Post by: DJJ on April 12, 2007, 05:37:30 PM
I'll take good over cheap. Thanks.
Post by: Monkeyleg on April 12, 2007, 09:01:30 PM
I have a heavy Craftsman floor jack that I bought in the early 1990's. It was a lot of money then, but it keeps going and going. And I've really given it some workouts.
Post by: Boomhauer on April 13, 2007, 04:39:38 AM
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Maybe the quality of Craftsman tools has declined over the years.
Yep, Craftsman quality has gone down the drain. Off-brand tools are just as good as the name-brand tools, we have discovered, and a heck of a lot cheaper. Mind you don't buy too cheaply, but they are pretty good quality. We used to buy Craftsman exclusivly, too. The only thing Craftsman has going for them is the name and the lifetime warrenty, but even that is provided by many of the off-brand manufactorers. Getting tools exchanged was a pain in the ass with Craftsman, too.
We use one of the no-brand Chinese-made jacks from Harbor Freight. Rated at 3 tons, costs about $50. Works just fine. No quick lift, though. It sounds like you want one of the aluminum 'racing' jacks with the quick lift. (I must ask why you need the quick lift, though). From what I know, it lifts faster, but takes more force to operate.
Whatever you choose, don't forget the jackstands. Don't use concrete blocks.
Post by: charby on April 13, 2007, 05:00:40 AM
Anytime you lift a vehicle and have to get under it or have it up in the air longer than a tire change, you need to be using jack stands. Don't use cinder blocks we had a guy when I grew up who used to do the cinder block thing until a vehicle fell on him, news was he died a slow and painful death from his chest being crushed.
-charby
Post by: mtnbkr on April 13, 2007, 05:04:18 AM
Chris
Post by: Brad Johnson on April 13, 2007, 05:15:38 AM
Other than that, just look at the thing. If it looks ruggedly constructed, seems to use quality fasteners and joints, and has an overall feel of quality it's probably going to be fine. Plan on spending a minimum of $50-70 for a decent 1.5-2.0 ton unit.
Brad
Post by: mfree on April 13, 2007, 06:19:46 AM
Maybe they already do... I don't have a floor jack at the moment and all the ones I've used were the classic ones.
Post by: Monkeyleg on April 13, 2007, 12:01:53 PM
I bought two cherry-picker type engine hoists from them, and they were very good quality.
It's a shame about Craftsman. That 3-foot floor jack I bought has seen a lot of duty, and still works great.
Post by: Boomhauer on April 13, 2007, 12:34:59 PM
'
Post by: Trisha on April 13, 2007, 12:49:41 PM
It isn't Made in USA, but it does have a service parts list that is stocked, and my initial impressions (using it as the jack to get my F150 up on 5-ton OTC jack stands while I work on it) are completely favorable. If you go to the OTC website and then Google their "Lifetime Warranty, Made in USA Sevice Jacks" by model number, it'll become quickly aparrent why the model I chose was as much as I could afford.
Two stage, too, btw.
I paid $160 + freight.
Post by: Art Eatman on April 13, 2007, 12:55:04 PM
I have two floor jacks I got from Sam's Wholesale. I've been using them for, oh, maybe since 1994 or so. Never a problem. Lessee: A two-ton and a three-ton. I use the three-ton on any full-size vehicle. The two-ton has been the tool for many a tire change on my Toyota PU, and a fair amount of underneath work on various jobs.
I use a 20-ton bottle-jack on my dumptruck.
Art
Post by: DJJ on April 13, 2007, 02:39:39 PM
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I must ask why you need the quick lift, though.
Well, I don't; I'd like to have it.
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From what I know, it lifts faster, but takes more force to operate.
Be careful with the "quick lift" jacks. Fewer strokes per amount of lift means less mechanical leverage (harder to lift a given amount of weight). My brother bought a quick-lift two-tonner a couple of years back. It might have been able to support two tons, but you couldn't get enough weight on the handle to lift it!
Be careful with the "quick lift" jacks. Fewer strokes per amount of lift means less mechanical leverage (harder to lift a given amount of weight). My brother bought a quick-lift two-tonner a couple of years back. It might have been able to support two tons, but you couldn't get enough weight on the handle to lift it!
I did not know that. Not surprised that there's a catch. In that case, I'll do without. I still need a low minimum height and a good lift range.
And I've got jackstands, and evidently, Sears doesn't warranty anything hydraulic.
Post by: armchair warrior on April 13, 2007, 08:45:51 PM
Thats what we used in the shop I used to work at.
I have a Sears at home.Never any trouble,but I
don't use it that much.
Post by: Boomhauer on April 14, 2007, 05:45:25 AM
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Evidently, Sears doesn't warranty anything hydraulic.
Sears/Craftsman does not warranty hydraulics, power tools, or torque wrenches. And of course, not anything like the table saws and stuff. And as I said before, they are hell to deal with in getting warranty replacement on the hand tools, which are the only things warranted for life.
Post by: Harold Tuttle on April 14, 2007, 07:24:34 AM
back when they were made to last, not to be consumed
ebay, craigslist and swap meets, and pawn shops are the oasis
for something like a new floor jack
I suppose the Harbor Freight chinese suppliers have most likely picked a good patent to infringe...
Post by: Rovi on April 14, 2007, 09:25:30 AM
http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/shopcart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_ACHyd1_pg1.htm
I've got an older version of the 2 ton model, and it's without question the best floor jack I've ever had.
It works under everything except possibly the lowest of lowered cars, and handles 4x4/trucks equally easily.
I can lift each corner of an SUV individually from one side of the vehicle, without having to trundle the jack all the way around to get to the far side
They're fitted with a foot pedal which lets you quickly bring the pad up to the load, and you then take over with the conventional handle.
Far from cheap, I know, but it's a superb piece of gear.
I don't doubt that other manufacturers do similar jacks for more reasonable money.
Post by: Car Knocker on April 14, 2007, 11:29:23 AM
Quote
And as I said before, they are hell to deal with in getting warranty replacement on the hand tools, which are the only things warranted for life.
Last time I broke a socket, I walked in, gave it to the salesman, he handed me a new one. I walked out. No muss, no fuss, no hassle.Post by: DJJ on April 14, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Post by: Boomhauer on April 14, 2007, 02:09:01 PM
Quote
Last time I broke a socket, I walked in, gave it to the salesman, he handed me a new one. I walked out. No muss, no fuss, no hassle.
Last argument we had with them, my father had taken a torque wrench that he had purchased back when they did cover torque wrenches. They didn't want to exchange it. After an argument, they finally exchanged it. I've got some sockets and screwdrivers that need exchanging. We will see how they take it. I just do not believe they are worth the cost anymore. And I hate Bob Villa.
A question, though- since Sears purchased Kmart, and Kmart has been carrying Craftsman tools IIRC, will they exchange at Kmart?
Those DK jacks are nice, but way too expensive. Maybe when I finally get my dream shop/hanger built I can get one.
Post by: mfree on April 14, 2007, 03:46:50 PM
One day in rapid fire fashion I split a 1/2" drive socket down the side and twisted the heads off both a 1/2" extension and a 3/8"-1/2" adapter. Sears just handed me new ones. That was about 7 years ago though...
That was the most severely stuck lug nut I've ever tried to remove in my LIFE. Rear wheel on a supremely rusty tempo... when the socket split I was pulling straight up on it with a 16" breaker and when it let go the entire car kinda bounced...
Post by: Thor on April 16, 2007, 07:19:26 AM
Post by: Bogie on April 17, 2007, 06:17:29 AM
As for loosening stuck stuff... Kroil, and an impact wrench. It may take a while, but hey...
Post by: onions! on April 18, 2007, 03:01:32 AM
I also have one of their $49 2 ton specials.I needed a jack & the big dog was in the wrong end of a storage unit.This thing is maybe 3/4 the size,about 11 years old,& my go-to jack just because it's a bit more convenient to maneuver.>shrug<
FWIW,NAPA pro tools,Craftsmen,KD,Stanley,the old New Britain,& likely one or two others all come out of the same factory.The NAPA tool rep told me years ago that they were the same tool w/a different name stamp.In fact,on more than one occasion,we received Craftsmen sockets in our NAPA tool stock orders when the NAPA marked stuff was backordered.
IMO the overall quality,the fit & finish,of (consumer,ie.not MAC,MATCO,Snap Off) hand tools seems to have declined in the last fifteen or so years.I'll second Harold Tuttle's recomendation to go second hand.
OTC tools are worth the money.
Post by: Polishrifleman on April 23, 2007, 01:35:08 PM