Harbor Freight jacks

[pipsters]

Well after toiling with a Wal-Mart special trolly jack for a decade I finally stepped up today. After looking on/off for a year for an old US made one, I finally gave in and bought a jack from Harbor Freight.

Didn't want to spend too much, considered the 3-ton for $69.99 (coupon) and the 2.5 ton for $74.99 (on sale now, unless there is a coupon) and the aluminum 1.5-ton for can't remember but in that same price range.

Walked out with the 2.5-ton low profile due to it's extended reach (20" vs. 18" for the 3-ton and 14" for the aluminum 1.5-ton) and it's pretty dang nice. Love the low profile of it and quick pumps to get it up. I went from pumping maybe 50 times to get my car up and dreading every second of it to maybe 15 pumps to lift it to 20" and slide the jack stands under.

Hoping it lasts because it sure is nice!

http://www.harborfreight.com/floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-25-ton-heavy-duty-steel-68049.html

I am a little confused because the 3-ton sells for more ("normal MSRP") but this 2.5-ton seems like the best budget jack deal.

 

[allinon72]

The real HF jacks aren't too bad. The aluminum jacks are junk. I have the Arcan low profile jack from Costco and I'm a little jealous of the extended reach of that jack.

 

[bluechevy94]

I have the 3 ton version.Was going to get the 2.5 ton but decided to go with the 3 for the extra weight.I paid $69.99 for mine 2 months ago wiyh a coupon.Since then I have used it quite a bit doing side jobs at home and it is holding up nice.Be fore I got this obe I had a little trolly jack and it was a total joke.I can raise the whole of my truck up with the 3 ton in 8 pumps to full height.They are well worth the money.I would have gladly paid full price for the one I have.

 

[LA1]

I like Harbor Freight. I bought a really nice automotive DVM from them. Especially since they opened a store about 8 miles away.

 

[cj7365]

Well after toiling with a Wal-Mart special trolly jack for a decade I finally stepped up today. After looking on/off for a year for an old US made one, I finally gave in and bought a jack from Harbor Freight.

Didn't want to spend too much, considered the 3-ton for $69.99 (coupon) and the 2.5 ton for $74.99 (on sale now, unless there is a coupon) and the aluminum 1.5-ton for can't remember but in that same price range.

Walked out with the 2.5-ton low profile due to it's extended reach (20" vs. 18" for the 3-ton and 14" for the aluminum 1.5-ton) and it's pretty dang nice. Love the low profile of it and quick pumps to get it up. I went from pumping maybe 50 times to get my car up and dreading every second of it to maybe 15 pumps to lift it to 20" and slide the jack stands under.

Hoping it lasts because it sure is nice!

http://www.harborfreight.com/floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-25-ton-heavy-duty-steel-68049.html

I am a little confused because the 3-ton sells for more ("normal MSRP") but this 2.5-ton seems like the best budget jack deal.

Ive had the same Jack for about 6 months, and I kick my self in the *** why I didn't get it years ago, low profile and quick pumps, I use it a few times a week

 

[Zeke]

I bought a Chicom jack in the mid 80's from a tool store chain before HF took over like Walmart. Still going strong. Paid the same as they go for today.

 

[metaldad]

I bought the 2 1/2 a coupla months ago, due to the higher lift. decent product, but damn! is it wide.

 

[Jason280]

I picked up a 4 ton model a few months ago, and its been working fine so far.

 

[t100]

I've got a yellow 3-ton, it has been abused for 7+ years. only reason it's still here is because it never failed.

it's dirty, rusty and sloooooow, but it works.

 

[JASTECH]

I have the Arcan 3.5 and it struggles to lift the front end of my 88' f350 7.3 off the ground.

 

[Trey T]

It's a very good jack, got the same one.

 

[Fishey]

I use the harbor freight aluminum quickpump the one that is always on sale for like $70. I have been using it for about a year now and have had zero problems from it. I would say its the absolute same as all other cheap aluminum racing jacks. I only use it on cars at my shop though and I only work on light cars usually under 3,000lbs total weight but so far zero problems. I only use it to get under very low cars so I can get them on my lift and to hold up engines if I pull off motor mounts or something so it doesn't see heavy use. I would say I would certainly buy another one so my good racing jacks don't take the abuse and I can keep them healthy for racing. ($800-1,500 jacks)

 

[fxt]

yep love that jack, best one i had after i went thru 2 craftsman jacks in a year.

works great on my 06 wrx

also picked up the 4 ton to work on my chevy 3500 roadtrek van. worked flawless.

 

[GTO]

I've got the 3 ton,I'm on my second one though.The first one would not stay up when pumped up.The second one does the same(very slowly).I got tired of lugging it back to do an exchange.This thing weighs a ton.

 

[pipsters]

I've got the 3 ton,I'm on my second one though.The first one would not stay up when pumped up.The second one does the same(very slowly).I got tired of lugging it back to do an exchange.This thing weighs a ton.

Did you bleed it?

 

[boaty3]

Well I'm happy to see all this! Bought the 3 ton model a month ago and was skeptical about it but I feel better now. So far the heaviest I've lifted with it was last night. Jacked up the front end of my 2500HD DMax and it did just fine. I also bought a set of 6 ton jack stands lol

 

[123Go]

You just give it time.
The newer HF jacks are blowing seal {O-rings because they dont have real seals} left and right. The gray fast lift jacks they have now are "not" the same jacks they had just a couple yrs ago. So ignore those reviews.
HF has changed jack suppliers several times in the yrs & have more than one supplier at a time sometimes. So just because ones better dont mean the one you get is. Who knows what china company made it or if they even had quality control at all?
Better or worse who knows?
Some have lasted longer than others though. Along time ago they seemed better. My local jack/hydraulic repair shop stopped repairing HF jacks altogether because after repairing the cylinder from leaking he had to adjust and perform setup on them. While on his test machine they "catastrophically fail" in his words.

He said some 3.5 ton steel HF jacks cast iron handle sockets or {base that handle slides in} bust around the bolt area while pumping it "before" they even get to 5000lbs/ 2.5 tons.
Not even close to the 7000lb/ 3.5 ton rating. The base's area were its bolt/pin goes into the jacks side plates are weak. More than one has done it. Over 30yrs in the business and listed as a service center on HW/Norco/Milwaukee/ect.. websites. He knows lift equipment.
Just letting you know its a roll of the dice in Chinaland. Dont overload them and always use stands...Always use stands with any jack. Even a crane...lol
Bad cylinders leaking, bad castings...nothing I'd trust. Tired of piss'n my money away every couple yrs I saved my money and bought american again. Watch for used ones on craigs & call local hydraulic shops. Old used are better than any made today anyway.

Heres a deal. get 10% off signing up email list first...do that first. Under 300.00 free sh.
Cant be beat...Seen it for 600.00+..Buy once,live twice!

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-19882-hein-werner-w93642.aspx

 

[mikebramel]

Im not sure how you would hear from someone who has been crushed to death by a failing jack?

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

i have a harbor fright jack and it seems pretty good to me. i let my dad use it and my nephew used it at dads house and he lost the pin that goes to the plunger. after i played around getting that right and the plunger the right way the jack seems fine but in the process of doing that when i would pump it up it wouldnt hold while pumping and it would put back pressure on the handle. and i found it out side

 

[fxt]

ouija board

 

[123Go]

IR- FXT:
But all i read is blah blah blah spend way to much money on something that only gets used a few times a year blah blah blah i heard it from this guys whos dads best friends uncle that die four years ago that jacks are dangerous.

Why call yourself FXT? Only use a jack twice a yr you never FXT anything...lol
Its your money! Could care less if you buy something that still works tomarrow. I know my jack will work when I need it.
FYI: No you cant barrow it in a few days to get your car off your jack stands!

 

[RCL]

123Goaway

 

[dadsEH]

As long as the 'HF' jack gets your 'POS' high enough to put the good old 'USofA jack stands' under it.... who gives a sheeit!!?

 

[omg35s]

I have the Arcan 3.5 and it struggles to lift the front end of my 88' f350 7.3 off the ground.

Do you still have the manual? I believe someone had an issue like this with the Arcon and all you had to do was somehow raise and lift it without any weight on it. The manual tells you exactly what to do. Another member had to pump 15 times in order to get full height and after doing the method in the manual he had it at full height in only 8 pumps.

 

[fomocoforrester]

If it's anything like the problem with some engine cranes - you pump it up to full height with no load and the release valve cracked slightly open.

 

[fomocoforrester]

...... Walked out with the 2.5-ton low profile due to it's extended reach (20" vs. 18" for the 3-ton and 14" for the aluminum 1.5-ton) and it's pretty dang nice. Love the low profile of it and quick pumps to get it up. I went from pumping maybe 50 times to get my car up and dreading every second of it to maybe 15 pumps to lift it to 20" and slide the jack stands under.

Hoping it lasts because it sure is nice!

http://www.harborfreight.com/floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-25-ton-heavy-duty-steel-68049.html

There's no free lunch - that "extra" performance from the "Rapid Pump dual parallel pump system" comes at the cost of extra handle input effort.

 

[StillKeen]

Old thread, sorry.

Any update on the lightweight aluminum 1.5T jack? It's on special for $59 with a coupon now.

I had a 3 ton PowerBuild jack, but it is too heavy to transport to the US, so I'm in the market for a decent jack. I've borrowed a little AC Delco type jack, but am thinking the 1.5T alloy jack would be a dream to use in my one car garage. 27 lbs, super low profile (my PowerBuilt wouldn't get under a Mazda 3, which was a pain).

The reviews on Harbor Frieght's website are pretty glowing.

Thanks

 

[StillKeen]

okay, so I just saw that the 1.5T rapid jack only has a 90 day warranty. That's a little worrying.

 

[sns1938]

Seems a lot of very different views on HF jacks. No consistency.

90 day warranty for the 3T low profile, but $30 gets a 2 year (+ the 90 day) warranty.

I can find zero information on replacing seals in them if they die. I can also find zero information about wether the alloy ones use better or worse cylinders/seals than the steel ones.

I cannot work out which to go for. Tempted to invest $60 in the 1.5T alloy and see. Its crazy light. But equally, the 3T low profile steel looks like a work horse, if only I knew if it could be rebuild easily or not.

Got some Craftsman Pro 4T jack stands to use with it anyway

Anyone know of repair info?

 

[wild cowboy]

I have the HF 2-ton aluminum jack - very light weight and it KICKS ***!

bought with coupon for $129