Lightweight jacks

metroplex · Oct 1, 2003

I was thinking about getting a lightweight aluminum racing jack to store in my small apartment in case I need to switch to winter tires for Michigan winters.

I found this at Harbor freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40105

How are these in terms of durability?
My car weighs 4200 lb total, but the rear end is maybe 2800 lb tops and that's all I need to switch over.

I have major problems with taking off in the snow on all-season tires (RWD w/ limited slip).

labman · Oct 1, 2003

I have bought a bunch of stuff from Harbor Freight. I would not recommend them for every day use, but for something to have around a d use occasionally the price is right.

Why not dump your RWD antique and go with FWD? No traction problems unless the snow gets too deep.

metroplex · Oct 1, 2003

My RWD "antique" is a 2000 Ford Crown Vic that runs 15.5 on the 1/4 (the same car stock runs 16.2-16.7) w/o a blower or PI heads. I don't think I want to get rid of it since it has less than 9k miles

I drove FWD on ice once and went into a spin, impossible to recover - the more you tried to steer the more spin you got. The car finally got stabilized by smashing the bumper into the highway divider and off I went on my normal commute. NEVER AGAIN will I drive a POS WWD (FWD) car in bad weather.

It's either AWD/4x4 or RWD for me.

mph · Oct 1, 2003

That jack is pretty popular with autocrossers and weekend racers for changing tires at the site. People seem to like it pretty well in general. I've read that in many cases, it comes with air in the hydraulics, and needs to be bled before it works right.

For just changing tires at home, you can get away with a smaller and cheaper (but possibly heavier) jack. I got a "garage in a box" at Wal-Mart with a small jack, wheel blocks, jackstands, etc. That jack doesn't lift the car high enough for jack stands, but is fine for changing tires. For $40 or $50, you could get a fairly beefy (and heavy) steel jack.

Since you have a heavy car, make sure your jack will support it with a generous safety factor. And never work under the car if it's just supported by a jack--use jackstands.

metroplex · Oct 1, 2003

i have a 2.5 ton jack at home but its not here in MI.
It weighs 100 lb, impossible for me to carry it around from storage to the parking lot.

jason07-1zzfe · Oct 2, 2003

Did I read that you are only changing to winter tires in the rear?? Not wise, IMO.
It will do little to improve your braking and you will have massive understeer in snow. And instability and oversteer in wet and dry.

Mike_dup1 · Oct 2, 2003

They call it US General but the darn thing is made in China.

I needed a pitman arm puller so I bought one from Harbor Freight once. It snapped like a toothpick and I had to go buy another that worked. Several years back purchased a 2 ton shop hoist, the hydraulic cylinder started leaking under weight and could not be fixed (no parts for oddball ram). A much complaining they sent me a new ram and it would not mount up to the hoist. I sold the thing. It was all made in China. Junk IMO.

I only buy US made name brand stuff from them.

I drove many a winter with only snow tires on the rear of my cars. Never had any handling problems. Sure snow tires on the front but who can afford to complete sets of tires.

btw
(I hate FWD cars), that why I have two GM 4x4 trucks and a Trans Am.

[ October 02, 2003, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: Mike ]

sbc350gearhead · Oct 2, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by metroplex:
i have a 2.5 ton jack at home but its not here in MI.
It weighs 100 lb, impossible for me to carry it around from storage to the parking lot.

OMG!!!!

I have a 3 ton jack with a 23 inch max lift, that probably weighs about 50 pounds. I think I paid 50 bucks for it. I can't imagine a hundred pound jack..........that is a serious jack.

[ October 02, 2003, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: sbc350gearhead ]

metroplex · Oct 2, 2003

They mostly weigh 100 lb unless its a "lightweight jack"

The 2 ton lightweight jacks are 55 lb.

HOndaGuy · Oct 2, 2003

rwd in winter does slide, but i find it easy to control over fwd. Although, its easier to get stuck in the snow with rear wheel drive than front wheel drive, but as for handling in the winter, i really don't think it makes a dang difference, its just your driving ability and how good the tread is on your tires(assuming that there is no ice on the road of course).

jason07-1zzfe · Oct 2, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Mike:
...I drove many a winter with only snow tires on the rear of my cars. Never had any handling problems. Sure snow tires on the front but who can afford to complete sets of tires.
...

No offense, but how long ago was this? My Dad didn't think I needed all four either, but tire technologies has advanced incredibly in the last 25yrs.
The difference between even any all-season tire and a good winter tire is HUGE in inclement conditions. Winter tires ARE that good now.
They still lack the dry and wet traction of even an all-season...summer tire, no comparison. Plus they has super soft compounds and sidewalls are much less stiff also.
And optimally if you get a lot of snow, you would want the winter tires to be narrower.
It does not cost more money because your summer tires are not wearing while they sit in the garage. Only extra cost would be new wheels, but steelies aren't that expensive. And that cost can be distrubuted over the life of the vehicle.

[ October 03, 2003, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Jason Troxell ]

Ken2 · Oct 2, 2003

Auto parts stores in this area, Schuck's, part of the CSK (Checker-Schuck's-Kragen) group, have been advertising a similar looking jack for $139, if I remember right. And, you don't pay the hefty shipping & handling charges.

I'm a believer in modern studless winter tires on all four wheels--more control when braking & steering.

Ken

Ken2 · Oct 2, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by metroplex:

...
I drove FWD on ice once and went into a spin, impossible to recover - the more you tried to steer the more spin you got. The car finally got stabilized by smashing the bumper into the highway divider and off I went on my normal
commute.
...

Yep, you don't recover a FWD car like you recover a RWD. You need to hold the wheels centered (or in the direction they're trying to roll), let off the gas, allow the tires to recover traction, then resume driving. And, all-season tires aren't. The one's I've owned have been poor in snow and deadly on ice.

Ken

Drew99GT · Oct 3, 2003

I'd just spring for a low-height racing jack from checker or Advance auto parts. I originally bought a little cheap jack from Walmart that came with stands etc. Wouldn't even come close to fitting under my Grand Am at the time, so I sprang for the low height racing jack and it works flawless on every car I use it on, even SUVs because it goes way way higher than normal jacks.

metroplex · Oct 3, 2003

I bought one from Summit Racing

3000 lb cap, 37 lb weight.

SUM-G1034, they don't have a pic online but their latest catalog has it on pg 15.

Drew99GT · Oct 3, 2003

Oops, I see your racing jack is in a different location.

sbc350gearhead · Oct 3, 2003

I am pretty sure my jack doesn't weigh 100 pounds, as I can lift it with one hand......and I imagine that 50 pounds is about my limit, since I am not a bodybuilder.

metroplex · Oct 3, 2003

Do you have any pics by any chance?

You must have lucked out or gotten a real cheap jack...

I sh*t you not my Sears Craftsman 2.5 ton jack weighs at the very least 80 something lb.

I can lift my Crown Vic tires + wheels all day long and they're 50 lb each, I know for a fact.

This jack definitely weighs more than 1 tire/wheel combo. I won't ever try to lift that jack again...

If you have pics of your 3 ton jack I'd like to see them... maybe list the manufacturer and model??? A 3 ton capacity jack that weighs 50 lb for $50 is a sweet deal.

porterdog · Oct 5, 2003

Supposedly Sears are selling a similar jack with the Craftsman name. There's a review in the 'tools' section of the Miata Forum (can't link it but try the obvious URL and you'll get there. The bottom line was that the poster liked the Sears unit better. There ios also a lot of discussion on the HF jack.

$0.02,
Robert

sbc350gearhead · Oct 7, 2003

Metroplex, Mine is a prolift 2 1/2 ton (I thought it was a 3......sorry) Heavy Duty hydraulic service jack. The tag is about worn off, so I couldn't find a model number.....sorry. If I remember right, I bought it at advance.....can't guarantee it though.

Lightweight jacks

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