best floor jack? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

vipergtx500 · 07-14-2009, 03:01 PM

I'm looking to pick up a decent floor jack and wanted some opinions on which ones people like and which to stay away from. I'm looking to spend around $100. Thanx

WildBillyT · 07-14-2009, 03:04 PM

I bought a "Big Red Jacks" 2 ton trolley jack from the Pep Boys off of 287. I forget how much it was, defiently under $100. It does the job but creaks, groans, and requires too much effort for my liking.

sweetbmxrider · 07-14-2009, 03:05 PM

i don't know how much the napa jacks run but they have worked great for me and can take a beating. they warranty ours no questions, not sure if that goes for everyone though. nice jack though that doesn't take 50 pumps to max out.

NastyEllEssWon · 07-14-2009, 05:02 PM

i have a gm performance jack from walmart. its pretty good....a pump and its right at the chassis.

stay away from BLACK JACK jacks. i had one slowly start to lower while i was under it. good thing for jack stands

thunder · 07-14-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NastyEllEssWon

i have a gm performance jack from walmart. its pretty good....a pump and its right at the chassis.

stay away from BLACK JACK jacks. i had one slowly start to lower while i was under it. good thing for jack stands

was it the little screw tightend? but ya i would have **** myself

NastyEllEssWon · 07-14-2009, 06:02 PM

i checked it an it seems that the little bleeder air valve had a broken valve. i took it back to the store and returned it for the gm performance hydraulic floor jack...even saved a few bucks. its awesome. pretty light for a floor jack too. the handle telescopes out and folds flat onto the body to store it. its a good one

deadtrend1 · 07-14-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

I bought a "Big Red Jacks" 2 ton trolley jack from the Pep Boys off of 287. I forget how much it was, defiently under $100. It does the job but creaks, groans, and requires too much effort for my liking.

I bought my big red jack to do the trans swap on my 86 a few years ago. Made it through that fine. Went to use it again, and it shot oil out of it and only went up half way. It was so heavy that I didnt feel like taking it back.

So now, I got a big red jack that goes up 1/4 way and squirts fluid, and a craftsman thats a few years old and only goes up 3/4 of the way.

I would like to know whats good out there also .. .lol

LTb1ow · 07-14-2009, 06:49 PM

I have a black craftsman one, lifts my car up no problemo, but as with all floor jacks I would guess, you can't pick from under the K when the car is down.

As for the one posted that slowly let down... yea... one of my friends had one, a catfish almost dragged me out of a garage cause that damn jack failed.

NastyEllEssWon · 07-14-2009, 06:54 PM

i have no problems getting my floor jack under the kmember here

LTb1ow · 07-14-2009, 06:57 PM

Oh yea, it will go under all all, but you can't get enough leverage with it to get the car up.

The Fixer · 07-14-2009, 07:55 PM

I have the 3-ton black Craftsman jack also; it works well, but as said, it's tough to get the arm to pump if your jacking points (K-member, A-arm, whatever) are really low. I have no trouble with it on my Cherokee, but it's tough to find a good spot to jack the Monte up.

ib4200 · 07-14-2009, 07:55 PM

i can get it under the k member but there is alomost no room for swing

Knipps · 07-14-2009, 08:20 PM

Ted's jack works well, I think it's just something from harbor freight

vipergtx500 · 07-15-2009, 12:47 AM

im gonna check sears and walmart to see if they have any specials on either the craftsman or GM performance jack. Thanx for the input guys

BigAls87Z28 · 07-19-2009, 11:53 PM

My craftsman one sucks, but have had it for a while. It takes too many pumps to get the damn thing to hit any jacking points.
Deff gotta get a new one. I was looking at getting a low-profile one, but those Ive heard are even worse.

NastyEllEssWon · 07-20-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

My craftsman one sucks, but have had it for a while. It takes too many pumps to get the damn thing to hit any jacking points.
Deff gotta get a new one. I was looking at getting a low-profile one, but those Ive heard are even worse.

the jack that slowly let out on me was a low profile jack.....i still say the GM was the best non big brand jack ive seen that does the job. one pump to the chassis, its pretty sleek and low to the ground and if you need to you can telescope the handle in or out to gain better low to the ground pumpage

Tru2Chevy · 07-20-2009, 09:43 PM

I have a Pro Lift (I think?) that I bought several years ago from Advanced Auto. It's an SUV 1 pump to frame jack, and it fits under my '87's K member with no issues (and that's with pro kit springs on it)

- Justin

camaro2you · 07-20-2009, 11:43 PM

I have an aluminum low profile race jack that ive been using for years. Had to bleed the system a few times but other then that its been great to me. Got it from sams club for under a hundred bucks.

Jam · 07-20-2009, 11:56 PM

just pay ron (98tadriver) $5 bucks and he'lll lift your car w/ his legs. he's available at all hours of the day.

madness410 · 07-21-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jam

just pay ron (98tadriver) $5 bucks and he'lll lift your car w/ his legs. he's available at all hours of the day.

yeah..that freaking roid head. LOL JK ron if your reading this i love your new avatar

sab123 · 07-21-2009, 02:44 PM

I have an aluminum 17" jack from PepBoys, some Chinese or such cheap model. Was about $160, now you can find jacks like this for $50 or so. Works great, other than all the bolts on it need periodic retightening, or they unscrew themselves from vibration (the jack lives in my truck, among the other tools I bring to the races). Should probably put a thread locker on them.

I also have a small 14" steel jack from K-Mart, Torin brand. Works great for over 10 years and I actually prefer it whenever possible over the large aluminum jack, since it's easier to carry around. In the lowest position it's a little higher than the aluminum jack, so it doesn't fit under my race car but fits fine under a stock Camaro. In the highest position it's too short for the truck.

And I have an AC Delco 15" steel jack. This one I don't like, so it sits in the far corner mostly unused. The ratio on it is wrong, the handle is light but you need to pump it great many times. And it's heavy, and a little bigger than the Torin jack, and higher yet in the lowest position. And in the highest position it's still too short for the truck.