Posted Dec 01, 2020

By Dean Larson

When it comes to stocking your toolbox and shop shelves, there are generally two schools of thought, each with their own merits. Some guys turn up their noses at the idea of anything less than Snap-On, Matco, Cornwell and the similar, and there'south definitely something to be said about ownership quality pieces made hither in the U.Due south.A. Others might shop on price or perceived value lonely, frequenting Amazon or Harbor Freight for the cheapest matter they can find that gets the job washed. Risking my shred of automotive credibility, I'll admit that I'thousand somewhere in the middle. Nearly all of my ability tools are from Milwaukee Tools, and all my screwdrivers, sockets, ratchets and so on are from Craftsman or better, but I'll admit that I occasionally go the cheap route to get a job washed, or when I feel like I tin can't afford to go big.

Having recently stocked a new shop space with tools, I have plenty of new pieces to cull from and about a yr worth of testing them out. For a judging metric, I decided to go with something unproblematic we can all sympathize — the check, check-plus, check-minus system. Basically, cheque-minus means that you should wait elsewhere, bank check-plus means we'd recommend it and check is somewhere in the heart.

Pittsburgh Jack2

Pittsburgh iii-Ton Flooring Jack — Harbor Freight

Allow'southward kick things off with a archetype, the Pittsburgh floor jack from Harbor Freight. Information technology'due south cheap, looks expert in photos, has great reviews and information technology'southward correct down the road at your local Harbor Freight. At present it evidently takes a special sort of nutcase to append an 6,000-pound vehicle over any part of your body with a flooring jack that tin can be had for $100, but sometimes yous practise what ya gotta practise.

The jack is made from heavy-duty steel and has extra-broad casters up front for stability. It has a pair of hydraulic pumps at the back, and Harbor Freight's Rapid Pump system claims most loads tin can exist lifted in 3-one/2 pumps. The jack lifts 6,000 pounds to a maximum of eighteen-ane/4 inches, then you'll exist able to handle most jobs that you'll tackle at abode. The standard 3-ton jack is 5-1/8 inches when fully lowered, and then if your vehicle has low footing clearance, consider Pittsburgh's depression-profile unit, or a lighter duty jack all together.

This jack is ane of the get-go tools I bought when I moved into my new shop, and I couldn't vanquish the pricepoint — I think I paid something like $seventy for it. Over the concluding year, I've lifted everything from my Triumph Spitfire, to my 3/iv-ton diesel pickup truck with this jack, and information technology's handled it all in stride. As long every bit you pinnacle off the hydraulic fluid when it'due south new and use quality jack stands (not the Harbor Freight units that were recently part of a mass recall), you lot shouldn't take whatsoever problems with this jack.

I'm going to award the Pittsburgh jack a bank check, because I apply it pretty regularly, and and so far it's lifted everything I've asked it to and doesn't appear to take any existent defects. The casters curlicue nicely, fit-and-finish is top notch and its features are on par with jacks twice the price. My only gripe against the jack is that its Rapid Pump system, which I don't experience like works as advertised. Information technology seems like it's mostly a couple dozen pumps to get anything off the ground. But for $104 (if you pay full cost), at that place's zilch wrong with this tool.

Score: ✓

View the Pittsburgh three-Ton Flooring Jack here at Harbor Freight

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