Aluminum Floor Jacks?

[Beamer]

Getting to the age that everything in the garage is getting swapped out for lighter weight. My vintage floor jack, the "Blue Beast" (manufacturer's name for it) is just what it's name implies, so I am wondering if there are down sides to aluminum jacks for occasional maintenance and hobby use?

The Arcan 2 ton jack has caught my eye due to it's decent lift height. I don't need low profile but would like a quicker lift than the Beast and definately a weight that is easier to shove around and move from garage to shop to driveway.

The other problem with the Beast, besides it weight and slow lifting, is that replacing the cylinder seals is impossible. I went to our local seal distributor and nothing in the entire warehouse could be matched up to what the far east manufacturer used on the jack. I can't imagine why I bought the import probably 30 years ago other than the fact that I thought I could trust NAPA back then.

So, any experiences with aluminum floor jacks?

 

[sportfan]

I have two Schwaben 2 ton jacks that I use some about every week. I bought them at our local Sears store. I have left them holding up one of my Fiats for days without bleeding down any. I'm very happy with them. I would like to get two more. I have a 3 ton "Beast " that hardly ever get used any more.

 

[Sneezer]

I had an aluminum floor jack, Arcan, from Costco many years ago. It was a great jack, and the weight savings made a big difference. Seals went out after about 8 years or so, and I was unable to source the correct ones at the time.

Do you have to lift your jack, or just roll it around in the garage? I recently picked up the HF super duty jack, and was surprised how well it rolled compared to my cheap one. While it is around 100 lbs, it is actually easier to roll around my garage than the old one was. I wasn't expecting that when I got it.

Costco sells an Arcan aluminum one still.

 

[P0234]

I have a couple but I get the most use out of is a Husky 1.5 ton racing jack. Its about 30lbs and nice and compact.

 

[Beamer]

I had an aluminum floor jack, Arcan, from Costco many years ago. It was a great jack, and the weight savings made a big difference. Seals went out after about 8 years or so, and I was unable to source the correct ones at the time.

Do you have to lift your jack, or just roll it around in the garage? I recently picked up the HF super duty jack, and was surprised how well it rolled compared to my cheap one. While it is around 100 lbs, it is actually easier to roll around my garage than the old one was. I wasn't expecting that when I got it.

Costco sells an Arcan aluminum one still.

I couldn't lift the Beast if I wanted to.

To answer your question I roll it around the garage, through the grass 30 feet to the shop and out on the blacktop driveway, mostly on the blacktop. It's a noisey and vibrating blacktop trip. Anything but the concrete garage floor is a tugging contest but another gripe is shoving (sliding) it sideways for final positioning.

It is a rock solid frame but is getting difficult to maneuver, is slow to rise and when last used to pick a corner of the Tahoe it creeped down a couple inches in an hour or so. Jackstands were there to catch it.

I have the same experience with seals so I hope to find a jack that I can buy spare parts for from the start and just save them for the future.

 

[finn]

I have three aluminum jacks, in different locations. They each serve a purpose.

The 1.5 ton HF jack is probably around five years old and suitable for light work, but I keep it away from the truck. Works great for the hot rods or other light work though, and is easy to toss in the trunk.

The 2.5 ton HF is better for all around work. It’s a couple of years older and still works satisfactorily. My son had a similar, but from a different vendor, jack fail structurally while lifting a Toyota FJ40, though, so I am sensitive to its limitations.

The Arcan 3ton is much more robust, and I am not concerned with its lifting capacity for anything I own, including my F600.

I doubt if any will outlast my steel circa 1980 Sears Craftsman green 2.5 ton Japanese built jack, or even the red $119 2.5 ton steel import I picked maybe 15 years ago.

 

[Beamer]

I have two Schwaben 2 ton jacks that I use some about every week. I bought them at our local Sears store. I have left them holding up one of my Fiats for days without bleeding down any. I'm very happy with them. I would like to get two more. I have a 3 ton "Beast " that hardly ever get used any more.

Those seem to have a good lift height at 20". I need to lift a Tahoe from time to time and my Beast goes 18 3/4" and is sufficient. More would be better but a block of wood solves that.

 

[Xcursion88]

This one is very good if it fits your lifting goals.
Made in Alabama I believe if that's important to you

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

 

[Beamer]

This one is very good if it fits your lifting goals.
Made in Alabama I believe if that's important to you

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Thanks for the thought but Snap On is beyond a retired person's budget.

 

[jsmeece]

I have the Arcan (steel and aluminum version) for several years now been a pretty good jack. I am not sure if you read this thread on aluminum jacks from last year. Maybe worth a read.

Aluminum floor jacks help with the choice

Hi all, I am shopping around for a 2 or 3-ton aluminum floor jack. When I look at pictures of 3-ton Arcan, Nos, Sunex, Jegs, the difference that I am able to find is just a color. Specs of all those jacks are almost the same but have some differences. Are they all manufactured by the same...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[ajchien]

Norco and Omega are two brands that sell aluminum jacks and have repair seal kits available.
,

 

[Xcursion88]

Thanks for the thought but Snap On is beyond a retired person's budget.

I mentioned this because we've a big and busy shop here and we're akways in need of a floor jack(s)

We've had the beast (several beasts TBH) and a bunch of the cheaper aluminum varieties.
We might use it more than you but the cheaper aluminum ones always, and I stress always, stop working in pretty quick fashion. Quite honestly to us it's not worth the time and effort to fix those so I can't tell you the component availability for rebuilding them.

 

[Beamer]

I have the Arcan (steel and aluminum version) for several years now been a pretty good jack. I am not sure if you read this thread on aluminum jacks from last year. Maybe worth a read.

Aluminum floor jacks help with the choice

Hi all, I am shopping around for a 2 or 3-ton aluminum floor jack. When I look at pictures of 3-ton Arcan, Nos, Sunex, Jegs, the difference that I am able to find is just a color. Specs of all those jacks are almost the same but have some differences. Are they all manufactured by the same...

www.garagejournal.com

Thanks for that

 

[paulsomlo]

The other problem with the Beast, besides it weight and slow lifting, is that replacing the cylinder seals is impossible. I went to our local seal distributor and nothing in the entire warehouse could be matched up to what the far east manufacturer used on the jack.

Take a look here: https://www.hcrcnow.com/shop/seal-kits/napa-manufactured-by-sunex
If you back out to the main menu, they also have kits for Napa made by Shinn Fu America.

 

[Beamer]

Take a look here: https://www.hcrcnow.com/shop/seal-kits/napa-manufactured-by-sunex
If you back out to the main menu, they also have kits for Napa made by Shinn Fu America.

The jack isn't marked NAPA. It is a Intermarket model 3500 Blue Beast sold by NAPA half a lifetime ago.
The Intermarket label says Guilderland, NY but I don't currently find company information searching around.
If it's related to the company that you wrote, I have no idea.

I did search the reference site for "3500" and it returned Blue Beast by American Forge and Foundry. That company appears to also be in NY. Were they an import product company? Their name isn't on the jack but it clearly notes China on the label. Unfortunately the referenced parts company notes that the kit is discontinued and thy have no information for the model but might make something up given the correct measurements.

 

[FMB4]

Lots of good info on this thread. Thanks to everyone.

 

[paulsomlo]

The jack isn't marked NAPA. It is a Intermarket model 3500 Blue Beast sold by NAPA half a lifetime ago.
The Intermarket label says Guilderland, NY but I don't currently find company information searching around.
If it's related to the company that you wrote, I have no idea.

If anyone here would know, it would be Hiball.

 

[Beamer]

Lots of good info on this thread. Thanks to everyone.

Agreed.

 

[Beamer]

If anyone here would know, it would be Hiball.

I emailed AFF to try to find out but they have a different Surname (SureWerx) so perhaps the chain of ownership might be too long for old records and parts.

 

[Bodj Built]

I couldn't lift the Beast if I wanted to.

To answer your question I roll it around the garage, through the grass 30 feet to the shop and out on the blacktop driveway, mostly on the blacktop. It's a noisey and vibrating blacktop trip. Anything but the concrete garage floor is a tugging contest but another gripe is shoving (sliding) it sideways for final positioning.

It is a rock solid frame but is getting difficult to maneuver, is slow to rise and when last used to pick a corner of the Tahoe it creeped down a couple inches in an hour or so. Jackstands were there to catch it.

I have the same experience with seals so I hope to find a jack that I can buy spare parts for from the start and just save them for the future.

Have you looked at the Pro Eagle jacks?

 

[Beamer]

Have you looked at the Pro Eagle jacks?

Wow, an off road jack. Macho.
Not sure those wheels would get under our other pedestrian vehicles.

 

[Bodj Built]

Wow, an off road jack. Macho.
Not sure those wheels would get under our other pedestrian vehicles.

Hah I only work on trucks/SUVs, so I forget people need low profile jacks

 

[pbon]

I have 3 HF 1.5 ton aluminum jacks that I use occasionally. Easy to put in the trunk if going to the dragstrip and will lift the rear of my E36 M3 to swap wheels. I use those before I drag out the steel 3 ton Michelin jack. Mostly I use my lift. If I did not have a lift, I would buy a set of quick jacks.

 

[Beamer]

If anyone here would know, it would be Hiball.

Well, I got in touch with AF&F and apparently they were the company involved with the Blue Beast but due to the age of the jacks they have no parts and no information on specs so it's a dead end for the future.

 

[paulsomlo]

You said you took it to a seal place and they couldn't match it up - have you taken apart the hydraulics and laid eyes on the seal?

 

[Beamer]

You said you took it to a seal place and they couldn't match it up - have you taken apart the hydraulics and laid eyes on the seal?

Yes, I took it in there apart. In the end I just put it back together and live with it.
Looking like a reason to look for a new one but I have no doubt it won't last as long as this one did.
Maybe when there is a replacement I'll go through the exercise again with a different seal shop. I hate sending things to the dump.

 

[paulsomlo]

We're you able to measure the seals while it was apart? If you take it apart again, take some pics and measurements and post them up here, we may be able to help.

 

[Beamer]

We're you able to measure the seals while it was apart? If you take it apart again, take some pics and measurements and post them up here, we may be able to help.

Thanks for the offer but it's too late until next time when it's taken down. I'll keep it in mind.
Amazing that there is not information to be found on the jack except pictures.

 

[paulsomlo]

Send member "Hiball" a PM, he may know.

 

[Beamer]

Send member "Hiball" a PM, he may know.

ok

 

[Beamer]

A new question related to the original topic. Looking at aluminum jacks I don't get a confident feeling about the potential longevity of aluminum wheels used on coarse residential paving. Would it be possible to swap out the wheels for steel? Would those be difficult to source?

 

[Sgtboz]

I couldn't lift the Beast if I wanted to.

To answer your question I roll it around the garage, through the grass 30 feet to the shop and out on the blacktop driveway, mostly on the blacktop. It's a noisey and vibrating blacktop trip. Anything but the concrete garage floor is a tugging contest but another gripe is shoving (sliding) it sideways for final positioning.

It is a rock solid frame but is getting difficult to maneuver, is slow to rise and when last used to pick a corner of the Tahoe it creeped down a couple inches in an hour or so. Jackstands were there to catch it.

I have the same experience with seals so I hope to find a jack that I can buy spare parts for from the start and just save them for the future.

My 65 year old hands are having trouble pulling that 3T Sears jack around over an uneven driveway, positioning is a problem too. I'd love an aluminum jack if they hold up. Have the Sears jack for over 30 years, occasional clearance issues under the newer cars.

 

[Beamer]

My 65 year old hands are having trouble pulling that 3T Sears jack around over an uneven driveway, positioning is a problem too. I'd love an aluminum jack if they hold up. Have the Sears jack for over 30 years, occasional clearance issues under the newer cars.

I've got some years on you so whether they hold up or not is becoming less of a criteria. Everything in my garage is getting lightened and I'm loving it. One example is the ECHO 2511t chainsaw; with a powerhead weight of just over 5 pounds I think it's the best saw I've owned, but then again it might be my current perspective.

 

[finn]

My 65 year old hands are having trouble pulling that 3T Sears jack around over an uneven driveway, positioning is a problem too. I'd love an aluminum jack if they hold up. Have the Sears jack for over 30 years, occasional clearance issues under the newer cars.

I have a few years on you, and my Sears jack is a little older too.

I bought the aluminum Arcan from Costco last winter. Figured I will get 10 years out of it. By then I won’t be crawling on the ground anyway, and I’ll still have my (by then 50 year old) Sears jack as a backup.