Hey guys,

I'm about to go to Sears and get my first floor jack, and wondered if a 1 1/2 ton jack would be too small for my E36 325is? Here is the link to the Sears/Craftsman item:

Sears 1 1/2 ton low profile jack (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=00950240000&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&bidsite=CRAFT&cs=e5)

I like this one over some of the others because the ground clearance is so low. My car has fairly low springs so a regular jack won't fit under unless I use the OEM jack to raise up a corner first. Any thoughs?

thanks,

tranzlucent

How high does lift? I am generally a fan of Craftsman stuff, but that seems a little overpriced.

looks like it goes up to 18 1/2 inches. Any idea if its not strong enough for our cars though?

theyre usually 2 1/2 ton jacks, go pick one up jack it up and see how it works. Sears has a good return policy.

It does have enough lifting power. Your car should weight less than 3000 pounds and there is a safety margin built into the jack.

1 1/2 ton floor jack will be more than adequate. Even if you car weighs 3K lbs you'll never be lifting the whole car. Always use those jack stands!

that looks like the same specs as my craftsman 4000lb aluminum jack aside from the build material.

On my M3 (stock suspension), it is not low enough to get under the front crossmember. I made a couple blocks to roll up on out of 2x10" (2 layers) and it works great now. It will fit under the differential cover without the blocks. And of course, it will fit under the regular jack points. I don't think i'd drive the car on the street if i couldnt get this jack under the regular pads.

As for the lift height, i suppose it could be better. I have the craftsman pro 3.5 ton stands, and it can only (if i remember correctly) get up to the 2nd "click" when i jack from the center crossmember.

-edit- oh yeah, craftsman club is/was having a sale on both this jack and the all aluminum model. The aluminum was about $150-160?

thanks guys!

That jack you linked us to is currently on sale for $99 if you're a Craftsman Club member. Like the other guys said. 1-1/2 ton cap. is plenty for a 3 series.

The max. height of that jack is about typical for your standard floor jack. I have one that goes to 21 in. Only way to get a higher lifting jack is to go with the "long frame" types like these

Long Frame Jack (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42820)

I'm not necessarily endorsing Harbor Freight though. Some of their stuff gets you what you pay for- cheap stuff. If you want a bada$$ jack, get one of these

AC Hydraulic Products (http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_ACHyd1-detail.htm)

Those jack stands made by AC are really nice too. Much better than the Craftsman ratcheting type.