Harbor Freight Jack Stands OK?

[619DioFan]

Thanks!
Well, I'll definitely be working on an older Civic. Perhaps a combination of a pair of 3-ton & 6-ton, would be a good idea, to have. Will you share details, on the instances, when 6-ton was a little large?

On the civic I found the width of the base on the 6 ton would get in the way of a floor jack and oil drain pan when the stands were near the front of the car. plus I am 6'4'' and 270 so they were also in my way so I used the 3 ton stands . the 6 ton stands were a blessing in regards to the civic when I needed extra height while under the car due to my size ( I just had to position them in a way for maximum room ) also have a 95 4 runner which I use both the 3 and 6 ton under depending on the job. I have 2 pair of the 6 ton and 4 pair of the 3 ton ( better too many than not enough is my motto - the GJ way )

 

[Skin]

Thanks!
For the foreseeable future, I'll primarily be lifting a '96 Civic & '05 C-RV but there may be a pickup in my future, too.
Which jobs are the 6-ton too big for?
How many pairs of each size do you own??

Its the height. You just need to make sure your jack pumps high enough other than that there isn't much down side other than a few more pumps required comparative to shorter stands. You're already working on the ground so personally I don't think there is any such thing as "too high" when it comes to jack stands.

On an aside if this is your first set of stands and its an asphalt drive make sure to put some 3/4" plywood or similar under the stands as they will damage the surface.

 

[James-W]

I agree, I think the 6 ton jack stands are a better deal. They are a little more expensive but I think in the long term you will be glad you got them.

 

[j789139]

Husky doesn't have safety pins. They were a compulsive buy in a closeout at home depo and included a three ton jack and crawler for something like $50. The jack is same as a craftsman jack with the gear in the back for pump pressure. Not even close to the quality of my HF jack.

I jack up the vehicle, put a stand under and then let down until the jack and stand are both holding the car up on each side...that is if I am getting under the car. I have four jacks and six stands to help make it safe. Hey, I also put the wheel under like already posted

Thanks!
I asked about the Huskies because I'm looking at these at HD.

Four and six...Interesting!
Are your Husky and other 2 stands also 3-ton like your HF?

 

[j789139]

On the civic I found the width of the base on the 6 ton would get in the way of a floor jack and oil drain pan when the stands were near the front of the car. plus I am 6'4'' and 270 so they were also in my way so I used the 3 ton stands . the 6 ton stands were a blessing in regards to the civic when I needed extra height while under the car due to my size ( I just had to position them in a way for maximum room ) also have a 95 4 runner which I use both the 3 and 6 ton under depending on the job. I have 2 pair of the 6 ton and 4 pair of the 3 ton ( better too many than not enough is my motto - the GJ way )

Thanks!
Well, I'm just about your size; give or take...So, that's very helpful! Curious, if you were using a front jack point or side, when the 6-ton base got in the way?
2 pair and 4 pair...Again, Interesting!

 

[j789139]

Its the height. You just need to make sure your jack pumps high enough other than that there isn't much down side other than a few more pumps required comparative to shorter stands. You're already working on the ground so personally I don't think there is any such thing as "too high" when it comes to jack stands.

On an aside if this is your first set of stands and its an asphalt drive make sure to put some 3/4" plywood or similar under the stands as they will damage the surface.

Thanks!
With a little help from you all, my floor jack maximum lift height = 21 3/8in.

I'll be working on concrete, in my garage and on driveway but will keep in mind, if and when on asphalt!

 

[j789139]

I agree, I think the 6 ton jack stands are a better deal. They are a little more expensive but I think in the long term you will be glad you got them.

Thanks!
I'd have no problem paying a little more, for long term health and happiness. That said, it seems like at least some of you have a combination of 3-ton & 6-ton and that might just be the way to go..? Perhaps, 2 pair of each would be a good start...??

 

[j789139]

Thanks to all!
OK, I'm going to start with...
2 pair NT Strongway Double-Locking 6-Ton Jack Stands — Pair on sale for $39.99 (Was $49.99)
1 pair NT Strongway Double-Locking 3-Ton Jack Stands — Pair $29.99
$109.07
- $20 off $100 in store only coupon
$89.97 + tax

 

[yamaha0343]

Thanks!
Do those Husky stands have safety pins?

I have a pair of Husky 3-tons, and they do indeed have safety pins. I also like that the bottoms where they meet the concrete have a flat surface.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-Ton-Jack-Stand-Pair-MPL4124-HUSKY/203779991

 

[bpjr]

Thanks!
I asked about the Huskies because I'm looking at these at HD.

Four and six...Interesting!
Are your Husky and other 2 stands also 3-ton like your HF?

I just looked at the 3 ton Husky stands and they have small square steel pads welded on the feet...but otherwise look like the Husky pics. My other two stands are no names and not like HFs or Huskys. They have tripod bases with a round pipe that slides up and down with pins to adjust height and hold the weight. They are backups now but I used them with trolly jacks for 25+ yrs before buying HF.

Civics (daughters had two of them) are low to the ground and the smaller stands with low profile jacks work best. One of my daughters also had a Scion with the low profile wheels and the only jack that could get under with a flat tire was my HF 2-1/2 ton low profile. I wouldn't overthink the stands because most appear to be from the same place with different colors. Prices seem to be all over the place though.

 

[bpjr]

I have a pair of Husky 3-tons, and they do indeed have safety pins. I also like that the bottoms where they meet the concrete have a flat surface.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-Ton-Jack-Stand-Pair-MPL4124-HUSKY/203779991

Interesting...my Husky stands don't have pins but do have the small pads. I bought mine 3-4 yrs ago.

 

[mike93lx]

That's an area their law team makes damn sure they're very careful. Yes . Those stands will do you just fine.

Unless you work at harbor freight, this is a ridiculous statement to make

 

[dale500]

I have the HF 6 ton stands. No problems with them at all. If I were to buy more I would probably go with the NT stands with the safety pin. Didn't know about then till after I bought my HFs.

 

[619DioFan]

Thanks!
Well, I'm just about your size; give or take...So, that's very helpful! Curious, if you were using a front jack point or side, when the 6-ton base got in the way?
2 pair and 4 pair...Again, Interesting!

Jacking the civic from the front ( cross member as a jack point ) using a HF 4 ton jack ( yes , it fit under no prob ) the width of the jack made it difficult to place the 6 tons in the same area. I use a pretty wide oil drain pan ( same one I use for the dodge truck ) so the width of the stands interfered with that as well have 2 pair of 6 ton for when I want the dodge truck completely off the ground ( tire rotation etc ) 4 pair of the 3 ton since I usually end up with more than one broken POS at a time LOL

 

[jdlong]

Sears is running a sale on 4 tons for 23 bucks.
They look beefier than the HF 3 tons. Otherwise, I can't speak for them.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-professional-4-ton-jack-stands-one/p-00950163000P

 

[yamaha0343]

That's an area their law team makes damn sure they're very careful. Yes . Those stands will do you just fine.

I've worked with lawyers and can assure you they know nothing about jackstands.

 

[Codejack]

That's an area their law team makes damn sure they're very careful. Yes . Those stands will do you just fine.

Unless you work at harbor freight, this is a ridiculous statement to make

I've worked with lawyers and can assure you they know nothing about jackstands.

That's not the point; even one person dying because their jack stands failed under appropriate use would be a disaster of epic proportions, and not just because of the money the inevitable lawsuit would cost, but because it would make the news and have a catastrophic effect on their reputation.

Imagine that post on Reddit, or on here, "My best friend died because Harbor Freight jack stands failed."

The government might also require them to do things like take out full-page ads and send letters to all of its customers that it has addresses for, explaining that their products are defective, warning against their use, and offering to purchase them back.

------------------------------

Tl;DR I would not hesitate to use Harbor Freight's, or any other large company's, steel jack stands; you could not induce me to use anyone's aluminium (damn you, Brits, for forcing us to change the spelling!) jacks or stands.

 

[notlob]

I use the 6 ton HF jack stands regularly. I feel much more secure with them than the flimsy POS's that everyone had back in the 70 and 80's. I'd estimate that I spent 1000's of hours under cars supported by deathtraps similar to these:

IMO, the majority of jack stand failures are attributable to user error.

 

[jonesg]

even one person dying because their jack stands failed under appropriate use would be a disaster of epic proportions,

THeres a video on youtube where they make the HF stands fail by hitting the release handle , it happened to a guy and the car fell on his face.
Pry bar slipped, hit the release. He lived.

All the news stories I see involve guys working with just a jack, no stand.
The only person I know who was killed had all 4 wheels removed.
He thought it was safe.
Tried it myself and the car really swayed dangerously.

 

[j789139]

I have a pair of Husky 3-tons, and they do indeed have safety pins. I also like that the bottoms where they meet the concrete have a flat surface.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-Ton-Jack-Stand-Pair-MPL4124-HUSKY/203779991

Thanks!
Yes, those are the Huskies, I was looking at! IMHO, HD could do a better job of displaying the features online with more images and/or video. I also like that their max height is a bit higher than the NT 3-ton double-lock. If I need/want more 3-ton, these are definitely on top of the list...And hopefully on sale, if & when needed.

 

[j789139]

I just looked at the 3 ton Husky stands and they have small square steel pads welded on the feet...but otherwise look like the Husky pics. My other two stands are no names and not like HFs or Huskys. They have tripod bases with a round pipe that slides up and down with pins to adjust height and hold the weight. They are backups now but I used them with trolly jacks for 25+ yrs before buying HF.

Thanks!
If you're talking about the Husky pics at HD, I couldn't see the pin either, at first, but it's there. As for the, backups...They sound like what my father had in his garage, when I was younger.

Civics (daughters had two of them) are low to the ground and the smaller stands with low profile jacks work best. One of my daughters also had a Scion with the low profile wheels and the only jack that could get under with a flat tire was my HF 2-1/2 ton low profile. I wouldn't overthink the stands because most appear to be from the same place with different colors. Prices seem to be all over the place though.

Done thinking! ^^^I bought 2 pair of the NT 6-ton double locking and 1 pair of the 3-ton double locking for $89 + tax.

 

[j789139]

I have the HF 6 ton stands. No problems with them at all. If I were to buy more I would probably go with the NT stands with the safety pin. Didn't know about then till after I bought my HFs.

Thanks!
If you bought the HF 6 ton stands less than 90 days ago, you can still return them...Just sayin'!

 

[j789139]

Jacking the civic from the front ( cross member as a jack point ) using a HF 4 ton jack ( yes , it fit under no prob ) the width of the jack made it difficult to place the 6 tons in the same area. I use a pretty wide oil drain pan ( same one I use for the dodge truck ) so the width of the stands interfered with that as well have 2 pair of 6 ton for when I want the dodge truck completely off the ground ( tire rotation etc ) 4 pair of the 3 ton since I usually end up with more than one broken POS at a time LOL

Thanks!
As for the stands I bought, I'm thinking, if I need to put the vehicle(s) up on 4 stands, and especially if I have to be under them, I'll use the 2 pair 6-ton. If I'm in situation, where the 6-ton are too big, or get in the way, I'll use the 3-ton. FWIW, I just got a wide oil pan (24x12).

 

[j789139]

Sears is running a sale on 4 tons for 23 bucks.
They look beefier than the HF 3 tons. Otherwise, I can't speak for them.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-professional-4-ton-jack-stands-one/p-00950163000P

Thanks for the heads up!
On Sears' Auto Mechanic Tools page they have a banner that says "The Great Mechanic Event" "Up to 50% off Mechanic's Tools & Wrenches". I'm not sure when it ends because one chat rep told 8/26 but another told me 8/15; or whether or not it's online ONLY. If anyone else can confirm dates, please share. That said, it may be time to start a new thread about wrenches and tool boxes.

 

[Codejack]

THeres a video on youtube where they make the HF stands fail by hitting the release handle , it happened to a guy and the car fell on his face.
Pry bar slipped, hit the release. He lived.

Whew! Lucky.

That would presumably fall outside of "appropriate use," though

All the news stories I see involve guys working with just a jack, no stand.
The only person I know who was killed had all 4 wheels removed.
He thought it was safe.
Tried it myself and the car really swayed dangerously.

I think that many of us have tried to short-cut this in the past; certainly, when I started out, I was doing brake jobs with just a jack (not getting "under" the car much) and oil changes by parking over a ditch and crawling under.

Those of us who have tried supporting half a car with just a jack, though, know how unstable it is.

My SOP is to jack up the entire end of the car, front or back (I've bent some frames leaving one side jacked up for too long), support each side with a stand, and then leave the jack either in place, or, if it's in the way, under one side or the other to be able to lift the car quickly in an emergency. Wheels chocked, of course, unless the whole car is going up on stands.

 

[jdlong]

Thanks for the heads up!
On Sears' Auto Mechanic Tools page they have a banner that says "The Great Mechanic Event" "Up to 50% off Mechanic's Tools & Wrenches". I'm not sure when it ends because one chat rep told 8/26 but another told me 8/15; or whether or not it's online ONLY. If anyone else can confirm dates, please share. That said, it may be time to start a new thread about wrenches and tool boxes.

That's where I got the link to the jack stands from. I see they raised the jack stand price to 45 bucks. Holy ****.

 

[jonesg]

Thanks to all!
OK, I'm going to start with...
2 pair NT Strongway Double-Locking 6-Ton Jack Stands — Pair on sale for $39.99 (Was $49.99)

I have those, the safety pin isn't just a pin, its a triangular shaped BAR.

 

[jonesg]

Whew! Lucky.

That would presumably fall outside of "appropriate use," though

A lawyer might make the case stands are not for working under the car.
If you want to wrench under the car then safety pins are astute.

I bought mine without knowing any better , only later did I notice my buddy's HF stands have no safety lock of any kind.

 

[jonesg]

I think that many of us have tried to short-cut this in the past; certainly, when I started out, I was doing brake jobs with just a jack (not getting "under" the car much) and oil changes by parking over a ditch and crawling under.

Don't give me ideas.!
I'm getting my first garage in 2 weeks, bought a house way up north in Maine.
It crossed my mind to install a trench, only problem is the water table up north.
It would need waders or a sump pump to keep it dry.

 

[all torque]

I have used two Craftsman 2 1/4 ton jacks for the past 20 years without an issue. I recently bought two of their 3 ton jacks because I needed the height for my truck not because of the weight. I also leave the jack in place as a back up.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Skin]

A lawyer might make the case stands are not for working under the car.
If you want to wrench under the car then safety pins are astute.

I bought mine without knowing any better , only later did I notice my buddy's HF stands have no safety lock of any kind.

Here we go again. The pins are not safer, if anything they're less safe. They distribute the weight load on a far smaller surface area compared to twin pawl styles and can be banged out load or no where the pawls are friction locked and cannot be released with weight on them. Basically in a shear fail or some freak accident the pawl style are much better.

Food for thought. Pawl style stands function in the exact same way as the safety locks of a hydraulic lift.

 

[WittHay]

Totally agree with Skin's comments, we use railroad jacks for lifting and holding heavy equipment. The one in the picture is rated for 15 ton and uses a similar pawl design as jack stands and cannot slip under load.

The worst jack stands were those pin style from years gone by. Never trusted them. Always used wood blocks or semi brake drums instead for supporting vehicles. When we got the ratchets stands, they were a big improvement.

To the original post, HF 3-ton stands will work good for changing the tires on a small car. 6- ton for more height or larger vehicles. I use OTC, Hein-Werner, and a Canadian company called Strong-Arm all Chinese made. They are all very similar

 

[Codejack]

Don't give me ideas.!
I'm getting my first garage in 2 weeks, bought a house way up north in Maine.
It crossed my mind to install a trench, only problem is the water table up north.
It would need waders or a sump pump to keep it dry.

I got these from Advance a while back for like $25 by getting an online discount and using a speed perks thing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0117EETEK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They have a low angle, so even sports cars can get on them, a nice big pad for the tire with that lip so you feel the end, rubber feet and they stack for storage.

I got the chocks while I was at it; nothing like a matched set

 

[jonesg]

Here we go again. The pins are not safer, if anything they're less safe. They distribute the weight load on a far smaller surface area compared to twin pawl styles and can be banged out load or no where the pawls are friction locked and cannot be released with weight on them. Basically in a shear fail or some freak accident the pawl style are much better.

Food for thought. Pawl style stands function in the exact same way as the safety locks of a hydraulic lift.

Thats correct, those type are more like shear pins.
Pins that only engage the extendable leg are no good.
Safety pins that lock the pawl are the proper design.

Stands without locks are actually relying on a tiny roll pin that locks the pawl to the release lever. Those roll pins fail. Heres proof.

 

[jonesg]

I got these from Advance a while back for like $25 by getting an online discount and using a speed perks thing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0117EETEK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They have a low angle, so even sports cars can get on them, a nice big pad for the tire with that lip so you feel the end, rubber feet and they stack for storage.

I got the chocks while I was at it; nothing like a matched set

What if I got 4 ramps, would that work or is it trouble.

 

[bpjr]

I know this is late but I pulled the HF and Husky 3 ton jacks out and compared them. They are identical except for the pads on the feet. HF has triangle webs welded on the inside of each leg and Husky has square pads welded on the bottom of each leg. I'd give a slight advantage to Husky on the foot pads because they are a little larger. The Husky has a rubber tip on the handle and HF has no rubber tip. My Huskys don't have the safety pin but another poster says his does. For practical purposes the stands measure the same and are engineered the same. Also, Husky has a sticker that says made in mexico/china. HF said china.

 

[Gmonkee]

We have both sizes in the shop and the little ones see fat more use. The smaller footprint allows the bigger jack under far better.

Of the two pair of six ton rated stands two came to us broken. No lever or catch pawl. We have no idea of the cause of the missing bits but it didn't inspire confidence. The other two are fine.

Were we to buy again (new, not used) it will be the smaller type.

 

[bpjr]

Thats correct, those type are more like shear pins.
Pins that only engage the extendable leg are no good.
Safety pins that lock the pawl are the proper design.

Stands without locks are actually relying on a tiny roll pin that locks the pawl to the release lever. Those roll pins fail. Heres proof.

That utube video is bogus and the poster wrong on engagement position of the pawl. It locks at the top, not the bottom.

On HF type stands the pins (solid pins on mine) only lock the "release lever" to the pawl. The pawls do not rely on the pin or lever to stay locked. You can remove the pins and the stands stay locked...there is NO slipping if the pin is sheared. The only difference is you don't have a lever to move the pawl when lowering. This is very easy to confirm by taking a close look at a stand.

 

[Codejack]

What if I got 4 ramps, would that work or is it trouble.

Depends on the ground clearance for the rear wheels... but if they will fit, then it should be fine.

 

[uncwstudent]

I would honestly look at the Craftsman Professional jack stands. They have been going on sale a lot lately for $22