In the market for a new jack

[M6erfan]

Looking for a new jack for home shop use. I have a 10-12 year old Craftsman 50240 that gets horrible reviews but honestly has served me well, but looking for something a little more heavy duty.

Anyone have opinions on the current offerings from Hein Warner or AC Hydraulics? These are the two manufacturers I'm gravitating towards...

 

[LB-1911]

Looking for a new jack for home shop use. I have a 10-12 year old Craftsman 50240 that gets horrible reviews but honestly has served me well, but looking for something a little more heavy duty.

Anyone have opinions on the current offerings from Hein Warner or AC Hydraulics? These are the two manufacturers I'm gravitating towards...

From a previous thread.

If a person is wanting a "long lasting Jack", then I would recommend the HW93642/52 outside of currently being assembled with global components, it's still a tried and true design 75+ years, the seal components are Top Notch and proven and parts and seal kits are relatively cheap.

Model Number
HW93642 - 2 ton
HW93652 - 3 ton
http://www.northerntool.com/images/downloads/manuals/1444482.pdf

 

[valentine]

I have purchased both a Hein Warner and an AC for use on my office fleet of vehicles. Both are good units have have given good service but I'll give the nod to the AC unit for being better built and smoother operating. Now my personal shop has a Milwaukee which is a better jack on every level than pretty much anything else out there. milwaukees are pricey but will last a lifetime. If money isn't a consideration. Go for a Milwaukee. You won't regret it.

-Valentine

 

[lazer50]

Im on the same page as valentine.i have a milwaukee and a h/w also 2 american foundry and forge viking 3003.all my jacks i get thru my local hydraulics company.the milwaukee is premier in jacks imo h/w are great as well.my Vikings are the least expensive but built strong and dependable.as far as the two your thinking im not familiar with ac but the h/w model is a excellent one.milwaukee is more pricey but worth it.

 

[redwrench60]

I have a 3 ton Hein Werner that I use at work and a 2 ton Lincoln branded Hein Werner that I literally rescued from the scrap pile and rebuilt with a kit from Hiball. Both are quality pieces of equipment that get used often have the added benefit of not being throwaways. Use for 20 or 30 years and then rebuild for cheap. I call that a win.

 

[drtyler]

I've been using a Milwaukee Model 20 for a few years, and its been good. I would recommend it.

That said, I've used the AC DK13HLQ, and it's seems to be well built too. It is lower profile and higher lift. I think the rating was 2800 lbs. For these new, lower cars, it really is nice.

Looking for a new jack for home shop use. I have a 10-12 year old Craftsman 50240 that gets horrible reviews but honestly has served me well, but looking for something a little more heavy duty.

Anyone have opinions on the current offerings from Hein Warner or AC Hydraulics? These are the two manufacturers I'm gravitating towards...

 

[DonPowers]

I purchased the Arcan ALJ3T a couple years ago, no issues so far.

 

[anndel]

Waiting for Hiball to weigh in on this discussion...... BTW I have a 2 ton Hein Werner for 10+ years and with no issues. I just changed the hydraulic fluid last year.

 

[Qualitytools]

I have the AC DK20, have had it for over 10 years now and it keeps going with 6 cars to lift up and down. Very smooth and has the lower saddle which is what I needed for my BMWs

 

[M6erfan]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll have to look into Milwaukee. Seems like I can't go wrong with any of the brands I'm considering. Good to know

 

[d.mcfarland]

If you use it often and want it to last via being rebuildable, I would say a USA brand probably is your best bet even though the price will be twice the others. Quite possibly a buy once cry once conundrum.

 

[3TV]

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but I'm in the market for a new jack again as well. I just purchased a PowerZone 3 ton floor jack, and I'm not real impressed with the quality. With the jack sitting on the garage floor the left front wheel is 3/8" off the ground because even though it is brand new, the entire frame of the jack is tweaked. It wasn't built straight. It has a severe back and forth wobble, depending if weight is on the jack or not.

I've been looking at these jacks:

Hein-Werner HS93652 - 3 ton service jack - http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=HEIHW93652# for $368

Blackhawk BH6036 - 3.5 ton fast lift service jack - http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=BLKBH6036 for $216

Omega 27035 - 3.5 ton Magic Lift service jack - http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=OME27035 for $217

I'm leaning toward the Blackhawk jack. Any reason why one of these jacks is better than the other? I don't really want to spend $1000 on a jack right now, but I want a jack that is better quality than my PowerZone jack, so what other mid-priced jacks should I consider?

 

[M6erfan]

I've looked into Omega and the reviews are mixed at best. I'd say bite the bullet and go for the H-W. You've already experienced a crappy Jack, why go through it again? In the long run the more expensive Jack is a better value and more importantly probably safer...

 

[ex-x-fire]

It seems like the Hein-Warner comes up on sale quite often, if I recall, at under 300 bucks.

 

[3TV]

Not trying to add to the confusion, but the Blackhawk BH6036 jack I posted a link to looks EXACTLY the same as the jack Matco sells for $545. Matco usually sells pretty good tools, although re-branded with their name on them. So if that is the jack Matco sells it is probably a decent jack, but for $216 instead of $545. That is part of the reason I am considering it.

This sounds silly, but the main thing I don't like about the Hein-Werner is the ugly blue-yellow color combination. I don't really care that it is over $300.

I also found this question-answer on the Hein-Werner floor jack on Amazon:
"Question: How many full pumps does it take to raise jack to maximum height
Answer: The Hein-Werner Professional Service Jack should take about 30 pumps to raise it completely.
By Northern Tool + Equipment on July 27, 2015 SELLER"

That tells me the Hein-Werner is not a fast lift jack, which the other two jacks are. That is a feature that I would like to have.

 

[370]

Not trying to add to the confusion, but the Blackhawk BH6036 jack I posted a link to looks EXACTLY the same as the jack Matco sells for $545. Matco usually sells pretty good tools, although re-branded with their name on them. So if that is the jack Matco sells it is probably a decent jack, but for $216 instead of $545. That is part of the reason I am considering it.

This sounds silly, but the main thing I don't like about the Hein-Werner is the ugly blue-yellow color combination. I don't really care that it is over $300.

I also found this question-answer on the Hein-Werner floor jack on Amazon:
"Question: How many full pumps does it take to raise jack to maximum height
Answer: The Hein-Werner Professional Service Jack should take about 30 pumps to raise it completely.
By Northern Tool + Equipment on July 27, 2015 SELLER"

That tells me the Hein-Werner is not a fast lift jack, which the other two jacks are. That is a feature that I would like to have.

Why ask if you've already made up your mind?

 

[3TV]

Because I haven't made up my mind yet. If I had made up my mind I would have ordered it already.

 

[T45]

The yellow and blue is also colors for NAPA stuff. Sometimes the contast is helpful w/the lighter colors, and makes things more visible. Of course alot is personal also maybe what you have your garage setup as comes into play. They probabl look **** next to extreme Green, for example.

 

[Farmall450]

The NAPA service jacks are pretty bad ***...we have 2 and my HS had an older one that had seen A LOT of use, still going strong.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58680
https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/NLE7916420/NLE7916420

 

[Farmall450]

The yellow and blue is also colors for NAPA stuff. Sometimes the contast is helpful w/the lighter colors, and makes things more visible. Of course alot is personal also maybe what you have your garage setup as comes into play. They probabl look **** next to extreme Green, for example.

NAPA has a Camo one too for commemorating vets.

 

[M6erfan]

Lol, I never select tools based on their color scheme. Couldn't care less if a floor Jack "matches" my toolbox...

 

[General Geoff]

How about a Harbor Freight Daytona jack???

 

[kgorman]

I always post the same link. I bought the AC years ago, and it's been solid. Do yourself a favor and just get:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_ACHyd1_pg3.htm

 

[619DioFan]

I have two jacks , both from HF. 4 ton and 3 ton rapid lifts. I have been very happy with them and the price was right both times. got the 4 ton to use with my 4x4 dodge ram. the 4 ton actually is low enough to fit under an 89 Honda civic.