Asking for advice on floor jacks
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,359
Likes: 1
From: Hampstead, NC
Asking for advice on floor jacks
>My 2c: Get a jack with a removable saddle which can be
>replaced with a tranny jack adaptor. You will have
>efeectively doubled the usefulness of the jack.
I have one of those. I don't like it. The adapter on the floor jack is too tall to get the trans. under the vehicle. I ended up buying a transmission jack that sits quite a bit lower than the adapter on the floor jack. Plus, the trans jack tilts forward,backward,left and right 10 degrees and has swivel casters on all four corners. This also leaves the floor jack open to use for other things. I also would like to add that good jack stands are a must. 6 ton units are best for most trucks, though you may need bigger (taller) ones for taller trucks. Wheel chocks are also a must.
>replaced with a tranny jack adaptor. You will have
>efeectively doubled the usefulness of the jack.
I have one of those. I don't like it. The adapter on the floor jack is too tall to get the trans. under the vehicle. I ended up buying a transmission jack that sits quite a bit lower than the adapter on the floor jack. Plus, the trans jack tilts forward,backward,left and right 10 degrees and has swivel casters on all four corners. This also leaves the floor jack open to use for other things. I also would like to add that good jack stands are a must. 6 ton units are best for most trucks, though you may need bigger (taller) ones for taller trucks. Wheel chocks are also a must.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Ford79, I assume here that your vehicle was not raised far enough to get the transmission on the jack under it, -that is a problem...
When used with a transmission adaptor the jack needs about as much lift as the transmission is tall unless you want to raise the tranny and drop the vehicle at the same time, many times.
For a good transmission replacement you really need two jacks or a lot of cribbing that you can place under items when you need the jack elsewhere.
I have two hydraulic floor jacks, several bottle jacks, and a variety of scissor jacks that all come in handy when lifting vehicles and manipulating heavy objects.
I don't have a tranny jack or an adaptor but I have seen them in action. They make a tranny R&R a whole lot easier.
A bottle jack was my first jack, then came a scissor jack, then came the first floor jack...
When used with a transmission adaptor the jack needs about as much lift as the transmission is tall unless you want to raise the tranny and drop the vehicle at the same time, many times.
For a good transmission replacement you really need two jacks or a lot of cribbing that you can place under items when you need the jack elsewhere.
I have two hydraulic floor jacks, several bottle jacks, and a variety of scissor jacks that all come in handy when lifting vehicles and manipulating heavy objects.
I don't have a tranny jack or an adaptor but I have seen them in action. They make a tranny R&R a whole lot easier.
A bottle jack was my first jack, then came a scissor jack, then came the first floor jack...
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,359
Likes: 1
From: Hampstead, NC
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Actually, I had my truck up on jackstands. I have 6 ton stands that are 24" tall fully extended. The adapter on the floor jack is just too tall (the big block C6 doesn't help either) I would have to have 34" between the floor and frame to get the trans under the truck. The trans jack is a different story. With a saddle that tips forward, backward and side to side, it was no problem getting the trans under the truck. It's also 8" shorter than the adapter/floor jack. I just need a bigger shop with a hoist.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: USA
Asking for advice on floor jacks
if yourt shopping at harbor freight for tools then something is deffinately wrong. they only stock china made and cheaply made tolls. they do have a lot of different tools but they will all fail or wreck something you are working on. check it out just go to any of the tool and look at the stamped side. 
when looking for jeack stands, get one that is rated at about your vehicle weight, ie., 5000 lb truck, at least a 2 ton -2.5 ton pound jack stand. if it were me i would go over board and get the 6 ton'ers. i got 2.5 ton'ers now. they eat of the alley behind my parents house before they will ever even think of bending or breaking.
1977 F250 460
C6 Hedman Headers
Dual 40 series
edelbrock performer
holley 4160
msd 6a and blaster coil
when looking for jeack stands, get one that is rated at about your vehicle weight, ie., 5000 lb truck, at least a 2 ton -2.5 ton pound jack stand. if it were me i would go over board and get the 6 ton'ers. i got 2.5 ton'ers now. they eat of the alley behind my parents house before they will ever even think of bending or breaking.
1977 F250 460
C6 Hedman Headers
Dual 40 series
edelbrock performer
holley 4160
msd 6a and blaster coil
Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Asking for advice on floor jacks
It depends on what you're getting. Lots of us have lathes, mills and band saws from Harbor Freight and they work pretty good. Obviously, their not Prazi or South Bend quality, but they are workable. However you usually get what you pay for. They also sell remanufactured name brand stuff sometimes at good prices.
>if yourt shopping at harbor freight for tools then something
>is deffinately wrong. they only stock china made and
>cheaply made tolls. they do have a lot of different tools
>but they will all fail or wreck something you are working
>on. check it out just go to any of the tool and look at the
>stamped side.
snipped
>if yourt shopping at harbor freight for tools then something
>is deffinately wrong. they only stock china made and
>cheaply made tolls. they do have a lot of different tools
>but they will all fail or wreck something you are working
>on. check it out just go to any of the tool and look at the
>stamped side.
snipped
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