Was in Sears this evening checking their prices on, of all things, digital cameras. Wandered into the tool section and took a look at floor jacks. I would really like to get one, the spare tire jack just doesn't quite cut it anymore.

They had a nice 3-ton model for like $70. That's way overkill, right? Even a 2 1/4 would be plenty, right? Although I think my jackstands are heavy-duty 3+ ton models, might be nice to have a matched set..

Any advice?

 

check COSTCO - they even have an aluminum model with high capacity

 

The real thing you want to check on is how high it can lift. My little one is BARELY big enough to get my front tires off the ground jacking under the cradle. Same with my jack-stands.. they're great for the rear axle, but the front "jacking point" is so high up on the front that on the highest notch the tires are barely off the ground.

 

dood i carry a 2 1/4 ton in my tool box...at home we have a 3 ton and it works fine for our trucks...so im sure it'll be fine for ur ranger.

 

I have a 2 1/2 ton hyd jack, and it just barely lifts the tires off the ground, even with the stock 245 tires. but I used a small peice of 4x4 wood, and that gives it the extra couple inches I need to get my truck enough off the ground to work on.

if you get new jackstands, make sure it has 4 corners and not 3. I would say to stay away from ACDelco and Murrary's brand stands too, heard bad stories about them.

 

Not a Costo member, but I know one! ;-) Will have to check that out, thanks..

Brian, what's the specs on yours? What is the max reach? I'm pretty sure this (link) is the one I was looking at. Max height of 21" sounded like plenty to me! I'd rather avoid using a spacer block at this point, but it wouldn't kill me. (I hope!)

My jackstands are actually pretty nice. I think they too are Sears/Craftsman and are very heavy duty. I've never had them extended past half way, they are definitely tall enough for my needs.

 

Colin, I got the 2 1/4 ton jack and jack stands from sears, I think they come in a package. They were on sale when I got them 29.99 for the whole works. The jack works okay. There isn't a height problem even putting on the 33's. On the front I jack on the lower a-arm, not the jacking point that the stock jack is made for. On the rear I jack up both tires at once. Jack pt being the punkin. The 2 1/4 jack does cry a little lifting the whole rear of the truck. A 3 ton would be better. I've been looking around for one but haven't found a stealer deal yet.

U going to have this in the garage or in the truck?

 

For now I'll keep it in my closet and walk it out to the lot when I want to do work. Basically I just need it for rotating tires, which I usually do after hours in the lot here at work. I live in an apartment and they get pissy when you so much as walk to your vehicle w/ a tool-box in hand.

Somday I dream of a garage where I can work on the truck in peace. Right now my proceedure for rotating tires involves the jack-stands and the spare tire jack. As I'm sure most of us know, the spare tire jack takes an eternity, which is why I'm looking at a floor jack. Although my new proceedure is better than my old. I used to mount the spare in on one wheel and rotate each tire. Meant 5x mount and remove proceedures!

$29.99?! Wow, okay, I suppose I'll look around a little longer. I too saw the jack + stand packages. I have the jackstands already, so I have no need. I'll wait for a sale on the 3-ton jack only..

 

Mine is 2½ ton, 14¾" maximum lift. 21" should be plenty.

While we're talking about jacking, I know the owners manual says to never jack the truck up by the diff case, I've been jacking it by the diff just long enough to ghet the jackstands under the actualy jacking points and letting it down. How much harm might I be doing?

 

Thanks for the specs. Maybe I'll have to go buy myself a nice floor jack this weeken! :tup:

As for the jack points: I would think none. I've always thought that the warning in the manual is because the casing does not have a lot of flat areas on it and if used as a jack point the jack could easily slip off. If you are putting stands under right away anyhow, before working on the truck I'd say you're probably okay. But I am not sure.

 

I HEAR YOU BROTHA!!

 

*heads back out to garage to continue zainoing truck in the shade*

 

not only do i have a garage at home, i have several garages with lifts and flat bays at school to do my work =D

 

It say "never jack the truck up by the diff. case"??? If so I would guess that is for safety reasons. U have to block the front tires b4 you jack both the rear tires in the air, or it will roll on you.

Colin-watch those sears sale adds, in the Sunday papers. I'd say the 2 1/4 will be enough to do tire rotates and still be able to carry back and forth from the closet. A 3 ton jack will be much heavier, not sure I would want to carry that back and forth.

 

Yup, I always block the tires before jacking.

 

I have the 2 1/4 ton set from sears and its not very good imo. If your gonna spend the money get a 3 ton that speed lifts. This thing takes forever, the handle is short, and you have to take the handle off and switch it to lower it down. Go Bigger you wont regret it.

 

Yeah, I think I'll go for gold and get the 3-ton. A few years back when I had the '99 I bought one of those hydrolic cylinder jacks. It was cheap and I had a GC. It worked okay for the '99 (4x2, XL suspension, etc) but doesn't help much at all for the new truck w/o a stack of spacer blocks. And I still have to roll around on the ground. I figure I might as well do it right this time. Watching Wowak pop his truck up in the air in the parking lot in Centralia really made me start thinking about this item!

Besides, I'm not a total wimp (just a partial wimp ;-)), I can probably manage carying the jack around when I need it..

 

Bubba, I have a couple suggestions before you get a jack. I got the Craftsman 3.5 ton Professional series for several reasons. 1) It had the highest lifting height aside from the Extended Lift Ranger jack, but that jack had a tiny little saddle on it (about 1.5" across), and the Professional series had a large 4" saddle on it. 2) It came with the pressure valve feature that raises the saddle to the lift point on your vehicle (or whatever you're lifting) with one push, so you do not have to stand there and pump it numerous times before it even gets to where you want it. You will appreciate that feature the first time you use it. I bought my jack included with jackstands for less than $200. You just have to wait for a sale to come along.

 

Thank you for the suggestion. But $200 seems like a helluva lot! The 3-ton model I found was $70, and Adrian's saying he picked up a 2.25-ton + stands for $30! I'm not sure I wouldn't be able to put up w/ the extra pumping on the regular 3-ton in exchange for the $130 savings! Then again it might have some of the same features you mention. I know it had a huge tip/saddle (whatever you call it) it w/ a nice rubber section in the middle. It was, however, not one of the black and yellow 'profesional' units. Although I'll give the whole line another look when I do buy. They were pretty well picked over (low stock) when I was in there the other night. Maybe there's something reasonable that's somewhere in between..

Just spent way too much $$$ on a camera, so it'll have to hold for a month or so anyhow. That and the sale I was thinking of buying it under ended yesterday.

3+ ton does sound like the number to go for though, even if it is overkill for a mini-pickup like our Rangers. As I said, I'd rather do it right once than once not right and a second time right.. ..Although I already bought that STUPID cylinder jack! So I guess I've already been there, done that!

 

If you can find a deal, go for it. But the Professional series has a few extra features that in the long run, because you tend to keep the same jack a LONG time, make it worth the money.

 

Yeah-butt $130 extra!! Ah, you're probably right: I'm probably cheaping out. We'll see. Like I said, money's gone now. Paycheck's next week, we'll see when the dust settles!