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Floor Jack Reviews and Buying Guide:

Not even the strongest of us can lift mountains single handedly: for such occasions, when cars or floors prove to be beyond our capabilities, jacks present the perfect solution. Lifting equipment is used for any number of purposes, from lifting a corner of your car to change a tire to support sagging floor joists while you secure them with new ones. The difficult part comes in trying to pick the best floor or car jacks for your needs. It is obviously of the utmost importance that you choose wisely - when you are depending on a jack to keep a few tons of metal off of you, durability, strength, and stability are essential. What do you need? Which jacks are going to deliver quality, dependable performance for you? Let's take a look.
floor jacks



Choosing Your Car Jack or Floor Jack - Most cars come equipped with a small jack that will be necessary if you have to change your tire. These are made specifically for that purpose, and oftentimes, specifically for your particular make and model of car. These car jacks will work perfectly adequately for this purpose; mechanics, construction workers, and serious Do-It-Yourselfers, though, may need a more rugged, heavy-duty jack for use with car repair or home construction or repair. When choosing, there are various considerations to keep in mind:

*When buying a car jack, look on your vehicle for the GVW, or gross vehicle weight. Typically, cars and trucks will weigh between 2 and 3 tons, so you'll need a 2- or 3-ton floor jack. It is always better to get a jack that is able to lift more than your GVW.
*You'll also want to know the distance between your undercarriage and the ground. This will help you choose. Bottle jacks, for instance, are often used by truck owners because they can lift a lot of weight and they have a higher clearance. A floor jack will be a better choice for most cars because it has a lower point of entry.
*If you need a floor jack to help you raise a sagging floor, improve a crawlspace, or secure a porch, you will need one with a higher weight capacity. Common are 8-, 12-, and 20-ton lifting, or scissor, jacks.
*Look for the best. Hein-Werner, Walker, Blackhawk, and Harbor Freight are frequently mentioned in auto forums as being the best - with Hein-Werner and Walker being the best of the best. A very common caution you will see is to stay away from cheaper, Chinese made jacks. Is this the case for everyone? You may find that if you use your floor jack infrequently or for lighter duty purposes, these models work just fine. For anything more strenuous, you want to opt for a more expensive, safer jack.

RECOMMENDED - We suggest shopping online at Amazon.com since they carry all the leading brands and list dozens of floor jack reviews for you to read before making any buying decisions. You can browse the best selling floor jacks online here.

Best Floor Jacks:

It is impossible to give a specific recommendation because there are so many different types of jacks and so many different uses for them. We'll take a look at some of the models from leading brands to give you an idea of the quality, features, and prices you can expect to see. A good one to try is the Blackhawk Automotive 2 1/2 Ton Low Profile Lift Jack. This features a lift capacity of 2.5 tons, a minimum lift height of 3.75 inches, and a maximum lift height of 20 inches. This Blackhawk has a rigid universal joint valve and in-line pumping assembly to give you superior performance. It has a heavy-duty, durable construction that will provide optimal safety and stability. The Blackhawk costs a bit less than the Hein-Werner as well, ringing in at about $230. Just 3 or 4 decades ago, floor jacks were dominated by the names Hein-Werner, Lincoln, and Walker. Today, these are still touted as the best and most enduring. The big reason is that they "last forever" and can be repaired. They are not throw-away tools. You will spend more, but you won't have to replace a faulty or inferior tool. But what about some of the more common names today? Are Craftsman or Torin floor jacks worth your time or your money? Both Torin and Craftsman cost quite a bit less than the top brands. The Craftsman 3 ton Floor Jack, for instance, is $110 - and that price includes 2 jack stands and a 36-inch creeper. The Craftsman floor jack has large front wheels, 10 height adjustments for the jack stands from 10 - 5/8 inches to 16- 1/2 inches, weight capacity of 3 tons, 300-pound weight limit on creeper, 8 ball bearing casters with 360-degree range, and built-in headrest with padding. This floor jack reviews very well with Sears customers. Reviewers call it a good set for a good price and an excellent value. One says that for his infrequent use (10 times a year or so), the Craftsman floor jack is ideal. You can find this set at Sears and other similar retailers. Torin is another less expensive brand, and one that you may see discredited on forums. Are they worth a shot? Consumers of NorthernTool, CostCo, Viewpoints, and other such sites think so. Again, if you are going to be lifting foundations and working on your vehicle very frequently, you want to spend the money and get a high end jack. If you're like that Craftsman owner and need a jack for several DIY projects throughout the year, a less expensive option should not be discounted out of hand. The Torin Aluminum Jack with 3 Ton Jack Stands, for instance, is a solid performer. Reviewers tend to agree that the quality is great and so is the price. Torin has a wide selection of floor jacks that will help you get your tasks done and done safely (see all Torin floor jacks here). They'll help you get it done a little cheaper as well. Again, though, you're not paying for heavy duty use here. When choosing your floor and/or car jack, it is important to look at your needs and get the best quality that you can afford.

Hydraulic Floor Jacks:

RECOMMENDED - We found the Hein Warner name to be very well respected in the industry and their True Blue 93642 2-Ton Hydraulic Service Jack rates exceptionally well. Features include a low 3.75" pick up height, high height of 20", a removable one piece handle, a U-joint release mechanism so you get precise load control, efficient pumping operation, handles heavy duty loads, and it's made in the USA. Another is the Hein-Werner 2 Ton Floor Jack. This top-of-the-line model features flanged side-plates for increased strength, full swivel rear casters, sealed hydraulic construction, automatic valve to prevent overloading, cast iron bell crank for heavy loads, in-line pump, U-joint release for exact positioning, removable 1 piece handle, lift 3-3/4 inches to 20 inches, and 4000 pound weight capacity. The easy maneuverability of the HW 2 Ton Floor Jack is most commonly cited as one of its biggest assets, as is its Made-in-the-USA construction. HW users on car forums swear by their floor jacks and say they keep going long after cheaper ones fail. You can find this top floor jack at Amazon for nearly $100 off the list price at only $437. Hein-Werner has a line of other jacks that are just as well-regarded by consumers. Check out top rated hydraulic jacks here.

Do you have a quality site or product that belongs in this guide? We are always happy to evaluate or review new products and websites. Feel free to contact us at the email address below and let us know about you. If you have a demo product you'd like us to look at, please contact us before sending anything. Thank you.


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