ANOTHER Floor Jack Question

xroad · Feb 20, 2009

Saw at Lowes, $99 3 ton fllor jack. Looks big, looks heavy. It is marked Kolbalt on the side. Any tried one?

I have returned so many jack I am starting to give up. Using up lots of gas buying and returning. My last three new purchase ended up in leaks. Two immediately, one after a week, maybe a total of 15 lift cycles!

stricht8 · Feb 21, 2009

Buy an american one.
http://www.heinwernerjacks.com/

xroad said:
Saw at Lowes, $99 3 ton fllor jack. Looks big, looks heavy. It is marked Kolbalt on the side. Any tried one?

I have returned so many jack I am starting to give up. Using up lots of gas buying and returning. My last three new purchase ended up in leaks. Two immediately, one after a week, maybe a total of 15 lift cycles!

-B- · Feb 21, 2009

stricht8 said:
Buy an american one.
http://www.heinwernerjacks.com/

The same jacks Mac and NAPPA re-label Goodyear and Michilin use to re label them too.

,

stricht8 · Feb 21, 2009

Not sure about the olden days, but it seems that MAC jacks are made in China. NAPA, Goodyear and Michelin most certainly are.

-B- said:
The same jacks Mac and NAPPA re-label Goodyear and Michilin use to re label them too.

,

-B- · Feb 21, 2009

Please see this http://www.mactools.com/product/tabid/120/p-323730-hw93642.aspx

dps · Feb 21, 2009

Is their Omega line good enough for a hobbyist?

-B- · Feb 21, 2009

Should be just fine even using it every day for years of service.

Garage_Mahal · Feb 21, 2009

I have an Omega jack and it is built like the proverbial brick sXXXhouse. It's not the best for quick and smooth jacking, but it has some nice features and the price was right from MSC.

xroad · Feb 26, 2009

Scissor Jack

Low tech scissor jack ... no leaks ...

30" lift (is that 30" delta or 30" max height?)
7500 pounds (3.75 tons)
$30

http://www.domarproducts.com/scissorjack.html

Sounds good?

sammerdog · Feb 26, 2009

Re: Scissor Jack

xroad said:
Low tech scissor jack ... no leaks ...

http://www.domarproducts.com/scissorjack.html

Sounds good?

I was waiting for someone to bring up scissor jacks - I have three of them and they're great. Like you said, no leaks, they don't lower by themselves, are relatively light weight. Two came out of a junk yard for $2 each, the third I pulled out of the trunk of a Buick I sold for scrap.

Have a rolling floor jack and a pair of bottle jacks out of GMC vans, but just don't trust them as much.

xroad · Feb 26, 2009

Well, up till now, I have been using the little scissor jack that comes with the econo box or the mini van. Just don't have the $$$ for a hydraulic jack that don't leak.

I have not looked at scissor jacks because I did not think they have the potential for high lift height.

Uncle Buck · Feb 26, 2009

Re: Scissor Jack

xroad said:
Low tech scissor jack ... no leaks ...

30" lift (is that 30" delta or 30" max height?)
7500 pounds (3.75 tons)
$30

http://www.domarproducts.com/scissorjack.html

Sounds good?

sammerdog said:
I was waiting for someone to bring up scissor jacks - I have three of them and they're great. Like you said, no leaks, they don't lower by themselves, are relatively light weight. Two came out of a junk yard for $2 each, the third I pulled out of the trunk of a Buick I sold for scrap.

Have a rolling floor jack and a pair of bottle jacks out of GMC vans, but just don't trust them as much.

They are great for changing a flat when you are on the road! :thumbup:

T56 Impala · Feb 26, 2009

Maybe I'm lucky....

I have a low profile aluminum jack from Costco I got about 7 years ago. Made in China. (Actually, it was a gift from my Dad) I use it all the time. Not one leak. I store it hanging on the wall.

The Muffin Man · Feb 26, 2009

T56 Impala said:
Maybe I'm lucky....

I have a low profile aluminum jack from Costco I got about 7 years ago. Made in China. (Actually, it was a gift from my Dad) I use it all the time. Not one leak. I store it hanging on the wall.

Same here I have several "Made In China" jacks from Harbor Freight and not one of them has failed. I actually bought another one two days ago.

Xroad, what jacks failed on you out of curiosity?

ovilla · Feb 26, 2009

I just did a write up on my new BendPak/Ranger floor jack that is really low (less than 3"), has a height of 24", and is 34" long. This is a nice floor jack as it can fit the bill for all types of vehicles. Check it out. I have a lot of pictures on my little write up. Also, let me know if you have questions. Thanks

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30916

xroad · Feb 26, 2009

The Muffin Man said:
Same here I have several "Made In China" jacks from Harbor Freight and not one of them has failed. I actually bought another one two days ago.

Xroad, what jacks failed on you out of curiosity?

A low price small hydraulic jack from auto part store, don't remember the name. Lasted about a year. I don't fix cars that often so it was ony a handful of times I used it. Few oil changes, few tire rotations, that was it. Started leaking.

Wanting a real jack, I went with a Sears Craftman. It was on sale, got it for about $100. Not a huge one but it was big and heavy. Leaked the first day. Went back to get a replacement. Leaked with in a few days. Got my money back.

64merc · Feb 26, 2009

I've got a Craftman jack that was made in China. It is about 10 years old and is still working fine. I guess I got lucky.

bgott · Feb 27, 2009

I've got a Craftsman floor jack that is a warranty replacement. I bought the first one, took it home and was about half way up jacking up a car when the handle decided to go straight up, right now! It hit the bumper and like to have dislocated my wrist. I took it back and got a new one, it has lasted 14 years.

xroad · Feb 27, 2009

From all the hydraulic threads I have read here, it looks to me like a **** shoot. Either buy an expensive name brand, new or used, or any thing else. The "any thing else" can be a pretty Sears Craftsman or a sloppy painted Harbor Freight, it can last 2 days or 2 decades.

I just started to consider Sicissor jacks. The last one I killed by overloading it. I should find one that can lift a F150 pick up.

Gary S · Feb 28, 2009

T56 Impala said:
Maybe I'm lucky....

I have a low profile aluminum jack from Costco I got about 7 years ago. Made in China. (Actually, it was a gift from my Dad) I use it all the time. Not one leak. I store it hanging on the wall.

I'm one of the lucky ones too. I have a Chinese made floor jack I picked up at Menards over 15 years ago for $40 on sale. It has had lots of hard use and has never leaked a drop of oil. Last Fall I was working on my Caprice and had the rear end up while I swapped the rear wheels. I forgot the jack was under the car and left it overnight. The next morning, it was still at the height I left it. It didn't leak down even an inch overnight. After hearing about the problems so many people seem to have with cheap jacks, I hope mine lasts another 15 years.

Coach James · Feb 28, 2009

My dad has a C-man jack that is ~35 years old. 1.5 tons and has never let him down. The saddle is probably 8" in diameter. It's painted a nice green color.

I have a C-man also, about 5 years old and no problems. I've really started thinking about scissor jacks though. I have one that I have used for a jack stand a couple times. I like it because I can raise the car with the floor jack then scissor the scissor jack to the same height and have it support part of the load. No need to lower the car onto jack stands.

Two of my friends have HF jacks that are several years old and never had any problems.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200305251_200305251

Coach

Charles (in GA) · Feb 28, 2009

Coach James said:
My dad has a C-man jack that is ~35 years old. 1.5 tons and has never let him down. The saddle is probably 8" in diameter. It's painted a nice green color.

Square saddle?, big giant cast iron supports for the rear swivel casters? real stout one piece handle, pulls out by loosening a knurled knob? Rolls real nice and smooth?

Charles

Coach James · Feb 28, 2009

The saddle is round and white. The casters are heavy thick steel(painted green originally) and the supports are really large compared to what I see on newer ones. The handle is white, one piece with a knurled grip and much thicker steel than my newer one. I can't remember how the handle is removed. I do remember he paid $100 for it new back in 1974 or 75.

Coach

Uncle Buck · Feb 28, 2009

Coach James said:
The saddle is round and white. The casters are heavy thick steel(painted green originally) and the supports are really large compared to what I see on newer ones. The handle is white, one piece with a knurled grip and much thicker steel than my newer one. I can't remember how the handle is removed. I do remember he paid $100 for it new back in 1974 or 75.

Coach

I may very well be wrong, but I think those were made by Hein Warner.

Coach James · Feb 28, 2009

Next time I'm at his house I'll see if I can find any numbers or marks on it. That has been one A+ jack for sure. In addition to all its other attributes, the handle is longer than my recent vintage C-man. The handle on mine is ~39" while the handle on my dad's is ~50". Much easier to lift a car with that longer handle.

Coach

chappys4life · Mar 2, 2009

I have always had good luck with harbor fright ones. My dad always had them and never any issues so when it came time to buy one I got a hf this past weekend $70 for thier super duty 3 ton. It was on sale $30 off so I couldn't complain.

ANOTHER Floor Jack Question

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