OMG the Torin Big Red 2-ton jack sucks!

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tommygunn

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It can't lift a Camry, and [censored] oil just when the jack starts to take the load! It's supposed to be good for lifting up to 13 inches but I guess that's not enough!

I have heard good things about Harbor Freight's jacks, and I'm interested in that low-profile 2.5-ton jack that can lift 20 inches! Has anybody here used it?

Can anyone here recommend a decent jack that's affordable?
 
Does it have to be lightweight? I got a (chinese) Craftsman 3 ton service jack for $65 or so on numerous sales. 97 lbs, it chips concrete with its heavy duty wheels, and has yet to be challenged by my fleet.

And sears is always on sale.
wink.gif


I had one of those cheapie jacks; the wheels were about 1/2" wide and pretty flimsy.
 
Originally Posted By: tommygunn

I have heard good things about Harbor Freight's jacks, and I'm interested in that low-profile 2.5-ton jack that can lift 20 inches! Has anybody here used it?

Can anyone here recommend a decent jack that's affordable?


I've had the 2.5 low-pro steel jack for years now. It works awesome. I was worried about the longevity, but it is very solidly built. Works just as well as the day I got it.
 
We have this exact jack at work and I have to agree, it's junk. It cannot be let down slowly. It either drops quickly or not at all.
 
Originally Posted By: JRed
We have this exact jack at work and I have to agree, it's junk. It cannot be let down slowly. It either drops quickly or not at all.


Yeah. We have the 3 ton (I think) and id has no problem lifting up the entire front or back of the F350 ... but it has issues going down. Still a great jack, IMO
 
Our jack is a 39.95 special from Sears. Works fine and if we need some extra lift, well, that's what the 6inch long 4x4s are for.
 
I have the 2-ton HF low-profile jack. It's 5" tall and lifts to 20" high, or plenty low enough and enough lift for my fleet.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Our jack is a 39.95 special from Sears. Works fine and if we need some extra lift, well, that's what the 6inch long 4x4s are for.

My el-cheapo $19.99 jack from O'Reilly works fine lifting the LS400 and E430 to 15-16" off the ground, a couple 2x4 will raise the cars another 3-4".
 
Hold on a second here, isn't Torin supposed to the respected good old American brand jack manufacturer? Aren't we supposed to tell people to throw their HF jacks out and buy Torin instead?

So what happened??
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Hold on a second here, isn't Torin supposed to the respected good old American brand jack manufacturer? Aren't we supposed to tell people to throw their HF jacks out and buy Torin instead?

So what happened??


I've never seen a Torin jack or jack stand that wasn't made in China. Perhaps they exist, but I haven't seen them.

I recently bought some of the Torin double-lock jack stands and I'm not super impressed. I actually keep using my other cheap Chinese stands because they're sturdier and have less play where the shaft goes into the base. I also have rubber covers for my older stands, which I like.

Thread with pics here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195045

Frankly, my next jack will be from HF. I have a Chinese Craftsman that's starting to leak after about 5 years and it was way pricier than a HF equivalent. It's likely a handful of Chinese suppliers make all the brands, anyway, and being a DIY'er I can't justify spending big bucks for a pro-level jack.
 
If your willing to spend the money get the 2 ton Hein-Werner HW93642. It can be had for around $300 some places. You probably wont buy another in your lifetime.
Cheap jacks and stands are a serious and dangerous PITA, buy quality once and stay safe.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav

Cheap jacks and stands are a serious and dangerous PITA, buy quality once and stay safe.


Comments like this really overblow the safety concerns. Many, many, many of the Chinese jacks and jack stands are sold every day, since basically most retailers only sell the lower-priced Chinese models. Real failures are rare.

If the jacks and stands failed at the rates some people would lead you to believe, there would by many, many examples online of failures, which isn't the case.

Use the tools in their specified weight ranges and you'll be fine. Most failures I've seen online appear to be from improper use. Of course, it's always terrible when someone is injured while working on a car. I encourage everyone to take full safety precautions when in the garage. I know I do.

One point to consider-
Here's one example that's been getting a lot of traction online. This jack stand broke because it was being used at basically full extension. The lesson we can take from this is that it's better to use a larger 6-ton stand instead of a 3-ton stand at full extension.
http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89270
 
Quote:
Comments like this really overblow the safety concerns

Who said anything about complete failure? Leak down, failure to pump fully, failure to lower slowly are all safety concerns.

You are just commenting on your own interpretation of what i said.
 
Ive had terrible luck with Chinese jacks.


Without getting into personal stories, I would either:

1) Buy a Harbor Freight jack, and get the 2 year warranty they have on it.

2) Splurge $350 and get a quality jack: Hein Werner, Milwaukee, US Jack etc.
 
I've been using the "cheap" Chinese 2 1/2 ton floor jack now for 30 years with complete satisfaction, course I don't use it daily, but likely monthly. I do use jack stands and do not rely entirely on the jack.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Quote:
Comments like this really overblow the safety concerns

Who said anything about complete failure? Leak down, failure to pump fully, failure to lower slowly are all safety concerns.

You are just commenting on your own interpretation of what i said.


Hmmm....

Saying something is a "serious and dangerous PITA" is pretty easy to interpret as a complete failure, IMO. Also, you mentioned jack stands, which don't have issues like "leak down, failure to pump fully, failure to lower slowly."

You may want to be more clear about your intended interpretation.
cheers3.gif


Originally Posted By: Trav

Cheap jacks and stands are a serious and dangerous PITA,
 
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