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floor jack questions

C

Clocker

Golden Member
i bought a cheap floor 2 ton floor jack for 20.00. but i am going to take it back. for the following reasons.

1. the handle is too short.
2. the only way to lower the jack it to release the air pressure screw. and every time i tried my car would just immediately hit the ground.

therefore, i need some reccomendations on a floor jack

i am looking for a jack that has a long handle. so i am no where near the car that i am lifting up or lowering.

second, i want to lower my car as carefully as i lifted it up.

i guess i shouldn't expect much from a cheap jack. but the design just seemed dangerous.

any thouhgts
 
Buy a QUALITY jack that is rated for at least 25% more than your car weighs. I have a Craftsman 3-1/2 ton floor jack that I used to use very regularly. Nice long handle, easy to raise/lower, and you can find them sold as a "bundle" with a pair of jack stands at Sears quite often. NEVER work under your car supported only by a jack. ALWAYS use jackstands for your safety.
 
boomer d how does your jack lower the car. as someone else stated i have to use my jack handle to unscrew the air pressure valve. and frankly it just immediately lowers my car no matter how careful i am. and i think its dangerous.

Does your jack have a different lowering mechanism???

thanks
 
I'm shopping for jack also..

-- Aluminum jack - lighter
-- Higher clearance.. some car needs like a 20", most are 15-18, I need a 20"

I think costco has some good one for like 100.. its not on the site but I seen it in the warehouse...

yeah I would get these higher rated... u never know when u go from car to suv and others..
 
Originally posted by: Clocker
2. the only way to lower the jack it to release the air pressure screw. and every time i tried my car would just immediately hit the ground.
Click to expand...

Jackstands FTW.

Expect to pay >$100 on a floor jack.
 
bah
Harbor Freight has some decent ones for well under $100. Think they even have an aluminum one for around $80. Think I paid $40 for my 3 ton one and it works fine and has for 2 years now.
 
1) get stronger

2) don't open it so fast.

i've got a 3 ton fullsize floor jack and the thing is a pain in the ass. it weighs a good 40+ pounds and is big and bulky. i think the little ones are better.
 
I've been using my cheap ($40?), short handled, 2 ton jack and stands for about eight years now. I use to lift my truck and now my car about eight times a year (oil, tranny fluid, rotate tires, etc.)...

I've looked at the aluminum set they sell at Costco, but the cheap one does the job so I stick with it. It takes more pumps to lift my car, but it's not a big deal to me. I'm also able to unscrew the valve carefully enough to lower my car slowly.
 
Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
1) get stronger

2) don't open it so fast.

i've got a 3 ton fullsize floor jack and the thing is a pain in the ass. it weighs a good 40+ pounds and is big and bulky. i think the little ones are better.
Click to expand...

Mine is massive as well, but I'm fairly certain it's more than 40lbs. Navigating the thing is a PITA, but it's one of the few jacks that would lift both our lifted Jeep and MINI Cooper, when we had them.
 
Are you opening the release valve slowly, or just all at once. Any jack will come down like that if you just open the valve too fast. The idea is to use the jack handle to SLOWLY open the air release valve and let the car come down slow. It sounds like you don't really know how to operate it IMO.
 
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