Found a Lincoln jack today

[64merc]

I picked up an older 2 ton Lincoln jack from a shop that was closing. It is all dirty of course but it looks like it is blue with yellow wheels. I could barely make it out but it has a sticker that says Lincoln lifting equipment or something to that extent.

Anyway, I paid $50 for it and I wanted to see if you guys think I paid too much. I haven't tested it on a car yet, but it lifts and drops slowly when released. Also, is this a good jack? USA?

 

[billymade]

Hell no! They were $350-$500 range new, if I remember correctly! American made and rebuildable; whats not to like? Its the real deal!

 

[dfndr]

I bought one about 8 years ago from a hydraulics shop painted, rebuilt and with 2 yr guarantee for about $250-I think. Anyway, its been perfect ever since. not a drop of oil, ever. Too bad, but the shop disappeared. YOU DID GOOD!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Very well done! How did you contain yourself and keep from crowing in your PM to me?

 

[64merc]

Ok, I feel better now. I am planning to clean it up and then test it out. Honestly though, I'll probably try and rebuild it before I really use it. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

The owner didn't know very much about it but thought that it worked. He asked me to make him an offer but I really wasn't sure how much to offer him since I've never bought a used quality jack before. I felt out of my element. Anyway, I wanted to offer him $40 since this is a lot of money for me right now, but I didn't want to offend him. I figured $50 would be a good deal for me and would be high enough that he wouldn't be offended if he was looking for more. He turned out to be a nice guy - quiet though.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Ok, I feel better now. I am planning to clean it up and then test it out. Honestly though, I'll probably try and rebuild it before I really use it. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

If the jack does not leak after you fill it and it holds the load and does not leak back, then do not rebuild it.

With jacks in particular, don't fix what ain't broke. Clean, paint and resticker by all means, but don't needlessly rebuild it. Besides, a decent kit would likely cost most of $40!

 

[ImportTuner]

Great deal and USA made too ...

 

[bchee]

Anyway, I wanted to offer him $40 since this is a lot of money for me right now, but I didn't want to offend him. I figured $50 would be a good deal for me and would be high enough that he wouldn't be offended if he was looking for more. He turned out to be a nice guy - quiet though.

I hate it when they accept my first offer. Then I start thinking he might have taken $20 for it

 

[64merc]

I hate it when they accept my first offer. Then I start thinking he might have taken $20 for it

Yes, exactly!!! That is why I was asking if I got a good deal. He made me wonder.

 

[Junkman]

I always start low, and go up from there. Hard to start high, and reduce your offer. The only time that I ever was able to do that was when a fellow started telling me all the things that he had done to a car to repair it. The more he talked, the less that I wanted the car. In the end, I told him that I was going to pass, since after he rebuilt the engine, it never ran again. I originally offered $2000 based on the condition of the body, assuming that the mechanicals were good. In the end, I bought the car for $800 and had to tear down the engine and start over. He had no idea of what he was doing, but he could read a book, and that made him an expert engine rebuilder in his mind.

 

[billymade]

Finding that happy medium between "insulting" and a "good offer" is a fine line to cross or at least it can be a hard to find; problem is, you can't read people's minds! Maybe I am not always confident enough but many times I say; "I don't want to be insulting but .... how about... this much..." maybe I am over analyzing but it preps the seller at bit for your offer and doesn't sound like you are so much as a "low baller"....

 

[64merc]

I always start low, and go up from there. Hard to start high, and reduce your offer. The only time that I ever was able to do that was when a fellow started telling me all the things that he had done to a car to repair it. The more he talked, the less that I wanted the car. In the end, I told him that I was going to pass, since after he rebuilt the engine, it never ran again. I originally offered $2000 based on the condition of the body, assuming that the mechanicals were good. In the end, I bought the car for $800 and had to tear down the engine and start over. He had no idea of what he was doing, but he could read a book, and that made him an expert engine rebuilder in his mind.

Yeah, but you have to be careful with some guys not to low-ball them too much. I've pissed off a few along the way with what they thought were insulting low offers.

 

[Rickster]

You did good! Always tough to make an offer. Like you said, you don't want to offend the guy and if you start out too low the guy can just walk away or follow up with an outrageous price. If you're happy with the price then you did good!

 

[64merc]

Thanks, I knew I could count on you guys to give me some feedback.

 

[Danglerb]

If you can act like you know nothing well enough no cash in hand offer is insulting. I tend to make my offers in ATM money, $20 bills, so $40 would have been my first offer.

People who "get offended" usually want too much anyway.

I've been haggling with a guy over a nice shape Lincoln jack for almost a year, but I'm at $100 and he is still at $200, and its not the old USA jack.

 

[Uncle Buck]

If you can act like you know nothing well enough no cash in hand offer is insulting. I tend to make my offers in ATM money, $20 bills, so $40 would have been my first offer.

People who "get offended" usually want too much anyway.

I've been haggling with a guy over a nice shape Lincoln jack for almost a year, but I'm at $100 and he is still at $200, and its not the old USA jack.

I will be interested in hearing if you ever get that one bought. There is a whole lot of real estate between what the two of you value that jack at!

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

I picked up an older 2 ton Lincoln jack from a shop that was closing. It is all dirty of course but it looks like it is blue with yellow wheels. I could barely make it out but it has a sticker that says Lincoln lifting equipment or something to that extent.

Anyway, I paid $50 for it and I wanted to see if you guys think I paid too much. I haven't tested it on a car yet, but it lifts and drops slowly when released. Also, is this a good jack? USA?

Cool thread 64merc. Piqued my interest. There is an old floor jack in the lawn shed purchased at my grandfather's estate auction. Have to dig it out to see what it is.

 

[HolisticPerformance]

Totally Jealous. I can't wait until I find a USA-made jack with cobb webbs on it. People have no idea what they are worth, they can't see past the bells and whistles and high ratings of todays Made in China jacks. haha, "But it says Craftsman on it?!"

 

[dfndr]

Yep, you have your choice of a China made jack at Costco, Pep Boys, Sears and EVERYPLACE ELSE you go to buy a jack. When you find a US made one that you will be able to use the rest of your life it is worth investing in. That's what I thought when paying $250 instead of $39 when I bought mine years ago and it has worked out well. I like the blue and yellow colors but would buy a Hein Warner USA jack in a minute also. Enjoy your good score.

 

[slack]

I picked up a Lincoln 12-ton bottle jack yesterday for $10. Made in USA. Very cool.

 

[vssjim]

even if you have to rebuild it the kit is around forty dollars so you will have a lifetime jack for ninety to a hundred dollars you can't beat that.

 

[Mr_fixit]

Hate to rain on a possible parade, But OLD Lincolns were made in USA. Just like everything , they've found a way to cheapen them, to look like the good old ones, but they're not. I have a Lincoln China one that I bought about 5 years ago. I also have 2 of the USA made ones from 15 -2o years ago, that still work fine...They're easy to spot if you have an old lincoln to compare it to. Hopefully you have a made in USA one, that you'll be able to rebuild, if necessary.

 

[64merc]

Good news, I'm fairly certain that I have a made in USA model.

Bad news, I'm fairly certain I'm going to need a rebuild. It needed more oil so I filled it up (bad sign already). It jacks up fine but doesn't hold a load. It lowers down slowly. Oh well, I guess I'll start comparison shopping for kits. I might try some place local first. I stil feel pretty good about the deal I got, just not as good as I felt before today.

 

[billymade]

Here is a thread that has some useful info and links to places that sell parts: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18055&showall=1

 

[Danglerb]

I figure a jack isn't brain surgery, eventually the Chinese will offer top quality jacks at cheaper than current top quality prices. They must be making freaking millions of the cheap jacks, and I am assuming learning something in the process.

I am not holding out on the $200 seller dropping his price, but OTOH I don't really need a big jack, so I can wait for something to turn up closer to my price.

Once you know the part number for the rebuild kit, just google it and best price will pop up fast.

 

[64merc]

Update: I ended up buying a rebuild kit from a local company. With tax it came to about $40, which isn't too bad considering they said they would charge about $150 to rebuild it for me. I may have been able to find a kit for a little cheaper (maybe), but I figured I would support my community. Besides, my grandfather used to order tons of kits from them so if they're good enough for him, they're good enough for me.

Man, I really wish I would have had him teach me how to do rebuilds. He passed away about 5 years ago but up until then he would rebuild hydraulic equipment for local mechanics to keep himself busy.

Question: A couple of the seals look like those leather ones you guys were talking about. Am I supposed to soak them in jack oil or motor oil? Thanks

 

[Uncle Buck]

Jack oil, that is all I ever use. Nothing else. Like as not the biggiest challenge you will have is getting the big nut at the top of the cylinder loose so you can pull the ram and bein the rebuild. Watch out for the small ball bearings and springs. I have found that making notes of what came from where, and how it goes together helps a lot when you have stuff pulled apart for a few days or so.

 

[rhandwor]

http://www.edshydraulic.com/products.html
If you need rebuild parts.

 

[billymade]

Where are the pics? We want to see this thing!