Asking for advice on floor jacks
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Fair Oaks Ranch TX USA
Asking for advice on floor jacks
I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone might have on a good floor jack I can use for my F250CC and (even heavier) my son's 3/4 ton Dodge diesel. Should I go with the 3 ton? My son's truck has a 4 in lift. How important is the travel distance on the jack? What should I shoot for
and how much should I expect to pay for one that will see only occasional use?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
and how much should I expect to pay for one that will see only occasional use?Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 3
Asking for advice on floor jacks
3 ton would be a good size for these vehicles, certainly no smaller. Of prime consideration is the saddle height in retracted position and trolley length. Generally the longer the trolley, the easier it is to jack as more of the handle is away from from the vehicle. Once you have a nice jack, the more often you will be using it.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Get the 3 ton or bigger, some jacks have different saddles or lifting cradles you can put on for different jobs. I have a 19-1/2" 2.5T that is just barely adequate for servicing my F250. I end up sticking a chunk of 4x4 on the end of it all the time. Get the type of jack that has a twist handle to open/close the valve. Aero is right, when you have a decent jack you will use it more.
You will need one or two pairs of jackstands. Get the 6Ton type that goes up to about 24" (about $30/pair). The 3 ton units are too short for RV/SUV work.
Check Harbor Freight for prices. Any jack you buy from a parts store is going to be made in China or Taiwan. Some jacks may have a made in USA sticker, but about all they did here was put the wheels on.
You will need one or two pairs of jackstands. Get the 6Ton type that goes up to about 24" (about $30/pair). The 3 ton units are too short for RV/SUV work.
Check Harbor Freight for prices. Any jack you buy from a parts store is going to be made in China or Taiwan. Some jacks may have a made in USA sticker, but about all they did here was put the wheels on.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
From: Eastern, NC
Asking for advice on floor jacks
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-Sep-02 AT 00:48 AM (EST)]They are pricey but you get what you pay for. Get a Lincoln jack. I have one and it works great for me. I have also noticed that just about every tire and auto shop I've been in use them. I'm not sure if mine is 2 or 3 ton, but I'd bet it's the 2. I can pick up my 1978 E-350 cube van with it. And of course, it's a hell of alot heavier than any pickup.
http://www.lincolnautomotive.com/products.html
http://www.lincolnautomotive.com/products.html
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 845
Likes: 2
From: Bakersfield Ca.
Asking for advice on floor jacks
I got a three ton floor jack at Walmart for $80 bucks. It does the job for me. Don't forget the jack stands and don't skimp. Your life and livelyhood may depend on them. 
Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, Al U.S.A.
Asking for advice on floor jacks
All the above is good advice let me just add a little. It was posted a couple of months ago. The cheap jacks at Sam's or Wall-Mart? I bought one, an "Allied" brand, 3 ton, paid about 70.00. Quick set up, high lift just one bad thing. The twist handle, when you release the pressure with a load it goes all the way down, you can't feather it off, stop it or slowly lower it. So if you check out one or these cheap jacks take a friend to step on it while you let off. If it won't feather don't buy it. Mine just stays unde the work table, can't use a jack much you don't trust. Pay a little more get a good one. Regards
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Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Asking for advice on floor jacks
I have seen a lot of jacks that can't be feathered. The usual cause is someone using "Gorilla tactics" closing the valve. The valves seal with very light force. The seat gets deformed when over tightened. Oneof6 is correct on his advice not to buy one that doesn't feather. Test it in the store. If you don't have a buddy ask another customer or a clerk to help you test. In tool stores the other customers are usually glad to help anyone :-)
Oneof6, you can probably repair that jack valve. Pull the valve apart and inspect the seat and ball (it may be missing) in the end of the screw. You may find that the ball has smashed the seat out to the full diameter of the ball, leaving the screw face as the sealing surface. I have seen that a couple of times. You may be able to get a bigger ball bearing to replace the existing one. Or you may be able to reform the seat with an end mill. It is worth a try to salvage an otherwise good jack. I have two jacks and use both many times to manipulate parts.
Good luck Oneof6, let me know what you find in the jack. If you find Sevenof9, -send her on over to me! <grin>
Oneof6, you can probably repair that jack valve. Pull the valve apart and inspect the seat and ball (it may be missing) in the end of the screw. You may find that the ball has smashed the seat out to the full diameter of the ball, leaving the screw face as the sealing surface. I have seen that a couple of times. You may be able to get a bigger ball bearing to replace the existing one. Or you may be able to reform the seat with an end mill. It is worth a try to salvage an otherwise good jack. I have two jacks and use both many times to manipulate parts.
Good luck Oneof6, let me know what you find in the jack. If you find Sevenof9, -send her on over to me! <grin>
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 371
Likes: 0
Asking for advice on floor jacks
>All the above is good advice let me just add a little. It
>was posted a couple of months ago. The cheap jacks at Sam's
>or Wall-Mart? I bought one, an "Allied" brand, 3 ton, paid
>about 70.00. Quick set up, high lift just one bad thing. The
>twist handle, when you release the pressure with a load it
>goes all the way down, you can't feather it off, stop it or
>slowly lower it. So if you check out one or these cheap
>jacks take a friend to step on it while you let off. If it
>won't feather don't buy it. Mine just stays unde the work
>table, can't use a jack much you don't trust. Pay a little
>more get a good one. Regards
This is great advice. I also have an Allied brand 3 ton. The twist handle is a joke. Mine seems to get so tight you can hardly loosen it, and when you do the load will drop in a hurry. There is zero way to slowly lower the load. That is the one main thing I would look for in getting a jack after having this one.
>was posted a couple of months ago. The cheap jacks at Sam's
>or Wall-Mart? I bought one, an "Allied" brand, 3 ton, paid
>about 70.00. Quick set up, high lift just one bad thing. The
>twist handle, when you release the pressure with a load it
>goes all the way down, you can't feather it off, stop it or
>slowly lower it. So if you check out one or these cheap
>jacks take a friend to step on it while you let off. If it
>won't feather don't buy it. Mine just stays unde the work
>table, can't use a jack much you don't trust. Pay a little
>more get a good one. Regards
This is great advice. I also have an Allied brand 3 ton. The twist handle is a joke. Mine seems to get so tight you can hardly loosen it, and when you do the load will drop in a hurry. There is zero way to slowly lower the load. That is the one main thing I would look for in getting a jack after having this one.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 1
From: Rural Florida Panhandle
Asking for advice on floor jacks
I had one of those allied jacks too. I had the same problem - couldn't ease it down. I resurfaced the valve 2 or 3 times and it would correct the problem for a while. I believe the problem is that some of them have too soft metal there.
Anyway my son has an identical one which has never had the problem.
The spring on the handle on mine finally broke, so I bought another one, same brand, but slightly different. This one has the foot pedal so you can take up the slack before jacking. I had to remove this lever though, because I couldn't get it under my Mustang.
Anyway, it has worked great for several months. I can tighten/loosen it with one hand with incredible precision. Maybe they used a harder metal in this one.
Winford
Anyway my son has an identical one which has never had the problem.
The spring on the handle on mine finally broke, so I bought another one, same brand, but slightly different. This one has the foot pedal so you can take up the slack before jacking. I had to remove this lever though, because I couldn't get it under my Mustang.
Anyway, it has worked great for several months. I can tighten/loosen it with one hand with incredible precision. Maybe they used a harder metal in this one.
Winford
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Fair Oaks Ranch TX USA
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Just a short note of thanks for all the great advice. My son moved up the timetable on me and needed a jack this weekend to install new 35" tires and wheels on his Dodge diesel pickup. I looked at the WalMart 3T jack and at another at Tractor Supply. Both made in China. I wound up at Sears and got a 3T with a one year warranty. No doubt it was also made in China, but at least I have Sears to go back on if I have any problems. It worked fine, but we noticed that the release is hard to operate.
Especially appreciate the advice on the 6T jack stands.
Especially appreciate the advice on the 6T jack stands.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 2
From: Texas
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Just a side note on Jack handles.
I have fashioned a t-handle from steel that I can bolt onto the top of the jackhandle. It helps with the feathering of the load quite a bit. Also, next time your at the Lowes or Home Depot, pick up a section of the pipe wrap used on air conditioning lines. Wrap a 6" section around your handle and loosely secure with duct tape. Now you can slide it up or down to protect your paint job when the handle is in the upright position.
I have fashioned a t-handle from steel that I can bolt onto the top of the jackhandle. It helps with the feathering of the load quite a bit. Also, next time your at the Lowes or Home Depot, pick up a section of the pipe wrap used on air conditioning lines. Wrap a 6" section around your handle and loosely secure with duct tape. Now you can slide it up or down to protect your paint job when the handle is in the upright position.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
From: Valmeyer, Illinois
Asking for advice on floor jacks
Most floor jacks have a replaceable saddle, I just made a taller saddle to put on when I work on my Super Duty. Put the short regular saddle on for the cars and such. Good luck.