Floor jacks - MAC Tools 2.5 ton vs Craftsman 3 ton

RustyRatRod said
The Craftsman isn't even technically a floor jack. It's called a trolley jack. Very light duty. If you're not dead yet, consider yourself lucky.

Every morning I wake up, I consider myself lucky. I get what you're saying though, I mean it even LOOKS light duty compared to the MAC.

Joey4speed said
I'll join you for that beer...
I have a mish mosh of tools, Some Snap On, Mac, Matco, Cornwall, Craftsman, Kobalt and even Pittsburg (Harbor Freight).
Craftsman tools are "entry level".
Comparable example, the wrenches are bulky and fat, the open ends sometimes have clearance issues in tight spots.
The MAC wrenches are thinner, smoother and made stronger.
Can't go wrong with MAC, they are professional quality.
Look at that MAC jack, it's a wider base, and smoother action with less strain while pumping, and probably lifts the load higher.
You can shift or even roll the MAC jack with the car on it, the Craftsman will def flip over on you.
Im sure it also has a smoother return when dropping the car.
MAC or Snap On wouldn't put their name on anything of Craftsman quality.
As far as capacities, maybe @toolmanmike would have a better explanation.

The bigger my tool collection gets, the clearer the differences become when looking at higher quality vs. entry level tools. I'm actually surprised to hear so many folks have the Daytona jacks.

toolmanmike said
As far as I know both the hydraulics and the jack frame integrity are tested. There is a lot of liability with lifting equipment and there is some design overkill built in. Look at the two jacks and tell me which one you would trust. And yes, I have owned a MAC jack like the one pictured. I have 2 actually. A low lift and a 3 1/2 ton. I used it servicing my tool truck. It weighed 16,000#

100% agree - the MAC jack has a nice, wide base. In fact, everything about it is more stout than the Craftsman. The handle is almost twice as long for more leverage, nice big beefy wheels. So, I guess the deal here is less about lifting capacity and more about a nice, stable platform and better design overall.