What floor jack is worth having? (Now BIGGEST TIRE ON A BADLANDS)

[lee]

Our first Christmas together my wife got me a Craftsman 2.5 ton floor jack, that was in 1985. We were poor but I needed a jack (and yes, I married up). That jack finally died last year.
I was in the middle of a project so I ran to Lowe's (it's not like there is a Sears around anymore) and the only thing on the shelf that looked at all decent was also branded cratsman.
There is a term we use at work "fit for service" (I think the actual English translation is "YOU ARE ENGINEER? I DONT THINK SO. EVEN MONKEY CAN DO, WHY YOU CAN NOT DO?).
This new jack is not even one year old and it is not fit for service.
And, just to be clear, I don't give any s*** about warrenty - on consumer goods that is a placebo to placate Karen's that want to b**** and moan there way thorough life.

What is a home owner grade jack worth having?
I want it to work when I want it to with out me needing to work on it.
I want it to lower the load with some control without needing a vice grip on the handle because it's jammed.
And if it's worth having the price is secondary.

@DG Rider @CumminsPusher @HondaTech any input?
(The first one to mention harbour freight gets ignored)

 

[Vikes79]

unless you’re going layout some serious coin…almost all of them anymore are China jobbers.

with that said my HF floor jack has held up after 5 years of weekend warrior work on cars and stuff.

 

[HondaTech]

The problem with alot of floor Jacks is nobody reads the instructions where it tells you to bleed the thing before using it.

That being said Daytona FTW!!

 

[Dirtstiffs-1000]

In independent tests, they are on top of much more expensive jacks. I love mine, but hey, buy what you like.

 

[NTCPrezJB]

I don’t have a brand to tell you to buy. I have the craftsman 2.5 ton that I’ve had for probably 20 years and it works. Sounds like exactly what you had honestly. I have a 2 or 3 pairs of bottle jacks in different sizes and another small floor jack. I can’t tell you the brand on any of those off the top of my head. The small floor jack I thought it was absolute garbage when I bought it and first tried to use it. I was going to return it. My Dad bled it and added a little more fluid to it and it’s been flawless since. I felt dumb. #DadsRule!

So I say that to say…it’s possible there is just a bit of air in your new jack and it will be fine if you bleed it.

Also I’ve seen plenty of peeps in my family using various HF jacks. I wouldn’t personally write them off if I was in the market for a new jack.

 

[Vikes79]

I dunno why everyone is jacked up….

 

[trigger]

I have an old Craftsman trolley jack too that I've had forever. Still works so I threw it in the enclosed trailer. Pretty small and rusty for the garage though so I grabbed one of those HF ones a few years ago. Can't complain really.

 

[Adam490]

The problem with alot of floor Jacks is nobody reads the instructions where it tells you to bleed the thing before using it.

That being said Daytona FTW!!

2nd that, no issues with any of them I’ve owned.

 

[Mopower58]

I've got a Walker that is probably 25 years old and was used a lot for 18 years.

 

[JenElio]

🤔......I'm going to second what almost everyone has said. Despite what it is......HF floor jack on my book. I've had 2 for the past 4-5 years getting beat on and they've held up great. Buddy owns a mechanic shop and uses same jacks as me on a daily basis and has 0 complaints about the HF floor jacks 🤷‍♂️

 

[JenElio]

🤔 Wait........so does that mean well get blocked by @lee?

 

[Homer]

Yep. Daytona.

 

[NTCPrezJB]

🤔 Wait........so does that mean well get blocked by @lee?

Nah, just the first guy to post it. 😂🤣😂

 

[JenElio]

Nah, just the first guy to post it. 😂🤣😂

Gotcha, gotta read that fine print 😉

Sorry @Vikes79

 

[NewHere2]

40 yr old Walker. Don’t know about the new stuff, just make sure it has a wide foot print.

 

[CID]

After seeing it finish high in tests and recommended by several sources, I went with the HF 3 Ton. It was $209 a year ago but I think it's pushing $300 now. Another HF is the Badland with big tires for using in the dirt, but it's too new to know how it'll age. The Badland has similar features to the much more expensive off road jack that's used in a lot of off road pits (don't remember the name on that one).

 

[CID]

🤔 Wait........so does that mean well get blocked by @lee?

Nah, just the first guy to post it. 😂🤣😂

Ruh roh, maybe I should have read Lee's post to that last sentence. 😥

 

[Vikes79]

unless you’re going layout some serious coin…almost all of them anymore are China jobbers.

with that said my HF floor jack has held up after 5 years of weekend warrior work on cars and stuff.

The one I have is gray similar to this one. I don’t think they made the Daytona versions then.

3 Ton Floor Jack with RAPID PUMP, Red

Amazing deals on this 3T Steel, Red Floor Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[906UP]

Yup, we're all gonna get ignored by @lee

Unless you want to get a $2500 jack from the Snap-On truck (that's probably made in China BTW) it's gonna be HF for the win. Mrs 906UP bought me one for Xmas a few years ago, no issues

 

[Vikes79]

Gotcha, gotta read that fine print 😉

Sorry @Vikes79

I call it like I see it. I saw that line, but my comments are the stone cold facts..

🤷‍♂️