Honda Car Forum

I'm looking around for a decent floor (shop) jack to do oil changes &
minor maint on my '03 Accord. I looked at what Sears had to offer and
most seem really heavy (I have owned floor jacks before so I know
they're not featherweights), except for their aluminum "racing" jack,
which is $200.

Anyone have any recommendations as to where I can find a sturdy model
which doesn't weigh a ton? Sears has a really cheap model which looks
junky to me (I tried one like this years ago & it didn't last long).

TIA

Check out www.northerntool.com. They have a crapload of stuff. Also keep in
mind that if you think you might ever want to jack up a car and puch it
around on the floorjacks casters, a lightweight aluminum jack will fold
like a pancake if you hat a bump. Get a sturdy one if you don't work in a
NASCAR pit crew

I don't know where you live but I would recommend a Costco unit. I got a
nice sturdy 3.5 ton quick rise steel (very heavy) jack for $69.99. It has a
lift of about 18-20 inches I believe for taller vehicles. Costco has an
excellent return policy if you ever have a problem. The other places
generally give you a bunch of crap. It has large wheels and rolls around
easily with a very low lifting point if your car is lowered or whatever

CaptainKrunch


"Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote in message
news:63CMc.9626$YK2.3343305@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t...
> I'm looking around for a decent floor (shop) jack to do oil changes &
> minor maint on my '03 Accord. I looked at what Sears had to offer and
> most seem really heavy (I have owned floor jacks before so I know
> they're not featherweights), except for their aluminum "racing" jack,
> which is $200.
>
> Anyone have any recommendations as to where I can find a sturdy model
> which doesn't weigh a ton? Sears has a really cheap model which looks
> junky to me (I tried one like this years ago & it didn't last long).
>
> TIA

I'd shop around at:

Harbor Freight (if there's one in your area)

www.harborfreight.com

Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Pep Boys, and similar auto parts stores


"Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote
> I'm looking around for a decent floor (shop) jack to do oil changes &
> minor maint on my '03 Accord. I looked at what Sears had to offer and
> most seem really heavy (I have owned floor jacks before so I know
> they're not featherweights), except for their aluminum "racing" jack,
> which is $200.
>
> Anyone have any recommendations as to where I can find a sturdy model
> which doesn't weigh a ton? Sears has a really cheap model which looks
> junky to me (I tried one like this years ago & it didn't last long).
>
> TIA

Caroline wrote:
> I'd shop around at:
>
> Harbor Freight (if there's one in your area)
>
> www.harborfreight.com
>
> Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Pep Boys, and similar auto parts stores

Thanks, Caroline (& the others who responded). I did some Googling after
I posted here and stumbled onto Harbor Freight, as well as ToolKing.com.
There's no HF nearby, but they offer free shipping on orders > $50 and
feature an aluminum jack which weighs in at 35 pounds for $140 (much
less than Sears). Do you have any experience with Harbor Freight?

my experience with harbor freight, which is a few miles from me and which I
visit often, is that they don't offer hardly any high quality items, but the
items they have are good for several uses and the money they charge. They
have many things that you will only use a few times and their prices are
pretty good. I would be hesitant to buy any electrical items such as
compressors, saws, etc. It is generally cheap Taiwan crap. But for the
specialty wrench, tarps, carpet kickers, etc it is a good place to shop.
The jackstands seem good too. There return policy is not as lenient as
other stores.

CaptainKrunch


"Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote in message
newsvTMc.4668$ps5.1892360@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t...
> Caroline wrote:
> > I'd shop around at:
> >
> > Harbor Freight (if there's one in your area)
> >
> > www.harborfreight.com
> >
> > Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Pep Boys, and similar auto parts stores
>
> Thanks, Caroline (& the others who responded). I did some Googling after
> I posted here and stumbled onto Harbor Freight, as well as ToolKing.com.
> There's no HF nearby, but they offer free shipping on orders > $50 and
> feature an aluminum jack which weighs in at 35 pounds for $140 (much
> less than Sears). Do you have any experience with Harbor Freight?

"Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote
> Caroline wrote:
> > I'd shop around at:
> >
> > Harbor Freight (if there's one in your area)
> >
> > www.harborfreight.com
> >
> > Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Pep Boys, and similar auto parts stores
>
> Thanks, Caroline (& the others who responded). I did some Googling after
> I posted here and stumbled onto Harbor Freight, as well as ToolKing.com.
> There's no HF nearby, but they offer free shipping on orders > $50 and
> feature an aluminum jack which weighs in at 35 pounds for $140 (much
> less than Sears). Do you have any experience with Harbor Freight?

Hi Sparky,

I discovered Harbor Freight only about a month ago, when groups.googling
(www.groups.google.com) and looking for shop vises. The Usenet archive has a lot
of chatter about Harbor Freight tools.

I personally have bought a 20 to 200 inch-lb click-type torque wrench there
(approx. $20, on sale from $30) and a Mityvac brake bleeding kit. I am pleased
with both, though I know the torque wrench is no where near top of the line and
may not age as well as the one at Sears for I believe at least three times the
money. As it happens, I found a shop vise that seemed better for the money at
Lowe's.

It seems to me the general word on Harbor Freight is like what CaptainKrunch
said: One gets what one pays for. OTOH, sometimes there's so little difference
in quality that a tool that is very cheap at Harbor Freight but more expensive
elsewhere may often suffice.

In addition to Autozone et al., I would also check Ebay for floor jacks. It's
surprising the deals that may be had there. I did see a few lightweight floor
jacks there.

www.autozone.com is searchable online and indicates it has at least one
lightweight floor jack comparable in price to Harbor Freight's. Maybe visit a
store to see it up close.

Hopefully someone will post with specific experience and the names of the
manufacturers of their personal, lightweight (or not), inexpensive floor jacks.
I don't own one but I have been on the prowl for good deals that might sway me
to buy one.

Sparky wrote:

> I'm looking around for a decent floor (shop) jack to do oil changes &
> minor maint on my '03 Accord. I looked at what Sears had to offer and
> most seem really heavy (I have owned floor jacks before so I know
> they're not featherweights), except for their aluminum "racing" jack,
> which is $200.
harbor freight sells the racing jack for a bit over $100.

>
> It seems to me the general word on Harbor Freight is like what CaptainKrunch
> said: One gets what one pays for. OTOH, sometimes there's so little difference
> in quality that a tool that is very cheap at Harbor Freight but more expensive
> elsewhere may often suffice.

im almost positiva *all* the under-$200 aluminum jacks are made at the
same plant in china, and rebranded.

Caroline wrote:

> "Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote
>
>>Caroline wrote:
>>
>>>I'd shop around at:
>>>
>>>Harbor Freight (if there's one in your area)
>>>
>>>www.harborfreight.com
>>>
>>>Autozone, Checkers, Napa, Pep Boys, and similar auto parts stores
>>
>>Thanks, Caroline (& the others who responded). I did some Googling after
>>I posted here and stumbled onto Harbor Freight, as well as ToolKing.com.
>>There's no HF nearby, but they offer free shipping on orders > $50 and
>>feature an aluminum jack which weighs in at 35 pounds for $140 (much
>>less than Sears). Do you have any experience with Harbor Freight?
>
> Hi Sparky,
>
> I discovered Harbor Freight only about a month ago, when groups.googling
> (www.groups.google.com) and looking for shop vises. The Usenet archive has a lot
> of chatter about Harbor Freight tools.
>
> I personally have bought a 20 to 200 inch-lb click-type torque wrench there
> (approx. $20, on sale from $30) and a Mityvac brake bleeding kit.

Hmmm, I bought a 40-200 Nm torque wrench from Snap-On last year. It will
last a lifetime and I can pass it along to my kids (along with all the
other tools I've accumulated over the years). I have made it a point to
avoid cheap tools - they don't last and you might get hurt if it breaks
at the wrong time.

> I am pleased
> with both, though I know the torque wrench is no where near top of the line and
> may not age as well as the one at Sears for I believe at least three times the
> money. As it happens, I found a shop vise that seemed better for the money at
> Lowe's.
>
> It seems to me the general word on Harbor Freight is like what CaptainKrunch
> said: One gets what one pays for. OTOH, sometimes there's so little difference
> in quality that a tool that is very cheap at Harbor Freight but more expensive
> elsewhere may often suffice.
>
> In addition to Autozone et al., I would also check Ebay for floor jacks. It's
> surprising the deals that may be had there. I did see a few lightweight floor
> jacks there.
>
> www.autozone.com is searchable online and indicates it has at least one
> lightweight floor jack comparable in price to Harbor Freight's. Maybe visit a
> store to see it up close.

Interesting idea, I was at an Autozone just this afternoon and looked at
their aluminum floor jacks. What about the quality of Autozone products?
Their employee didn't seem to know anything about what I was asking
(jacks, oil filter wrenches, etc.).

There's a HarborFreight store in eastern PA, not too far away, and I
might take a ride there to look over their stuff. Their prices don't
look ridiculously cheap when compared to Sears.