Go with the HF. We have the pittsburgh 3 ton and it works great. Didn't realize the low profile had a higher lift or we would have bought that. It should come with an extra handle length, ours did and it's plenty long. And I doubt it's that heavy. I carry ours around with no problem.

 

My dad has the 3 ton HF one (I prolly use it more than him). He doesn't have a garge at his place. So the tools stay in the house. Whenever I use it I have to take it out, down about 8 stairs. Not so bad getting it out... but putting it up after you've been working on the Jeep for hours... sucks.

I'd say if you're planning on having to carry this thing often (as in everytime you need it) save the weight. Get an aluminum one.

Also, if you go with HF go ahead and find a bolt that fits the two piece handle, or weld that SOB together.

 

Many people have died using them.

 

I have the HF 2.5 ton low profile rapid pump jack myself. I love it, as does everyone who has used it. The sticker came off of it a while back and now everyone that I tell it is a HF jack argues with me and says I am lieing.

The only problem I have had out of it is the springs that push the plungers back up have collapsed, BUT, it was partly my fault as I got something jammed in them and then they broke. I have been meaning to see how hard it would be to replace them but it doesn't bother me that bad. only thing it does is makes it where you have to pump it more since the handle and plungers don't come all the way up. I also don't think it weighs 70+ pounds either. MAYBE 50, but i highly doubt 70 because I can and do carry it with one hand. pretty sure it is not heavier than the 55 pound bags of dogfood that I buy...

I would advise against the Torin, or any of the jacks that are that small. I have went through at least 15 of them in the 10 years that I have been actively in the car hobby. They simply do not hold up. The seals in the tiny pump blow or the clip that holds the handle to the plunger breaks.

 

BTW the 3 ton rating on those little jacks is completely bogus. I have had the body of one twist so badly while lifting a fullsize SUV that it wouldn't let down...

 

Those are Chinese tons, not Merica tons that they rate the jacks for.

 

The 70# is straight from the HF specs. I posted a link to the product page just before the photo. Perhaps the 70# is the shipping weight, which would include the handle and packaging?

Does the handle screw into the pump? Could I drag the jack across the ground via the handle?

Perhaps this bolt locks the handle to the pump arm?




Thanks for your comments.

 

na....rolled it in March, was written off...ill get another na next year.

 

Bit off topic. Perhaps you could start a miata thread in the appropriate forum.

 

its way off topic. i answered a poster's question

 

rzldzl, I haven't parked my car like since I was 17. (I got better at it). Just practice, you'll get it.

NEVER CINDER BLOCKS! Like said, you get NO warning when they shatter, and big things seem to fall fast. Bad news.

Hermit, I've been using little ones like that red one you pictured earlier. I think I'm on my third since the mid 70's. I wouldn't expect anything to role on gravel very well under that weight. Yea, for a tyranny or axle the wheels won't sink into plywood right away. It can be sort of a hail Mary lifting a real load. For just lifting, say 6 inches, really no problem, but the nature of the thing, for going higher the wheels need to role. There are plenty of reasons to have a second bottle jack, even a little one. They come in handy in construction as well, say changing a deck post for instance.

So the little floor jack that be carried in one hand, and a bottle Jack is what gets me by. ( and I think it's 7 miles to the nearest cement!).

Btw I don't use my jack stands much. I'll put blocks on the ramps that are much more secure on the gravel and use them instead... even on my rock hard lawn.

 

You kidding I hope...

 

Plywood is great on gravel for jacks, one sheet should do it. If you guys are having trouble with short handles, why not just use a breaker bar. I prefer a 1/2" drive breaker bar as a handle.

 

No I didn't realize it was dangerous. I went back and edited my post a day or two ago.

 

I have the 2.5 ton rapid pump HF one that I love for the money.
I have dropped stuff on it, dragged it around, and jacked up my plenty high enough to get the wheels and jack stands up off the ground with 33s.
It also is low enough to get under my lowered subaru with no issues.
I got it on sale for like 70 bucks. In my opinion you can't beat it.