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Best car jack and stands?

5.oh

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Ive used the same harbor freight jack for 14 years. Don't waste your money on the jack, spend your money on quality jack stands.
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GTP

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I went with the HF 2-ton low-pro aluminum jack. Strong enough for the Mustang, but not too heavy like their 3-ton steel jack, so I can lift it into the trunk for track day. HF stands with rubber covers. And jacking rails are a must.
 

Sighlense

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Anyone have any thought on these?:https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Double-Locking-Jack-Stands-Capacity/dp/B00UAOKOQQ

I know jack stands are something you don't want to skimp on, but these are double lock and everywhere i have looked there has not been ONE bad review. Most reviews rave about how strong and heavy duty they are.

Also, when they say "Lift Range" are they talking floor to tip of extension, or is that measured from top of base unit to tip of extension?

Is there enough room under 3 ton jack stands to install an exhaust system without busting into an expletive session?
 

dguzzi

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Sears, check the sales...2 sets of 3 ton for 50.00. I picked them up so no shipping.
 

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Sighlense

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Sears, check the sales...2 sets of 3 ton for 50.00. I picked them up so no shipping.
Sears closed doors in my area BUT, i can get two sets of those i linked for $45.98 shipped for free. Just wanna make sure there is enough room under the car.
 

Nagare

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Not if you're a big guy, did it with a buddy under there but we're both small.
 

ValidusTalon

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For jack stands I used to use just an old set of standard 2 ton stands. But after buying the Mustang, and with my wife realizing I'd have the car in the air all the time (worrying about safety), I ordered four of these Big Red stands from Amazon:


Torin Big Red Steel Jack Stands: Double Locking, 3 Ton Capacity

I believe they are also available from Home Depot, Sears, etc... The thing I like the most about them is the "double locking" pin - basically makes it so you cannot inadvertently hit the lever to drop the stand (not that I'd ever done that.....).
 

ctandc72

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Jacks are jacks. Hydraulic seals can fail, no matter how expensive or what name brand your jack is. I had a Snap On (used to be in debt to the Snap On guy every pay day when I spun wrenches for a living) jack for close to 10 years. After the second or third time it pissed hydraulic fluid over the garage floor I gave it to a friend. At the same time I had a cheap Craftsman 2 ton floor jack I bought with jack stands sometime in the 90's. It never leaked, and worked great - until it was loaned without my knowledge to someone who proceeded to use it to jack up a commercial truck WELL over it's rating and actually warped the damn thing. I found a coupon and bought the heavy Harbor Freight 3 ton steel jack. No complaints over the last couple of years.

I'm not a fan of aluminum jacks - unless they for throwing in the car and taking to the track etc. But that's just me.

As for jack stands...the lever design prevents itself from being lowered when the jack stand is under pressure. I've used craftsman, harbor freight and other brands with zero issues. However, I'm not (Again just personal opinion) a fan of aluminum stands. I also like stands with wider bases. Of course if I ever crawl under a car on stands, I keep the floor jack flush in a spot that if a stand fails, the jack will at least give me a chance to get out from under.

Jacking rails are great - mainly a HUGE time saver for me that keeps me from worrying about monkeying up the pinch rail (Which happens on all body on subframe cars, even with mechanics lifts).

Personally, I use the jacking rails to elevate the car, then put the jacking stands on the factory jacking points. The cradle type stands work well for this, and I've never had an issue and the car seems stable as all get out when up in the air.

Just my 2 cents
 

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w3rkn

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5.oh

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Harbor Freight is a Chinese shill company and most of the equipment is made by china, using an American sounding name.

ie: https://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-aluminum-racing-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-62247.html

Pittsburgh® Automotive..? Try and find that Company anywhere.





Hard to buy things Made in America anymore. Hopefully that will change over the next decade or so with new trade agreements.
Pittsburgh automotive isn't a company it's a private label brand (like great value, up and up, members mark, kirklands etc). Of corse you aren't going to find much.

You can find plenty of American made tools. Just get prepared to pay through the nose for them. The reason harbor freight is so successful is because the average shade tree mechanic isn't going to shell out $100 for something American made when they can get it for $10 at HF use it once and collect dust.
 

Cobra Jet

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The Arcan low profile floor jack gets a lot of good reviews:
https://www.floorjackshop.com/the-best-low-profile-floor-jack-reviewed/

Aluminum floor jacks are nice because they are light weight (usually between 40-50lbs), but they suck because they always want to lift/move when trying to pump the jack the first few inches before the pad makes contact with the vehicle jack point. I have this Craftsman aluminum jack, but like I said, it’s a PIA when using it:
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-2-to...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

So I normally resort to my old school Torin Big Red 3-Ton low profile floor jack which is all steel and weighs in at more than 80lbs easily... http://www.torinjacksusa.com/bigred...ice-jacks/item/3t-low-profile-floor-jack.html


As for jack stands, I have (4) of the black Sears heavy duty 4 ton stands... probably could put a box truck on them no problem... they are very solid stands with a minimum height of 12” and max height of almost 18” (I have used them to remove the T5 trans on my Cobra w/plenty of room under the vehicle to maneuver etc):
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-professional-4-ton-jack-stands-one/p-00950163000P?rrec=true

One thing with jack stands no matter which brand you decide to buy, you want something that is not only safe, but that can support MORE weight than just the minimum weight of what a standard vehicle weighs. Also, the wider the stance of the jack stand triangle, the better and safer the stand will be while supporting over 3600lbs of mass above your body. NEVER go cheap on jack stands....
 
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Genxer

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I have a small Craftsman jack and wouldn't give $5 for another one. It would not hold pressure from day one. The Sam's Club "no name" jack I bought over 20 years ago still works. I lifted the front end of a '58 Cadillac with that thing.
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