Recommended Floor Jack Size ?

[ChrisD46]

What is the recommended floor jack size for sedans (i.e. Hyundai Sonata) and up to mid size SUV's (i.e. Hyundai Sorrento) ?
I believe they come in 1.5 ton , 2 ton and 3 ton version's . Also if there is a particular brand / model you believe is a best value also please advise .
*Main use of the floor jack will be to lift up the side of the vehicle to access transmission pan to perform ATF drain & fill function ... Thanks in advance for replies !

 

[supton]

The big thing will be trying to figure out where to put is you can get jack stands under there too.

I have one of the 1.5 ton aluminum “racing” jacks from HF. Small, reasonably light. Oh and of course... cheap. I’ve thought about buying a second one, make tire rotations easier. Or to just keep in the car rather than ever trying to use the cheap scissors jack.

By conventional wisdom I needed more jack to lift the corner of my 6,000lb truck. It managed just fine. The biggest problem with the jack was reaching high enough for CUV/truck—I would use cribbing on top of the jack pad. Probably should have gotten a bigger jack, but the truck is gone now, so...

If you have a garage and space to keep a bigger and heavier jack, then I’d get a big one. Seems like Daytona gets good reviews here?

 

[atikovi]

*Main use of the floor jack will be to lift up the side of the vehicle to access transmission pan to perform ATF drain & fill function .

Use ramps and save yourself the time and hassle.

 

[repairman54]

IMO jacks are like male ''units'', the bigger the better. Get at least a 2 ton for when you wind up getting to help someone with a heavy vehicle.
Like previously said ramps and good jack will cover most basic needs.

 

[skyactiv]

You want something that is low and has a long reach. Low to fit under cars and long to lift todays SUV's and trucks.

• Lift height of 3-1/4 in. to 24-1/4 in., ideal for low-profile vehicles to trucks and SUVs

I have this and really like it. It's available in different colors.

3 Ton Long-Reach Low-Profile Professional Floor Jack with RAPID PUMP, Black

Amazing deals on this 3T Long-Reach Lp Pro Floor Jack, Black at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[atikovi]

Is the jack going to be used in your garage permanently? Or will you take it to other locations? Anything over 1 1/2 tons is going to be too heavy for many people to lift and carry. My HF 1 1/2 aluminum jack that I keep in a closet is 35 pounds. That's close to the limit I want for carrying out to the driveway.

 

[Malo83]

I have the low profile 2 ton jack that I picked up at Costco.

 

[ChrisD46]

Thanks for the replies !

 

[jws926]

You need to get a jack to match the weight of the vehicle(s) you are lifting, since you are going to being using it on both a sedan and larger sized CUV, you need to get a jack for the heaviest vehicle you plan on lifting, the "rule of thumb" is you need to get a floor jack with a lift rating for at least three-quarters of your vehicle’s weight , and that being the CUV, which can go up to 4k lbs( not knowing which gen/years you have). So ideally you need to get a 2 Ton floor jack.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Any of those will be fine

The 1.5 ton aluminum jack from HF is great and light. Since you're only lifting at most one axle/2 wheels at a time, which is half the weight, it can really support up to twice the rating. That is, a 1.5 ton jack is good for a 3 ton car.

However, the 1.5 ton jack might not lift the car up high enough, and the 2 ton and 3 ton jacks will lift higher than the smaller jack.

I keep a 1.5 ton aluminum jack in my car in case I need to use it for en emergency, and for most repair work non-emergency, too. I use a bigger jack if I need to lift higher than the 1.5 can handle.

When I got the 1.5 ton jack, I already had a 2.5 ton (steel) jack, but that bigger jack is much heavier (75 lb) and can be hard to work with.