recomend a good jack and stands?

ttocs · Jan 3, 2012

I am going to get a jack, some stands as well as a creeper and a creeper-seat for my garage. I will probably just go to harbor freight for teh creeper/seat unless there is a better deal somewhere but I don't like the idea of my car being held above me by the lowest bidder harbor freight could find. I will also be lowering the car shortly and need to keep that in mind but was curious what you could recomend/find?

1997gtRioRed · Jan 3, 2012

i have had horrible luck with harbor freight jacks. they like to drop down REALLY fast no matter how slow you turn the handle.

the BEST jack i have ever had is a michelin 3.5 ton speedylift. we picked it up at sams club like 5 years ago for $70. love it. im not sure if you can even buy them anymore

joekd · Jan 3, 2012

I have a couple paris of these stands from Sears, only like $20 a pair, ratcheting and have never had a single worry with them

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950182000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

I use the HF roller seat (red round one with tray on the bottom) and their aluminum jack. It's hit or miss on the jacks (like most HF stuff) but mine is on 2+ years without fail. I have changed the fluid in it but that's it.

ttocs · Jan 3, 2012

the last thing I want to think/worry about while I am under it is the quality which is why I am asking. I have never bought one before but it is time to do so....

g36 monkey · Jan 3, 2012

I spent the extra dollar and got the low profile Torin Big Red aluminum jack. Thing is awesome.

Musturd · Jan 3, 2012

I use a performance too 3 1/2 ton jack with there 5ton jack stands there over kill but with them all the way down its high enough almost to do a tranny swap. I have 12 of them 8 at my shop and 4 at the house.

joekd · Jan 3, 2012

As long as you don't exceed the rating on the jack stands and use them correctly safety will never be an issue

Steve-Oh · Jan 3, 2012

Been using these to hold the car in the air for months now. They are pretty big though, minimum height of about 14"

joekd · Jan 3, 2012

I have a set of those 3 ton ones too, like he said they are big. I still prefer using the 2 1/4 ton ones because their low height is like 10.5"

OnyxCobra · Jan 3, 2012

I will never get another Harbor Freight jack, every time I use ours it pisses me off. Spend the money on something quality. no problems with my orange/white HF jack stands though.

ttocs · Jan 3, 2012

again knowing what kind of quality I expect from harbor freight tools, I require something of better quality to suspend my car above me. I have never got a single tool from them that I did not buy with the idea of "who cares when it breaks" and that is just not what I am looking at right now. Might just take a look at sears.

Doc_G · Jan 3, 2012

I have the HF 3 ton stands and their 3 ton heavy duty jack. I got the jack because it lifts higher than 18" and I've yet to have a problem with either of them. It's going on 3 years I think, since I bought them, and they are worth every penny I spent on them. What's more I got a life time replacement warranty at no extra cost to me.

CC'S95GT · Jan 3, 2012

I got this jack from Summit almost a year ago.
Love it. it gets under my lowered car. and I can still operate the handle with only a couple inched clearance.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G1020/
Luckily Summit is 5 minutes away so shipping isn't a prob.