Date:         Fri, 15 Oct 2004 18:20:20 -0500
Reply-To:     Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Subject:      Re: jack, costs
Comments: To: vw4x4@FYI.NET
In-Reply-To:  <416FB2F3.7000007@fyi.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I also have a NAPA/Walker jack from 1981 time frame.  Someone stole my
Blackhawk   I remember many years ago replacing the spring loaded piston
plunger thingyu that the jack handle pushes on to raise the arm, and it was
$54 by itself!!  Now it won't lift.  I called a hydraulics shop in Little
Rock(when we still lived there) and they wanted $160 to rebuild it.  At the
time, I justified the $99 Craftsman special on a 3.5 Ton jack with FREE
jack stands.  It still works, but it's made in Chinaland  Hindsight, I
shoulda spent the bucks on the Walker.  I still have it and it makes a
goood boat anchor when its not used for a heavy ballast.

Oh well

Max

  06:22 AM 10/15/2004, Eric Zeno wrote:
>Right,   I have a walker jack.   The dam rebuilding kit is $30.00
>That's half the cost of the new chinese jack.    Out of all the stuff in the
>rebuilding kit, I only need one very small cup seal.  No one wants
>to make the individual seal, no money in it.
>     I really don't like keeping anyone in business because I feel sorry
>for them, unless there trying hard themselves.  In this case walker
>is in no way being competitive. As I understand it even they no longer
>make jacks.  I could be wrong, about this....
>
>                                          ERic
>
>
>Al and Sue Brase wrote:
>
>>OR, just get a used Walker, or Black Hawk and rebuild it every 10 years.
>>I hope I can still get Black Hawk parts... it's been more than 10 years.
>>I picked up one of those Chinese ones for $59.95- began leaking in 6
>>months. I feel  for the displaced American workers that formerly made
>>jacks every time I use that POS. Getting so that I buy NOTHING at Wal
>>Mart. I'd rather be gouged by a local businessman that is my neighbor!
>>Al Brase
>>69 double cab, Vanagons
>>
>>jbange wrote:
>>
>>>>It's not going to matter if you buy a jack from Sears, Matco Tool,
>>>>Wal Mart
>>>>or Harbor Freight, they'll all have been made in China and most
>>>>likely in
>>>>the same factory.
>>>>Sometimes you just don't get any choices.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>For those with money to throw down ANOTHER rathole (as if a Vanagon
>>>isn't
>>>rathole enough), you can always spring for a Milwaukee floor jack.
>>>They're
>>>actually made in the US still, I hear. Pretty good selection of jacks
>>>here,
>>>too: http://www.hyjacks.com/index.html  They have better than "the usual
>>>crap" jacks. Yet another product niche that has developed a wide gulf
>>>between the "good but expensive" and the "cheap but low quality".
>>>
>>>John Bange
>>>'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"
>>