What's a good hydraulic jack?

[benjamming]

I plan on getting my dad a hydraulic jack for Father's Day. He has an 04 Tacoma TRD & wants to be able to do his own service. It will be some of the more basic stuff such as tire rotation, brakes, oil, etc. What would be a good hydraulic jack to get for him? I don't want a made in China product. Thanks.

 

[Big O Dave]

Lincoln. Expensive, but excellent and lasts forever.

 

[Gary Allan]

I have a 2.5 ton service jack. Trust me, it's more than you think lugging it around outside of a shop environment. It has a large footprint. If you can afford one, get one made of aluminum.

Don't knock the (formerly) $19.95 junk jack. They are typically more than anyone ever needs in terms of durability (and, typically, weight rating) and are small/light enough to carry in the trunk.

 

[oilboy123]

I bought a Sears Jack made in bout 1983 that was made in Japan. The Sears jack looks to be pretty well made, compared to some of the imported ones I see now. It has served me well over the years.

I bought a Lincoln jack about 4 yrs ago.
One thing to keep in mind is saftey. The better made jacks are less likely to fail or slip out of place. I was using one of those small cheap jacks one time years ago. I was jacking my Dads 66 Olds 98 and the jack handle slipped out....Lets just say that it split my finger open...

The one thing I noticed is lifting my Dads B350 1 ton Dodge van with the jack. The Sears could not lift the whole rear of the van. The Lincoln could do it no problem. They are rated close to two tons each. I believe that the Sears is rated at 2 tons, It's in storage so I can't say for sure.
I was impressed.

 

[srivett]

Seeing as it is a truck you will probably want to get a bottle jack to go with the floor jack. The floor jack will be able to reach the axles easily but it will pull the truck sideways when it is up close to the top. The bottle jack will be better suited for lifting the truck by the frame. A couple different sized blocks of wood and a set of sturdy jack stands will also be of help.

Steve

 

[kenw]

"The floor jack will be able to reach the axles easily but it will pull the truck sideways when it is up close to the top."


not if the jack's wheels are straight. It rolls to keep itself positioned, that's one of the major advantages of a rolling floor jack.

Bottle jacks usually have a too-small footprint and can tip easily. And since they cannot roll to stay vertical, they DO tip/lean as the vehicle is lifted higher; they are not recommended for tall lifts.

 

[Bret Chase]

I've got an old 2.5 tonservice jack that I love... the thing is about 5' long and can lift to a height of about 30". I can't remember the brand of it but it's orange. it is about 500 times better than the 3 ton "mack" (walmart) floor jack that I also have. I'd use it any day over a bottle jack... I've had one of those go over before while jacking a floor... not a fun time.

-Bret

 

[benjamming]

Thanks for the feedback so far. It will definitely be a floor jack & not a bottle jack. He would like for it to reach the lifting point with one push. It will always be kept in the garage so I don't really care about storage space. I had planned on driving around tonight but it looks like it will be Tuesday night.

 

[Eddie]

Be sure and get a rolling floor jack with 4-5 inch lifting pad. Some of the cheap ones have only a 2 ich square pad. I also cut a piece of 2 inch thick lumber to mount on the pad for vehicle protection. Good jacking and spend money on good jack stands.

 

[1sttruck]

I bought a 3 ton floor jack on sale at Sears, an 'SUV' jack or something, with stands for something like $50. It works well on the truck, the pad just fits on axle between some brackets. It's a pain for the cars though, where I prefer to use the Sears scissor jack. I don't worry about using a scissor jack as a jack stand, wheels chocked of course, but don't like using a hydraulic jack as one.

 

[TallPaul]

I picked up a 4 ton bottle jack and it saved the day when I had a blowout on the dualie of my motorhome. Bottle jacks are lighter than the floor jack, but have a very small lifting head. Both are good.

 

[Shifter]

I use a 2 1/2-ton floor jack that is made for SUVs because it lifts higher (I bought it when I had an F-150). That works well, though it is foreign-made. It's the kind that raises to the chassis in one stroke. I'd look for that feature and also a rubber donut or something to fit in the cradle to protect things like rocker panels.

How old is your Dad? I ask because these floor jacks can be heavy. You see more expensive aluminum ones like NASCAR uses, that are easier to lug around. Michelin markets them as well.

Happy Father's Day to all your dads out there!

-- Shifter

 

[benjamming]

I never could find one not made in China. I wound up getting him one from O'Reilly. It is an AC Delco that lifts to 21" & has a 3.5 ton capacity. It weighs about 105 lb. It looks pretty good. It should last my Dad's (hopefully) long life time.

 

[White 03]

Too late now, but if a China made one is acceptable Cosco has a 3.5 ton capacity one for around $75; might be the same one. Hopefully it will last as I just got one. I hate buying China made things though.