Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012 03:08:25 -0500
Reply-To: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Subject: Re: Harbor Freight Jacks
In-Reply-To: <7B9E6A6E-C053-42C6-8600-C7199808396B@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
I have what I believe to be Tire Rack's version of the HF aluminum
floor jack and have been using it for 3 years now. I paid $100 more
for it than if I'd gone to HF, but that was 3 years ago, well before
I had any knowledge of Harbor Freight's existence. I like it a lot,
but also spent $48 on a rebuild seal kit for my old 1980's vintage
NAPA Walker/Fleet floor jack, which as time allows will get fixed. I
found an "insturctable" on the net with a guy rebuilding this exact
same jack, so I won't be flying in the dark totally. If I have one
complaint about it, it seems that the 2 piece handle flexes somewhat
when lifting "near capacity" loads. Maybe it's built in shock
absorption for the user's rotator cuffs.
YMMV
DM&FS
At 02:52 AM 4/28/2012, Kim Brennan wrote:
>A few weeks ago when I was in Pittsburgh they had this sale going
>on. I looked at the different alternative aluminum floor jacks (1
>1/2 ton, 2 ton, 3 ton). I decided to get the 2 Ton one instead. It
>has a higher lift, and a lower profile (not important on our
>vanagons, but definitely important on my other cars...especially my Lotus.)
>
>Very nice quality.
>
>
>On Apr 28, 2012, at 12:34 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
>
> > They have their aluminum "Racing" floor jacks on sale for $69. I've
> > had one of these for about 10yrs now. It is really handy and functions
> > well. It weighs about 25lbs and until it feels a load, each pump stroke
> > moves the lift pad a lot. Quick acting. Like it takes about 4 pumps to
> > go from flat down to reach the jacking points on my Vanagon. It will
> > easily lift the whole side of the van, or front end and rear end...Says
> > "1.5 Ton" but mine has raised more without problem. Like those crews in
> > the NASCAR TV shows, it's easy to just trot around with...I wish I could
> > find a place to stash it in my van for traveling, but it a full sized floor
> > jack. Raises about 15".
> >
> > I was quite skeptical until I got mine that anything so inexpensive
> > could be work properly, but my 'real' cast iron and steel floor jacks now
> > reside under my work benches, un-used. Just today my SO wanted me to fix
> > her Subaru but my garage/shop was full. I just grabbed the HF floor jack
> > and went out in the gravel drive with it in one hand, tool box in the
> > other and got the job done with ease...
> >
> > thru end of may..worth it if you use a jack frequently..
> > Don Hanson
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