. Way better than the shitty powerbuilt i used to have. I wouldn't reccomend using it in a "shop" enviroment but it works great for all of my hotrodding needs. oh and on a sidenote: I also had rotator cuff surgery a few years ago (2 now) and its hella conveniant to just pump it once and be on the frame.
What about Torin? Northern Tool sells them but with some research I found that they are Chinese made.
It isn't a floor jack, but I recently acquired an old Fischer Pneudraulic jack for hauling it away. It has a vertical cylinder and triangular base. The lift arm has two rubber pads the go under the bumper or a solid axle maybe. My point being, keep looking and digging around old stations and repair shops.
Does any one know anything about NAPA floor jacks? They have a 3 1/2 ton on sale for $200.00 regularly priced at $400.00
I had a high lift jack from HF. I actually really liked it. Had it for several years, until I lent it to my neighbor. He got it stuck on his vans diff, and like an idiot tried to roll the van off of it? Bent it all to hell. I checked out the newer HF jacks, but the high lift one didn't look as nice as the one I had. They changed the design a bit. Now I just use an old floor jack that I found in the trunk of my grandpas pontiac. Its US made and from the 70s (i think). Still works fine. One thing that was kind of cool with the jack I had is it came with an extra rebuild kit. Never had to use it though...
I bought a kobalt with two jack stands on sale at Lowes a few years ago for under $200. Works for me.
I bought a sears 4 ton low profile that is very sturdy the way it is built, but it is like moving a sherman tank it is so heavy. Also have h/f aluminum jack that works ok, however the first one I bought went south real quick but this replacement has been around a couple years. Next jack will be light weight and be of good quality what ever that might be.
H.F jack has served me well. Up, jackstands, push the car, crawl. Are the three phases of crawling under. Saw a coworker get squished one day. Dont wanna go there.
Man, Iv'e been eye balling the NAPA jacks too. I keep seeing the low profile style with the rubber pad in a bunch of shops I deliver to.
bit the bullet in the early 90s and carried one off of the snap on truck. still works fine no rebuilds . just picks up cars
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