Do you have any recommendations for a good not too expensive low profile floor jack?
Thanks Bill
whatever you do, don't get a craftsman. Great jack for a year and 2 months (warranty expired at 1 year, of course), the ujoint to release the jack broke, so I had to use pliers to lower it, then finally the whole thing failed and leaked oil everywhere
that being said, I'm using a $25 walmart special, hasn't failed me yet
3.73 | TCK S/A w/ H&R Sport | M50 manifold | IE Subframe Bushings, RSM, & SS brake lines | Shark Injector | UUC Evo3 SSK & DSSR | Cosmos Strut Brace | ASC, Resonator, CDV Delete
"If the Corvette is a rebellious child of the extended automotive family, the M coupe is the blackest of sheep." - via Car & Driver
Costco has a nice low profile one. My craftsman jack is still in service since I got it in 1985 in high School.
I also have had good luck with a few aluminum jacks from Harbor Freight. One is new and I have only used it a few times the other gets used about every week for the past 5 years. Just always use good jack stands with any floor jack. They all break at some point
Last edited by CABimmer; 07-22-2009 at 04:38 PM.
Doug (BMWCCA HPDE Instructor, Respect My Authoritay!)
1999 Titanium Silver M3 track Rat
2017 F250 Powerstroke
2004 M3 Widebody, LS
I was just going to recommend the Craftsman Aluminum.
i have been using it regularly for 3-4 years now with no issues. Previously I had the Harbor Freight aluminum and that thing failed after 6 months.
997 Carrera 2S..the choice of 2 out of 3 Top Gear presenters.
And I have been using the Harbor Freight aluminum jack for 7 years for changing tires at the autocross, so it gets a lot of rough use. Looks like you just pay your money and take your chances.
2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.
2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg
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+1
I think that the real difference in price is that all of the high-price ones are good, while only some of the low-price ones are. You aren't paying for quality, you're paying for consistent quality.
That said, my Harbor Freight "Big Red" aluminum has been bombproof so far, with a year's use and 10+ autox's.
I have been using one of the smaller aluminum jacks from harbor freight for about 6 months now without any issue, and right now they are 59 dollars. In my opinion that can't be beat.
2000 M Coupe, TCK coilovers, BBS RK.
I 2nd or 3rd.....the Costco floor-jack, although the one I picked up is real heavy. Works great though. I've had it for 4 months now.
I have the Habor Freight aluminum race jack. It's $80... if it breaks, I'll buy another one. Buy yourself a nice set of jack stands.
I bought this one. Arrived quickly and the thing is almost shockingly well finished. Made in China.. Ranger is a division of Bend Pak http://www.bendpak.com/, who makes lifts, so I have some trust of their product. It's not a cheapie, but not the most expensive either, and I've seen how crudely some cheap ones are made. They also make other models that aren't aluminum, and higher capacity. But this one is low-profile and lighter.
http://www.eautotools.com/Ranger-RFJ...rfj-3000al.htm
The handle is 2 pieces that snap lock together. (Alumunium finish on mine, not red as shown). The rubber pad for lifting is decently sized.
Last edited by Kenn; 07-23-2009 at 01:13 AM.
Been usng Harbor Freight (1.5 ton) for several years now and it has served me very well. It worked great through the conversion project, it's very light so I bring it to track/autocross. I say it's perfect for the Z, although it will flex if you try and use it on anything much heavier than the Z (such as an e46). They are super durable for what they are, for those who are afraid of Harbor Freight you'd be surprised how many you see at a track or autocross event, heck just last weekend I saw some teams using them at the ALMS race at LRP.
Here's a good (but old) writeup that was done by Vorshlag comparing jacks http://www.vorshlag.com/tech_jacks1.php
1991 e30 318is Slicktop - Gone
1996 LS1 Z3 - Gone
99 e46 323i - Gone
2003 e46 xiT - Hers
2014 F-250 CC- Mostly stock
Went through two Craftsmen with light use over about ten years--1350# car, one side at a time, ten or so autocrosses a year--both blew seals. I now have the HF aluminum, and it's worked fine for over a year on the M and the other cars. Its release isn't confidence-inspiring, but it's OK if you're careful to keep the handle straight and release it slowly.
Dytrdr5,
I couldn't find one for $59 on Harbor freight. Did I miss it?
Thanks Bill
I like my CarQuest Aluminum low profile. But I think that as long as you're not using it as much as a professional mechanic or pit crew, just about any will last you a while.
Thanks for the recommendations guys
Don't cheap out on your jack. There is nothing that can be replaced as a result of a jack failure for the money you saved by buying a cheap jack.
The setup below represents a ~$450 investment that is a joy to use, never gives me cause to worry, and will almost certainly outlive me.
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