Tools list for front axle service (7 Viewers)

[Riley]

Help -
I spent the day tool shopping and found almost everything but got stuck on the floor jack. I know it’s hard to believe but Sears Canada doesn’t sell jacks.

Anyway I found an extended length, high reach, rapid lift (with foot pump) jack (only 2 ton) but I held off buying it until I did more research. I liked it because it’s full height is 31”. It was at a tool place here in Canada called KMS.

Anyway I didn’t buy it because of what -B- said about HF jacks. I thought it might be similar to what they were selling so I searched the web tonight. Sure enough I found this and it’s pretty close to what I was looking at:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42820

I also found a more common 3 ton that only goes up to 20” which is similar to the sears stuff:

http://www.sears.com/sr/product/det...UTO&prod_id=00950145000&fromAuto=YES&bidsite=

(cut and paste required)

Although the one I looked at didn’t have the quick “one pump feature”.

I guess I could buy the US one from sears but that’s a pain with the border and all.

What do you think? Is 20” max height going to be enough for all my cruiser work including installing new springs?

By the way found some great 12 ton jack stands that go way tall and also go pretty low too.

This is a fairly expensive investment for me and I want to do it right.

Also on the seal puller, I read on this thread about cutting off one side of the T seal puller. Which side to cut - longer or shorter side?

Thanks for your help.

Riley

 

[Riley]

I'll ask again but in less words -

Is a 20" floor jack high enough for doing general work on an 80? including suspension work like OME install?

Thanks

 

[Gumby]

I don't see why not. You will probably not be able to lift the tires off the ground by jacking it at the frame, but should work off of the axles.

 

[Beowulf]

Riley,
I'm travelling this week and cannot check the height of my jack. I'll agree with Gumby; it should work OK under the axles.

IMHO, the features you are looking for are:
1. Capacity (3+ tons)
2. Smooth operation. This is very important and the reason the HF junk is, well ... junk. You cannot smoothly bleed off the hydraulic fluid to lower the jack. A crappy floor jack can be down right dangerous.
3. Lift height.
4. Quick lifting. The Sears jack that I mentioned has a "one pump" lift that moves an unloaded jack to the surface to be lifted. Then you pump as normal. It's just a 'nice-to-have' feature but many jacks don't have this feature.

HTH
-B-