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Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

Although not Volvo specific, what are opinions of various floor jacks for the weekend mechanics? I understand most Chinese imports won't last much beyong 10 cycles. Have looked at many from Craftsmen to Norco, Milwaulkee, Lincoln and many in between with prices from $29 to $629. Knowing you get what you pay for I would expect something reasonable for $100 to $200. What is the general experience of the Bd?








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    I've had a Chinese 3 1/3 ton 20" lift jack for several years and it has been just fine. It has a very useful feature which I highly recommend. It has a small hand lever next to the long one. When you are placing the jack under the car and need to get down under there to see if the jack is coming up under the right spot, you can use this hand lever to quickly bring the jack up into position. Sure beats waving the long lever around and bending over to see if the jack is where it should be.

    I second the others in saying the jack is only to lift the car up until you can put jack stands under it. I was once jacking up a big Chevvy wagon with a beefy bumper jack and the jack broke, dropping the car. Gave me quite a scare!








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    There are basically two types of jack: The small $29 variety, and the larger ones, usually $100 and up. For serious work stay away from the small ones. Build quality is often suspect, and they don't have enough lift to be useful.

    I'm using a "level" brand large jack, which I payed about $150 for, but which I'm seeing these days for around $100. You probably can't get it in the US, seems to be a dutch or euro rebadge company of cheapish chinese tools. Think slightly upmarket of harbor freight, which we don't seem to have a direct equivalent of. First one I got was bad, wouldn't hold up. Exchanged it, second one has stood up to several years of abuse, lugging it around (it's only about 45 kilo (100 lbs) so still quite easy to chuck in the back of your car when going to help a friend), rolling cars around on it, etc, already and seems to be holding up fine. Even came with a spare seal kit should I want to rebuild the cylinder. Now I am fully aware it probably won't last as long as a Lincoln, Snap-on, Gedore or similar jack would, yet being but a fraction of the price I can afford to replace it should the need arise. I've even seen these as spares around main dealer workshops.

    In short, get something that looks like it was at least reasonably put together, test it (jack a spare car up, measure height, come back a few days later and see if it's sunk, work it some cycles, etc), if it holds up it's probably fine. Hydraulic jacks aren't exactly rocket science, and over the last couple of years the chinese seem to have found a way to cheaply produce quite a few hydraulic jack type tools (floor jacks, presses, transmission jacks, spreaders) at bargain prices with at least a passable build quality.

    Of course you should never trust any jack (not even the expensive brand-name ones) as the sole means of holding up a car while you're under it. Of course we all occasionally do just that, "just nip under there and tighten that one nut from behind"... So far I've survived. Past performance does not guarantuee future results.

    Bram








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    If you spend a hundred dollars on a 3 ton floor jack, you should be in business. Even some of the less expensive 2.5 ton jacks, for around $45-75, are very decent. Perioidically the valve mechanisms in the less expensive handle-actuated jacks are in need of final seating. A sharp tap with a hammer usually does the trick, if it's placed to impact right on top of the valve actuator. Not smashing force, just a sharp tap. Otherwise some of the cheaper ones leak and don't hold anything up. I've seen it so bad that they won't even pump up because pressure can't build.

    One thing to consider is the valve mechanism. I wouldn't even touch one that doesn't have a proper floor jack valve, activated by the handle of the jack itself. The el-cheapo ($25-30) jacks with seperate release screw mechanisms are the sudden death variety.

    My home shop jack is a 3 ton Craftsman. It has a small lifting cup, which is nice for frame rails and suspension pieces. The larger, shallower cups are sometimes interfering with other things as they lift, but they are nice for lifting on a wider surface, or lifting with a block of wood mounted on them. In the shop, I use the Chinese variety, less than $100. They hold up to a lot, even pushing cars around on them.

    Just a few more angles to consider.
    --
    Chris Herbst
    1992 745, 68k

    And others:
    93 944, 150k
    90 245, 110k
    88 744, 160k
    87 245, 185k








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    I agree with ringlee; I've got a Chinese 3-1/2 ton that's still going strong after 8 years.
    It's good for 20" lift; any less is a pain.
    NEVER use ANY jack as sole support for a car you're going under.








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    Yeah, I have heard stuff about how the Chinese made jacks won't last, and the Craftsman ones are probably Chinese made.

    However, I have a 3 ton craftsman one, and it has been fine. I use it all the time. It's maybe a couple of years old.

    If I need another jack, I'll probably try to find a hydraulic shop and see if I can get a used/rebuilt good quality one. Maybe even a long frame jack, that would be nice!

    Greg








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    Most of the cheaper ones are made in China. They are OK, but never use one as the support jack: only for lifting, and use jack stands for support. Get one at KMart, Walmart, Sears or the like for around $40 that will lift beyond 16 inches. Ideal would be about 20 inches.








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    You might check with local hydraulic repair facilities. More specifically you might check at an old established auto supply store (if you are lucky enough to have one nearby) about someone who repairs bottle and floor jacks. I was able to find a person who worked at a shop who repaired hydraulic cylinders that repaired jacks on the side. He was able to come up with a nice Lincoln floor jack that he rebuilt for me.

    Randy








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    Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

    If you're going for American, be careful. Sears is selling cheaper Chinese made jacks under the Craftsman brand.

    - alex

    '85 244 Turbo








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      Floor jack recomendations 200 1986

      Two other considerations: make sure the lifting cup goes low enough to get under the front cross member and the differential housing and that the handle is long enough so you don't have to crawl under with it. Lifting height depends on largest size jack stand you'll use.







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