Cal Club Autocross Forums

Hey,

I finally threw our my Harbor Freight 1.5 ton jack @ the Labor Day S.D.R. practice; couldn't take it not working well anymore.

So, I want to get a new one, but I want the 2 ton with separate wheels up front instead of the single roller like the 1.5 tons have. I also want one that's better quality than the HF stuff w/o spending a lot of $$. I was hoping to get the one that Costco was selling, but they're cutting back on their auto dept. and are no longer selling it. In researching this a bit, it seems the Craftsman is crap, so that's out. Girot's Garage no longer makes one, so that's out.

Any ideas?

TIA

Bill

Google is your friend.

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=67" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert Puertas wrote:Google is your friend.

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/detail.jsp?ID=67" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We've actually had good luck with our Harbor Freight jack and we've abused the hell out of it for 4 1/2 years. That being said, this one just made the Birthday/Christmas wish list

That jack weighs 50 pounds. I'll pass.

Thanks, Robert. Yes, Google is my friend and I went there first, but didn't find this. Thing is, it looks exactly like the H.F. cheapo - I'm sure it's made by the same people/Chinese surfs. What I'm hoping for is the next step up w/o going all the way to the ~$900 ones. I hoping that exists and is in the ~$200 range.

Dreaming?

Bill

This looks cool!

http://www.pitstopusa.com/detail.aspx?ID=67121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but probably not enough lift to be useful...

That is cool; I bet you could use an impact gun to zip it up and down - but yes, not enough lift.

Bill, here's what Simanyi has and recommended to me to get 2yrs ago. You get what you pay for: AC Hydraulics.

Awesome jack.

http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-DK20.html

It is an awesome jack but it weighs like 12 tons and Bill's knees would explode lifting it in and out of the pedoVan.

You like how even down a front row ALMS car today, I can make jokes? Must be the meds..... They can't touch my shoulder, neck or knee, but they smooth over a down 9% whooping.

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:Bill, here's what Simanyi has and recommended to me to get 2yrs ago. You get what you pay for: AC Hydraulics.

Awesome jack.

http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-DK20.html

Thanks, Gio. Yeah, I know this one - we used it in Topeka. Great jack, but I'd need a 2nd trailer to tow it!

Still hoping what I want is out there.

I'd offer to let you borrow mine for a while. But yes................it does weigh a ton! So workout, do some exercise and you'll be able to handle it

Let me know if you want to borrow mine.

Remember Gio.... Bill is an old man. And a Miata driver.....

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:I'd offer to let you borrow mine for a while. But yes................it does weigh a ton! So workout, do some exercise and you'll be able to handle it

Let me know if you want to borrow mine.

It's a great jack, but it makes the TireRack aluminium model look light.

Bill, if you really want a light jack that will lift 4,000 [and why you'd need this for a car half the weight I don't know], you're looking at 7 big one$.

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:It's a great jack, but it makes the TireRack aluminium model look light.

TireRack Model = NFL Kicker
AC Hydraulics Model = NFL Offensive Lineman

Whom do YOU want holding up your car 2-ton car?

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:It's a great jack, but it makes the TireRack aluminium model look light.

TireRack Model = NFL Kicker
AC Hydraulics Model = NFL Offensive Lineman

Whom do YOU want holding up your car 2-ton car?

But Bill's car doesn't weigh 2 tons. Neither does mine. I have 3-ton floor jack in my garage, Craftsman, weighs about 100 pounds, but I don't plan on taking it anywhere. Besides, I hold my car up with jack stands. :gpower:

Bob Beamesderfer wrote: [and why you'd need this for a car half the weight I don't know]

'Cause the 1.5 ton models are too narrow; I want something more stable, but still lightish.

The difference between 50lbs (Tire Rack aluminium - you're welcome Max) and 65 lbs of Danish Steel for the AC Hydraulics piece is trivial, even for old hacks like Bill.

Bill, get the AC piece. It'll last a lifetime. (Order an extra rubber pad.)

Edited to add: Good, Light, Cheap - pick any two - sounds like an adage that should apply here, but the AC stuff is only "light" compared to the variety of 100lb jacks on the market.

The jacks that use a single front roller tend to be poorly made, as it typically is used to provide torsional rigidity on a frame that is otherwise underengineered. The Tire Rack jack avoids that by using a solid bottom plate, but it weighs 50 lbs and has metal wheels. The AC jacks have rubber "O rings" on the wheels to dampen the noise. I upgraded to them because they're a huge improvement over my original wheels without that feature, which made them massively noisy when you roll the jack along the ground.

The metal wheels on the aluminum jacks must be obnoxiously loud if you roll them more than two feet on asphalt.

Mike

Mike Simanyi wrote:The difference between 50lbs (Tire Rack aluminium - you're welcome Max) and 65 lbs of Danish Steel for the AC Hydraulics piece is trivial, even for old hacks like Bill.

Bill, get the AC piece. It'll last a lifetime. (Order an extra rubber pad.)

Edited to add: Good, Light, Cheap - pick any two - sounds like an adage that should apply here, but the AC stuff is only "light" compared to the variety of 100lb jacks on the market.

The jacks that use a single front roller tend to be poorly made, as it typically is used to provide torsional rigidity on a frame that is otherwise underengineered. The Tire Rack jack avoids that by using a solid bottom plate, but it weighs 50 lbs and has metal wheels. The AC jacks have rubber "O rings" on the wheels to damp the noise. I upgraded to them because they're a huge improvement over my original wheels without that feature, which made them massively noisy when you roll the jack along the ground.

The metal wheels on the aluminum jacks must be obnoxiously loud if you roll them more than two feet on asphalt.

Mike

The AC jack linked to by Gio weighs 75 pounds. BUT, it's reputed to be one of the most bullet-proof made.

Bill Schenker wrote: 'Cause the 1.5 ton models are too narrow; I want something more stable, but still lightish.

Too narrow for what? The SC450?

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:
The AC jack linked to by Gio weighs 75 pounds. BUT, it's reputed to be one of the most bullet-proof made.

That's the shipping weight Bob. The jack's weight is 65 lbs.

Mike

Mike Simanyi wrote:

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:
The AC jack linked to by Gio weighs 75 pounds. BUT, it's reputed to be one of the most bullet-proof made.

That's the shipping weight Bob. The jack's weight is 65 lbs.

Mike

Shipping, schmipping! Put one on a scale.

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:Shipping, schmipping! Put one on a scale.

I'll weigh mine tonight.

Make some calls to Costco stores and see if you can get the one like Steve Ekstrand and I have. Somewhat heavy but extremely stout. You could always eat Wheaties the morning of. And you never know, if you get a jack like ours, you may also find yourself compelled to vote for McCain.

Or you go to San Diego, retrieve the jack you threw away, haul it over to Harbor Freight and take advantage of their lifetime warranty.

Bob Beamesderfer wrote:Too narrow for what? The SC450?

Am talking about the 1.5 ton H.F. jack that I tossed - that front roller just doesn't do well on rough/uneven surfaces; I want the added stability of the four wheel, 2+ton types.

George Schilling wrote:Make some calls to Costco stores and see if you can get the one like Steve Ekstrand and I have. Somewhat heavy but extremely stout. You could always eat Wheaties the morning of. And you never know, if you get a jack like ours, you may also find yourself compelled to vote for McCain.

Or you go to San Diego, retrieve the jack you threw away, haul it over to Harbor Freight and take advantage of their lifetime warranty.

Not a chance, re. McCanidate.

Re. the lifetime warrenty - already took advantage of it once, would've considered it again, but I'm also tired of how the smaller, front roller models don't do well on rough/uneven surfaces.