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Talk about karma-my HF jack just shot the fluid out the hydraulics shot. I guesss I should be happy the car didn't drop on my face, jackstands next time.
when i use to change brake pads i would take the tire off and then place it under the vehicle behind the jack, it was my insurance... i remember my buddy under a car one time doing an oil change when the cinderblocks crumpled and almost crushed him if it wasnt for the tire in the back of the jack... still here to laugh about it today.
Thanks for the advice. I will retrieve the brand name tomorrow. I borrowed it from a friend at work. It was the jack that came with his truck. Ideally, I should have had a backup, but he assured me I would be set with this.
I'm going to go at this job again tomorrow with the proper tools for the job... A large block of steel, a forklift, and every tool imaginable for any situation imaginable. Wish me luck...
A factory jack is designed to only pick up one corner of the vehicle and only to change a wheel/tire, not do mechanic work.
A floor jack/jack stands is not something I cut corners on.
Depends on the type of jack. Hydraulic or pneumatic? Yes, should only be used to get it in the air, then a stand should be used. But if it's some kind of mechanical device (like the screw-type found in most trunks), there's no reason to not use it as a stand. That's what they're designed for.
Just the other night I was frustrated at my leaking Sears jack because it kept settling down, so I ran to Harbor Freight and bought the heaviest duty one they sell. It is a 4 ton monster and was on sale for $134.99. It's wheels are spread way apart so it is very stable and it lifted my 5,000 pound Caddy with no problem.
It is not one of the super high cost, professional types, but for the money it looks and works pretty well. I know it is sure heavy, it took two of us to lift in in and out of my car trunk.
Just the other night I was frustrated at my leaking Sears jack because it kept settling down, so I ran to Harbor Freight and bought the heaviest duty one they sell. It is a 4 ton monster and was on sale for $134.99. It's wheels are spread way apart so it is very stable and it lifted my 5,000 pound Caddy with no problem.
It is not one of the super high cost, professional types, but for the money it looks and works pretty well. I know it is sure heavy, it took two of us to lift in in and out of my car trunk.
Don
That sounds like a good solid and safe jack. The first time you ever have a flat you will use it with pride and satisfaction..
I find it amazing how hard it is to find a good long lasting reliable jack these days. I remember 5 years ago I bought one of those 3 ton Big Red Jacks at Pep Boys, and that thing used a single pump which it struggled badly to jack up my heavy cars. It also felt weak, like it could snap at any moment as it lacked strength to lift front ends of cars that weigh a grip.
I used to have to use a lot of my strength in order for pump up my old Cadillacs that weighed 4,8000-5,000lbs with that thing.
One of my neighbors who's a former mechanic had a very old jack that he didn't use much anymore because it was too heavy for him to carry around, so he asked me if I wanted to trade jacks since mine was smaller, and lighter in weight which was more manageable for him to use.
I looked at it, tried it out and was shocked how much better the old one was compared to my crappy Big Red. First off it's a dual pump hydraulic jack that weighs 100 lbs or so, and it easily was able to lift my old Caddys with ease! It literally felt twice as easy to jack up the cars after using it. Not only do I feel safe using the older jack, but their were times where I forgot to lower my cars after changing brakes, or doing maintenance work because something came up, so I had to make a run somewhere, and the jack would still be holding the car up in the air for an entire night with no jack stands underneath it ( had stands when working on the car though), and the jack never once lowered or dropped down on itself, that's how strong it is!
Napa 4 ton dual pump jacks are supposed to be pretty good. They feel heavy duty and seem well constructed. But if it's made in China, you're taking a gamble on reliability.
New Tools and general equipment for hardcore mechanics suck, and don't seem that well made anymore. If you want serious quality, you gotta pay even more money today for quality that was standard 30+ years ago. Even then, certain tools just feel cheaper made, like the metal isn't as sturdy and doesn't hold up as well.
BTW I don't know what brand name of the old jack is since it doesn't have any branding or stickers on it unfortunately.
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