Picking a low cost floor jack

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I've been using the same leaking HD floor jack for years and finally getting ready to replace it. Currently looking at the 3 Ton Professional Grade Aluminum And Steel Service Jack from Costco (Item #996603) vs. 3 ton Low Profile Steel Heavy Duty Floor Jack with Rapid Pump® (pn 61282) from Harbor Freight. The HF jack has a slightly higher max lift height than any other jack in this price range and with my pickup truck that is VERY attractive... but so is the fact that if/when the Costco jack develops problems I can just return it...

Thoughts? Budget is a huge factor here. Like I said, I've been using the same leaking floor jack for many years with fine success. Not like it ever is the main or only support for the vehicle while working anyways.
 
I wish I would have bought a low profile jack instead of the standard one. I'm not that impressed with my craftsman 3 ton floor jack, maybe it's because it doesn't get used much, but it leaks down. Then again I guess it is 10 years old.
 
Originally Posted By: buck91
I've been using the same leaking HD floor jack for years and finally getting ready to replace it. Currently looking at the 3 Ton Professional Grade Aluminum And Steel Service Jack from Costco (Item #996603) vs. 3 ton Low Profile Steel Heavy Duty Floor Jack with Rapid Pump® (pn 61282) from Harbor Freight. The HF jack has a slightly higher max lift height than any other jack in this price range and with my pickup truck that is VERY attractive... but so is the fact that if/when the Costco jack develops problems I can just return it...

Thoughts? Budget is a huge factor here. Like I said, I've been using the same leaking floor jack for many years with fine success. Not like it ever is the main or only support for the vehicle while working anyways.


Have you tried bleeding the air out? Pump it up all the way as high as it goes, then lower it all the way and repeat about 5 times. See if that stops it.
 
Actually, its an external leak; it holds pressure and height just fine! Its a little to tall for the Mustang and similar cars and a little short for trucks so I'd rather use this as a reason to replace than to rebuild it
wink.gif
 
The Costco floor jack is an excellent choice. I bought it a few years ago and use it at least a couple times a week. It is light, cheap, and has been very dependable. With a return policy as easy as Costco's and a price that can't be beat, I say "go for it".
 
Im seeing some 3 1/2 ton floor jacks now. I am accustomed to a 3 ton and wouldnt fool with a smaller capacity or a trolley jack. But the parts stores have some nice ones but dont come cheap.....especially compared to Craftsman who is giving them away at a hundred dollars with jack stands included.
 
I also have the hf floor jack. I got it on sale for $60 something. The low profile is great and it goes pretty high.
 
I have had the HF jack for a few years and it works great. I do like the low profile as it fits under pretty much every car I have tried.

wb
 
I owned the 3 ton regular HF jack and it worked very well for 3 years, only sold it to get the same low profile unit and also it has worked well for the past 2 years. the cost alone makes it disposable to me and i'll just buy another one when it fails.
 
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I have a 3 ton low profile rapid pump Harbor Freight jack. For the most part I like it, fits under any car, lifts fast etc. But it leaks down. I have to run and get the jack stands and put them under the car before it lowers itself down.

My brother bought a 3 ton Craftsman jack from Sears with jack stands and a creeper for $99. It's ok too, not rapid pump though, not low profile (he has trucks and jeeps), and when you twist the handle to lower it it goes down really fast. It's hard to lower it gently into jack stands. It kind of just drops it onto them.
 
Nick, sounds like you need to dispose of the jack that leaks down.


My jack is really abrupt to if you dont dial back the handle SLOWLY when lowering the car onto stands.
Its an Allied, but I used a Craftsman before that did it....both 3 tons.
 
I have both a HF floor jack that is 5-6? years old now and a much newer michelin branded floor jack. I also have a wimpy trolly jack I use occasionally.

The HF jack is the one I always use except for tire rotations when I use both floor jacks.

The Michelin apparently bent itself lifting
mad.gif


IIRC the HF jack was ~80$
and the Michelin Jack was 119$ but I got it on clearance for 80$

I am thinking about getting one of the full alum ones as they are much easier to load in the car and take somewhere vs the 80lb floor jacks... One of the things I still cant do since shattering my left arm/wrist.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I have a 3 ton low profile rapid pump Harbor Freight jack. For the most part I like it, fits under any car, lifts fast etc. But it leaks down. I have to run and get the jack stands and put them under the car before it lowers itself down.

My brother bought a 3 ton Craftsman jack from Sears with jack stands and a creeper for $99. It's ok too, not rapid pump though, not low profile (he has trucks and jeeps), and when you twist the handle to lower it it goes down really fast. It's hard to lower it gently into jack stands. It kind of just drops it onto them.


Maybe you've already tried this, (my HF did the same thing when I got it), but I followed the bleeding instructions that came with the jack and it's been rock solid for three years. IIRC, bleeding is part of the setup routine.
 
Originally Posted By: jkasch
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I have a 3 ton low profile rapid pump Harbor Freight jack. For the most part I like it, fits under any car, lifts fast etc. But it leaks down. I have to run and get the jack stands and put them under the car before it lowers itself down.

My brother bought a 3 ton Craftsman jack from Sears with jack stands and a creeper for $99. It's ok too, not rapid pump though, not low profile (he has trucks and jeeps), and when you twist the handle to lower it it goes down really fast. It's hard to lower it gently into jack stands. It kind of just drops it onto them.


Maybe you've already tried this, (my HF did the same thing when I got it), but I followed the bleeding instructions that came with the jack and it's been rock solid for three years. IIRC, bleeding is part of the setup routine.
Thanks! I'll have to look it up and try it.
 
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