Favorite Jack Stands?

[thecantaloupeman]

So I bought a pair of 6 ton pittsburgh jack stands a while ago for my square, and I am considering returning them for a better brand 3 ton pair. Mine seem to have a defect where if you lock the raising bit, and wiggle it, the teeth come loose and the whole thing falls. I don't trust that to hold up my truck, so I'd like to get something a bit more reliable. What is everyones favorite jackstands? I am not familiar with what brands make good jack stands. I considered ACDelco 3 ton ones, and maybe Craftsman, but I wanted to see what everyone else uses to lift their trucks.

 

[shiftpro]

Cinder blocks and/or firewood.

 

[Doppleganger]

I bought 2 sets of the China-Freight 12 ton stands for my truck and have no complaints at all. They're so big I only have to go 1-2 steps (if that) to be off the ground. I saw the Delco's in Napa....looked like any other chi-com brand with different stickers. I wouldn't buy a Crapsman key ring. They hit bottom with about everything in my book.

As far as an actual floor jack, their yellow Daytona (Strap-On copies) - those are awesome. I got one and then another when they ran it on a club sale (I was in that for 1 yr only)....the best ones I ever had and having 2 has saved my backside more than once.

Not a die-hard HF fan, but will say since they revamped themselves a couple years ago (started having the same sweat shops that made the big brands make theirs too)....I dont mind the few things I have gotten there.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

I have the harbor freight 6 and 12 ton stands.

For a lifted truck the 12 tons are awesome.

I have not had any issues with either set, had them about 2 or 3 years.

I have some 3 ton ac delco stands from like 13 years ago that still work just fine.

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[legopnuematic]

I got 2 sets of 6 ton stands from jegs, seem to work good. I would suspect they and most brands could be tracked back to the same mfg facility.

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[MikeB]

For really getting a truck in the air, I love these Torin Big Red 12-ton stands. Bought mine at Northern Tool 3-4 years ago on sale for $89. It's not shown in the picture, and maybe they no longer have it, but mine have a second lock which is a large steel safety pin. No way, no how will the stands ever collapse. But they are very heavy.

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Also have some Harbor Freight 6-ton stands which are OK, but one is around 1/2" shorter than the other. Also have some very nice 5-ton stands made by Ex-cell in Arkansas, but that was back in the 1990s when we still built things like that in the USA.

 

[MikeB]

Not a die-hard HF fan, but will say since they revamped themselves a couple years ago (started having the same sweat shops that made the big brands make theirs too)....I dont mind the few things I have gotten there.

Much of their stuff still sucks, but their new aluminum floor jacks look very nice, as well as their top-of-the-line air compressor. I know someone who swears by their Earthquake 1/2" air impact wrench, but I wonder if it will last as long as my USA-made Ingersoll Rand, which is going on 30 years old.

 

[Doppleganger]

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Thats identical to my pile (well half my pile - lol).

Much of their stuff still sucks, but their new aluminum floor jacks look very nice, as well as their top-of-the-line air compressor. I know someone who swears by their Earthquake 1/2" air impact wrench, but I wonder if it will last as long as my USA-made Ingersoll Rand, which is going on 30 years old.

I still wont buy their power tools....of any type. Only things I do get there is the stands, floor jacks, rubber/work gloves, moving blankets and their grinder wheels. I agree most everything else is all still pretty much disposable chi-com garbage. My buddy is in his 70s.....bought that new stupid-torque cordless impact they have. Said it about broke his wrist. lol There is a guy on YouTube who took that to a school bus depot - lugs are something like 140 ft lb - they ripped them right off. I have a 1/2" DeWalt cordless impact....nothing but a glorified power ratchet. 80 ft lbs is about its limit.

I have an electric DeWalt for normal use and an old Mac air impact when things have to go more nuclear.

Sent from my ceiling fan

 

[thecantaloupeman]

Much of their stuff still sucks, but their new aluminum floor jacks look very nice, as well as their top-of-the-line air compressor. I know someone who swears by their Earthquake 1/2" air impact wrench, but I wonder if it will last as long as my USA-made Ingersoll Rand, which is going on 30 years old.

I actually watched a video comparing that earthquake to a snap-on and its the same/better in every aspect. I can't speak for reliability, but I guess if you need a job done...

 

[thecantaloupeman]

I have the harbor freight 6 and 12 ton stands.

For a lifted truck the 12 tons are awesome.

I have not had any issues with either set, had them about 2 or 3 years.

I have some 3 ton ac delco stands from like 13 years ago that still work just fine.

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Do your HF 6 Tons fall down if you wiggle them? On my pair if you wiggle them, the locking arm starts to go back up and the teeth break free and the whole thing falls. I don't think it's supposed to do this. I tried wiggling a display model in the store and it didnt do that.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

Do your HF 6 Tons fall down if you wiggle them? On my pair if you wiggle them, the locking arm starts to go back up and the teeth break free and the whole thing falls. I don't think it's supposed to do this. I tried wiggling a display model in the store and it didnt do that.

They do not. You should be able to take them in and swap yours out.

 

[MikeB]

Do your HF 6 Tons fall down if you wiggle them? On my pair if you wiggle them, the locking arm starts to go back up and the teeth break free and the whole thing falls. I don't think it's supposed to do this. I tried wiggling a display model in the store and it didnt do that.

My HF 6-ton stands are around 12-15 years old, and have never done that. However, at anything above 5" out of the base, they are wobbly.

The 12-ton stands are in a league of their own, and feel secure up until around 2-3 notches from full lift. You can see the size of the base and the steel pin that acts as a second lock. These stands are massive and in another league.

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There is no wobbling issue with my old Ex-cell 5-ton stands, which feel safe at 2" higher than the HF 6-ton stands. Reminds me of my 15+ yr old Norco 2-1/4 ton floor jack that is significantly more stout that the cheap, so-called 3-ton models. Also, notice the very secure pin lock on the Ex-cell stand.

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[1979k10]

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/sumner-st-881-fold-a-jack-pipe-stand-781300

 

[Arkansas_V8]

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/sumner-st-881-fold-a-jack-pipe-stand-781300

Those may be good for me. But most of these guys drive stock, or lowered trucks. Dont think a minimum of 28" is low enough.

 

[shiftpro]

Other than the Ex-Cell jacks, I don't really believe any of these jacks will hold the weight they claim.
Of course we will hardly ever load them to the point they advertise. Some day, with a big enough press I will destroy a few to learn for sure. Remember 0ne ton is 2000 lbs. I would like to put 24000 lbs on a 12 ton jack stand and watch what happens. I could be wrong, steel is strong ****.

And I was kidding about cinder blocks and fire wood.