Roller jacks.....

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Abodybomber

Abodybomber

Breaking street machines , since 1983.....:)
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Done the Harbor Freight aluminum jack(a gift...). It works,even now (8 years). A replacement caster,was 25 dollars. For another 80 dollars, picked up an old school, all steel roller floor jack. Lifted the Scamp,in two pumps. I didn't feel any flex, (like the aluminum jack did). I look ,it's 12 inches ,off the ground. I still like old honest steel jacks.. Share yours,either way.
 
Nice.

The Harbor Freight ones do the trick, but they're a little rough, coming up. Take a few more pumps, but they do the job.

I picked up a Craftsman aluminum 2 ton a few years back. Worked awesome. Got it back from a friend who somehow used it on a rock driveway to install an engine in a Suburban with someone. Broke the piece of crap pot metal U joint, galled up the foot really nice for me and it wasn't sealing properly.

Don't do what Davey Don't does. That was the last time I've ever lent anyone a tool and ever will. I'll come by, bring whatever and maybe some beer, provided I get a slice of pizza, but no more tool loaning.

The Craftsman works nice and smooth. It's a bit longer than the Harbor Freight ones. A bit heavier, but nowhere near as heavy as the same rating in steel.

I've since replaced the o ring on the plunger, changed fluid, removed the side handles (they tend to get in the way of tires, to catch frame points that I'm looking for) and I had my machinist friend make me a one-off, custom all stainless steel universal joint for it... I think I like that jack a little too much. lol...

It does have a speed pump, though. Goes up to the car with one pump, regular increments under load. The foot on it still makes my eye twitch. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it was perfect for three years, up until I loaned it out. I've been meaning to put a waffle rubber face on it.
 
Love the steel wheels & and casters,on the one I bought. The Craftsman's,a damn nice piece ,
for the money. Those dinky casters blow.
 
Was referencing,the dinky casters,on my original jack.... Sorry ,all.
 
You're right about the POS casters on the Harbor Freight ones. The Craftsman has the steam roller aluminum front, works good, the rear casters aren't aluminum and seem to hold nice. They have yet to come loose.

This Craftsman one is a nice niche. I somehow end up bringing it everywhere, so aluminum is ideal for me. If I only found myself working in the garage at the house, I would have picked up a Blackhawk or something like you just got. Nothing beats the reliability of a steel jack with a wide frame.

This Craftsman one has a wide frame and a wide face, along with the speed arm and light weight, so it appealed to me over the other aluminum ones out there that were less expensive. I think I paid $200 for it? It's certainly paid for itself, though. I would have saved money on a steel one, but I'm always hauling it around. Quick release and detent ball break down handle is nice. Doesn't seem to wobble around like the Harbor freight ones do, but if I had my way, everything would be at home with a steel one or a lift... Yeah. Right.
 
I bought a 1-1/4 ton Walker floor jack in '77. Had to rebuild the cylinder once so far.

When I trailer the boat I bring an aluminum Alltrade(?) floor jack I got on clearance from Wal Mart for 35 bucks on clearance. It's worked well and is much more travel worthy than the heavy Walker. I should have bought all four they had for that price but I had no clue if they were any good at the time.
 
In the shop it's all steel for me,but I use the alum ones for my car trailer and keep one in my ramchgr,the alum one I use now which is the next size up from the smaller one [harbor freight] I put diff castors on I robbed from a old steel jack as the orig ones self destructed...I like the weight aspect of the alum ones but the quality needs to be improved upon as in the castors..but hey it's harbor freight dont expect a peach from an apple tree...lol...
 
My HF steel jack just finally stopped working well and I dug out the Hein Werner that I inherited from my grandfather. Dang but I shoulda done that a long time ago. The HW is just far nicer to work with. Gotta get a rebuild kit for the other HW that a friend gave me when it started leaking badly.

The aluminum jack goes on the desert race truck. I suppose if I had to carry one over the pit wall and back in a hurry that I'd use one there too. Otherwise I don't see any advantage.
 
I bought my jack at Costco 13 years ago and it still works like the day I bought it. You get what you pay for!!
 
1968dartman said:
I bought my jack at Costco 13 years ago and it still works like the day I bought it. You get what you pay for!!
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It all depends on how much you use it. I have had Harbor Freight Floor Jacks for at least 10 years. 2 of them I bought at the same time and they work great. I use the crap out of them and I am not nice to them either!

On the other hand I bought a Costco Aluminum Floor jack and it lasted for 3 years. It got so bad I just threw it in my dumpster.

Again, depends on use. Sitting in the corner all polished up it will most likely last forever.
 
It's amazing at how many jack failures can be attributed to a bad o ring seal.

It's such a simple hydraulic system. I rebuild a lot of my tools. This world isn't geared around that mind set, but if you've got the ability, you can save yourself a lot of cash and keep from rolling the dice on something else that may just fail again.

I wish the tool companies out there would spend some time manufacturing components without assembling every single one, so people could have the option of buying components.

The only reason I had a friend make a U joint for mine, was because the only way I could get another one from Sears, was to buy the entire ram as a unit for $100.
 
I have the HF steel "low profile" model, and it's been good so far, after about 2 years.

2 piston pump is quick.
 
I bought a 5 ton from snap-on in 1980. Trouble free jack since new. Not so pretty anymore, some new paint would make it look new again. Sounds like a good retirement project.
It is very heavy cast iron wheels and lift arm. Steel frame and easily removable handle. Very stable and lifts without effort.
I toss it in the truck on occasion but it is better left in shop on concrete.
If you ever run across one of these old jacks be sure and get it as it will out last you.
 
DaveBonds said:
You're right about the POS casters on the Harbor Freight ones.
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Don't try the harbor freight "wheel dollies" where you put them under each tire and can push the car around. They bent on the second use. Couldn't even hold a 72 Challenger. POS! (the dollies, not the Challenger...)
 
I bought my Snap-On 2&1/2 ton floor jack 20 years ago for $1,000 brand new.
I had to reseal it last year, and while I was at it, I bead-blasted it, and painted it in 2Pack paint. It took 3 months to get a seal kit for it too.
I haven't a current photo of it atm, only a before shot.
I use it every weekend, and for a while, I had it at places I worked at, and was used several times a day for years.

It's basically a copy of a Walker Jack.....one place I worked at had a Walker Jack, and it was a great jack.
 

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krazykuda said:
Don't try the harbor freight "wheel dollies" where you put them under each tire and can push the car around. They bent on the second use. Couldn't even hold a 72 Challenger. POS! (the dollies, not the Challenger...)
Click to expand...

Quality control?

Ive got a the same harbor freight wheel dollies under my 78 dodge power wagon 4x4 W200 project. Been pushing it around for 3 years without issue from the dollies.
 
You gotta make sure the wheels (esp the leading wheel) are pointed correctly, or it's REAL easy to fold them under.
 
I bought a used allumium Pace on Ebay. Works great looks like it went through a war. Goes to max height in 4 pumps and lower very smooth with barely any effort. The allumium handle feel like its gonna snap when you raise a car but so far so good.
 
I use a Matco, "The Beast". Works well.
 

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