I've got a HF jack similar to the one listed for at least 10 years. It is the slow version without the second rapid lift pump but it still works. That is my go-to jack when I need to work on something not at my own house since I can quickly remove the handle and toss it in my trunk. I'm of the opinion that any stable, properly-sized jack is sufficient if it doesn't leak down quickly before you can get a jack stand under it. I always use a jack stand. My greatest fear is that one of my cars will fall on me so I have 8 jack stands scattered around the shop. I never want to be tempted to "just this once, it will only take a minute" go without a jack stand.
Oh Wow Briz I think you posted that before?? Has it healed well? That is one big fear of mine and I have seen people go under a car with a bumper jack when I was young.. I remember being 10 years old or so and having a mini bike with a Briggs and Stratton and not yet knowing much about engines. There was a man who owned a small engine repair shop who knew his stuff and was built with muscles over muscles all from hard work. Years later I heard he did the unthinkable by climbing under a car that wasn't supported proper for that 1 minute quick fix and it fell and crushed him The man knew his stuff and this impulse killed him.. On a better note, I didn't know the double pumps are what makes the jack rapid.. I just thought it distributed the load ..
Yes, I've known of at least two people killed by car crushing. I can't imagine it is a pretty way to go. As for the jacks, one pump is higher volume with a low pressure relief valve. The other is the standard lower volume, working pressure pump. I had a 20-year-old jack that had served me well but had started to leak. I took it to a local hydraulic shop where they said they could rebuild it with new seals and O-rings. It leaked worse than when I took it to them. From then on, I never bother with a jack repair. I kept the handle because it makes a heck of a cheater bar!
As kids with are first cars we would use cinder blocks, wood stumps, pieces of 2x4's or anything we might find at times to support with a scissor jack. I wasn't there to see this but my friend was working on his 70 428 Mach 1. Maby 15 years ago we pieced together the facts that it was Super Cobra Jet package with the 4:30 gears. This car was SOLID and straight and he sold it in 1984 ish for $1,000 ANYWAY's, back to the story another friends brother was with my friend as he was under the Stang working on the clutch fork. My friends brother had dropped out of grade school and couldn't read or know fractions. The friend under the car wanted a wrench and kept asking him for it and finally had enough as he kept giving him the wrong wrench. He gets out from under the car and starts cussing this poor kid about the wrong wrenches and then Blam the Stang slams to the ground. I was told it was within 5 seconds.. God was watching out that day.. I'm a little lost, the 2 pumps your talking about are for different jacks or the way the rapid pump ones work with the 2 separate ones?
It aches constantly. After a day of hard work on my feet I can not walk correctly the next day. a day at the race track gives the same results as it my go fast foot. But hey, At least I can still walk! A week or so before that incident happened I was under the race car for a quick fix. Lead from the start button was not making good contact with the solenoid. Jack was only holding it up just enough to slide under. Daughter walked up and grabbed the handle and it came down. The header collector was resting on my neck just below my chin and I was stuck. I calmly instructed Juli to twist the handle to the left and pull it back 3 times. She was about 14
Like 2001ws6 said "Holy Fuzk"!! I'm freaking out just thinking about it......... I think you would of mentioned it if the race car was started before and the headers were hot Good for Juli Just what happened with the foot injury? I can't remember..
Had my F250 up on stands doing all 4 wheel brake job, lube, gen maintenance ect. Finished and lifted from the diff, removed the rear stands. Jack handle is not long enough to reach out from under the rear of the truck so ya have to kneel and reach under to twist the handle to lower the jack. My R knee was under the rear bumper. When the handle was slightly turned the truck came down fast and my knee was still under the bumper. Had no time to get out of the way. Pushed the leg bones through the bottom of my foot, messed up my ankle and broke the bone in the bottom of my foot. Got a plate, bunch of screws in there.
I have an earlier version of the HF jack in #1 with a square saddle and the rapid pump. I got it when I decided enough was enough lifting the same sized but way heavier steel version into the trunk for the track. Working great for many years now and saves my back. I had to install some new retainer rings on the front wheels after a few years but that was minor. The rapid pump does not make a difference when the jack is actually lifting the weight. All it does is get up to the object it will be lifting with minimal pumps, after that it is normal. Nothing like the NASCAR jacks.
I'm thinking of the 2 or 2.5 ton aluminum jack. Thing is I liked the 1.5 ton that had the one big roller up front which would help with jack stand clearance. The 2 ton and up have the usual side wheels. I guess it's a price I have to pay for a light weight jack. At least my car is framed car and not a unibody which makes it hard to find a spot for the stands with the floor jack lifting it. Billy, I looked at Autozone for a while at their AL jacks like you had posted. They look to be the same manufacturer as Harbor's and others but seem to be a bit more money, but i'm sure there is a deal for one somewhere or coming up..
Actually not bad as Harbor Freights is $170 for the same 2 1/2. Wonder who has a better warranty with out paying extra? Mentioning this because I bought a cheapie Harbor jump starter for $70 and it was only warranted for 30 days and payed a extra $13 for a lifetime warranty. Was "told" no matter if it didn't have the power to jump start a car or got run over by a car it was covered now. Time will tell if it was a big fib?
harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/floor-jacks/3-ton-low-profile-rapid-pump-floor-jack-56617.html I'm having hard time linking this 3 ton jack. It has a customer made review where he un boxes it and finds a sheet with instructions to fill it to the top with hydraulic fluid and he goes through the process of filling with fluid he bought from Walmart. Whats wrong here?
