Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

Hey Mods,
We don't have a tips and techniques section? Where do I put this question? What's the best floor jack? Low profile with the best lift range?

EVOLICARUS

walmart has a cool low profile jack with leds on the end so you can see where to jack at. i think its around 40 bucks

Bearcat94

I've got a Craftsman 3 ton with 19 3/4" inch max height and it barely gets the back wheels off the ground.

Not a low profile either - which will probably bite me in the ass later.

WalkerUA6

iTrader: (1)

Craftsman aluminum low pro jack

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for the help, guys... what about this one?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47246

I've been reading some reviews about the Craftsman, and it seems that their tools are one thing but their jacks are another. On the Sears website, it seems a lot of people are bashing the Craftsman jacks. One guy even said that it failed while his car was still on stands... yow... don't want that!

bimmerman

/\ I have something similar to that and it works great.

TLAdvanced

iTrader: (4)

I have a Craftsman and no problems except it weighs about 85 lbs (not low-pro). Be careful with Harbour Freight as they sell some really cheap and crappy junk.

bimmerman

I would go with something aluminum and low pro, they are light and easier to move around and will have no problem getting under the TL even with a A-Spec/Ron Jon kit installed.

LoveMyTL-S

I bought a jack from Harborfreight and no issues. The one I got was a bit small, I should have got the bigger one.

powerflow

I have a Astro Pneumatics, low profile 2 ton model. Works great, goes from 2.75" to 19.625".

Make sure you look at the pick up, and max height before you buy.

Some of those cheap "racing" jacks are pure junk. I threw one out in the trash.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Astro...motiveQ5fTools

Tripnbeats

as long as it works its the best IMO lol

chill_dog

I have an old Craftsman, and it's great. Not sure about their quality these days, though.

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

So I guess there are mixed reviews of the Craftsman and the Harbor Freight ones (I wouldn't even know about these if not for the Corvette forums). Anyone in the Bay Area know where I can buy a quality jack from besides Autozone, Kragen, Pep Boys, etc. I see a lot of 'good quality' jacks on line, but shipping is gonna kill! Anyone heard of Omega jacks?

I'm willing to spend a little bit of money on a good one... seeing as how my life could hang in the balance b/c of it (even with Jackstands). And also getting a bit off topic, anyone get a TL up on four jack stands?

Tripnbeats

my personal favorite are the snapon ones but they cost a lot more than the usual jacks from the stores. and yes i always use the stands and then put the jack in the center of the car right in the middle below the metal slightly JUUUSSST IN CASE....I dont want that thing fallin on me for any reasons, Im in the shop alone at times and i dont need probs like that

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

Heck yeah... I just put on my own J-pipe and test pipe yesterday. Coulda been a 20 minute job with lift... turned out to be 1 hour +... I was by myself, and woulda just liked some more clearance for my elbows. When I order my exhaust I may want to do the install myself, that's why I was asking about a jack with a higher max range... and maybe how to get the TL in the air using for jack stands AND the jack as a back up as well. Snapon huh? I'll check it out...

Ok just did... whoa!!! They're like double the price! 400+ and some are 1k+!!! Ok... did another check.. found a 2 ton one with 20" max height and it looks low profile... 237 bucks... not bad... Thanks, Trip.

Tripnbeats

yea man no prob....i have the snapon one thats really up there in price and something broke on it recently and they(snapon rep) said to go to the snapon guy and rebuild it for u..... i was expecting to get hit with a charge the dude said it was nothing except 2 seals. i threw him 20$ for being honest and fixing it....the seals took 2 hours to be replaced because of the placement and couple of beers always show ur snapon guy u care lol

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

I think I"m gonna go with the snapon short chassis, and it looks low profile... it looks pretty good. It's a little over 200 bucks, but look sturdy enough. It also has a max height of 20" (nice!) Thanks again.

Tripnbeats

nice!! dude where are you located? i can get my snapon guy to make a phone call if ur outta NY and he can prob get u a few $ off or at least get u a good connect to work with

lembowski

iTrader: (1)

I have the Craftsman low profile one, it works good enough for what I need. And its compact enough for my Condo living......

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

D'OH!!! Out in Northern California. I appreciate it though... Double D'OH!

ac08odl

Craftsman here

AnthraciteAspec

iTrader: (6)

avs007

I have a 3 ton Omega air-assisted hydraulic floor jack. It rocks... Connect it to an air-compressor, and just push a button, and the jack raises the car for you, up to 19".

I got it because my regular floor jack barely clears my other car, but because of the limited clearance, I wasn't able to get enough room to actually pump the handle, so I had to use a screwdriver, to pump the first couple inches, but that was a huge PITA. Now it's really really easy to jack the car up onto jack stands.

Integra

just to note: that jack is for 3000lbs only. our cars weigh 3600+. i know you arent lifting up the whole car but it would be safer to get a stronger jack.

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for the tip... but I'm settled on just grabbing a SNAP-ON baby!

http://www.paddockclub.co.kr/snap/In...567/S56756.htm

this one is about two bills...

powerflow

5" pick up height, that's kinda high. I think that thing is going to smack right into the lower front strake, black plastic bottom piece on the front. Mine is ultra low pro at 2.75" and I barely clear it, I am dropped a bit though.

pffpffpass

iTrader: (2)

Cant go wrong with SnapOn.. But yes powerflow is right, if you are dropped you will have to navigate the jack around the black diffuser thing to get to the jack point..

Otherwise you shouldnt have any prob getting this fat girl up on all fours..

Maddizm

iTrader: (5)

Oh yeah? I am dropped... 5" isn't low enough? ARgh.. I was looking at some of those Omega jacks... but where is there a dealer next to me? Shipping is gonna be nasty high on things this heavy. I'm in Northern California...

powerflow

The only reason I got the Astro was because of the design, ultra low pick up of 2.75". Astro Pneumatics is not a top notch brand like Snap-on, but I wanted that low pick up point. I use to work on a lot of beemers and I know how frustrating it is when you have to waste time just to finagle a jack under the car. If another more expensive, high end brand had a low pick up like that, I would have bought it.

You can just drive up on wood pieces to an extra inch or two of clearance, so you can slide a more standard jack underneath the front end. A little screw'n around, but it works.

golfjwr

does anyone use ramps anymore? I was gonna go out and buy some this weekend, but it seems like a floorjack and jack stands are the preferred choice of do it your-selfers....thoughts?

avs007

I bought it from alltiresupply. I think they raised the prices tho, because I bought it for a shade over $300 including shipping. Personally, I thought it was money well spent... You can prob try to google it, and maybe find a shop closer to you. Maybe someone near you can just order it, I don't know...

avs007

Just as a side note, people should check the height of the jack body... I got a low-profile jack with a a low pick up point as well, but the jack body itself was somewhat tall, so it would still not clear the bottom of my car if I wanted to use the center/front jacking point. So I still had to find a different jack.

avs007

I have ramps. I don't use them because my low-profile ramps would not clear my G35, so I had to use jacks, which is why I ended up buying an air-assisted jack. Since I have that, I'm just too lazy to drive the TL onto ramps since the air-jack is so much easier/faster....

That and it's hard to rotate tires or work on the brakes using a ramp

chill_dog

I think a few people here use ramps (one guy even has some custom made ones...SouthernBoy?). Anyway, I prefer a jack and stands. And as Tripn' said, even with the car on jack stands, position the jack somewhere as a just-in-case.

What I've got:
- Craftsman floorjack...it's a standard jack; I don't have any specs, but it's old. Works great. One day I'll upgrade to a nice low profile/high rise jack.

- Four 3-ton stands from PepBoys. Overkill for a car that weighs 3,400lbs? Sure, but since it's my ass under the car, that's the way it goes.

playa4real

iTrader: (3)

for anyone thats interested in picking up a set..

sears has 2 1/4 ton jack stands + jack for $35.

Go here http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...00100383&aff=Y

Add to cart and use SDEALS817 for the 5 dollar coupon

Tripnbeats

the stands r good the jack i woudlnt use.... i dont trust those lil jacks.

Fulani has a TL

iTrader: (1)

If you jack has problems clearing the front strake, just drive the car onto some 2x4's or 2x6s, and it will give you the clearance. Also, for those who have problems with rear not getting high enough, put a 2x4 between the jack and tow hook.

ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!!!!

Bearcat94

I had this for about a year. Works fine. ALWAYS USE THE JACK STANDS for any jack.

Only trouble is the rear - it barely get off the ground at full lift. And if you have a 2G, it won't get the rear off the ground at all. That's why I went to the 3 ton - ~4" add'l lift height.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

Same position I'm in.

playa4real

iTrader: (3)

thoughts on this torin low profile 3 1/2 ton jack? reliability, function, performance, etc. i'm not trying to break the bank on a jack that i would only use for regular maintenance. its main usage would be on the TL, but would also use it on other cars in the family including the RDX.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/S...&zmap=ZX344222

oh and for jack stands..thinking long term use, would it be better to get the ones that have a V-notch at the top or ones that have a flat top.
for reference only:V-notch LINK vs. flat LINK