WARNING: Sears floor jacks blow
Yeah, my father in law has a craftsman floor jack. The part at the end of the handle where you turn left or right to hold and release the jack is stripped out. I have the harbor freight type also going on 6 years or so now of lots of use with no trouble.
My wife bought me one of the aluminum ones for Christmas. The first one was a POS. I sent a nasty Email to Sears because my Crapsman air compressor is a POS too. I got a new jack, but told "We're sorry about your luck" in regards to the compressor. My replacement jack has worked fine with quite a bit of use.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,593
Likes: 267
From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
I have the Craftsman Aluminum jack and this thread is very interesting. Though I have not used it in 6 months (sandbox tour) I had used it Every day for over a year with no problems. Maybe I was one of the lucky ones who got the ONE. or maybe when I get back in a few weeks, it won't work at all. Like I said, there was not a day that it didn't get used. cars, trucks, riding mower, 4 wheelers, etc.
But hey, this gives me something to look forward to...I get to buy another new tool for the shop.
On the other hand, My wife is an Asst Mgr for Advance Auto so I have one of their steel jacks, 5 yrs old and is just started going out before I left. But they can also order the rebuild kit for all their jacks through the store. new seals + new oil + 1 hour = new jack.
I second the Lincolns, if you want to spend that much and they are the best and are very low profile. My dads Lincoln is @ 30 yrs old, rebuilt twice and still going with daily use.
But hey, this gives me something to look forward to...I get to buy another new tool for the shop.
On the other hand, My wife is an Asst Mgr for Advance Auto so I have one of their steel jacks, 5 yrs old and is just started going out before I left. But they can also order the rebuild kit for all their jacks through the store. new seals + new oil + 1 hour = new jack.
I second the Lincolns, if you want to spend that much and they are the best and are very low profile. My dads Lincoln is @ 30 yrs old, rebuilt twice and still going with daily use.
WOW. This thread scares me. I have had an aluminum craftsman for about 4 months now with weekly use. It makes some scary popping noises sometimes under load, and is also rather difficult to raise my car---meaning it takes a lot of effort to pump the handle.
Should I be concerned with my jack dropping my car (of course I use stands, but I still don't want to drop my car on them!)
Should I be concerned with my jack dropping my car (of course I use stands, but I still don't want to drop my car on them!)
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by SAPPER
I have the Craftsman Aluminum jack and this thread is very interesting. Though I have not used it in 6 months (sandbox tour) I had used it Every day for over a year with no problems. Maybe I was one of the lucky ones who got the ONE. or maybe when I get back in a few weeks, it won't work at all. Like I said, there was not a day that it didn't get used. cars, trucks, riding mower, 4 wheelers, etc.
But hey, this gives me something to look forward to...I get to buy another new tool for the shop.
On the other hand, My wife is an Asst Mgr for Advance Auto so I have one of their steel jacks, 5 yrs old and is just started going out before I left. But they can also order the rebuild kit for all their jacks through the store. new seals + new oil + 1 hour = new jack.
I second the Lincolns, if you want to spend that much and they are the best and are very low profile. My dads Lincoln is @ 30 yrs old, rebuilt twice and still going with daily use.
But hey, this gives me something to look forward to...I get to buy another new tool for the shop.
On the other hand, My wife is an Asst Mgr for Advance Auto so I have one of their steel jacks, 5 yrs old and is just started going out before I left. But they can also order the rebuild kit for all their jacks through the store. new seals + new oil + 1 hour = new jack.
I second the Lincolns, if you want to spend that much and they are the best and are very low profile. My dads Lincoln is @ 30 yrs old, rebuilt twice and still going with daily use.
No, You were not just lucky... I have owned two of these aluminum jacks for @ a year now with no problems at all. I try to take reasonable care of them. I bled them if they need it, and if they ever begin to show any symptoms of failure, then I will get some o-rings and rebuild them.
I hate the fact that these were made in CHINA... That part really sucks. The words 'CHINA' and 'Top Quality' do NOT belong in the same sentence at all!
Other than that I have no complaints about the quality or the rated capacity of these jacks. If I were a professional mechanic doing this stuff every day for a living, I would have bought the 'best' that I could have... (and it would NOT have come from CHINA) But for a 'weekend' mechanic such as myself, These jacks have worked just fine for me. Knowing that they were made in CHINA, I try not to push them beyond their rated capacity and I pay very carefull attention to the fluid level and watch for any signs of leaks or damage... No problems so far!
FWIW, I do tend to abuse the handles as 'breaker bars' and as 'extentions' for some of my other breaker bars occasionally and as of yet I have NOT broke anything doing so.
Best of luck with your jacks!
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Good God I'm sure happy those China Jacks SUCK 
. I have being feeling VERY stupid for buying my MADE IN U.S.A. High priced racing Jack!! Now I'm Glad I did. I also have a $30 little steel one that has been through 30 years of severe abuse and neglect and is still in service(made in U.S.A.). The main reason for the racing jack was clearence.
. I have being feeling VERY stupid for buying my MADE IN U.S.A. High priced racing Jack!! Now I'm Glad I did. I also have a $30 little steel one that has been through 30 years of severe abuse and neglect and is still in service(made in U.S.A.). The main reason for the racing jack was clearence. 
just my luck.after reading this thread,I used my craftsman jack I've had for 8 years and the spring that holds the handle from falling broke.Is this a replacable part through sears?I love this jack and don't want to replace it..
TECH Addict
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Mefis
As far as I am concerned. Lincoln is the only name in floor jacks. Dad bought one new in 1998 and it is still going strong. No leaks, surprises or anything out of the ordinary. Very low profile and still jacks up pretty high in the air.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 676
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From: In a cave
I have the craftsman aluminum/steel jack and it takes about 5 pumps just to get it to the bottom of the chassis AND THEN it'll do the one big pump that they were made for. Kind of makes me mad but what the hell.
Damn, I bought the steel SUV jack rated at 6000 lbs. 3 months ago. Was jacking up the car today and it just stopped. Popped the cap and there wasn't any fluid in there. I had seem some leaking out lately when I jacked it up but wanted to see how far it would go. 3 F'n months. So I'm bringing it back tomorrow to see what they'll do for me but I think I'll have a battle on my hands. It's amazing that they can build something that's so important like such garbage. I don't want to get under my car with that POS holding it up. I don't get it, the jack is rated at 6000 lbs. and I was using it on my T/A so that's what 3500-3600 lbs.? I also used it a few times on my DD (chrysler concorde) and at absolute most that has to be 4000 lbs. plus we're talking about lifting 1 side of the car at a time, not even the whole car. I also always put the cars on jackstands, never just leaving them up on the jack so I see no reason for this failure other than it's garbage.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 374
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by My90Iroc
It's amazing that they can build something that's so important like such garbage. I don't want to get under my car with that POS holding it up.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1
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From: Bourbonnais, IL
Originally Posted by ninetres
WOW. This thread scares me. I have had an aluminum craftsman for about 4 months now with weekly use. It makes some scary popping noises sometimes under load, and is also rather difficult to raise my car---meaning it takes a lot of effort to pump the handle.
Should I be concerned with my jack dropping my car (of course I use stands, but I still don't want to drop my car on them!)
Should I be concerned with my jack dropping my car (of course I use stands, but I still don't want to drop my car on them!)
Also, i have had a Craftsman 3 1/2 ton heavy iron jack for 4-5 years without one problem. The main problem with this jack however, is it does not fit under f-bodies anyway. For those of you who work on regular cars just as often, it really is a quality jack.
Damn, alot of you guys have some really poor luck with craftsman jacks. I have (3) 3-1/2 ton floor jacks and (1) of the little floor jacks. I have all of these for well over 8 years in my garage with more than heavy use. I'm a full time mechanic by day, by night/weekends/day-off, I work on everyone elses cars including my own to make a better than decent buck. Not once have I ever had a problem with any of my floorjacks. Never touched the amount of fluid they have-nothing. No complaints here.