Deciding between the following Aluminum Jack and Jack Stands from Harbor Freight...
04-02-2004, 11:11 AM
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Deciding between the following Aluminum Jack and Jack Stands from Harbor Freight...
About to pull the trigger on jack stands and a jack. Here are the items I am looking at from Harbor Freight. Trying to decide between the two sizes of jack and jackstand. Do I need the larger size or will the smaller ones work fine? Please provide any experience you guys have had with these products. Is there anything else I should be looking at?
I am also considering the jack package from Sears. They make good heavy duty stuff.
I am worried the jackstands from Harbor Freight will only work if placed on the unibody weld lip. If I wanted to put them at a different location then they look like they would not work so well???
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91039">This is the smaller Aluminum Jack that raises to 15 1/8"</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38846">These Jack Stands are slotted and seem to be recommended for our cars. They have a minimum height of 11 3/4"</a>
<a href="http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=00 950134000">
This was the other option I was considering. A heavy duty jack from Sears. The included Jack Stands are not slotted</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40105">This is the larger capacity Aluminum Jack and goes to 17 1/2"</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38847">These are the larger capacity jackstands and have a minimum height of 15 1/8". Would have to get the bigger jack with these.</a>
<a href="http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=43042&Dep_Key1=">This is the adapter I purchased from Eastwood Company, it is designed to fit the unibody lip of our cars</a>
I am also considering the jack package from Sears. They make good heavy duty stuff.
I am worried the jackstands from Harbor Freight will only work if placed on the unibody weld lip. If I wanted to put them at a different location then they look like they would not work so well???
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91039">This is the smaller Aluminum Jack that raises to 15 1/8"</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38846">These Jack Stands are slotted and seem to be recommended for our cars. They have a minimum height of 11 3/4"</a>
<a href="http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=00 950134000">
This was the other option I was considering. A heavy duty jack from Sears. The included Jack Stands are not slotted</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40105">This is the larger capacity Aluminum Jack and goes to 17 1/2"</a>
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38847">These are the larger capacity jackstands and have a minimum height of 15 1/8". Would have to get the bigger jack with these.</a>
<a href="http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=43042&Dep_Key1=">This is the adapter I purchased from Eastwood Company, it is designed to fit the unibody lip of our cars</a>
04-02-2004, 11:16 AM
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Ok, a few things. One, I would get the $130 jack from HF (in fact, I did). The unibody adapter
from Eastwood needs to be trimmed to fit the S4, it's too wide as is. You can get Jack Stands anywhere, I have a set from Autozone that I really like. They were only $20 and I believe have a 4 ton capacity.
04-02-2004, 11:18 AM
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The Craftsman Aluminum jack is a real nice piece.
It was $190 with Craftsman club discount. Very solid piece with 3 ton capacity. I can't speak of harbor freight stuff, but I've heard they've got quality issues.
FWIW, Sam's Club has the $129 Harbor Freight jack if you wanted to go look at it in person. As far as jack stands go, you can get the cheapies at WalMart for $8.88 a pair. Don't forget, shipping is going to be murder on this heavy stuff.
FWIW, Sam's Club has the $129 Harbor Freight jack if you wanted to go look at it in person. As far as jack stands go, you can get the cheapies at WalMart for $8.88 a pair. Don't forget, shipping is going to be murder on this heavy stuff.
04-02-2004, 11:22 AM
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I think first you need to decide what you are going to be doing with the jack
If you goal is just to get under the car to change the oil and rotate the tires then go with the smaller jack.
If you are going to be doing engine swaps or something where you need to get the car up extremely high to slide an engine under it then get the bigger jack.
As far as the jack stands All of mine are like the ones in the picture and have worked good on all of my cars and all the cars I have worked on.
Just make sure you get a jack stand that is of good quality I know a few people who were under thier car and the jack stand collapsed and they got crushed and died. The best thing to do would go take a look at a few jack stands and buy the one that appears to be good quality and hefty. There is a harbor freight local to me, where you can go and check out the products.
If you are going to be doing engine swaps or something where you need to get the car up extremely high to slide an engine under it then get the bigger jack.
As far as the jack stands All of mine are like the ones in the picture and have worked good on all of my cars and all the cars I have worked on.
Just make sure you get a jack stand that is of good quality I know a few people who were under thier car and the jack stand collapsed and they got crushed and died. The best thing to do would go take a look at a few jack stands and buy the one that appears to be good quality and hefty. There is a harbor freight local to me, where you can go and check out the products.
04-02-2004, 11:24 AM
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HF does sell SOME cheap *** stuff, you have to pick and choose where you can skimp
and were you can't. I'm heading over there this weekend to return the lame 1/4 torque wrench which has broken on 2 occassions.
I wouldn't mess around with jacks or jackstands.
I wouldn't mess around with jacks or jackstands.
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04-02-2004, 11:32 AM
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The jack is hit or miss, lots of people have been using them without issue (me and many others),
some have had them fail. I do wonder however exactly what people were doing when they failed. I sort of look at it like I look at the stock jack, which I probalby used 50 or 60 times and never once had an issue, I think a lot of the "problems" are user error.
