Floor jacks

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Greg55_99

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I've been looking at a floor jack a gent on Craigs list is selling. It's a Mac Tools 5-ton long frame jobbie.


JSA500MA.jpg



Anyone have any recommendations or info? What jacks do you guys use? Some of that made in China stuff won't last.

Greg
 
That one from Mac is made in China. Gauranteed.
 
Call mac on that model and ask orgin of manufacture, betcha China.
Hard to find american made anymore, and when you do expect to pay triple. If you do buy chinese, double their rated capacity and buy that one, cause they LIE!!!
 
Just looked in my Northern Tool catalog.
They have a 5 ton looks just like the one in your picture. Only thing different is the label for $539.99.
 
I've loved my Lincoln 2-ton for over 20 years. Apparently Lincoln has since been consolidated/re-branded as Hein-Werner. Still MADE IN USA!!!
 
I have a 3 ton Jack from HF 2 years and no problems paid $59.99 for it
 
save your back and buy an aluminum floor jack.I love mine and it does everything my big steel job does. When I grab one anymore I always grab the aluminum one.
 
jobrated52 said:
I've loved my Lincoln 2-ton for over 20 years. Apparently Lincoln has since been consolidated/re-branded as Hein-Werner. Still MADE IN USA!!!
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Here's the story about the USA made floor jacks.http://www.hyjacks.com/H2.HTM
Most are not USA made and those that are are pretty pricy. We get our jacks from Shin Fu which is in Kansas City, Mo. Don't ask where all the components come from though. I'm sure they claim "made in USA with global components" Sorry guys, but there isn't much made here anymore. Hein Werners are almost $400. Floorboss (a name I haven't heard of) is over $400 and Sears sells one that is over $550. Buy what you can afford but if you need service or repair make sure someone can repair the thing. Mulli, you may think the Mac jack is a "total rip off" but If you're a regular customer of mine I will take care of you. Service is the name of the game. FYI I just looked up my sales history on the JSA250MA. The first one I sold was 12/12/01. It is still being used and has never been repaired. Since 1996 I have sold 73 jacks including JSA250ma's, 350m's, and 350ma's. I can't remember the last time I had a problem with them. Toolmanmike
 
dodge freak said:
mine is a 30 year old 1 1/2 ton Sears floor jack. Weights a ton, lol but works good--I do use jackstands with it, used to trust it, not anymore
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Smart guy, never trust a floor jack alone. Especially one from Wal Mart! Your old Sears one was probably made in the US. LOL
 
i got a cheap little alum one from pep boys a few years ago.. has lasted so far. works damn good too. its handled anything i have needed it for so far. i like how light it is. i keep it in my trunk at all times..



looks a lot like this one but its red..

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I have 4 jack stands 3 tons from Kobalt but I plan on buying 4 more.
 
toolmanmike said:
Smart guy, never trust a floor jack alone. Especially one from Wal Mart! Your old Sears one was probably made in the US. LOL
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In all the times I used it, one car drop off it. Was some 2000 Buick fwd car I was doing the front brakes on. Was removing a wheel and seen the car start to roll backwards, before I knew it down it went, jack went sideways and helped limit the drop--still it was down touching one rotor on the ground...freak me out--no real damage done but I used to change the oil on that car just using the jack. That full day I was like freaking out cause you had like 2 seconds warning--i move fast but not that fast

From now on, the parking brake always goes on and even a block on both sides of a wheel if I'm going under it. ugh, fwd stinks in so many ways--until the snow comes
 
I've got an old jack (Dayton?) from Costco back in the early 90's. It's been rebuilt once and it's time for another rebuild. My biggest problem is not getting the vehicle high enough to work under it. I use 6-ton jack stands that are 24" at max height. Most jacks I see go up 18"-19". Then I gotta stack blocks of wood until I get it high enough. I've had the 4-speed out of my Demon about 10 times and it's better for me to get it up as high as I can. Wish the floor was level in the shop I rent, so I could get a hoist instead.



Wylde1.
 
I still have my mid 80's Snap-on 3 ton floor jack. It's got to weigh 100 lbs., but I've never had an issue with it. It was big bucks back in the day (a bit over $200) but has been worth every dime over the years. Made in USA and serial numbered.

BTW, never, ever get under a vehicle that's not properly secured with jack stands.
 
I think most jacks are half decent. the biggest thing to remember is Don't over tighten to lift something heavy. And don't try to jack it higher then it will go this is just pushing the seals out. then your rebuilding it...my two cents worth.............Artie
 
I wouldn't bother buying the jack off craigslist unless most of the work you do is on 3/4 ton or larger trucks. its overkill and damn heavy to drag around and hard to store. Buy a good 2 or 2 1/2 ton car jack
 
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