Suggested decent budget/quality floor jack available in walk-in stores

Put one on each side and make yourself a teeter totter.

Yeah thats the one, it's great because if you have to pick it up and take it somewhere it's not very heavy. In theory 3 tonne should be enough for your Explorer but I can't say for sure how it will hold up in the long run, I have a few friends who own the same jack and it's been great for them but they only use it for Imprezas or Silvias etc.

>Also should I get the axle stands to prolong the floor jack life? or for stability? or both?.
Both really, you shouldn't get underneath a car without an axle stand for safety reasons and I can't imagine leaving your jack loaded up for long periods of time would be particularly good for the seals.

If I'm doing a quick job under the car I jack it up and place an axlestand (or two) underneath, but don't both to lower it down, just so there's something there to catch the car if the jack fails.
If I'm leaving it propped up for a long time I'll lower it onto the axle stands usually just jack it back up a touch so the jack is taking up a little bit of the weight.

I gotcha. makes sense that if the floor jack might give since it's basically being held by some hydrolic thing right? while jack stands is supported by a metal.

I'm new to this and plan to end up changing my rotors and stuff also when I do jack up a vehicle do I just put it in park or put the e-brake on?. Or both?. It won't mess up the e-brake if I jack up one corner?.

I'm
got em both from Harbor Freight...and a set of jack stands...no I don't leave it lifted with the jack...and the add on piece also works for left side/right side!!!

Never heard of that. What is that like a autozone/advance auto care but better quality stuff?.

Looks like closest one to me is about 30 minutes away.

Harbor Freight is a budget/discount tool store...they have just about everything and anything you can think of...however...some products are of abysmal quality, others are just great...if you've never been, I recommend taking the drive. I'll almost guarantee you'll find something you didn't even know you needed!!!

I have the steel version - $80, iirc and it works great

Is these even a question? The Daytona 3 ton from harbor freight is by far the best bang for your buck. Snap on even tried to sue because they basically just ripped off the snap on design

Wow. That one does look good. $200 and it has very good reviews. I'm strongly considering this. Is it American?.

Idk man I own one ove used a lot it's low profile and high rise enough that o did a transmission swap in my driveway

Also, sign up for their email coupons u can snatch it for like 165 with either the 25 percent off coupon or sometimes it goes onsale by itself too

cool good idea. I should have checked out their black friday stuff.

And to still for harbor freight even harder u can get a pair of their 6 ton jack stands for super cheap too. Highly recommend there Daytona 3 ton their 6 ton jack stands and their 800lb low pro tranny jack I can vouch for all of those

Hey guys, OP here. Couple more questions if anyone is interested.

Is changing my own shocks practical if I'm a beginner and only have a floor jack and jack stands?. Or is that something that can really only be comfortably done by totally lifting in the air (meaning I'd have to pay a mechanic to do it)?.

Also any suggestions for versatile torque wrachets/wrenches?

Shocks are usually easy as fuck m8 but it all depends on the car and where the shock mounts are. Also if they're inside your springs and need to compress those that gets a little sketchy

Harbor freight has decent torque wrenches for cheap

Cool. I'm considering it. I'm watching youtube videos on how to change them for a sport trac 2003 and looks simple enough for me. I'm watching them over and over to get familiar so when it comes to do it I'll be ready.

Don't leave it propped up on the jack when working. In case you have forgotten, the jack is on wheels which makes it unstable. In addition, the jack can fall. Set the vehicle down on a jack stand.

When I need to turn the wheel (assuming one corner of the truck is set on a jack stand), do I turn the wheel? or force the actual assembly thing with my hand?. Does it matter as long as I don't get in the truck I suppose?.

If you need to turn the wheel, you should have the whole front end jacked up. Trying to turn the wheel with one on the ground will move the vehicle, possibly causing it to fall.

How did you get the balls to jack up your car for the first time bros? I'm pretty scared to get under it, I have a floor jack and jack stands as well as ramps

Shit, that's what I thought. Well, I really was wondering that for changing shocks. They have the wheels turned for easy access I think. At the same time there are some videos where they force the wheel assembly to a different direction by hand. I guess that's when it was fully raised though.

I think I will be comfortable with a floor jack once I get one. With three wheels on the ground also I think I'll be confident.I still don't want to get underneath it though. I will end up getting jack stands but still don't trust those things. I feel like they will tip over very easily. I guess I'll have to get over that fear though. They should be pretty sturdy otherwise people wouldn't use them.

I've seen people put a tire under the car so if it fall you have cushion to get your lanky ass out of there, my car weighs

My car weighs 3,600 pounds so not sure that tire is gonna help too much*

OK, OP here. I'm getting closer to my decision. I'm now certain that I'm going to go with either...

the Pittsburgh 3 ton like here harborfreight.com/3-ton-Low-Profile-Steel-Heavy-Duty-Floor-Jack-with-Rapid-Pump-61282.html

or the Arcan 3 ton like here costco.com/3-Ton-Professional-Grade-Aluminum-And-Steel-Service-Jack.product.100222458.html

I'm between the two and still have a couple days to make my decision since Shit will all be closed tomorrow and I'll still probably not go to Costco OR Harbor Freight until Wednesday.

I'm comfortable with a $100 one considering It will be my first one and I do have faith in these to for what I need it for. I'm not a mechanic and will only be doing small tasks for now.

I've heard of that. I think people also put thick chunks of wood right?. That seems like a good idea but I"m too lazy to nail a bunch of wood together because I'm not even in the mechanic realm yet and I suck even more at carpentry.

I have ramps for my 240z. Lat time all I did was toss a chain onto the subframe and pull it up the ramps with my Tacoma. put the ebrake on, jacked up the rear diff with a thick block of wood between diff and jack, put all 4 jack stand under the vehicle as extra support, shit wasn't going anywhere without an earthquake. Pick up ramps for $40, rhinos are rated 6k lbs a pop.

Rhinos have great reviews. Not sure why the few bad pictures of cracked plastic make me say "fuck no" when I know chances are mine will work well.

I have that exact harbor freight jack, works well and I paid 80 bucks with tax with a coupon I found online. I put a hockey puck on my jack saddle to prevent frame damage.

I have the one from harbor freight, it's pretty damn good for the few times I've used it so far. I'd go for that. The only stupid thing is it had some metal clip in the hole where you put the long arm in, no idea why it was there but it was a bitch and a half to pry it out with pliers, and once you do the thing will flick out and fly somewhere so you gotta do it right so it doesn't ricochet off something.

I do the hockey puck thing too!!!...GM wanted urethane pucks for like $75 a piece

what car do you use this for?

Harbor freight Daytona jack

A few

Does anybody have experience with the Costco Torin aluminium/steel 1.8 ton jack? Saw it for $155 AUD, but just not sure how safe it is.

Since WHEN did...BOOMERS....join on Veeky Forums!!! lol

bought one of these from costco. also have a pair of 5000kg jack stands

OP here. Still thinking of each one of these two while I wait until I actually purchase. So far I still see them as equal, only I really noticed that the handle on the Arcan seems rather convenient for transporting this thing. I do plan on eventually using it to help my wife or friend in need if they ever get a flat or need something done and I need to leave the house with it.

Bob is this you?

I'm seriously looking at one of these they look super nice for what they are.

It could literally lift my entire car if needed. Any one of the three actually. Plus the arm height capability is unmatched for the price. I have one of the Aluminum ones from HF (think 1.5 ton, the one with the roller in front) and while it's nice to roll around and easy to maneuver it simply can't lift my car as high as I'd like it to.

When you don't have a lift, every fucking inch you can get, matters.

The 1.5 ton has been updated. it now has more steel parts and doesn't lift as high.
Get the 2 ton aluminum instead.

How much did you pay?

nope.

Have this same one, going on 3 years. Hasn't failed me yet. Lifts up my 99 Frontier no issue