Many of the injuries that happen when people are working on cars and trucks can be avoided by using jack stands. Jacks are designed to lift and lower the automobile.

They are not designed to hold automobiles up for an extended period of time. The jack stand is specially designed to hold the automobile in place and is easy to use, inexpensive to purchase and safe.

A car jack stand is designed to hold the weight of a car in place for a long time. Each auto jack stand has an SWL label which means the safe working load and is the maximum weight the stand will safely support. This rating is given each design after extensive tests done by a licensing or regulating authority. Most cars will need a level above two; this information can be located in the owner’s manual, along with instructions on where to place them. A higher rated stand is safe to use; a smaller, lighter unit should not be used. Read the rest of this entry

For those of us that have been driving for more than a couple of years, flat tires are an unpleasant part of it and always will be. If the car you are currently driving is less than 10 years old then you most likely have an automotive scissor jack in your trunk.

Manufacturers these days include a scissors jack in your car that employees a worm gear drive to give all drivers (even small women) the ability to easily lift a vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds in order to change its tire.

A car jack is a good tool to have when presented with a car that has a flat tire and is parked right up against a curb or sidewalk. The 5″ x 9″ footprint this jack has allows it to be placed where larger conventional vertical post jacks would never work. Read the rest of this entry

An essential tool to be included in the tool kit of every responsible car owner is an automotive floor jack. One should be careful about the selection of the jack. as in case of any defect the automotive floor jack repair might prove to be cumbersome.

Automotive floor jacks raise a certain portion of the car. With a conventional car jack, only the required corner of the automobile is lifted. For raising the entire rear or frontal portion of the car specialized car jacks are necessary. When a person needs to replace a tire this gadget comes in very handy.

Car companies usually supply scissor jacks along with the cars they sell. A central screw technique is employed to raise the car up and down. A specialized handle or an ordinary tire-removal gadget smoothly initiates this mechanism.

In order to lift trucks or larger cars, different categories of automotive jacks are required. These have a large toothed shift, a flat base-plate, and a mechanism for ratcheting. Hydraulic jacks are also popular and are available in both the non-wheeled and wheeled versions. A motor mechanic places the big jack under a car to raise it with hydraulic pressure.

These car jacks can also lift the entire rear portion of a car. Safety features are present in every reliable and good automotive floor jacks. A broad base ensures that the jack does not sink or tilt. For providing safety to the car’s owner a specialized handle is also present. A stop-point exists to prevent over extension of the jack beyond its limit.

People should always have a car jack handy when going on long trips. Then any tire replacement can be performed quickly on the road without needing help from others. Jacks can also be used for changing brake pads or oil, if a person likes to do those tasks himself.

These jacks are frequently seen in various garages, car hoods, and other repairing centers. The jacks have made lives easier for vehicle owners or mechanics who like to do all the work themselves. Jacks should be kept on a firm and stable ground as much as possible to get the proper balance. Lips can be attached with the automobile to lift it up in a gentle manner. The air compressor, hydraulic system or arm has to be pumped to lift the car.

Ratings are assigned to the various car jacks that denote their capacity of lifting weight without compromising on security. The automotive floor jack parts are made very robust and resilient to impart power and stability to the gadget. These jacks are capable of lifting weights up to a limit of 20 tons. People who want to purchase jacks for their personal cars would need the 2 / 3 ton varieties.

The bigger the size of the vehicle the larger is its weight. Therefore for big automobiles stronger jacks are required. Farm equipments might require an automotive jack of 10-ton capacity. A person should consider all the factors before buying the appropriate jack. One should know the materials used to manufacture a jack. When alloys are used instead of pure metals, the weight of the jacks reduces.

Cars also have different suspensions, which is a factor influencing the kind of jack purchased. Accurate measurements of all the vertical dimensions should be taken to ensure the proper functioning of the jack. Purchasing a jack with a slightly higher capacity can give you an additional degree of safety.

Here are four reasons to love the new 3 ton trolley jack. This hydraulic trolley jack saves time because it is quicker to use. It saves energy and effort because it is easier to put in the exact position needed. This jack is highly maneuverable and reduces stress. Complete money-saving kits are available which include the jack, two stands and a floor pad or creeper. This adds up to more work being done safely and quickly with a lot less stress.

A car trolley jack lifts automobiles quickly with a few pumps of the handle. These handles allow the user to stand upright along side the automobile in a relaxed and comfortable position. Quick lift jacks are available for people in a hurry, like the pit crew for a racing car. Three or four pumps reach the maximum extension of the jack. A saddle is the lifting device and requires exact placement for maximum benefit. To make lifting quicker, this saddle can have multiple raised positions when there is extra room underneath the lift point and may have a padded top to protect the metal.

Regular trolleys require almost six inches of clearance which is not a problem under most automobiles. Low-profile jacks are available for low riders and other low clearance automobiles. These slip into areas as shallow as three inches. There is a jack available to fit every need. Maximum lift is around 22 inches on specialized units; the normal lift range is 15 to 19 inches.

The 2 ton trolley jack saves effort and time for the mechanic or the do-it-yourself mechanic who needs to place it precisely under the automobile. The handles are one or two piece of pipe up to 50 inches long and may come with a rubber hand grip for easier use. With a handle the jack slides under a car or truck, without the mechanic having to lay down on the concrete or dirt and push another kind of jack in place. Some handles swivel 360° allowing the user to work around obstacles without unnatural body contortions.

These were designed with mobility in mind; the bodies are long and narrow with four or five easy-rolling casters. Many contain roller bearings in the front casters and have ball bearings in the real wheels, which may swivel. A fifth wheel allows quicker adjustments and easier placement. Some units are manufactured with a wider wheel base for more stability. Materials include steel, aluminum and other alloys, specifically designed for these heavy duty chassis to provide maximum support and durability. They are covered with hard baked enamel or a fully anodized finished for easy cleaning and care.

For economy and convenience these come in sets with the trolley and floor jacks. Each set is different and there is one to fit the needs of every mechanic. Floor jacks are used to support the automobile while work is being done and will not allow the unit to fall, if properly placed. A work pad may be included for a softer surface to lie on when under the car. A floor creeper has six easy gliding casters to allow the user to move freely back and forth while underneath the car or truck and may be padded for added comfort.

The hydraulic trolley jack is convenience on wheels. These save time, energy and reduce frustration. The small investment in this will pay for itself quickly.

Until I was in need of a home floor jack due to having a flat tire quite honestly I didn’t know very much about them. I had always used the jack that came with the car. And as you probably know those jacks aren’t very good and can be difficult to figure out how to use.

Fortunately, I have a very nice neighbor who enjoys working on old cars and when he saw that I had a flat tire rolled over his low profile floor jack. It was amazing to me how easily and quickly we were able to jack the car up, change the tire and have it back down again.

That got my attention and caused me to begin to do a bit of looking around and study to find out more about lightweight aluminum floor jacks. These hydraulic floor jacks truly do take the work out of changing a flat tire. And of course that is not the only thing that they are used for but can make it very easy and safe to lift most any car or truck to check for underbody damage or even to do repairs underneath the vehicle.

For most people purchasing a good basic quality floor jack will likely last them for a long time without any need of replacement or repair. A cheap floor jack may not hold up as well and there could be mechanical problems including a leaking floor jack. Like with a lawn mower most people will probably simply throw the old floor jack away and purchase a new one.

If you are a more serious car mechanic or you work on cars a good bit you may purchase a better quality floor jack and decide it is worth repairing. Most floor jack repairs are fairly simple and there are websites that provide floor jack replacement parts as well as what the manufacturer may offer.

While aluminum hydraulic floor jacks can be much safer to use than a standard carjack you still must use them properly. Any floor jack that you purchase will come with safety precautions which should be read and fouled closely. For instance, each floor jack is built to lift a maximum height and weight. You should be sure that you have the proper jack for the job you are doing. If not you can damage the jack itself or even hurt yourself.

Also whatever kind of jack you’re using when lifting a weight the jack should be on a flat level surface. You might also want to place a board underneath the jack if that would help prevent any slipping.

Again like with a lawn mower, some very basic maintenance is needed to keep your hydraulic jack operating as it should and helping it to last a long time. Using the manufacturers specified type of oil you just want to make sure that the jack has the proper level of oil at all times.

Need a 3 ton aluminum floor jack? Craftsman has one that weighs less than sixty-six pounds. That makes it pretty easy to get it positioned where you need it and shouldn’t be too difficult to move around.

Guess that’s why they call it light-weight aluminum. This unity does meet the ANSI/ASME standards. This thing is made for ease of use with a quick release handle, two carrying handles and it takes just two pumps to get the saddle up to the chassis.

Here some reviews found online of this product:Craftsman Professional Aluminum Floor Jack

“This is a nice floor jack until the return spring for the hydraulic assembly breaks. It happened to me on a cold day with no load on it yet and pop, return spring broke. I had it less than a year! Thinking since its a craftsman pro series I’ll just take it back to the store I purchased it from and get a replacement. No luck for me because I didn’t have my proof of purchase. No biggie I thought, I’ll just order the part from parts direct. So I go to parts direct and enter the model number and low and behold, they do NOT recognize the model number. So I call. I was told that they do not show this model as serviceable but they will submit it to their parts research group since it may be so new it may not be listed yet. Two weeks later I get a message from sears stating that the part is not available. That’s it, no options. If your going to buy this I strongly suggest you don’t loose your receipt.”

“Jack is built very well and is very nice for the money considering high end jacks can cost three times as much. It does however, have a few nuances. First when the handle is in the farthest up position it rests on a very sharp piece of metal that was welded as a stopper. I don’t foresee it being a problem other then scratching the heck out of the handle base. Secondly, I had to bleed the ram and add oil right out of the box. These issues are minor and overall I think it is definitely worth the $250 I paid for it!”

I would NOT recommend the Craftsman Professional 3 ton Aluminum Floor Jack! I bled the system several times as I was instructed and it still requires a full release to jack up again. It also won’t jack up without a full handle stroke. I have a Trans Am and cannot make a full stroke. What a pain in the rear! I would have thought for as much as I paid for this it would be flawless! Go to ******* or Autozone!!”

On this page we are listing videos, reviews and more about various models of aluminum floor jacks.

3 Ton Floor Jack – Craftsman Professional Aluminum Floor Jack

Throughout this site, we have tried to emphasize safety measures. There are a few more and some reiteration.

The beauty of a floor jack is that it is much safer than using the old jacks we use to have in the back of our cars (and still do) … but only if they are used properly. By the way, you don’t ever, ever want to get under a car with only the standard car jack.

For additional safety, along with a good sturdy floor jack, you can use jack stands.  You jack the car up with floor jack and then a place a couple of these under support points underneath the car. Then you let the jack down and the jack stands hold the vehicle steady.

Have the right size jack for the weight of your car.

If  you don’t have the right jack for your size vehicle, then don’t force it.

Once you have the vehicle jacked up, test the sturdiness by giving the car a little shake.

Here is another video to take you through the steps of jacking up a car safely. There’s nothing like actually seeing the process:

If you prefer reading, see the link below for a workshop on safely using a floor jack (does have color photos as well):

Safely Using a Floor Jack

Most people who work on their own cars would be prone to want to fix things rather than replace them. Some people just don’t want to throw things away, and with today’s emphasis on conservations and keeping the landfills empty, there’s something to be said for that.

So if you want to fix your broken aluminum floor jack, you can get the necessary floor jack parts and get it done.

Should You Fix Your Aluminum Floor Jack?

Before mentioning some of what is available in replacement parts, you may want to consider your options. Whether you ditch it or fix it really depends on a few factors that I can think of off the top of my head.

Like what is wrong with the unit and how much it will cost to fix it. Is it worth your time to fix it? You have got to figure what is wrong with it, get any replacement parts and actually do the repair. Maybe time is not a factor so much and you take a lot of pride in figuring things out. Whereas the guy down the road throws things away, you give them new life! And rather than sit in front of the TV all day watching the depressing news, you would rather be out doing something constructive with your hands.

Another question you might ask yourself is how long have you had it? Maybe for years, which means you can feel like you got your money’s worth out of it. Manufacturers are also upgrading their products, and you might find a new and improved model that you would like to have. Do you know what you doing? If you don’t, you could hurt yourself trying to fix the thing.

I have read on some of the forums related to floor jacks, that some people like to buy the cheap floor jacks and just replace them when they wear out. I’m sort of that way with lawnmowers. But I’m not sure it is the same thing. There is a safety issue here. It was mentioned on another page that when you use a floor jack you should also use floor stands for extra protection. If you do, then you may not be as concerned about a sudden floor jack failure. And the less expensive jacks may be fine for you if you are shade tree mechanic type. Others warn about the cheap jacks, usually identified as Chinese manufactured. Again, just a decision you’ll have to make.

If You Decide to Repair Your Floor Jack

Now about parts for floor jacks. You may want to check with the place where you bought your unit. I am thinking that you got a Craftsman floor jack from Sears that you could check with them first if you have a local store.

I see a lot of mentions of getting a reasonably priced aluminum floor jack at Costco. Costco doesn’t sell replacement parts as far as I know. My guess is that the owners manual and information that came with your purchase would have some information about getting floor jack parts.

My next suggestion is that you find a forum thread on floor jacks and ask a question about how to resolve your particular problem. It seems that sometimes it is an easy repair that you could do without necessarily having buy additional parts. If you do need parts, you can get some direction as where to find what you are looking for if you mention your model in the forum. A picture of your jack can help too.

I was unable to find a video about repairing floor jacks. Maybe someone will take the hint.

What are the keys for correctly operating an aluminum floor jack?

Note: These are only general guidelines. You should completely follow the directions that are provided in your owner’s manual for the jack you have.

First, you need to park the vehicle on a completely flat area.  A driveway for instance with no slope.  Put it in park and put on the emergency brake.  You can also use a triangle block to place under the wheel for extra safety and to keep the vehicle moving even an inch.

Next you have to decide where to place the jack stand and what support points you’ll use on the vehicle. If you don’t know for sure, don’t do it.  Check the owners manual for direction.  Do the wrong thing here and you could hurt yourself seriously or at least damage the car.

When you are finished working and ready to lower the jack, make sure everything is clear. Then lower the jack slowly and gently.  If you do it suddenly and something is’nt right, again you could do some major damage to yourself, someone else nearby or what you are working on.

If you have never used the jack before, you can try raising and lowering it a few times before actually using it just to get a feel for how it operates.

The video below gives some basic operating instructions for using an hydraulic aluminum floor jack, or any floor jack for that matter.  Nothing like seeing, and this video of about 1 minute in length will give you an overview of using a floor jack.