jayemm
Well-known member
The first time I saw these in HF it looked like an accident waiting to happen.
Aluminum Jacks
- Thread starter mobiledynamics
- Start date
The first time I saw these in HF it looked like an accident waiting to happen.
Locker537
Well-known member
I purchased an Arcan from Costco for track use. It's been great.
That's an extremely fishy photo. Aside from the fact that the guidepin appears to not be fully installed (that keeps the post centered in the frame and prevents it from falling out), I can't see a legitimate use where the frame is going to fail that way. The pawl is going to engage the post far below the lip of the frame and push the entire post against the backside of the frame opposite the pawl. It's not going to start cracking on one side (especially that high given where the pawl sits) and peel out like that, even if the guidepin wasn't installed properly. It looks to me like somebody did something extremely strange to that stand, or just broke it (put it in a shop press/whatever) to take pix and go viral.
[EDIT - reading the thread further, he says "Taking my front tires off my f150 with both jack stand supporting the front of my truck. Kicking the tire trying to pop it off the studs and the jack shifted / cracked." I'm sorry - that's not credible at all.]
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Lucid Moments
Well-known member
I don't think I am going to pay ~$1,800 for a jack.
Sounds like he basically kicked the vehicle off the jack stand.
Might not been part of the design process.
I don't believe that even happened. The way that thing "failed" isn't consistent with his story. The more I think about it the more I think a shop press was involved (and I don't think the stand was vertical/in a standard orientation).Sounds like he basically kicked the vehicle off the jack stand.
Might not been part of the design process.
The Porsche race car tech at our shop used a HF aluminum jack on all the race cars. Porsche 962, Mirage, etc. they are all lighter than road cars but all over 1 mill $. Of course it was just to lift the cars. Jack stands to crawl under.
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I’ve gone through a number of generic Chinese aluminium jacks over the last 15 years, 1250kg and a few designs of 1500kg jacks.
My main advice to anyone buying an aluminium jack - get the one with the best warranty and support you can.
Ive used them as my primary jack since the mid-00s on European compact and mid size cars and suvs, never broken any of the chassis on them, however:
- you have to be really careful to use them on a flat surface, I rolled one over sideways in a junk yard and bent the frame.
- they don’t roll well on anything other than mirror flat concrete, so position the jack in a way it can pull the vehicle towards jack, otherwise it may slide off the jack pad.
- they fall apart, remove every fastener and reseat it using thread lock when you buy one
- some are good, some are bad, hence buying one that you can return for repair/replacement.
I’ve gone through about 6 power units over the years, some leaking within days of coming out the box, some lasting years. My current one is around 8 years old and still works!
My main advice to anyone buying an aluminium jack - get the one with the best warranty and support you can.
Ive used them as my primary jack since the mid-00s on European compact and mid size cars and suvs, never broken any of the chassis on them, however:
- you have to be really careful to use them on a flat surface, I rolled one over sideways in a junk yard and bent the frame.
- they don’t roll well on anything other than mirror flat concrete, so position the jack in a way it can pull the vehicle towards jack, otherwise it may slide off the jack pad.
- they fall apart, remove every fastener and reseat it using thread lock when you buy one
- some are good, some are bad, hence buying one that you can return for repair/replacement.
I’ve gone through about 6 power units over the years, some leaking within days of coming out the box, some lasting years. My current one is around 8 years old and still works!
Wyoming09
Well-known member
I have had an aluminum 3 ton Arcan for the last several
years that works very well. It replaced an AC Delco steel jack.
years that works very well. It replaced an AC Delco steel jack.
This got my attention: looks like a good deal.
Anybody pick one up?
www.harborfreight.com
Anybody pick one up?
1.5 ton Ultra-Low-Profile Lightweight High-Performance Aluminum Racing Jack with RAPID PUMP
Amazing deals on this 1.5T Aluminum Pro Racing Floor Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
Qualitytools
Well-known member
To me it’s being resourceful. Is it dangerous? Of course but it gets the job done in a pinch and gets him back on the road. Oh! And he has a double safety set up (2 pieces of wood) not just oneHF jack stands are probably safer than this:
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I have an aluminum 1.5t HF jack and a 4 ton steel matco branded jack. I grab the aluminum one often purely due to it being lightweight and easy to move around. The aluminum HF jack was a freebie, a friend gave it to me when he moved. I use it more often than I thought I would.
Aluminum is a very strong and durable material if used within it's engineered design. Without a doubt, mistakes happen and failures occur, but that is an outlier and rarely due to the material the jack is made from, usually a failure results from overloading or misuse of some kind. Obviously sometimes there is a manufacturing defect or something but I bet that's pretty dang rare. I'd be far more suspect of the hydraulic seals or something in that mechanism failing before I worried about the aluminum failing.
I have personally never seen aluminum jack stands, but if they're designed properly I don't see an issue with them. Why you would want them is kind of a mystery, jack stands tend to not be mobile tools so weight isn't as much of a concern.
I've used a LOT of aluminum in my career and it's much stronger and safer than people think it is. Most of the cheap or common extruded aluminum guys can get at the hardware store isn't a very strong alloy and is not really comparable to wrought 6061-T6 bar or one of the high strength alloys like 7075. The cheap aluminum angle from the bin at home depot gives the impression that aluminum is just stiff taffy and that's really not the case for most aluminum parts.
Aluminum is a very strong and durable material if used within it's engineered design. Without a doubt, mistakes happen and failures occur, but that is an outlier and rarely due to the material the jack is made from, usually a failure results from overloading or misuse of some kind. Obviously sometimes there is a manufacturing defect or something but I bet that's pretty dang rare. I'd be far more suspect of the hydraulic seals or something in that mechanism failing before I worried about the aluminum failing.
I have personally never seen aluminum jack stands, but if they're designed properly I don't see an issue with them. Why you would want them is kind of a mystery, jack stands tend to not be mobile tools so weight isn't as much of a concern.
I've used a LOT of aluminum in my career and it's much stronger and safer than people think it is. Most of the cheap or common extruded aluminum guys can get at the hardware store isn't a very strong alloy and is not really comparable to wrought 6061-T6 bar or one of the high strength alloys like 7075. The cheap aluminum angle from the bin at home depot gives the impression that aluminum is just stiff taffy and that's really not the case for most aluminum parts.
It's really low, but less than 2" more max height vs. the Daytona equivalent, which is currently on sale for $109.This got my attention: looks like a good deal.
Anybody pick one up?
1.5 ton Ultra-Low-Profile Lightweight High-Performance Aluminum Racing Jack with RAPID PUMP
Amazing deals on this 1.5T Aluminum Pro Racing Floor Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
Lucid Moments
Well-known member
Yea but it is aluminum which is really nice if you take it to the race track. Those Daytona jacks are a little on the heavy side.
vavet
Well-known member
I bought one of the HF 1.5t aluminum units at least 11 years ago. I needed it for the miata I had at the time. I don’t use it often, but it’s my go to for a simple task when putting a car on my lift is more trouble, I also have a steel craftsman Jack that is 30+ years old. I bought that as a teenager.
richfinn
Well-known member
I work for a large Roadside Assistance Club in the UK, about 15 years ago we all got issued with new Aluminium Trolley Jack's (we loved them as they were lightweight and easy to lift in and out of the van). After a couple of years we had to hand them back in and we all got issued a specialist all steel jack and van lifting frame which cost about 5 times the price.
Too many accidents and injuries apparently.
I never experienced any problems, but clearly the Club were worried somebody was gonna get seriously hurt!!
Too many accidents and injuries apparently.
I never experienced any problems, but clearly the Club were worried somebody was gonna get seriously hurt!!
I'm talking about this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/15-to...luminum-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-58206.html
Daytona Al vs. Ultra-Low-Profile Lightweight High Performance AL (both 1.5 Ton Aluminum)
Weight: 32.3lb vs. 36lb
Min Height: 3 1/2" vs. 2 3/8"
Max Height: 14 1/2" vs. 16 1/8"
Price: $135 (on sale for $110 at the moment) vs. $300
[Edit- fixed a mistake on the min. height - I had them swapped]
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Lucid Moments
Well-known member
My bad then. I assumed you were talking about one of the steel Daytona jacks.
I have a C'man 1.5 ton aluminum jack I bought about 20 years ago (2004 IIRC). Still have it, added oil to it once about 5 years ago. Used it last week to help a friend rotate the tires on his flatbed. I did not get under the vehicle.
OP
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
I did end up grab a HF 1.5 Alum Jack. Build quality seems okay for the price I paid out the door. $240 after taxes for the 36lb 1.5 jack. For its use case, it's perfect. Wish it was 2 ton rated. Seems to be built well and I have plenty of AC Jack Stands that I always prop once it get's to height.
OP
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
Not much a HF shopper. I had a 25%. And I was walking in the door thinking the jack was $350'ish.
Surprising, it was at $300 . So 25% and then taxes, seemed like a hot deal for me as such since I was spreading thinking this was at $350]
I need to get a better look one day. The fill/bleed screw is a small screw cap. Small....not sure but I suspect it's ALU
Surprising, it was at $300 . So 25% and then taxes, seemed like a hot deal for me as such since I was spreading thinking this was at $350]
I need to get a better look one day. The fill/bleed screw is a small screw cap. Small....not sure but I suspect it's ALU
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Back in my day the 1.5T HF jack only cost $60!This got my attention: looks like a good deal.
Anybody pick one up?
1.5 ton Ultra-Low-Profile Lightweight High-Performance Aluminum Racing Jack with RAPID PUMP
Amazing deals on this 1.5T Aluminum Pro Racing Floor Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
purplezr2
Well-known member
Jack Stands? I have never seen a jack fail, but I always use jack stands. I assume you should be pretty safe environment when lifting a vehicle.
I've seen this pic many times over the years, and it never fails to make me shudder...Screw the jack stands!
wonder what jack could lift this guys truck that high!
Don’t worry the concrete curb will keep it from going over on its side !!
lol
