what to look for in a floor jack when you use it for suv or pickups
(Epitome/Wayne Scraba)
A few weeks agone I was struggling with my sometime floor jack—I rolled information technology under my Nova and eventually lifted the car up. A large result is the handle needs to exist pumped a lot to get information technology to lift.
This is a real hurting when the jack is rolled deep under the car–for example, nether the third fellow member (more than on this later).
When I was done, I attempted to lower the car and, instead of releasing cleanly, information technology took a lot of niggling to become information technology to drop. Eventually it released after the handle was turned, jiggled and wiggled, but instead of coming down slowly, it was fashion also fast, scary actually…as in "Ka-Boom!"
Every bit it turns out, the problem was the result of a heavily-worn release gear set (I've rotated and re-oriented the gear a few times already). Given the fact I've endemic it for decades, I figured it owed me nothing and then I scrap the bullet and bought some other jack.
To go at that place though, I realized there were a lot of choices out in that location.
Hence the idea for penning this article: what do you look for when shopping for a floor jack? As information technology turns out, Peak Racing's catalog has dozens of unlike floor jacks available and there are a lot of options when it comes to capability (not to mention a wide price range too).
And so in no particular order, here are some of the floor jack basics:
Capacity: How much do yous need? Here's my take: Once upon a time I had a big onetime five-ton jack in my shop. The thing was a animal: large and heavy. Now for my purposes, I figured a two-ton jack was perfect–hands sufficient to lift i end of a rider machine up and downward, and equally suited to lifting the front cease of my pickup truck.
The worst-case scenario is lifting virtually the engine, where a floor jack is probable to support roughly sixty% of the weight of the entire vehicle. (By the manner, some jacks take a congenital in prophylactic feature: if you exceed the capacity of the jack, the fluid volition bypass and it only won't lift.)
Minimum Height: A lot of cars out at that place are pretty low, which can limit your jack choices. Certain you tin roll your car onto a stack of spare lumber to gain some height, merely that gets old in a hurry. Of grade if you're hobby involves lifted trucks or SUVs, then the minimum height isn't a big concern. Bottom line: choice a jack with a minimum height that works for your vehicle.
Maximum Lift: The maximum pinnacle a machine tin be lifted is important. For nearly cars, a jack lift height of 20 inches is adequate. Unless of form, yous're into lifted off-roaders with huge tires—then you'll definitely need something with higher lifting capabilities.
Platform Size: The width of the jack at the platform, along with the width of the jack at its lifting arms is of import. Ditto with the size of the jack pad, referring to its overall width and overall length, plus the jack's wheelbase dimensions.
For many gearheads, a jack that is a bit wider with a long wheelbase will prove more stable. This is particularly important when the jack is fully raised. Alternatively, a narrow jack may fit more hands within sure chassis confines.
Material & Weight: You lot'll find aluminum jacks and y'all'll too find steel or steel/cast jacks in the Summit Racing catalog. The logic is simple: if you need to take a floor jack to the racetrack, then an aluminum jack is the answer, simply considering it's easier to lug around. If the jack spends its entire life in your shop, then a heavier jack makes sense.
Pumps To Full Height: This might seem trivial at outset, but if you need a lot of handle pumps to reach the jack's full height, it tin can get old in a hurry.
Example-in-point is the Nova in the photos. When the car is lifted at the rear center-section, the jack must be rolled a long manner under the car. Equally I mentioned previously, my former jack requires a lot of full stroke pumps to raise the platform. Now, with the jack rolled way nether the motorcar, the handle can't brand full strokes. The handle makes contact with the back bumper. As a upshot, it takes what seems like forever to lift the motorcar. FYI, some race jacks require very few full pumps to become to full height.
Build Quality: This is something that can be totally subjective, but over the long haul, a loftier quality flooring jack volition cost yous less than buying several poorly made examples, constantly replacing them due to frequent failures.
And if you're like me, a jack failure is something y'all really don't even want to call up about. The jack should be trustworthy so that y'all tin can confidently lift your vehicle and place it on jack stands. Consider your awarding and purchase the all-time, highest quality jack you lot can beget.
Just remember, a floor jack is NOT to be used as a replacement for a set of sturdy jack stands.
As y'all can see, at that place's a bit more to buying a jack than it may seem.
For a closer expect, check out the accompanying photos.
The maximum lift tiptop of a jack is important. (Epitome/Wayne Scraba)
Many jacks have an overall elevator acme of 20 or and then inches. That's entirely adequate for most applications. Nosotros go into more than detail in the story to a higher place. (Epitome/Wayne Scraba)
Here's a look at the basic chassis layout of my old jack and the new replacement. As you lot tin can see, the new jack has a lot more than beef in the chassis. (Image/Wayne Scraba)
For many hot rods and racecars, a low jack is important. Here's a await at the differences in 2 jacks (with and without the jack pad). (Image/Wayne Scraba)
As you tin see, the blueish jack has a much lower chassis meridian. (Epitome/Wayne Scraba)
This 1-one/2 ton Allstar race jack is the example mentioned in the text. Not simply is information technology light (44 pounds) due to aluminum construction, it only requires 3-pumps to go it to full tiptop, which works out to 17.five-inches. (Paradigm/Summit Racing)
Summit Racing's low profile jack has an extremely low overall height of only 2-3/four-inches at the nose. Information technology too has a 20-inch elevator height. Information technology comes with a 2-ton rating likewise. (Image/Peak Racing)
A bang-up all around floor jack is this three-ton capacity Ranger model. This jack includes a congenital-in safety overload characteristic (nosotros talk almost that in the story above). (Image/Summit Racing)
Here's another low profile jack, this time from Ranger. This long-chassis jack has an overall height of merely 2-3/iv-inches, but it will lift up to 24-inches in height. It'southward no flyweight though: The shipping weight of this all steel jack is 117-pounds. (Prototype/Summit Racing)
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Source: https://www.onallcylinders.com/2018/08/31/tool-time-look-shopping-floor-jack/
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