Aluminum Race Jacks...anyone use/have one?
#1
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Aluminum Race Jacks...anyone use/have one?
anyone use or have an aluminum jack?
I'm considering to pick one up but I'd like to hear of some past experiences from you members
I'm considering to pick one up but I'd like to hear of some past experiences from you members
#2
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Define "racing" jack. I use an aluminum jack from Kragen (Powerbuilt) with 1.5 ton capacity and the thing only weighs 19 lbs. It's still to high to clear the front undertray to get to the subframe, but my car is pretty damn low.
I passed on the $200 "racing" jack at Kragen because I still don't think it would have cleared, it weighed more, and I really don't have to use the jack often enough for $120 more.....
I passed on the $200 "racing" jack at Kragen because I still don't think it would have cleared, it weighed more, and I really don't have to use the jack often enough for $120 more.....
#3
Airflow is my life
I got one of the Harbor freight specials. I got it when it first came out (169). Now they got it for $89. Its ok for the paddocks limited duties, but Id never consider it for a daily garage jack.
#4
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I have a Craftsman alum jack. I like the quick lift on the first pump feature, but the lever arm feels like it's bending a bit when I lever down on it. I didn't like that it almost tipped over while lowering my diff during a swap, either. OTOH, that's what my steel 3 ton jack is for anyway. It's much wider.
I'd buy one, it's a joy to have such a light jack. Just remember that it's narrow, and not good for all jack duties.
PaulC
I'd buy one, it's a joy to have such a light jack. Just remember that it's narrow, and not good for all jack duties.
PaulC
#5
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This is what I have and use on regular garage and race day tire swap duty.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40105
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40105
#6
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the one I'm looking at is this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEBWA%3AIT
any comments?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEBWA%3AIT
any comments?
#7
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That is the exact same as harbor freights sell.
Originally posted by REFLUX
the one I'm looking at is this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEBWA%3AIT
any comments?
the one I'm looking at is this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEBWA%3AIT
any comments?
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#10
harbo frieght ones...
i have used it to the max..mulitple track days...whored out to other drivers...haha..it has served it's purpose well..
be careful of the bolts are thy like to come loose...
other than that, no complaints so far...
I use it at home to lift the car too..but for extended preiods of my other heavier cars, I prefer to use my AC jack...
i have used it to the max..mulitple track days...whored out to other drivers...haha..it has served it's purpose well..
be careful of the bolts are thy like to come loose...
other than that, no complaints so far...
I use it at home to lift the car too..but for extended preiods of my other heavier cars, I prefer to use my AC jack...
#11
Originally posted by Rx7carl
I got one of the Harbor freight specials. I got it when it first came out (169). Now they got it for $89.
I got one of the Harbor freight specials. I got it when it first came out (169). Now they got it for $89.
#12
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Tehere are several AL "racing" jacks available now. Some are better than others. I think common sense should be used here...an $89 jack probably isn't going to work for a Nascar team but may be just fine fo changing tires a few times a year...
I have the Harbor Freight jack and have been pretty happy with it. lifting the tire off the ground in three pumps is GOOD. I doubt it's going to last like a "real" good jack would but there are supposed to be parts available...
Cory
I have the Harbor Freight jack and have been pretty happy with it. lifting the tire off the ground in three pumps is GOOD. I doubt it's going to last like a "real" good jack would but there are supposed to be parts available...
Cory
#13
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I found a local shop selling an AL jack made by PROFORM...anyone even heard of such a company??
It seems like they're geared towards domestics
as for getting a good quality jack, all I have right now is one of those cheap $50 ones you pick up from Walmart/AutoZone/etc, so I don't think I can go any lower on the quality scale.
It seems like they're geared towards domestics
as for getting a good quality jack, all I have right now is one of those cheap $50 ones you pick up from Walmart/AutoZone/etc, so I don't think I can go any lower on the quality scale.
#14
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I was looking at this one.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...X&appId=563933
Do you think its the same as the one on ebay?
Carl, how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...X&appId=563933
Do you think its the same as the one on ebay?
Carl, how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
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Originally posted by Maguire
... how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
... how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
I was debating spending the extra bucks on the Craftsman, but I was able to pick up the HF Aluminum jack for $110. I have many uses for the saved $90 ..... like tires.
-Don
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I've had one of the $169 HF jacks for about 3 years, and I beat the snot out of it. For instance, I used it to reposition the trusses in my garage after all the flooring, roof sheathing, etc had been done, and it still works fine. BTW, the $89 HF jack isn't the same thing, it's like a 3/4 scale version of the big one.
#20
Ex fd *****
HF sells Three diff alum Jacks - the 3000lb "Racing Jack" in two versions - the Silver one (curently $129on the web site)- And Anodized Colors ones ($139) (they are actually slightly different look closly at the side rails) and a Larger 2 ton model ($199) HF also sells a 1/4 size working scale model of the anodized jack.
I have the silver 3000lb model that I use in the garage - It easily fits under the side rail of the fd but is not long enough to get to the crossmember from the front. It also lifts my Dakota with ease (the Dak is aprox 3900#)
I have the silver 3000lb model that I use in the garage - It easily fits under the side rail of the fd but is not long enough to get to the crossmember from the front. It also lifts my Dakota with ease (the Dak is aprox 3900#)
Last edited by maxpesce; 05-21-04 at 10:40 AM.
#22
Airflow is my life
Originally posted by Maguire
I was looking at this one.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...X&appId=563933
Do you think its the same as the one on ebay?
Carl, how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
I was looking at this one.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...X&appId=563933
Do you think its the same as the one on ebay?
Carl, how high is the harbor freight one in the back? I need to be able to fit it under my airdam to get to the crossmember. I have about 6.5" of clearance.
#24
A real race jack costs anywhere from $900 for a shop jack (about 3-4 pumps) to $1500+ for a race jack (1-2 pumps) They wheigh about 19 pounds or so but that's just me guessing.
#25
Rotary Enthusiast
I have this jack I got at the Price Club (now Costco?) 14 years ago. It weights about 30 lbs... takes about 15 or so pumps to get the car up, barely fits under the side of the car, parts including wheels sometimes fall off of it. But hey... it works!
I'm kinda attached to it... but yeah... time to invest in a new jack.
I'm kinda attached to it... but yeah... time to invest in a new jack.