floor jacks

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
now having a floor jack, REALLY <(PREFERABLY TWO FLOOR JACKS) ,is one of the basic tools every shop needs along with several decent full size jack stands.
floor jacks alone, should NEVER be used to support the car while you work under it,
for jobs like clutch changes, but only to lift the car while you use the floor jacks for placement of those jack stands on the cars frame for rock solid support while your under the car.
Id also strongly suggest taking the time and effort to use FOUR 12 ton, jack stands to support the car under the FRAME as this is FAR more secure than just using TWO under the front to support the car while your under it for jobs like transmission or clutch replacement jobs, yes it takes more time and effort but your also far less likely to have the car fall if its securely supported and level, and not having any wheels on the ground that can roll
ramps are frequently used to allow fast access under the car for small jobs like oil changes, but wheel chalks should always be used with ramps to prevent the car rolling off the ramps, and ramps are not nearly as solid as properly placed jack stands because they can move or the cars alignment driving up onto them can vary significantly, and in some cases ramps move during the car placement process, of getting the car up onto them.
keep in mind your required to both safely lift the car with the floor jacks and place it on sturdy jack stands and have a tool that can be depended on to easily slide under the car and lift it high enough to allow easy access and placement of those jack stands under the car
I try to look for and buy American made products any time I can and don,t mind one bit paying an additional 10%-20%-even 30% more because I know from experience that theres frequently a good deal more quality components than in import clone parts, making the parts well worth the cost difference, there not much point in saving 30% on a part or tool that won,t do the job its designed to do, or one that can,t do its job safely!
but in a side by side comparison the import looked to be better made,
So I think your fighting a lost battle here,the last time I researched this, a decent 10-12 ton rated American made jack stand that has a wide base and can get a car frame 20'-24" off the floor safely, is well over 200$ EACH
vettejack1.jpg

Ive used 6 12 ton rated jack stands like these for almost 20 years now in my shop they are well made

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-hard ... 70912.html

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=11972#p11972

as many of you guys know if you read these threads Ive used (4) 12 ton jack stands and a mechanics creeper for decades, and continue to use them at times even though I own a car lift, but when I suggested to a member that he buy 4 he found the current cost plus shipping exceeded $200 so he asked about cheaper options.
well home depot sells 2x4 boards 8 ft long for about $3 each and will cut them for a nominal charge or at times for free
If you don,t want to spend big bucks on 4 large sturdy jack stands.. like I bought for my shop,you can make supports like in this picture below, just be sure your floor jack can lift the car to the height you build, as I had a friend recently build a set of 4 supports thats about 4" taller than he can lift his truck
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-jack-stands-34924.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-diy-project-video-well-worth-watching.15647/

buy 8-10 8 foot long 2"x4" boards cut into 15 7/8" lengths and some good wood glue, and 4 16" square pieces of 3/4" plywood that are used to make sure each support stays square, plywood square placed mid stack, with 3 2x4s in each layer of the stack except the top where you use only the outer two, to prevent the tire from rolling off the stack,this will result in a support collum about 14" tall under each tire,
be sure, you use good water proof wood glue, and allow it to set up over nite, before using the support stacks, and painting at a minimum, the bottom surface so it won,t absorb moisture is a good idea and a few dozen 3" wood screws
glue1a.jpg

this will give you 24 sections for each support for less than $40
f250stands.jpg

woodst1.jpg

I generally keep about a dozen 16" square pieces of 3/4" plywood I can use to stack under my jack stands on asphalt drive ways, when I visit a friends house because jack stands don,t play well with asphalt drive ways in florida heat,(you get about 15 out of a sheet of plywood and home depot will frequently cut a sheet into squares cheaply or for free) these can be used to shove under the 2x4 support stands to vary the height on un-even or inclined ground

I have built several sets of those under the tires support stands from 2x4 and pieces of scrap plywood Ive salvaged from construction sites in the past, but generally found I have donated those to someone ,as they only cost me time and a couple bottles of wood glue and a few dozen 3" deck screws as I own 6 of those harbor freight 12 ton jack stands
as to swapping a trans and the required clearance under the car.. the clearance will vary with the car, mechanics creeper height, tire diameter and your belt size, this thread might be useful

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=33551&hilit=creeper#p33551

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200330725
Ive used several brands, and the cheap auto parts store type ,that are generally rated at 2.1/4 ton or less and weight under about 50 lbs, are built for low price not safety or durability, most stores that sell them ,sell for well under $75 are generally trash & dangerous. but then they are usually a small step up from the OEM jacks supplied in most car trunks.

read these threads / links
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=672

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/jackupzr1.htm


IN MANY CASES USING A SMALL RAMP AIDS CLEARANCE FOR A FLOOR JACK
vettejack4.jpg

vettejack5.jpg


JACKING UP, ONLY THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND SUPPORTING ONLY THE FRONT< LEAVES THE CAR IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS POSITION WHERE IT MIGHT ROLL,, YES EVEN IF WHEEL
CHALKS ARE USED
vettejack2.jpg

vettejack1.jpg
+++++++++
THE CARS MORE STABLE ON FOUR 12 TON JACK STANDS IF YOU WANT TO USE A MECHANICS CREEPER, EVEN IF THE 12 TON JACK STANDS ARE AT THE LOWEST HEIGHT YOUR FAIRLY SAFE UNDER THE CAR, NOT SO WITH THE SMALLER 3 and 6 TON RATED JACK STANDS



heres an example (OF WHAT YOU CERTAINLY DON,T WANT)
http://advanceauto.shoplocal.com/advanc ... id=2370190



you don,t necessarily need to spend a bundle either, but its a tool that should last for many years so getting a decent floor jacks a good idea.

EXAMPLE
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/N ... Floor+Jack

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/N ... Floor+Jack


heres a few decent compromises, not top quality by any stretch but reasonable values for the cost.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200345429

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200305249

http://www2.northerntool.com/auto-repai ... 144236.htm

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

BTW
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=34924

I bought 4 of these 12 ton jack stands and their one of the few things I got from HF that are worth the money hands down!
if you catch them on sale, and if you get one of those coupons in the flier for 15% off you can get two for UNDER $50 and 4 for UNDER $100, they are MUCH larger and heavier than the typical auto store 3-4 ton jack stands and FAR more difficult to rock or tip over the car with when in use.
they provide a much larger base and on the low setting are the correct height to work under the car for most clutch replacements Etc. IF YOU RAISE THE CAR TO THE SAME HEIGHT ON 3-6 TON RATED JACK STANDS THERE'S NO COMPARING THE STABILITY
jack_stands.jpg

(4 of the 12 ton rated HF jack stands, set at the height of the lower jack stand in the picture below set under a corvettes frame hold a corvette securely at the correct height for using a mechanics creeper )
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-jac ... 34924.html
12tonstand.jpg

These super heavy duty jack stands will hold most cars and trucks safely over 2 feet off the ground. Perfect for repair work or storage.

Height: 19-1/2'' to 30-1/8''
Base: 12'' x 12-1/2''

Shipping Weight: 69.50 lbs.

COMPARE THESE WITH THESE(THESE ARE AMAZING , I CAN,T BELIEVE ANYONE TRUSTS THESE THINGS, A SINGLE 1/4" OR 5/16" BOLT SHEARS AND YOUR DEAD OR TRAPPED UNDER THE CAR!

this floor jack has good reviews
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200345429


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34924
If your going to work under your car I hope you support the car safely, some of you might think Im old fashion but some repairs (even thou I own a LIFT) are easier to do with (4) 12 ton jack stands and a mechanics creeper
34924.gif


1967BryarTrans-Am044.jpg

look closely at the FLIMSY JACK STANDS IN THIS PICTURE, Ive seen several of that jack stand design , suddenly fail and collapse
"1: why 12 ton? Ain't 6 ton more than enough?
2: how do you jack up the car? do you enroll your wife?
3: what floor jack do you use? Prices vary quite a bit?
"


(1)
the 12 ton are BOTH FAR MORE STABLE from tipping or the car shifting,because of the much larger base AND if the cars supported on the first or second notch they are exactly the correct height to allow comfortably accessing the under side of the car, place the 6 ton next to a 12 ton and raise both to the height of the 12 ton stands on the first notch, theres absolutely no comparison in your safety under the car, THERES ABSOLUTELY NO WAY YOU CAN COMPARE THE DEGREE OF STABILITY THE LARGER BASE AND STRONGER MATERIALS THE 12 TON STANDS PROVIDE, to the smaller stands when your cars lifted high enough to easily work under it on a mechanics creeper

(2) your hardly the first guy to run into this, problem, you may need to fabricate or purchase floor jack spacer pads if your floor jack won,t raise the car high enough, I know I did, it was an easy process and I welded up my own, and both bolted and glued a 6: square section of old tire tread to the pads upper surface to prevent scaring the vettes car frame, so I could use the 12 ton jack stands, because my sears floor jacks could just barely reach the required height I fabricated spacers, with out the spacer pads, getting the 12 ton jack stands in place was more of a hassle,obviously this requires a bit of thinking in the procedure in getting the car up safely,to allow the taller jack height under the car frame,
spacer%20pad.png

on most floor jacks the lift pad is easily interchangeable , you can buy a replacement jack saddle
jacksaddle.jpg

and weld a 2"-3" thick pad to the spares and drill and bolt and glue a section of old tire tread you find on any high way or from an old tire you can cut with a sawsall to make a second custom set of jack spacers if your floor jack won,t allow the car to be lifted high enough
barplate.jpg


one of my old geezer friends found 4 of these plates for $1 each at a yard sale and used a large center bolt, two washers and his shop welder to make a custom floor jack spacer pad for both his floor jacks, I thought that was rather ingenious s
OK first you DON,T raise a car one corner at a time! you drive it up on the inclined ramps to get clearance for the floor jack then slide the floor jack with the spacer if your floor jack requires one under the center of the front (CROSS MEMBER) and lift the front and place BOTH front 12 ton jack stands, under the frame , wide spaced, then the angle of the frame allows you to either use a second floor jack or move the front floor jack to the rear frame of the car, and lift the whole back or move both floor jacks to the rear frame on opposite sides and place both REAR 12 ton jack stands, on the rear frame. now personally I usually leave the rear jack stands and the jack holding the rear up ,and the 12 ton jack stands on the front with the tires hanging just above the inclined ramps, that way theres almost less chance the car can fall, even if some component were to fail.
Ill ALSO point out I have and have always used two floor jacks, twin rhino ramps and 4 12 ton jack stand WHEN I was under the corvette I use those 12 ton stand on when I use a mechanics creeper as I don,t want to be doing bench presses with a vette!:

btw keep your eyes out for used floor jacks at yard sales, and if a friends floor jack fails it might only require minimal maintenance to repair,this is were having a bit of curiosity and mechanical skill helps , one of my friends has a sears jack that he used for 20 years, it eventually started having a problem where it would slowly loose height if not regularly pumped up so he donated it to me and bought a new floor jack, it took me about 45 minutes to figure out how to disassemble and clean it , and replace a couple worn o-rings but for 45-60 minutes work and less than 80 cents in o-ring's, and $7 in hydraulic jack oil, I had a spare functional floor jack.

prices are up recently,
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-jac ... 34924.html

http://promocodesforyou.com/index.php?i ... 7AodJGG8BQ

check on sales, look for discount coupons and ask for the manager of the store as he has a great deal of leeway in pricing, when I bought mine the standard price was $60 a pair, but I went during a sale and they were marked 10% off plus I told the store manager I had a desire to buy 2 pairs if he made it worth my while, he dropped the price to $150 for 6 stands and no sales taxes
I would strongly advise pitching them in the dumpster if you own any[/color]
 
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I get asked all the time if those low price harbor freight aluminum race jacks are a good deal, now obviously any manufactured product by any manufacturer has some parts that eventually fail over time, but asking around , and talking to guys I see who have them at the track or in their shop,heres what Ive seen & heard.

this is the jack ID suggest buying
https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...sional-rapid-pump-floor-jack-green-64785.html

63183.jpg

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...sional-rapid-pump-floor-jack-green-64785.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html

alu2.jpg
$149.99
two people that I know have said that these medium price aluminum jacks were a waste of money
http://www.harborfreight.com/rapid-pump ... 47246.html


alu1.jpg
$179.99
I only know of one guy with this jack, but hes had it a couple years and loves it
http://www.harborfreight.com/rapid-pump ... 92782.html


alu3.jpg
$79.99

several people that I know have said that these base price aluminum jacks were a TOTAL waste of money

http://www.harborfreight.com/3000-lb-ca ... 67408.html


alu4.jpg
$129
I don,t know anyone with this jack yet , but Id suspect is just a modification of one of the less useful jacks listed above
http://www.harborfreight.com/3000-lb-ca ... 96562.html


http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 0001&aff=Y

sears sells an aluminum floor jack for $329, I don,t know anyone who owns one but Ive seen mixed , reviews, most good, some not.

144235_lg.jpg
$200

this jacks getting good reviews
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200345428



ID POINT OUT THAT THE SNAP ON brand ALUMINUM FLOOR JACK THAT COSTS $570
is MADE IN CHINA


http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog

heres some American made aluminum race jacks, expensive but supposed to be well made
http://www.circletracksupply.com/BRUNNH ... -JACK.html

theres always, a few rather creative IDIOTS to deal with
Crazy-Woker-Photos-18.jpg

the picture above should be titled,
"truck just before it fell on clueless idiot"

Crazy-Woker-Photos-13.jpg

SO THINK THINGS THROUGH AND REMEMBER A FEW EXTRA PRECAUTIONS CAN EASILY MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING THE JOB DONE OR YOU GETTING KILLED by being careless
and these pictures show some excellent examples of ways to get yourself hurt or killed the picture above should be a poster for stupidity

Crazy-Woker-Photos-8.jpg

the weight/pressure of a jack stand on a concrete block is eventually going to crush or crack any concrete block, and if your under the car when it fails without any warning your likely to get seriously hurt
 
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I just thought Id post this, I purchased a sears floor jack that came with two jack stands about 10 years ago that looks very similar to this jack they advertise currently
(it may even be the current replacement or the same jack)
egle2402.gif

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/pinchwe ... 12467.aspx

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-diy-project-video-well-worth-watching.15647/


I recently had the car jacked up and had placed 3 of my (4) 6 ton harbor freight jack stands
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-jack ... 38847.html
(btw they don,t give near the under car clearance that grumpys 12 ton jack stands do unless you raise them to the point they look a bit to easy to tip over, I bought them because I felt that 12 ton stands on a 2 ton car was excessive, but after working at grumps shop with his 12 ton stands, I,m going to upgrade as soon as cash flow allows, because I now see why grumpy uses them)
and was jacking up the front K-member to place the last jack when the jack stopped jacking correctly, I figured the handle that controls the release valve had gotten a bit loose, but no amount of tightening and loosening or tightening even with a screw driver dropped thru the hole in the jack handle to give a bit more leverage seemed to help, so I borrowed a floor jack to finish the project, now heres the weird thing... when grumpyvette,l came over to look over the jack it worked just fine?
he said it initially sounded like a seal or o-ring had failed but those don,t self repair themselves so I'm at a loss to explain it.
I,m now looking around for a second floor jack but it bugs me that the sears jack seems to now work, but I swear it did not that day?
heres what is supposed to be a better quality option from matco tools
LPSJ2T.jpg

MATCO 2 TON LOW PRO SERVICE JACK
http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/toolc ... ct=&page=2
Extra long low side frames designed for long reach under car chassis
Universal joint release mechanism provides precision control of load descent in any handle position
Wide stance and low center of gravity provides optimum stability under load stress
Breather plug takes way air in the hydraulic system, optimizing jack performance
 
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"hey grumpy? I went to lift my car with my 35 year old shop floor jack and is no longer working, it pumps up but won,t hold, what do I do now? and are there any decent bargains in floor jacks?
I don,t want to buy cheap junk, but Im on a very limited budget!"

http://www.acjacks.com/acjacks_003.htm
good floor jack


when your looking to buy a floor jack, Id strongly suggest you, verify it fits under 3" when all the way down and ideally lifts to 22" all the way up and hopefully lifts a 2.5-3 ton rating, this will allow it to be used on a corvette fairly easily and allow you to use the larger and much sturdier and more stable jack stands easily, the problem many guys have is either the jack won,t slide under the corvette frame easily or it won,t lift the corvette high enough for the larger jack stands that make use of a decent quality mechanics creeper easy to use.
Id at least take it apart and inspect it, its more than likely a couple leaking O-rings or a busted return spring, that will cost under $7 to replace.
Ive found most floor jack problems are related to leaking seals.
and your correct a decent floor jacks no longer reasonably priced, yes you can buy some fairly functional imports but any American made jack Ive seen lately that will provide 22" of lift allowing use of decent strength jack stands to be placed under the cars frame and is at least 2.5 ton-to- 3 ton rated , is going to be expensive.

I recently found a floor jack put out at the side of the road for trash pick-up I picked it up for spare parts before the trash guys got it, and while it looked ratty and rusted, a solvent bath, a pressure cleaning, some sand blasting , a bit of new paint and a few o-rings have it working fine again. the fact is that theres not much other than springs and seals that break on a decent quality floor jack, now the cheap imports can be a totally different deal, with wheels that fall off and pistons that lock up etc.

http://www.harborfreight.com/180-piece- ... 67525.html

READ THESE LINKS


http://www.tidewatermoparclub.com/TECH/jack1a.pdf

https://www.amazon.com/Sunex-6602LP...3_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Q54BH2MBWSFN182YC7CP

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... s-_-149201

http://www.amazon.com/Arcan-Quick-Lift- ... m_sbs_hi_6

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to ... floor-jack

http://www.ehow.com/how_7703890_rebuild ... -jack.html

watch the videos on how to repair floor jacks






 
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http://www.mile-x.com/aff-208-2-ton-aluminum-racing-jack/?gclid=CMP3lbOG3L0CFckWMgodV3wA6A (won,t lift nearly high enough)

http://pitstopusa.com/b-4608-133455-brunnhoelzl-racing.html (look at that PRICE, but its a pro quality)

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/a-car-lift-in-your-shop.98/


https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-daytona-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html (decent value)

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...vy-Duty-Floor-Jack-with-Rapid-Pump-61282.html (won,t lift nearly high enough)

https://www.harborfreight.com/15-Ton-Aluminum-Racing-Floor-Jack-with-Rapid-Pump-60569.html (won,t lift nearly high enough)

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-daytona-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided&utm_referrer=http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2359697

I'm always amazed at the number of people who never bother too read the instructions or look over the specifications, on a floor jack, they purchase!
theres alway a compromise in quality and price ,but any tool must be able to do its intended job or its a waste of time and money
and the reason youll use a floor jack in many cases is simply to raise the car high enough to place jack stands.
but no mater what the price is if your going to buy a floor jack,
it must be durable and be able to lift a car to at least 22" height in my opinion,
simply too allow you to get the car up to a reasonable height to slide a decent quality jack stand under the cars frame,
without having to do that in several stages.
I was over at a friends shop recently and his jack only lifts the car to 18"
thus it takes several stages, of lifting the car, and placing the tires on boards ,
and re-lifting the car with board spacers on the floor jack,
to use the jack stands
, it never occurred too my neighbor too inquire, about the limitations on how high the floor jack lifted the car, before he bought it!
so he keeps a few dozen short sections of 8" wide and 12" long 2" thick boards in the shop as spacers,

(A TOTAL PAIN IN THE ASS)
you need room for both easy access and in many cases a transmission ON a transmission jack, and 4.... 12 ton rated jack stands, carefully located on the frame help provide a secure place to work under
12tonstand.jpg

5/8 in. x 4-3/4 in. Clevis Pin available at home depot for $4 each
22639b.jpg

22639a.jpg


  • Lift height of 3-1/4 in. to 24-1/4 in.
    , ideal for low-profile vehicles to trucks and SUVs
  • Lift capacity of up to 6000 lb.
  • Dual piston hydraulic system
  • 100% precision-welded steel construction
  • High-strength, rust-resistant hardware
  • Ball bearing premium rear swivel casters for 360° mobility
  • Rotating, removable jack saddle adapts quickly to lift accessories
  • Professional quality modern design
  • Industrial strength powder coat finish
www.harborfreight.com


his super duty 3 ton car jack is designed to work as hard as you do. Premium quality piston seals plus an internal magnetic filtration system work together to extend pump life. RAPID PUMP® dual parallel pump technology lifts in far fewer strokes. The universal joint release provides precise load control for smooth descent.

  • Best-in-class 3 ton Professional Steel Jack is built to work longer and faster
  • Innovative hydraulic pump system with internal magnetic filtration for extraordinary pump life
  • Low profile design lifts from 3-3/4 in. to 23-1/8 in.
  • Heavy duty all-welded steel construction with durable finish
  • Universal joint release provides precise load control in any handle position
  • Knurled handle grip for secure hold, equipped with nonmarring bumper to prevent damage to vehicle finish
63183_W3_1.jpg

vettejack1.jpg
+++++++++
THE CARS MORE STABLE ON FOUR 12 TON JACK STANDS IF YOU WANT TO USE A MECHANICS CREEPER



creeperspace.jpg


related info

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/mechanics-creepers.3178/#post-38649


http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/under-car-safety.26/page-3#post-64755

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-jack-stands-34924.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ack-makes-all-the-difference.5512/#post-43359
 
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while I try to buy American made products you would have to be very un-observant,
to not have noticed that the newer HF floor jack quality has improved drastically from several years ago, and they come with a decent warrantee..


https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-daytona-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided&utm_referrer=http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2359697

https://www.biztimes.com/2017/indus...q1ddA-YayE5NV-FsvuBYbbBl5NF7jeF6G1p2FzQQjfA6Q

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-orange-64241.html


63183.jpg

Here's a super duty 3 Ton car jack that's designed to work as hard as you do. Premium quality piston seals plus an internal magnetic filtration system work together to extend pump life. Rapid Pump dual parallel pump technology lifts in far fewer strokes. The universal joint release provides precise load control for smooth descent.

  • Best-in-class 3 Ton Professional Steel Jack is built to work longer and faster
  • Innovative hydraulic pump system with internal magnetic filtration for extraordinary pump life
  • Low profile design lifts from 3-3/4 in. to 23-1/8 in.
  • Heavy duty all-welded steel construction with durable finish
  • Universal joint release provides precise load control in any handle position
  • Knurled handle grip for secure hold, equipped with non-marring bumper to prevent damage to vehicle finish
Snap-On-lawsuit.jpg

this is interesting
https://www.biztimes.com/2017/industries/law/snap-on-harbor-freight-settle-floor-jack-case/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/jack-stand-failure.14691/#post-79350
BTW if your looking for a low lift trans support and lift jack,


IVE used and like this one above, which I paid 1/2 the cost of with a friend and would recommend as a decent option

IVE used and own, and don,t like this one below, much thats one reason I went in on the friends jack purchase

but a 800 lb- 1500 lb rated cycle lift, lifting less than 300 lbs should not be under much stress.
1500tr.jpg


IVE used the motor cycle lift as a trans jack in the past and Im seriously looking at purchasing one to use a a trans jack for the shop

www.harborfreight.com

1500 lb. Aluminum ATV / Motorcycle Lift

Amazing deals on this 1500Lb Aluminum Atv / Motorcycle Lift at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com

this motor cycle lift can be used as a transmission jack and in my opinion is slightly better built than the 800 lb rated trans jack listed before this
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-Capacity-ATV-Motorcycle-Lift-60636.html
 
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Im rather amazed at how often I find that guys buy floor jacks that either can,t due too clearance issues,
easily be used with the car they own or find they purchased a floor jack that can,t lift the car,
high enough to easily slide the jack stands they own under the cars frame.
many guys have cheap car ramps they use too drive the car front wheels up on, to get the required clearance too use a floor jack under the cars frame.
now if you just need a small lift to clear the floor jack, keep a couple shout sections of 2"x 8" lumber about 15.5" long around the shop,
place them in front of the cars tires and edge up onto the boards, this will frequently give you just enough clearance to get a low profile jack under the cars frame.
if the jack won,t lift high enough you really should have purchased a different jack, but many guys have a set of 3 ton rated jack stands they use,
under the car frame too support the car while they lower the jack and place a short section of 4"x 6" lumber between the floor jack and car frame,
to get the car up to the required height too allow the 6 ton or 12 ton rated jack stands under the car frame.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-orange-64241.html
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...sional-rapid-pump-floor-jack-green-64785.html


https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-orange-64241.html

AS IT IS WITH MOST PROBLEMS, YOU NEED TO START WITH A CAREFUL DETAILED INSPECTION,
you can,t fix something until you know exactly what's wrong.
I'd suggest putting the Vette up on four sturdy jack stands on a level concrete pad ,
and lifting it high enough to do a close visual inspection with a mechanics creeper and a bright drop light.
a can of brake cleaner, or throttle body cleaner to use, to remove years of accumulated road grunge certainly helps.
once you've inspected the corvette you should have a better grasp on whats needed or what went wrong.
for several decades, I had no lift in my shop,
I only had two floor jacks and 6... 12 ton jack stands to allow me to do jobs like transmission removals so you don,t need a lift to work under a car.
if you don,t have decent jack stands there are other reasonably safe and not too expensive car support options, but keep the car level and well supported,
if you visit a construction site you may find most of the scrap lumber in the dumpster will be useful in the support fabrication saving you money, but even new 2x4 lumbers not too expensive.

to fabricate wood tire supports like pictured below youll need to cut 12 ...8 foot long 2x4 into 15.5 inch lengths and two 2x8 into 15.5" lengths,
a bottle of good wood glue
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-18-fl-oz-Wood-Glue-62050/100662003
and a bag or 3" deck screws

woodst1da.jpg

vettejack1.jpg
 
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