Best Jack and Jack Stands

[Bro-Hio]

Hey All,

I am looking to upgrade my jack and jack stands(I've been using my Dad's old stuff). I have an Autozone, O'Reilly's, Advance Autoparts, and Harbor Freight all within a couple minutes of my house. I'm also an Amazon Prime member, so shipping isn't really an issue either. I don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks on a good set up because ultimately my safety depends on reliable equipment.

I know some of you might be all Harbor Freight all the way, but something about HF jack stands make me nervous. I might be able to overlook that fear when it comes to jacks.

What are you guys using/ what do you guys like and why?

Also, the cars I will mainly be working on are my GTI and my wife's Tiguan, so nothing crazy heavy duty.

 

[Super Sport]

I'm not a big HF fan, but I recently bought both their 2-1/2T low-profile/long-reach jack and a pair of 6T jack stands. The jack, which I paid $140 for, beats every other jack under $500 IMO. The jack stands are nothing special, but they seem just fine. I was going to buy a pair of US Jack jack stands, but they would have cost me 3X as much for something I won't use often.

With either, the way I feel is that they are at least just as good as any other imported stuff out there. The only way you're going to get better is by spending a lot more and getting something made in the US.

 

[rsanter]

I have an assortment of jacks and stands. The stuff from HF is actually very good. It is one of the things that they actually have good stuff on.
I recomend the big six ton jack stands. They are good for getting the car higher in the air and still being stable. The smaller ones are just not very usefull IMO

Stay away from any if the black craftman junk. If you can find an old green craftsman unit snag it.

Bob

 

[dlcwent]

Welcome to the GJ Bro-Hio. I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions on this subject. I would not trust being safe to a low cost, poorly made jack or jack stands. And at least you are talking about using jack stands. Some people still die each week because they get under a car with just a jack holding it up.

 

[sberry]

Look at the 6 t stands. Both of them are pretty good but most are made by 1 or 2 places and one has a heavier metal. There was no problem with it but seems I bought some from Auto Value on 2 different sales, they must have carried competing products. I like a set of 3T as well and a collection of blocks.
Got a Bud had HF ones and they worked well.

 

[winlinmac]

The 3 Ton Low Profile Floor Jack from Harbor Freight is a Gem, however only comes with a 90 Day Warranty; extended warranty is another $25-$30 tacked on. Along with that you can order a pair of 6 Ton Torin Jack Stands (Double-Locking with Pin) (Includes 1-Year Warranty) from Amazon. Alternatively, you can get them from Harbor Freight as well for as low as $38 when on sale. Any Jack Stands in general, you really should check the welding patterns for safety. Other than that, you should be all set. Oh, and one more thing, pick up a $4 hockey puck from Amazon while you're at it.

 

[fanatic]

My favorite jack stands are the Torin double locking, extra safety is never a bad thing, I got my sets from Amazon.
I'm still trying to kill a Harbor Freight 1.5ton aluminum jack and can't get it done, I think it's one of their best items.
Also, if you get the 3 ton stands I spray the heads with plasti-dip, if you get the 6 ton stands Harbor Freight sells heavy rubber covers to go over the head.
I personally don't like metal to metal grinding and scratching.

 

[zkling]

Best? Ac hydraulics, Milwaukee or that Danish green company :headsctat: only downside to the Milwaukee is they are not low profile. No one really makes an outstanding jack stand IMHO. US jack or the china made easco would be my top pick behind building a set.

 

[ex-x-fire]

Tell us about your "dad's old stuff". Those older jacks can be rebuilt if they're not too rusty.

 

[Mikerodrig27]

I've been happy with the NAPA jacks. I use them professionally and will let cars sit on them while I'm doing tires and such. I've had cars sit on them for a couple of hours while we're trying to contact the customer about something. I had a car sit on one all day long about a month ago while a customer was trying to purchase another rim to go onto their car.

I've also lifted plenty of f350 E350 and 3500 work trucks with two on the rear axle or one on the pumkin with no issues.

To be honest, the place that I work at has used them for years and I haven't ever heard of one ever going down outside of gasket leaks.

 

[Chucktin]

I had a problem with a cheap jack once. Turned out the O ring, the source of the leak, was a square shoulder variety that _nobody_ had!
Fast forward a few years. When my Craftsman jack quit, same kind of leak, I ditched it post haste. The lesson I took away was that sometimes you can buy too cheap.

 

[Bro-Hio]

Great, thanks everyone.

I had my eye on the Torin jack stands from Amazon, so I will probably pull the trigger on those. They get good reviews and you guys recommended them independently, so that's a good endorsement.

I'll also give the HF jack a shot. I just hope it doesn't smell up my garage too much, lol.

 

[winlinmac]

You won't regret your HF Jack purchase, I'd go for the 3-Ton Low-Profile if I were you. There is a coupon available, $83.83.

Make sure your Torin Jack Stands have the double-locking feature (with pin) as there are a couple on Amazon's listings that don't include this feature. I'd prefer 6-Ton Jack Stands, but that's totally up to you depending on the application and the minimum / maximum height you desire.

Great, thanks everyone.

I had my eye on the Torin jack stands from Amazon, so I will probably pull the trigger on those. They get good reviews and you guys recommended them independently, so that's a good endorsement.

I'll also give the HF jack a shot. I just hope it doesn't smell up my garage too much, lol.

 

[jimgood]

Why do people insist on posting "What's the best..." threads?

Of all the people in the world, there are very few who have been through multiple jacks and jack stands in their life time because most jacks and jack stands are purchased once and used for many years. So the vast majority of people have zero basis for comparison. Most of the answers you get will be "Mine is great because I've had it for 150 years with no issues".

Then, among the relatively few people in the world that have used multiple jacks and jack stands, there are even fewer on GJ. And of those, only a certain percentage are going to see and respond to this thread. And even their opinion is limited in that they only have experience with the few jacks and jack stands that they have owned.

On top of that, a reliable jack that was purchased 10, 20 or 30 years ago might not be manufactured to the same quality standards today as it was then. Its manufacture has probably been outsourced to China, like everything else.

So how on God's green earth are we to find an answer to "What's the best...?"

Want to know what the "best" is? The best jack is the one that fits your budget, has the features you need and jacks up your car. That's the best.

Ok. Rant off. Flame away.

 

[bcradio]

Why do people insist on posting "What's the best..." threads?

Of all the people in the world, there are very few who have been through multiple jacks and jack stands in their life time because most jacks and jack stands are purchased once and used for many years. So the vast majority of people have zero basis for comparison. Most of the answers you get will be "Mine is great because I've had it for 150 years with no issues".

Then, among the relatively few people in the world that have used multiple jacks and jack stands, there are even fewer on GJ. And of those, only a certain percentage are going to see and respond to this thread. And even their opinion is limited in that they only have experience with the few jacks and jack stands that they have owned.

On top of that, a reliable jack that was purchased 10, 20 or 30 years ago might not be manufactured to the same quality standards today as it was then. Its manufacture has probably been outsourced to China, like everything else.

So how on God's green earth are we to find an answer to "What's the best...?"

Want to know what the "best" is? The best jack is the one that fits your budget, has the features you need and jacks up your car. That's the best.

Ok. Rant off. Flame away.

All good points here

 

[Bro-Hio]

I apologize for my phrasing. Next time I'll go with "What jack and jack stands do you use at home that haven't failed and maimed or killed anyone in the vicinity". Much more direct.

 

[hancock1701]

I've had my HF 2.5 ton low profile jack and 3 ton stands for several years now, no problem at all. My initial choices were Arcan from Costco, and HF, both under $100. Since I needed low profile, I went with HF. The one thing I didn't like about the HF stands was the deep saddle. My car has round jack points instead of the thin pinch welds, but using the pads from HF has helped the car sit much better in the deep saddle.

 

[CobraRed]

I'm not a big HF fan, but I recently bought both their 2-1/2T low-profile/long-reach jack and a pair of 6T jack stands. The jack, which I paid $140 for, beats every other jack under $500 IMO. The jack stands are nothing special, but they seem just fine. I was going to buy a pair of US Jack jack stands, but they would have cost me 3X as much for something I won't use often.

With either, the way I feel is that they are at least just as good as any other imported stuff out there. The only way you're going to get better is by spending a lot more and getting something made in the US.

I've been using a 2.5ton aluminum jack from HF recently and I agree.

 

[cgv69]

Why do people insist on posting "What's the best..." threads?

Of all the people in the world, there are very few who have been through multiple jacks and jack stands in their life time because most jacks and jack stands are purchased once and used for many years. So the vast majority of people have zero basis for comparison. Most of the answers you get will be "Mine is great because I've had it for 150 years with no issues".

Then, among the relatively few people in the world that have used multiple jacks and jack stands, there are even fewer on GJ. And of those, only a certain percentage are going to see and respond to this thread. And even their opinion is limited in that they only have experience with the few jacks and jack stands that they have owned.

On top of that, a reliable jack that was purchased 10, 20 or 30 years ago might not be manufactured to the same quality standards today as it was then. Its manufacture has probably been outsourced to China, like everything else.

So how on God's green earth are we to find an answer to "What's the best...?"

Want to know what the "best" is? The best jack is the one that fits your budget, has the features you need and jacks up your car. That's the best.

Ok. Rant off. Flame away.

I fully agree with you and could go on even more but really if you think about it, it's just badly worded. The question isn't really Who make the best "***"?, Really what they are asking is... I need a new "***", which one should I get?

And I agree that most of the replies that we all give are just opinions based on limited first hand experience (at best) and filtered through person bias and possibly differing requirements, expectations and budgets.

In the end, we are all just tool junkies finding reasons to talk about tools and threads like this (if nothing else) just help people become aware of options they may not have been aware of?

Its the Internet, no reason to take it serious (a lesson I myself have had to learn)

 

[Finky198]

I keep the HF 1.5 ton Aluminum in my Grand Cherokee I have done a bunch of road side Assistance with it Changed many a tire at 1 am for friends and family never an issue

but Id rather use a Heavy duty steel version for daily use at a shop tho

 

[Don53]

Happy with my US Jack stands. I have four. Their rating is a little odd.. they do it per stand (& not per pair like most)... so their 3 ton stands are equivalent to most others six ton stands.

http://usjack.com/products/Jack Stands.pdf

They usually have a sale (I think 20% off?) around Thanksgiving.

 

[jimgood]

I apologize for my phrasing. Next time I'll go with "What jack and jack stands do you use at home that haven't failed and maimed or killed anyone in the vicinity". Much more direct.

LOL...now THAT'S the way to ask the question!

I fully agree with you and could go on even more but really if you think about it, it's just badly worded. The question isn't really Who make the best "***"?, Really what they are asking is... I need a new "***", which one should I get?

And I agree that most of the replies that we all give are just opinions based on limited first hand experience (at best) and filtered through person bias and possibly differing requirements, expectations and budgets.

In the end, we are all just tool junkies finding reasons to talk about tools and threads like this (if nothing else) just help people become aware of options they may not have been aware of?

Its the Internet, no reason to take it serious (a lesson I myself have had to learn)

Yeah. I guess I just had my undies in a bunch that day.

Having seen thousands upon thousands of these threads, one gets kind of jaded.

 

[toolaholic]

I have a hein Werner 2 ton jack and love it! I use older kobalt jack stands. I also have American forge jack stands w/ the notch in them to support car at pinch welds. I also love and use the little craftsman trolley jack that had the included case. Plus I got a 4 ton older craftsman pro jack that model number ends in 0156. Alot of control with the hein Werner jack. You can gradually and delicately lower car.

 

[jrobb316]

Milwaukee 20 jack and Hein Werner Jack stands. Done with cheap jacks, never again, except for maybe a roadside jack like another poster said. I will watch for the US Jack sale around the holidays, i've been eyeing those up for quite a while.

 

[blazinPond]

I have a hein Werner 2 ton jack and love it! I use older kobalt jack stands. I also have American forge jack stands w/ the notch in them to support car at pinch welds. I also love and use the little craftsman trolley jack that had the included case. Plus I got a 4 ton older craftsman pro jack that model number ends in 0156. Alot of control with the hein Werner jack. You can gradually and delicately lower car.

Agree.
I have the 3-ton Hein Werner jack and 6-ton Hein Werner Jack stands here.

 

[j-guenth]

Hein-Werner still made in America. Can purchase from several sources.

WW Grainger, Sears, Jack supply houses.

 

[kdmoore]

I just bought the HF 3 T low profile..... warning, I didn't realize that 3 tons was the weight of the jack .... bwahahahaha. It's pretty hefty, got me wondering if an aluminum would have filled my needs better. Doubt I'd ever travel with the 3T unit.

Valid question and thread to start ... while we don't know the best this would have flushed out any that you should steer clear of. And to your point you are really looking to avoid mass carnage

Lastly, I don't think the jack is very dangerous ... it's just for lifting to get things on the stands. Failure on the jack really shouldn't hurt anyone, tho it would be plenty annoying and could be harder on the wallet.

YMMV

 

[maico]

Best? Ac hydraulics, Milwaukee or that Danish green company :headsctat: only downside to the Milwaukee is they are not low profile. No one really makes an outstanding jack stand IMHO. US jack or the china made easco would be my top pick behind building a set.

You are thinking of the Danish company Compac

http://www.compac.dk/en/products

 

[atthebeach]

I have a set of four Powerbuilt 4-ton jack stands from O'Reilly. It was an in store purchase so I could visually inspect the weld quality before buying. There are many reviews on-line about poor weld quality in jack stands. So far it looks like a good purchase.

I have a decades old Pro-Lift 2 1/2 ton floor jack that just won't wear out; but I have more recently purchased a Nesco 3 ton, double plunger, low profile aluminum floor jack. Compared to my old jack, the new one pumps up to the lift point with only a few pumps, it is easy to move around the shop, the control in slowly lowering the vehicle down is exceptional, and the low profile fits under my factory original vehicles with less difficulty. Another good purchase.

I think it is important to have rated jack stands that significantly exceed the load being supported. However, as the load rating increases, the minimum adjustable height of a jack stand also typically increases. So when making this purchase be sure that the maximum lifting height of your floor jack exceeds the minimum height of your jack stands.

 

[jlipsky14]

I have a pair of the torin 6 ton stands, non pin locking (didnt realize at the time). I will be ordering another set of them as well but with the pin lock.

For jack I have a blackhawk b6350 from amazon. It is a fast rise so you do feel the weight more when lifting a heavy vehicle. I have had no issues with it but have not had it for that long.
Used it today to lift the entire rear of my f250 by the reciever hitch to upgrade the leaf springs to f350 springs.

 

[winlinmac]

The 6 ton jack stands are not good for vehicles with low profile bumpers

 

[carbon]

Those Compac jack stands look sweet. Solid steel, not tubes.

 

[Wangstang]

Any one have a jack stand model number that meets the following standards:
Made in USA-From USA made components...Not Assembled from China made in the US
Weight Capacity 3 tons or more
Available at a retail store found in most areas of the US
*Optional*Priced at less than $100 a set

If so, please share!

Wes

PS: If you can order from amazon.com via prime, I'll accept that as a retail store equivalent.

 

[carbon]

Why not buy from US jack? Not a retail store, but why is that important? I guess I don't know if they use USA produced steel…

 

[Don53]

Get the U.S. Jack ones at Thanksgiving. The sale will offset the shipping charge. They're true USA made, 6 ton "per pair," and no sales tax for you in NC (unlike Amazon now).

 

[Wangstang]

Why not buy from US jack? Not a retail store, but why is that important? I guess I don't know if they use USA produced steel…

I was hoping to have something by Monday or Tuesday of this week for some front end work on another vehicle in the shop that's been tucked out of the way with room to work but no stands to put it on because of other projects. Finding real Made In USA jack stands is a bit more involved than I expected. US Jacks looks like a good option.

Wes

 

[johninct]

What plastic cover fits the saddle of Snap-On (Hein Werner) 3 ton jack stands?