Floor Jack Opinions/Advice Wanted

[baucom]

I need to get a new floor jack for working on my Titan, the wife's Grand Prix, and occasionally other vehicles and equipment. I'd like modestly low clearance to fit under most any vehicle that I want to lift, but doesn't have to be super low clearance since I'm working with stock height vehicles. I'd also like as much lift height as possible for lifting the Titan and future trucks (20"+ should be fine), but more is better. Capacity isn't a big issue--2 Tons + will lift any vehicle I'll be working on.

I haven't had much luck locating quality used jacks locally, so I'm considering the following 3 new jacks:

Harbor Freight 3 Ton Low Profile: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94629
This jack's biggest selling point is price. $59 w/ coupon. It can't be any worse than the ones Sears sells for ~$100 that get terrible reviews.

Arcan 3.5 Ton Low Profile:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200345429_200345429
This looks pretty good to me for the price (I have a store locally to P.U. from). The reviews are good, and the worst I could find on here about it was that it could squeal pretty bad when used. It lifts the highest of these 3 too.

Ranger RFJ-6HD Low-Rider 3-Ton
http://www.asedeals.com/Ranger_floor_jacks.html
This would be my first choice except for the price being more than 2x the Arcan and 4x the HF unit. In spite of price I still tend to like this one best.

I'm looking for input from anyone who owns, used, or has used 1 of these jacks. I'll use it 8-10x per year at home, so anything decent should last me a while. I don't want to buy junk, but really don't want to spend $300+ for a jack.

 

[Chattah]

I just bought the Arcon 3.5 and so far it's been great. The squeal is actually a known issue and if you call Arcon they will walk you through a fix. Probably won't take more then 10 minutes to do.

 

[compman25]

Do you have a Costco membership? The Arcan is available there for under $100.

 

[Hiball]

Basically you will just have to decide, How much do you want to spend? I rarely push people into the cheaper Overseas jacks, but if thats your intentions you must know that the less you use your overseas jack the faster the seals will prematurely fail. I know this sounds backwards but it is the truth. You can get into a Milwaukee 2 ton jack for less than $300 and a Hein Werner 93642, Both of these jacks use superior seals and Hydraulic units and will last 15+ years regardless of how much you use them. I only suggest them because you was looking at a Ranger jack and it is priced similar to these. Make some calls and try and find a local dealer that can save you on shipping and get a final price. Another thing to think about is in 15+ years when your jack "Possibly" starts to leak you can rebuild either of those jacks yourself for under $48 bucks. I want to clarify, I had a call into Milwaukee to get some prices on there jacks and you CANNOT get into one of there jacks for less than 300, The 2 ton model runs $414 + shipping. It might be able to bought cheaper thru a retailer which is broke down on there site via states. But i dont Know.

Links:
http://www.milwaukeehydraulic.com/products.html

http://www.shinnfuamerica.com/Products/Product_Categories_Description.aspx?ID=99&Tag=/Hein-Werner Automotive/Service Jacks

BTW.. If you mention the Milwaukee Website when ordering they offer another 10% Offer.

 

[Cobra4B]

I've had my harbor-freight low-profile aluminum race jack for over 5 years now. It's the only thing that'll fit under my lowered Corvette. Works great, no issues w/ it.

 

[sjt78]

...the less you use your overseas jack the faster the seals will prematurely fail. I know this sounds backwards but it is the truth.

Ok, so how often is enough? 4x/year, once a month, etc.? I have a cheap Sears Craftsman 3 ton jack that gets used at least 4x/year but interested in knowing if I should exercise it more often?

 

[Hiball]

I've had my harbor-freight low-profile aluminum race jack for over 5 years now. It's the only thing that'll fit under my lowered Corvette. Works great, no issues w/ it.

Im glad you've had good luck with your jack, Sadly for every 1 positive story there is 5 negative experiences. I cant tell you how many of those aluminum Harbor Freight "Racing Jacks" have came into my shop leaking and when i turn them over the Hydraulic Base is Cracked where it meets the Resevoir. You're just not gonna get good Metal Fab and a Hydraulic System along with Longevity with a $50 jack, There will have to be some sacrifices somewhere. Im not saying that overseas jacks dont have there place, maybe these guys where actually trying to lift over tonnage.... Dunno?

 

[Cobra4B]

^ Trust I know it's a piece of **** compared to many other, but I've had good luck with it. Now I don't use it daily or even once a weekend. It gets used to put the car up down when doing projects, rotating tires etc. It gets the most use at the track for a track weekend.

Once it wears out I'll probably replace it with something a bit better. I purchased mine back in 2003 because I couldn't find anything else low enough at the time. I believe i paid $130ish online for it.

 

[Hiball]

Ok, so how often is enough? 4x/year, once a month, etc.? I have a cheap Sears Craftsman 3 ton jack that gets used at least 4x/year but interested in knowing if I should exercise it more often?

Well here is the main culprit, The Orings on the Pump and the Oring on the Main Ram. When they get Hard they lose there ability to seal, When the jack sits idle over time the oil seeps down and they sit dry. The Oring has very little sealing surface contact anyway and when you lose it, its gone. Its not coming back. This is why you see Leather Vee packing, U cups etc on your higher end jacks.

 

[Hiball]

^ Trust I know it's a piece of **** compared to many other, but I've had good luck with it. Now I don't use it daily or even once a weekend. It gets used to put the car up down when doing projects, rotating tires etc. It gets the most use at the track for a track weekend.

Once it wears out I'll probably replace it with something a bit better. I purchased mine back in 2003 because I couldn't find anything else low enough at the time. I believe i paid $130ish online for it.

Im not real familiar with the older harbor Freight models, It probably is better than the $69 dollar stuff there selling now. I wouldnt know unless i was inside it. Im not trying to Bash the asian stuff, Only help someone make a eductated purchase. I have 2 tutorials on this site, 1 tearing down a typical Walker designed Jack, and the other tearing down a import. All you have to do is browse thru it and its clear the level of quality that went into both. Elroy also has a couple HW documented teardowns and again its obvious, It boils down to spending the money on something that you know is gonna last or something you are gonna have to spend the time to maintain.

 

[Cobra4B]

Basic jack question... do they need any maintenance? I mean I've never changed the oil on mine and it works fine. I did take the fill screw out ince and pumped it to see if any air bubbles came out, but got nothing.

Is it a case of "It ain't broke, so don't try to fix it."? Or, is there basic stuff I should be doing?

As for the cost... for all I know it could be the same piece but being nearly 7 years ago it cost more.

It's the silver one pictured here...

Apparently they've shrunk it... hence this thread where the pics came from - http://revlimiter.net/blog/2009/10/harbor-freight-racing-jack-shrink-ray/

 

[Hiball]

Basic jack question... do they need any maintenance? I mean I've never changed the oil on mine and it works fine. I did take the fill screw out ince and pumped it to see if any air bubbles came out, but got nothing.

Is it a case of "It ain't broke, so don't try to fix it."? Or, is there basic stuff I should be doing?

As for the cost... for all I know it could be the same piece but being nearly 7 years ago it cost more.

It's the silver one pictured here...

Apparently they've shrunk it... hence this thread where the pics came from - http://revlimiter.net/blog/2009/10/harbor-freight-racing-jack-shrink-ray/

There isnt any maintenance that needs to be done, if its working leave it alone. When it starts to Leak or doesnt give you a full pump anymore its time to for some Work.

 

[Cobra4B]

By "full pump" what do you mean? It does seem like it takes more pumps to get the thing up (maybe it needs a ******?) than when brand new, but it doesn't leak and it doesn't fall down or loose height once up.

 

[Hiball]

By "full pump" what do you mean? It does seem like it takes more pumps to get the thing up (maybe it needs a ******?) than when brand new, but it doesn't leak and it doesn't fall down or loose height once up.

Its a common problem with any Jack that uses a Oring to **** oil out of the resevoir and tranfer it to the Cylinder. The Pump on the back of your jack is a sealed pump, There is a oring inside with probably a backup. The Oring as i stated earlier gets hard and loses its sealing ability over time. I think you can unscrew the whole Pump at the Base, Put it in your vise and dissasemble it from the top down. Be carefull when removing the big spring, dig deep enough and you will find your seal.

 

[Cobra4B]

Gotcha... not a big problem yet... if and when it takes a dump I'll dig into it or buy a better unit.

 

[lyonkster]

I just bought the Arcon 3.5 and so far it's been great. The squeal is actually a known issue and if you call Arcon they will walk you through a fix. Probably won't take more then 10 minutes to do.

I am curious about this statement... I actually bought one of these jacks from Costco, and it squealed like a pig being slaughtered. I called Arcon, but did not get a clear solution, just an advice to actuate the jack another "5 to 10 times".. It never made any difference, so I returned it.

What was the fix that worked for you?

 

[baucom]

Hiball--What's your opinion of Blackhawk jacks? I think I've ruled out the low end jack from HF. I'd like to get a decent jack, and I'd love to get a great jack like the Milwaukee. However with a baby due next month I can't justify spending $300+ for a jack (it'll be tough enough justifying $250), but I do want a decent jack.

I'm thinking of this one in addition to the Arcan or Ranger: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200311818_200311818

 

[Hiball]

Hiball--What's your opinion of Blackhawk jacks? I think I've ruled out the low end jack from HF. I'd like to get a decent jack, and I'd love to get a great jack like the Milwaukee. However with a baby due next month I can't justify spending $300+ for a jack (it'll be tough enough justifying $250), but I do want a decent jack.

I'm thinking of this one in addition to the Arcan or Ranger: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200311818_200311818

Sadly Blackhawk is a Overseas jack in disquise. They used to sell quality Jacks but that day as come and gone. I understand times are tough and a baby on the way does affect your finances. Ive said this 100 times, If you have to buy a overseas jack buy it from somewhere that has a GOOD NO Hassle Exchange policy. There is nothing wrong with buying a Overseas Jack, Sadly it might take 1 o 2 to get one that is on the UP and UP but Keep your eyes open for a rebuildable quality unit and Jump on it.

 

[VMaxman]

I need to get a new floor jack for working on my Titan, the wife's Grand Prix, and occasionally other vehicles and equipment. I'd like modestly low clearance to fit under most any vehicle that I want to lift, but doesn't have to be super low clearance since I'm working with stock height vehicles. I'd also like as much lift height as possible for lifting the Titan and future trucks (20"+ should be fine), but more is better. Capacity isn't a big issue--2 Tons + will lift any vehicle I'll be working on.

I haven't had much luck locating quality used jacks locally, so I'm considering the following 3 new jacks:

Harbor Freight 3 Ton Low Profile: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94629
This jack's biggest selling point is price. $59 w/ coupon. It can't be any worse than the ones Sears sells for ~$100 that get terrible reviews.

Arcan 3.5 Ton Low Profile:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200345429_200345429
This looks pretty good to me for the price (I have a store locally to P.U. from). The reviews are good, and the worst I could find on here about it was that it could squeal pretty bad when used. It lifts the highest of these 3 too.

Ranger RFJ-6HD Low-Rider 3-Ton
http://www.asedeals.com/Ranger_floor_jacks.html
This would be my first choice except for the price being more than 2x the Arcan and 4x the HF unit. In spite of price I still tend to like this one best.

I'm looking for input from anyone who owns, used, or has used 1 of these jacks. I'll use it 8-10x per year at home, so anything decent should last me a while. I don't want to buy junk, but really don't want to spend $300+ for a jack.

All Concerned:

One thing I have learned working on cars/trucks in dealerships and on heavy aircraft in the USAF. Dont compromise your personal safety to save a hundred or so dollars.
I bought a commercial grade Lincoln floor jack and its over 11 years old and I keep it cleaned off with an air hose and give it a few shots of grease where its needed regularly.
Yes--overseas imported tools and equipment have their place, but if you are lifting your
car or truck just to do your own maintenance or full blown overhaul on a classic restoration; I believe you'll find that you will be money, time and protect yourself from bodily harm by using quality equipment and DONT FORGET A GOOD SET OF JACKSTANDS rated for the weight you are working on!!!

 

[baucom]

I plan to buy 2-3 pairs of good 4+ ton jackstands to hold the vehicles after I get them jacked up. I personally feel that my money is better spent on buying top-notch jackstands to HOLD the vehicle vs. spending it on the jack, so long as I spend enough to get a good jack that isn't junky. I don't plan to use the jack to hold the vehicle while I'm working on it, just to lift it to put jackstands under it.

If I could get the deal that I've seen mentioned on here a few times I'd buy the NAPA jack/stand combo but right now my local NAPA tells me it's ~$365. I just can't drop $400+ on a jack and have anything left over for quality jackstands.

 

[ATTappman]

How about Norco jacks - the 71202A in particular (link)? Supposedly made in Taiwan, using Japanese seals. Anybody have an opinion?

 

[woody 73]

Hi,

I have a Hein Werner jack and I like it very much! I think today most jacks are made over in asia. I seem to recall that one company still makes them in the USA but I think they are over $1000.00 in price.

I would follow the other members advice dont settle for a cheap jack your life is worth more!

Woody.

 

[Hiball]

How about Norco jacks - the 71202A in particular (link)? Supposedly made in Taiwan, using Japanese seals. Anybody have an opinion?

Norco has some quality products, Not what they used to be but without a doubt better than your typical import. Im not sure what a Japanese seal is though? LOL

 

[Hiball]

Hi,

I have a Hein Werner jack and I like it very much! I think today most jacks are made over in asia. I seem to recall that one company still makes them in the USA but I think they are over $1000.00 in price.

I would follow the other members advice dont settle for a cheap jack your life is worth more!

Woody.

You can get into A american made jack for alot less than 1K. for recognizing quality and supporting american products.

 

[baucom]

I believe I've settled on an Omega (or maybe Blackhawk) jack based on info. I've found. The Omega jacks seem to be pretty highly regarded for Asian imports, and I think (could be wrong) they are the same jack that NAPA squirts blue and charges a premium for. Several Blackhawk jacks seem to be the same as Omega, as they're both owned by Shinn-Fu, and several jacks share specs and model numbers between Omega and Blackhawk.

Now I need to know:

What are the pros & cons of having a foot pedal to quickly raise the saddle to the load quickly and fast lift technology like Omega's "MagicLift" one pump to load system? I'd like to know if one is more reliable than the other, simpler to maintain/rebuild, etc.

I was going to PM this to Hiball, but decided to ask here because in all of the jack discussions that I read, I didn't see this issue addressed so thought it may be of use to others as well.

 

[Hiball]

Now I need to know:

What are the pros & cons of having a foot pedal to quickly raise the saddle to the load quickly and fast lift technology like Omega's "MagicLift" one pump to load system? I'd like to know if one is more reliable than the other, simpler to maintain/rebuild, etc.

I really like the Omega line of Jacks, There Magic lift technology is one of the better designed quick lift systems when compared to other Overseas versions. Stay away from this type of Pedal Lift Jack http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200305249_200305249 They are Mickey Mouse and that foot pedal is not connected to the hydraulic system whatsover, It has a ball and seat inside the Ram and when the pedal is depressed the suction of the ram exiting pulls fluid inside the ram. If you intend on dumping $200 bucks into a Magic Lift, I would recommend saving a bit more and investing in a Hein Werner, It is also owned by Shinn fu but is a much better Hydraulic Design than the Omega. As far as the Blackhawk Jacks they are no better than any other Import.

 

[kerryt1]

My next floor jack will the the one sold by Griot's Garage.

 

[Hiball]

My next floor jack will the the one sold by Griot's Garage.

I believe those are the same Jacks OTC sells, Im not sure who the Main Manufacturer is although.http://www.jackxchange.com/products/5202.cfm

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I've had this HF jack for a couple of years now and it's been great.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34271

 

[CRTDI]

I wish I would have found this site while I was looking to replace my old Hein Werner unit from 20+ years ago. There is a lot of inferior junk on the market these days. And as I've discovered you can't rely on trusted names from the past either.

After my research, I ended up with a Milwaukee Model 40, pricey but my head is worth it... It's more jack than I'll ever need to service my 3 cars but I rather have lifting equipment that is overrated for the job I'm doing. I believe this unit will probably outlast me and the son that's going to inherit it someday.

Here are a couple of sites to help sort through the madness:

http://www.hyjacks.com/H2.HTM

http://www.bestcovery.com/node/31797/compare

Good Luck!!!