Automotive Jacks: What Is the Best Car Jack for Your Application

Floor Jacks

As noted above, the ubiquitous floor jack is that one tool a mechanic, be it a pro or a shade tree, can’t live without. Shortly after your first big 200-piece Craftsman tool set purchase (or gift from the parents) your next item in your growing arsenal of automotive repair and upgrade tools was the floor jack. Available in aluminum, steel, and a combination of both, we’ve all used one at one time or another. But what exactly are floor jacks best used for? Floor jacks are known for their versatility due to their wheels or rollers, low overall height, and long stroke handle. The wheels allow a floor car jack to move around a shop or garage (or driveway) with ease, and the long handle provides easy leverage to pump the jack, thus lifting the vehicle. Available in several sizes, the most popular are the 3-ton floor jack and the 2-ton jack models. Floor jacks are also a very stable platform due to their length and width and fit easily under most vehicles. There are even low profile floor jack models for those with really low rides. The downside to the typical floor jack is size and weight, with some jacks weighing up to 50 pounds or more. Floor jacks take up a decent amount of floor space when not in use and while we know some people do it, they’re not the easiest jack to tote around in the trunk of your car for roadside emergencies like a flat tire.