Floor jack

[Smokeydog]

Smokeydog, I just went to HF and purchased the same Jack on your recommendation. HF had just sent me a “manager’s coupon” good for 25% off of one item, no exclusions, and I had just had another experience of picking up my current floor Jack and carrying it outside to put under a trailer when I saw your post. That did it for me.

Great! Wish I had a 25% coupon.

 

[CliffordK]

I have the heavy HF jack that isn't easy to move in the gravel so I also bought the lightweight aluminum jack to use on our smaller cars. I can't recall if it was in the HF reviews or somewhere on youtube that one reviewer cautioned that the aluminum frame can separate if placed under a heavy load on uneven gravel. I put mine on a sturdy board.

Mine is the 3 Ton aluminum jack. So far it seems to be sturdy. I'll keep the concept of a good support under it in mind, but life isn't always flat on concrete.

A few weeks ago I had to move my empty trailer sideways. I think that was with the old steel HF floor jack. I was going to jack it up and put a board under it then pull it sideways. But, in the process the jack fell over undamaged. So, ratchet strap to a tree, jacked it up, and pulled jack over about 5 times. Of course, a week later the jack stopped going all the way up. I still need to diagnose and probably add oil. Nonethless, the steel jack took quite a bit of abuse that day... in MUD.

 

[two_bit_score]

Great! Wish I had a 25% coupon.

Me too.

 

[vagem55]

I also bought one with a 25% off coupon. If you have a vehicle with high ground clearance, or need to use one on gravel, this one is amazing. The design with the handle lock and the built in lift height extensions (even the Allen wrench) shows exceptional engineering. If the wheels break over time, I expect replacing them would be easy, as they don't swivel. I would consider putting wheels with locks on the back, as it rolls easily.
Watch what the guys do with it offroad, and it's something you'll have to own.

 

[Rick Sladewski]

Smokey I've read and heard quite a few approvals like yours.
Kinda makes you wonder why this "off road" type of jack hasn't been available before?

Because someone who sits at a desk designing stuff never even dreamed that there were people out there that actually work outside in the dirt and not a nice clean cement slab

 

[Dunno]

I’d be REAL careful using any of that chinese junk. There’s a reason why quality costs more. You may save a buck up front, but what’s the value of your safety? Hate to be a bummer, but also hate the consequences of cheap tools and busted bones.

 

[2manyrocks]

Have to acknowledge that any of these hydraulic jacks depend on an o-ring seal being able to withstand the pressure and jack stands are needed for safety to be sure instead of hoping that the tiny seals don't burst.

Harbor Freight jacks are so popular that there is probably more real user feedback to be had for them than some of the other value brands.

Nonetheless, safety jack stands are still important to use.

 

[Rustyiron]

....and sadly, I'd be surprised if 90% of all jack's sold in the US were not Chinese made despite any label it wears.
I don't care who's name is on a jack you still have to use jack stands!

 

[kminnick]

...Way up I might add and their prices are still not out of line far as I'm concerned. I'm a devout Harbor Freight junkie and ITC member as well. They still sell, some cheap junk but they also sell dam good stuff as well, and the Daytona jacks are good stuff and I have one and it's 5 years old and no issues at all. Their high line welders are also very good, Just bought a Vulcan Pro-Tig 205 amp inverter machine and a Titanium plasma cutter and their Vulcan welding roll around welding cabinet and it's all first rate equipment and has a 3 year replacement guarantee as well. The Vulcan welding cabinet is especially nice and comes 90% assembled and everything lines up perfectly and the powder coat finish s better than the paint in my car. Amazing stuff. Soft close drawers, locking side cabinet and lined shelves too, plus it will carry 3 welding machines and 2 gas bottles...


All in, with new gas bottles ( I sold the existing gas bottles with the existing machines), I'm into just about 4 grand total for new state of the art inverter machines, new owned 120 cubic foot filled bottles and the roll around cart. Always been **** about my gas bottles and I don't like renting beat up gas bottles so I buy them outright and have my LWS who has a compressor facility fill them for me....


Not wanting to hijack this thread, but I traded in my bottles so I wouldn't have to hydrostat them every 5 years. Does your local gas guy also do hydrostat testing?

 

[sea2summit]

I don't understand why someone doesn't make a jack with spring-loaded wheels that allow you to go over grass but move up and out of the way when you start lifting.

My biggest criteria is how high can it lift. I own a 4-ton rolling jack only because it'll lift the truck high enough to change a tire. I miss my old 2-speed scissor jack I had 40 years ago.

Because lifting something very heavy that wants to be off balance is hard enough on a solid surface. Not many want to encourage you to do it on uneven and/or unstable surfaces.