Whether you need to swap out a flat tire, change the oil or perform some other repairs on your car or truck, you're probably going to need a floor jack. About the only people that don't need one are folks that pay others to do this sort of work, already have some fancy hoist in their garage or drive an insanely lifted brodozer that's so tall a middle-schooler could walk underneath without ducking. For everyone else, you'd better clear some space for a floor jack.
You can have the most well-equipped garage, chock-full of the greatest tools, but none of those items will be of any value if you can't access the parts on your ride that need to be serviced. Since most adults can't shimmy underneath today's low-riding cars and crossovers that are designed for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, they need to be elevated to gain enough clearance to, you know, actually work on stuff. Enter the humble car jack. Demystifying these mundane but indispensable tools is this handy guide. Keep on readin' to learn about the different types of jacks out there, what they're used for and which ones you should own. All product recommendations are based on based on real-world experience and user reviews.
If you want a high-quality, long-lasting, super-versatile floor jack, consider this premium, heavy-duty Torin unit. It can support up to 3 tons (6,000 pounds), features a 20-inch lifting height and comes with a two-year manufacturer warranty. A quick-lift pump design gets the business end up to the vehicle you're lifting much faster so you're not sitting there pumping the handle going seemingly nowhere. This low profile floor jack should easily slide under even aggressively dropped vehicles, plus its near 67-pound weight and heavy-duty steel construction (emphasis on heavy) means it's built to last. This is certainly a premium hydraulic floor jack.
OK, now we're talking! This right here, folks, is a serious floor jack, a top-quality, professional-grade jack. At $887 it is far, far from cheap, but for dealerships and repair shops, it's tough to top. Built by OTC, a world-renowned company, this air-assisted hydraulic jack is a real honey and loaded with plenty of premium features. The spring-loaded handle, for instance, locks in three positions, the front wheels are fitted with roller bearings and the aft-mounted casters with ball bearings so it rolls and turns effortlessly, the hydraulic ram is chrome plated for enhanced durability and it has a bypass feature that prevents you from lifting more than its 5-ton (10,000-pound) weight-capacity rating. This is the Cadillac of Jacks. Actually, it's better than that; it's the Rolls-Royce of car jacks. And at a husky 196 pounds, it should be nigh on indestructible.
5 things to know about floor jacks
- One of the most important things to know is that you should never climb under a vehicle if it's only supported by a jack. Never do this, like, ever because it's super dangerous. If the jack fails or someone else bumps it, you could be maimed or crushed to death. Yeah, not pretty. Always use jack stands, which will support the vehicle should the car jack, you know, not.
- You can get away without using jack stands if you're, say, only swapping out wheels or something where you're not crawling underneath the car or truck, but even in these situations it's better to be safe than sorry. If the floor jack drops it may not hurt you, but it could damage the vehicle, and that's never good, either.
- Aside from jack stands, a good set of wheel chocks is recommended, too. These little wedges can prevent a car or truck from rolling back when lifted, something that, as you might imagine, can cause all kinds of trouble. Sure, the vehicle's parking pawl, transmission or parking brake (or all three) should hold it stationary, but a little insurance is still a good idea.
- If you're shopping for a floor jack, there are many varieties to choose from, but the rolling floor jacks are probably the best option for most do-it-yourselfers. They're versatile, not too large and plenty powerful enough to lift even a heavy vehicle like a full-size truck.
- Using ramps instead of a jack can be a major time-saver, but they don't work in every application. Ramps are great for performing oil changes or doing other underbody repairs, they won't, however, be of much value if you have to remove one or more wheels as there's still weight on all of them when you use ramps.
- Finally, never climb underneath a vehicle if it's not also supported by jack stands. You've been warned.
You can't go wrong with any of these jacks
Whether you opt for a burly bottle jack, a simple scissor jack or even a set of ramps, these tools make repairing and servicing vehicles far easier. The products highlighted here have their own advantages and disadvantages, but any one of them should serve the backyard mechanic well.
Aside from their varied chapes and sizes, floor jacks are offered at a huge range of prices, from top-quality, professional-grade units costing hundreds of dollars, to simple models you can pick up for $20 or less, there's a jack to fit nearly everyone's needs and budget. So, what are you waiting for? Get jacking!
