Yesterday, my Harbor Freight 2 1/4 ton floor jack died after lifting the front end of the station wagon. It won't lift, now, so all of the internal seals must be shot. The thing is about 15 years old which is probably a world record for those jacks! I can't find any rebuild kits for these Chinese made jacks, so I'm not sure I even want to pull the thing apart to see if it can be repaired. I know there are some good (and expensive) jacks out there. But, are there any in the $100 to $150 range that are truely better than the HF $80 ones?
Go ahead and check the Harbor Freight Web Site. You may be supprised that the may have kits available. Or just pull it apart and take the guts to a hydraulic supply house. they may be able to math up the seals and packings.
Like these guys said... If you're gonna scrap it anyway, whatcha got to lose by tearing it apart?!?!?
The seals should be standard sixes,and dirt cheap. I'm suprised it would die suddenly. Might be some dirt blocking a valve open.
Had a fellow give me a HF jack. It was a dead player. I took it apart.......found a O ring seal for it......I have used it for over 10 years since then....
If you do end up buying a new one, watch Sears ads for sales. I bought a Craftsman 3 ton floor jack that came with a pair of jack stands all for $99. Cheap, if you ask me. Had it afew years now, with no troubles...
Sears has a decent deal on a floor jack and a pair of jack stands. I used to have a hydraulic repair business and we used to be able to repair almost any hydraulic unit built but with the cost of new throw-away units that are being sold today it just makes sense to get a new unit and not rebuild an older jack unless it's one of the old classics that you are really attached to. Frank
Thanks for the input, y'all! I found the assembly drawing and parts list for my jack on the Harbor Freight website. It wouldn't be problem getting O-rings, but the parts list indicates there are some "packings". I'm not really sure what they look like, so I think I will take the jack apart. Tomorrow, I'll call the Customer Service number to see if a rebuild kit is available. If it is, it'll have to be really cheap! A new 2 1/4 ton jack is only $49.99!
Not to hijack your post Chris, I have an Old jack I scored of a freind and need to take a look at..... should do it soon as the Olds isn't good on the little jacks, so its basically jsut pull the plunger and if all looks sweet get some new seals and back together with new oil ??
Do you find spots of oil under the jack now and then? You may be able to get by for a while by topping off the reservoir. Works with my old and much loved Walker - which is one of a very few jacks that are low enough to slide under the front axle of my roadster. I should rebuild it, but I save it for roadster stuff and top the oil off every few months. ATF works fine in it.
C9 - I haven't seen any drips under the jack. This evening, I checked the fluid level and it looks OK. I guess either the safety valve is bypassing or the hand valve is not seating when closed. I'm really curious to see what's going on in there. So, it's definitely coming apart!
I bet this parallels my recent investigations into lawnmower economics: A few Briggs&Stratton parts cost more than a complete new B&S engine from the mailorder place, which in turn costs more than a new Sears mower with B&S engine...WTH??!? In some cases, the throwaway economy is rigidly enforced...
Sams Club has a really nice jack for around $59.00. I bought one several months ago, going to buy another. Think it is a 3 ton, Michelin brand. I have owned several Craftsman jacks, this is equally as good. Comes with a removeable hard rubber insert so you don't scratch paint.
Depending on the weight of the car, you may want to look into one of the Harbor Freight aluminum racing jacks. They're rated 3000# and hit the top with six pumps. The front of the 32 roadster weighs probably 1400# (back about 1000#) and it takes some effort to raise it, I don't know how it would do raising the front end of a 3800# Merc. Within limits, granted, but you can only press down as much as you weigh. My friend at a machine shop bought one about 6 months ago. I kept watching it, he kept saying how good it worked. I sprung for one of the anodized blue ones when the price came down to $119. Course, two months later the price was $109. and I think it may have gone to $99. after that. The big selling point was that it's low enough to roll under the front axle of the 32. The Walker mentioned earlier still works ok, but it's puking up a small puddle of oil every time I use it. It'll get a rebuild a few months down the line. In the meantime, I am enjoying the light weight, quick raise feature of the aluminum jack. Beats hell out of my Walmart "NASCAR" 900 pumps to the top jack....
I worked "Tools & Equipment" for an automotive manufacturer for a while and had the opportunity to take home some floor jacks to test once. This was just about the time those Aluminum racing jacks started hitting the marked & I had a couple to play with. I actually was not impressed. They will work good to lift a coup or light weight cars but for everyday shop use I don't think they can take it. The 6 pumps to full up means less help at the handle. The one I was testing was a Norco & I has the handle on it bending w/ all my weight just to get my '64 truck off the ground. Don't get me wrong these "Racing" jacks are great for guys that live in Apartments or for carrying in your car but if it's gonna stay in the shop, my choice is anything guaranteed for life, Easy to pump, rolls good, & beefy as hell... Just my $.01... BYC
I've thought about getting one of those aluminum jacks because they are so much lighter. My 2 1/4 ton jack probably weighs around 80 lbs and can be a bit of a chore to move around! The only concern I have about the aluminum jacks is their capacity. 3000 lbs seems like it might be a little too light duty with the couple of porkers I have! In addition to my '55 Mercury, I have a '84 Custom Cruiser wagon that probably weighs close to 4500 lbs and my '67 Olds 98 convertible is rather portly at close to 6000 lbs. It seems like I saw a 2 ton rated aluminum jack on the Harbor Freight website. But, it was about $200! Maybe I'll just get a new 3 ton jack!
I guess my pick would be the Craftsman 3 ton ot is it 2.5 ton?... Any way it the Black one with the steel wheels, a real wide base and the Yellow Handle. Like mentioned above you see em on sale all the time. They's heavier than hell but if it's never supposed to lave the shop then who cares... I have a Norco 71230A. The company is just down the street & I'm familliar with them. I bought it because it weighs about 100lbs & built like a brick shit house. Oh, and you can get rebuild kits. www.norcoindustries.com
RSC I would rebuild the jack you have if possible. Most of em' I've worked on are the result of a bad o-ring (packing) and low fluid level, ATF will work fine also. I keep the rebuild kits in my jack handle so when they leak just stop and fix em'.Also a little foam padding around the handle will keep your cars free of scratches.
Anyone tried one of these? "Craftsman 4000 lb. Capacity Aluminum Jack Speedy-Lift design: only 2 pumps bring the saddle to the chassis. Aluminum lightweight construction means jack weighs less than 44 lbs. Lifts from 3-3/4 in. to 18-1/2 in. Sears item #00950239000 Mfr. model #G620S Price $199.99" Looks & sounds like a winner - 'cept for the price. JH
I had a floor jack from an old service station but the frame cracked so I got one of these $20 dollar 2 ton jobs from HF http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36119 figuring if it lasts a year I got my money's worth, well that was 15 years ago and since then I bought another (and the very next day won another in a cruise night raffle) so I have three and use them all. I put oil in the oldest one once. I have put one under the front Xmember of my Astro Van and jacked both front wheels off the ground...and put jack stands under it then! If I need more I have my granddad's 10 ton bottle jack he used when working on Peterbuilts....
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