Aluminum Jacks

Shifty Powers · Mar 1, 2014

So I was thinking since I do not live at home anymore to use my 3.5 ton low pro Arcan jack. I need to get myself a nice lighter aluminum low pro jack. Harbor Freight will be having a decent sale on some. I could get the 1.5ton one for 69. Although I feel I would want at least the 2 ton one, if not to shell out the money and get the 3 ton one for the shit of it so im not fully stressing this thing and I can lift whatever.
The purpose for you guys that will ask is to take this with me to certain events and just to be able to move from place to place. My Arcan weighs 100 lbs.. so one weighing 39-50 would be more ideal, hence aluminum. Plus Ill grab a few stands while I am at it.. The little bit I lift this car, this shit should last me quite some time.

On a side note. My Arcan XL35R has lasted me for years (and is used frequently, probably at least every other weekend at least during summer/winter) and I will not hesitate to ever buy another one. For anyone looking for a quality jack to keep at home; buy this.

Whats everyones opinions on this? The aluminum jacks that is

btw for you FL and down south people. Terrapin Hopsecutioner is a pretty decent IPA

CC'S95GT · Mar 1, 2014

I think I would at least get the 2 ton jack.

94mustanggtfast · Mar 1, 2014

yea i made the mistake of getting a regular jack and doing work in the back yard so it barely rolls and is a pain to lift and carry so a aluminum one sounds like a good idea

joekd · Mar 1, 2014

I bought the 1.5 alum one so I could easily move it around the garage and store away, have never done a thing to it and now almost 4 years later it is just starting to have issues (won't go down unless under load)

I could probably change the fluid and put some grease on all the moving points and make it good as new again but figure for $69 I will just pick up a new one

ttocs · Mar 1, 2014

There are a lot of tools I will buy at HF but not sure I trust lifting my car with anything made with the usual harbor freight quality to get a jack. Personally I would say that with as much as could go wrong with a bad jack from messing up your car to messing you up I would spend the extra $$$ to get something better quality.

DropTopPony · Mar 1, 2014

Dudes whats up bros?

I have one of those cheap HF aluminum jacks and its held up for several years. I bought one from Sears a few years back for double the money and it lasted half the time. Sorry to make you do math.

I like having the cheapy around to take on the road if the wife gets a flat etc and the quality really isn't that bad. I was just thinking of getting a bigger aluminum jack from HF for in the garage use.

Shifty Powers · Mar 1, 2014

Well since it seems a few guys were thinking about this. Good thread timing!

I have had a bunch of cheaper sears jacks and all and the Arcan is the first badass one that is a ****ing beast and has lasted the longest..

But to have a 50 LB 3 ton aluminum one would be good I think and put a bit less stress on it since it isnt stressing it so it should last a bit. But if [MENTION=11138]joekd[/MENTION] has had the 1.5 ton and lifted a bunch of things with no issue I might be fine buying that.. But really may buy a 3 ton lol.

Plus their stands will be on sale too. so might pick up a few

joekd · Mar 1, 2014

I have used it on everything from my daughters little mercury cougar to the explorer without any problem

Keep in mind all I do is use it to lift he car then immediately get stands under there

Steve-Oh · Mar 1, 2014

Take your pick Shifty!

I don't think I'd trust any jack holding up a car without stands.

Sent from Space

Edit: fixed the sideways pic.

KillNThrill24 · Mar 1, 2014

^Agreed 100% always have the stands.

But I have that 1.5 ton you're probably talking about and it's served me well so far. I got mine for free because the cashier forgot to ring it up but.. I'd still have bought it is the point

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Caboose302 · Mar 1, 2014

KillNThrill24 said:
I got mine for free because the cashier forgot to ring it up but.. I'd still have bought it is the point

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

How the hell did they miss that? Best I can ever hope for is if someone misses a Snickers. Even then I'm stoked I got a free candy bar.

Sent from mah Obamafone

Suspect · Mar 1, 2014

i have 3 from HF all have been good to me. i get my jackstands from summit tho.

chris91 · Mar 2, 2014

I've had the 1.5 ton for like six years. It just started not wanting to lift anything too high. I have used it on countless cars trucks and suvs through the years. I just recently bought the steel three ton and its really nice.

Shifty Powers · Mar 2, 2014

Steve-Oh said:
Take your pick Shifty!

I don't think I'd trust any jack holding up a car without stands.

Sent from Space

Edit: fixed the sideways pic.

would surely prefer one of the lower profile ones.. but we shall see what happens

Steve-Oh · Mar 2, 2014

Shifty Powers said:
would surely prefer one of the lower profile ones.. but we shall see what happens

I actually have the gray steel one (towards the back after the little red one) and it works pretty good. I was just in the store today and snapped that pic real quick because I remembered you mentioning it lol. Regardless those were the only alum ones they had out, I'm sure they have other ones on their site. :thumbsup:

Shifty Powers · Mar 2, 2014

They only have like 3-5 on their site even.. But the larger back aluminum one with the lower profile and separate front wheels will probably be the one i will get. I need to make sure it can get far under the car to hit the SFCs as thats how I jack the car up now.

good job getting the pic lol

KillNThrill24 · Mar 2, 2014

Caboose302 said:
How the hell did they miss that? Best I can ever hope for is if someone misses a Snickers. Even then I'm stoked I got a free candy bar.

Sent from mah Obamafone

HF was having one of their big ass sales and my parents went there and picked up a bunch of shit. Like a welding cart for our welder and gas, and an auto darkening helmet, a few toolboxes on wheels... And a bunch of other stuff that the brand doesn't really matter on. Since the jacks were on sale too my mom figured she'd get me a new one for the mustang since the craftsman was a pita to use... She got home and showed me the receipt and I was like "what?". She was like "find the jack on there"... I couldn't find it. Lol. Don't know how but somehow the cashier missed it and put it in the cart

Caboose302 · Mar 2, 2014

Haha, score! I need to head over there and look at their low pro jacks soon. As of right now I have to have someone lift up on the fender/qp to get the jack under it. Getting very old...

Sent from mah Obamafone

Shifty Powers · Mar 2, 2014

yea that blows man

mcglsr2 · Mar 3, 2014

Steve-Oh said:
Take your pick Shifty!

I have the 3rd jack from the bottom (though mine has a square pad instead of round). I've had it for 4 or 5 years now I think, something like that. Still using it to this day, it's worked great for me.