Harbor Freight Floorjack Problems

[CJM8515]

So Im not sure what my buddy is doing wrong, but he has had 2 different HF floorjacks fail by twisting the frame. Both of these were used on 3/4 ton work trucks which were loaded with about 1000lbs in the bed. Both of them failed with the jacks supporting the truck on the pumpkin on the rear and then the actual frame of the jack twisting. In both instances he claims the jacks were supporting the truck fine then he heard an awful noise and the truck almost falls and winds up with a twsited jack. All he is doing is rotating his tires and the front is supported on stands.

Jacks in question are 3 tons, one is the aluminum one part # 68052 and the other was the steel low pro part # 61253/#61282.

For the life of me I cant figure out how he is doing this unless the jack is slipping but this was on 2 different trucks and one especially was on a totally flat and level surface pretty much and the other on a very very slight incline. Both jacked up on the pumpkin, truck 1 is a 3/4 ton chevy full size express van and truck 2 is a 2012 chevy 2500hd crewcab 8ft bed.

Are these jacks just junk or is he unlucky or something? Are the jacks apparently although rated for 3 tons closer to 1 ton or something?

 

[wolf_from_wv]

I would have thought you'd be pushing 6000 pounds total weight with those vehicles. Any side to side movement at all?

 

[zkling]

Could be the angle at which he is loading them. Any bit of side load would induce a twist about the chassis.

 

[Garage Junky]

The HF floor jacks are coplete garbage IMO. I bought one last year with a big sale and coupon - had to return it, wouldnt stay up even after it was bled and checked over. I went to the store and replaced it, same issue with the replacement. I returned it and vowed never to trust something as important as a jack to HF

 

[rsanter]

My half ton truck weighs 5300#s
How heavy does he have the truck loaded?
I know you said an amount of weigh but do you know that to be correct or a guess?
How much other stuff does he keep in the truck?
How about side loading like trying to turn the jack with the truck on it?

Bob

 

[NKlamerus]

GET A LARGER JACK.

Your Curb weight is roughly 5600 pounds on the 2500HD, plus the thousand in the bed which is all on the jack. Even if that weight is distributed that jack is holding 3300 pounds plus fuel, tools, etc....

Just because I jack is rated for 3 tons doesn't mean it can safely hold 3 tons.

Just be glad he wasn't under the truck both times this has happened!

I'm also assuming he slides the jack in parallel with the rear tires, if it were I, I would offset the jack and come in from a rear corner.

 

[stingray1966]

what he is doing wrong is lifting in the middle at the pumpkin I have a 5 ton steal floor jack and if I did this it would twist a little and # two the aluminum jacks are GREAT for a car like a honda to use to change out a flat on the road they are nice and light Thats what they were made to do I would never use one as your friend did its just NOT made to do this
He also twisted a steal jack tell me he WAY over loaded

 

[StevePgh]

I've twisted a 2-ton 'compact' floor jack (much smaller than the one here) on a mid-sided passenger car... Front of car up on jack stands, rear of car jacked up on the diff in the back. A bit of side pressure when opening the drivers door was all it took to twist the frame of the jack. It was a cheap import and looked exactly like the HF 69468 (so did the car, actually).

The moral of the story is use jack stands on the rear as well. A little side to side movement is greatly exaggerated when the front of the vehicle is on jack stands - especially because the jack stands are less contact area with vehicle and ground as well as being significantly narrower.

 

[CobraRed]

HF jacks are hit and miss. Some I've had forever, others just wern't meant for this world.

 

[Zeke]

I've twisted a 2-ton 'compact' floor jack (much smaller than the one here) on a mid-sided passenger car... Front of car up on jack stands, rear of car jacked up on the diff in the back. A bit of side pressure when opening the drivers door was all it took to twist the frame of the jack. It was a cheap import and looked exactly like the HF 69468 (so did the car, actually).

The moral of the story is use jack stands on the rear as well. A little side to side movement is greatly exaggerated when the front of the vehicle is on jack stands - especially because the jack stands are less contact area with vehicle and ground as well as being significantly narrower.

Well, duh. If the dude had a loaded truck on the jack and started taking off wheels he is not using his head. Tire shops get away with that on lighter vehicles and I still don't like it when I see it.

 

[SMKS]

While the HF jacks are probably not the best jacks on earth, it sounds like this may be an application error.

Also, he shouldn't be supporting the truck with the jack, even if he's only rotating the tires. The correct thing to do is just lift it with the jack and immediately put it on jack stands.

 

[48RON54]

I hate to join the safety nazis but tell that guy to get a couple more jackstands and use them....... They are cheaper than the copay at the ER

 

[monomach]

I don't get people who don't use jack stands. Any time you put multiple tons of steel in the air by any method, you take every safety precaution you can.

Also, overloaded jack.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Yeah problem here was not the jack, but the user. Whether it be placement, too heavy a load, etc...user error.

 

[CJM8515]

I told him the same thing, the jack just cant support the weight. I know for a fact the bed is loaded with about 1000lbs easily (he had to have it weighed b/c the town has weird ordinances against commercial vehicle regs to be able to park at your home).

I suggested he use 3 ton jack stands from now on and not use the jack to support the truck, truck just weighs too much for the jack.

 

[1982fxr]

Could be the angle at which he is loading them. Any bit of side load would induce a twist about the chassis.

angle will kill even a good jack frame

 

[RedneckWelder]

I suggested he use 3 ton jack stands from now on and not use the jack to support the truck, truck just weighs too much for the jack.

Maybe he should upgrade jackstands too.

When it comes to lifting/supporting equipment such as jackstands and jacks and hoists and so forth I'm a huge fan of overkill for the sheer safety factor.

I consider my 3.5 ton floor jack to be "adequate" for my 1/2 ton but honestly I'd like a bigger jack.

 

[Rickster]

When one jack falls apart that could be a problem with that particular jack. When two alike jacks fall apart that most probably a problem with all those jacks. And if they're rated to 3 tons they they should be able to handle a minimum of 3 tons.

 

[dlcwent]

The HF floor jacks are coplete garbage IMO. I bought one last year with a big sale and coupon - had to return it, wouldnt stay up even after it was bled and checked over. I went to the store and replaced it, same issue with the replacement. I returned it and vowed never to trust something as important as a jack to HF

^this

 

[SMKS]

When one jack falls apart that could be a problem with that particular jack. When two alike jacks fall apart that most probably a problem with all those jacks. And if they're rated to 3 tons they they should be able to handle a minimum of 3 tons.

Well, we don't know the entire story here. The jacks could be subjected to side loading or other forces that are causing them to fail. I suspect other brands of jacks rated 3 tons could fail with side loads or under other scenarios with less than 3 tons.

But in this case, there's also some evidence that the jacks may have been overloaded.

And, note that the OP's friend damaged two different types of jacks, a steel jack and an aluminum jack. So, they weren't "alike."

However, the OP's friend should buy a non-HF jack and see what happens.

Also, can we see any pics or other proof? That may help figure out what is happening.

 

[CJM8515]

Ill get some pics of the steel one, he already trash the Al one cause HF wouldnt take it back.

 

[djb2]

A rigging rule of thumb: you should start by assuming that the entire weight of the load will bear on each support. If the support can't handle it, you need to do math. If you can't do the math, statics and dynamics, go back to the first part of the rule.

A 2500HD crew cab long box can weigh over 7200lbs to start. Adding 1000+lbs of boxes in the back, some overhanging the rear axle, means that it's possible 3 tons of dead weight end up on the jack. Any dynamics will exceed the rating.

 

[CJM8515]

As you can see, he twisted it good. I think the truck is just to heavy for the jack.

For further clarification the work van he used the aluminum jack on was totally empty.

 

[Hiball]

As you can see, he twisted it good. I think the truck is just to heavy for the jack.
.

My gut tells that its a issue with the jack not being on a level surface/unbalanced load and has absolutely nothing to do with the weight of the truck, as the safety overload will address that issue.

 

[SMKS]

My gut tells that its a issue with the jack not being on a level surface/unbalanced load and has absolutely nothing to do with the weight of the truck, as the safety overload will address that issue.

I was starting to wonder this. Since you know jacks, what do they do when they're overloaded? Is there a check valve that prevents it from lifting more weight than it's rated for?

 

[CJM8515]

Possible. But how can you explain nearly the same thing happening to a aluminum 3 ton on the pumpkin of an unloaded 3/4 ton van?

My gut feeling is that since these jacks arent regularly used that he didnt notice that they had leak down problems. I think what happened was it leaked down a bit and shifted and caused the issue with at least one of these jacks. Or maybe a combination jack/unlevel surface? he swears up and down the van and aluminum jack were on a perfectly level surface, it was the parking lot of his biz.

I myself have a sams club michelin jack thats rated 3.5 ton, I have lifted the rear of an 89 F450 (F superduty actually is what its called) w/a rack body and steel bed floor and had no issues with it. Thing is at least 10 years old now too.

 

[Hiball]

I was starting to wonder this. Since you know jacks, what do they do when they're overloaded? Is there a check that just lets the jack go down or prevent it from lifting more weight than it's rated for?

Yes.. The safety overload has a adjustable screw/spring/ball/seat that essentially monitors cylinder pressure and is set to open/lift when the tonnage/Psi is exceeded. Obviously for liability issues you are not likely to find a jack not capable of lifting its represented capacity. The problem with these new capacity jacks is that the cylinder bore is really too small and when you "actually" get close the max rating the amount of oil being transferred via the pump gets smaller and smaller to keep things in check.

In regards to the OP's jack, I've seen a lot of cross twisting like that and it's almost due to a un level surface or off centered load, even not having the pumpkin centered on the lift pad can cause that twist. I know im not the only one here who has seen that scenario? With all that said... Today's jacks aren't as robust in the frame build quality as older models.

 

[mikegt4]

Lifting a 3/4 ton work truck he probably has the jack at full extension as well as overloaded. All the way up is the easiest position to fall sideways. He could be yanking the wheels off and shoving them back on creating side load on the jack.