best jack stands for the money

[turbotank]

as the title states im looking for the best jack stands for the money. or maybe im thinking about this too hard and jack stands are jack stands. lemme know what u have and what u payed for em..and how u like them.

thanks

tank

 

[djjack]

AC Hydraulic stands are well made and stable. They seem to have less lateral play than jack stands with the rack and catch mechanism. Check out www.ultimategarage.com for the specs.

 

[turbotank]

ill check em out any more ?

 

[iiibdsiil]

I tell ya I'm REAL happy with my Harbor Freight specials. They were like $40 or something for the pair of medium ones. I figure if my car weighs 1/3 the rated weight, I should be fine with the HF ones.

 

[-lecroix-]

Got 4 pair of the Harbor Freight stands ... 2 pair of 6 tons and 2 pair of 3 tons.

 

[ImportTuner]

I tell ya I'm REAL happy with my Harbor Freight specials. They were like $40 or something for the pair of medium ones. I figure if my car weighs 1/3 the rated weight, I should be fine with the HF ones.

You would get under a car supported by HF specials?

 

[wythors]

I've got a pair of these in their Blue Point form. They seem to be very well made and don't damage Race Deck floors.

 

[-lecroix-]

You would get under a car supported by HF specials?

I crawl under my '67 Chevy truck supported by my HF specials all the time. Never had a minute's trouble from them ... solid cast iron.

But in all fairness, I have to mention that the Made in the USA Craftsman 3 ton models I had let a '69 VW Karman Ghia fall on me when they buckled.

I still have scars and trouble with my right shoulder because of it.

 

[bmwpower]

I crawl under my '67 Chevy truck supported by my HF specials all the time. Never had a minute's trouble from them ... solid cast iron.

But in all fairness, I have to mention that the Made in the USA Craftsman 3 ton models I had let a '69 VW Karman Ghia fall on me when they buckled.

I still have scars and trouble with my right shoulder because of it.

Woh. 12 tons of jackstand couldn't keep up a ghia? Did a lawsuit develop? Man, not good. Good thing you made it out in one piece.

I used to work regularly under cars jacked up with those thin sheetmetal type jacks... you know, the ones from years ago. No more.

 

[eschoendorff]

I use the 6 tone HF specials all the time and have never had a problem. They actually seem to be built pretty tough. And you can't beat the price, especially when you consider that just about every other jackstand made by any other company probably comes out of the same factory in China. Oh, with different paint.

 

[wilbilt]

I have a pair of Snap-Ons that look just like the HF variety. No worries.

I also have a pair that are made from a Model A rear axle housing. They seem sturdy, but aren't adjustable.

 

[-lecroix-]

Woh. 12 tons of jackstand couldn't keep up a ghia? Did a lawsuit develop? Man, not good. Good thing you made it out in one piece.

I used to work regularly under cars jacked up with those thin sheetmetal type jacks... you know, the ones from years ago. No more.

12 tons? Only 1 jackstand collapsed (3 ton model) which in turn caused the Ghia's rear to "twist" off the other 3 ton jackstand, resulting in the fall on dear ol' me.

Yes, these were the cast iron style stands. What happen was the toothed section of the jacstand cracked at the top where the pad the car sits on, and the entire pad broke off.

 

[bmwpower]

12 tons? Only 1 jackstand collapsed (3 ton model) which in turn caused the Ghia's rear to "twist" off the other 3 ton jackstand, resulting in the fall on dear ol' me.

Yes, these were the cast iron style stands. What happen was the toothed section of the jacstand cracked at the top where the pad the car sits on, and the entire pad broke off.

12 tons as in 4 x 3 ton jackstands. Assuming a ballanced car, 1/4 of the weight of the car was on that one jackstand. Which means it should have been well under it's designed weight limit.

 

[Flathead Youngin']

i don't care how good the quality, or lack thereof, is in a pair of jack stands......when i go under a car, i usually have both my jacks still under it and several sets of stands......depending on if the whole car is in the air....

i'm getting to be a chicken in my old age.....or maybe it's just wisdom.....let me ask my wife....

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

You have to look at all of them and decide for yourselfs, it's your neck.

Since MOST come from oversea's now, you have to look at the build quality. My bosses got me a set years ago, that was sold at Sam's. When I went to go get some more, Sam's had changed vendors. They were a standard jack stand, with a locking pin on top of it (pyramid style stand).

I have a neighbor who decided to follow in the pick and pulls footsteps, and weld up a couple of wheels (homemade).
A few years ago, our local autoparts store was calling around, trying to remember who all they sold some to. They were imports that the teeth had been put on backwards.

 

[-lecroix-]

12 tons as in 4 x 3 ton jackstands. Assuming a ballanced car, 1/4 of the weight of the car was on that one jackstand. Which means it should have been well under it's designed weight limit.

I understand where you're coming from mathematically, but I was trying to point out that only ONE jackstand collapsed ... causing the car to become unbalanced and then it fell off the other stand, both being under the rear of the vehicle. I also "assumed" they would hold such a light-weight car as well, and that assumption almost killed me.

Whether or not it "shoulda ... coulda ... woulda" been under its designed weight limit is irrelevant. It collapsed, causing the car to fall on me. Period. It was cast iron. It was Made In The USA (or so the decal said).

I was only pointing out that just because something is of name brand and made in a certain place does not always guarantee it will perform as designed.

Regardless of the weight of the vehicle, nothing smaller than a 6 ton jack stand goes under it now if I plan on being underneath said vehicle.

P.S. No, there was no lawsuit.

 

[ba614]

I use 6 ton jack stands [cast iron] I bought off a travelling tools sale outfit ... they are so tall in the lowest position there is no need to raise them up ... I also use wood blocks for safeties even though I don't think the massive 6 ton stands could ever fail with a car or light pickup on them

 

[russlaferrera]

I have 5T Walker made in USA 3T Blackhawk made in USA. and 6T HF made in China, 5T made in China. Other than the color they all work the same, with no problems.

All I say is use them!

 

[BetterDays]

I am looking for new Jackstands (and a new floor jack).

I need something with height to it (hence the new floor jack), since I will be under the car quite a bit in the coming months.

 

[1320stang]

Man, those Torin stands have too small of a base for my taste. At full extension of 15", those 6" diameter bases look wayyyy too small. I don't want 4000# of minivan to fall off those because I banged my knee against the rocker.

 

[mikeyr]

if I am going to be under the car the money spent on the AC stands seems very well spent, I would go for the AC (oh wait I did) and not look back.

 

[Hawk231]

Man, those Torin stands have too small of a base for my taste. At full extension of 15", those 6" diameter bases look wayyyy too small. I don't want 4000# of minivan to fall off those because I banged my knee against the rocker.

Same thing I was thinking.

I'm looking for jack stands too. The AC stands look real nice, but I can't pull the trigger on them. Guess I'll keep an eye on this thread.

 

[kartracer55]

Those Torin jackstands 1320 is talking about scare me too. There is NO WAY I would put those things under a full size SUV, which In theory would still be under its weight capacity. Those are TINY! I just dont understand how they can truly handle that much weight. Is it possible that the safety margin just isnt the same?

My friend has a set of them and the only thing we use them for is the occasional work on his quad's, or if he needs to support something in the garage. He does some stupid things lol, but even HE wont put a car on these.

Jim