Jack Stand Review!

[WOLFN8TR]

Excellent Jack Stand Review!
http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-1/#esco



Mega Jack Stand Review 1 – ESCO, Harbor Freight, and Torin




http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand01-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand01.jpg)
Sharka surrounded by an army of jack stands.



Welcome to the official revlimiter.net Jack Stand Review. In the following few thousand words, I’ll attempt to give a detailed and impartial review of several types of jack stands on the market as of 2010. The review will be skewed to how the stands work with a Mazda Miata, but this should be helpful to just about anyone with a smaller car that has a desire to work on it.
Before I begin, I’d like to state that I’ve not been paid for this. I’ve not received any of these stands from manufacturers for the purpose of reviewing them. I bought all of them with my own money. I didn’t even ever intend to do this. I basically found myself with a whole flock of jack stands in my garage one day and decided to write a review.
Always be safe!

revlimiter.net. is not responsible for bodily injury or property damage that results from misuse of automotive tools including jack stands. This review is meant for informational purposes only. It is to help you evaluate differences between these five models of jack stands. Follow all directions and safety procedures outlined in each stand’s manual. (Yes, these stands actually come with manuals.) Always remember that your car can kill you especially when you are working under it!



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand02-500x300.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand02.jpg)
The 5 stands at their minimum height.


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand03-500x308.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand03.jpg)
The 5 stands at their maximum height.



The Jack Stands:


Harbor Freight 3 ton (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-1/#hf) – the orange and white one on the far left
Torin aluminum 3 ton (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-1/#torin) – the red/silver cylindrical one
ESCO 3 ton (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-1/#esco) – the silver tripod in the center
Craftsman 3 ton high lift (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-2/#cman) – the black and red stand
MVP 2 ton (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-2/#mvp) – small red one to the far right
Special guest star: the little Harbor Freight wheel chock (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-2/#chock)




http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand04-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand04.jpg)
Poor Prime. No Autobot buddies to put him at ease.



The Helpers: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Starscream, and Shockwave (super-deformed Mighty Mugg versions).
Robots are much more fun than boring old coke cans for scale comparison. And they can do useful things like holding a 12″ tape measure. Still, I’ve included a coke can (Mt. Dew actually) for those who might not be familiar with the exact size of a Mighty Mugg Transformer.



Harbor Freight 3 Ton Heavy Duty Jack Stands
http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand05-500x462.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand05.jpg)
Harbor Freight 3 Ton Heavy Duty Jack Stands


Price: $32. $20 on sale. I’ve never seen these not on sale.
Buy from: your local Harbor Freight store or harborfreight.com (http://www.harborfreight.com/)



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand06-500x341.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand06.jpg)
HF 3 ton jack stand


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand07-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand07.jpg)
HF 3 ton jack stand



Lift height: 11.75” minimum, 16.75” maximum.
Base dimensions: 7.5″ x 7″
Construction: Welded cast iron. Very good construction in my opinion. The welds are straight and even. There are small gussets in each of the base feet to (I assume) prevent sinkage in mud or sand. For $20, these feel extremely well made and are the bargain buy of the bunch.



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand08-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand08.jpg)
HF 3 ton jack stands at the minimum height


Ease of use: Very good. This set of stands is easy to carry around your shop. The minimum height isn’t too extreme, so you don’t have to jack your car into the sky to use them. For random projects like oil changes or bleeding brakes, I prefer a smaller/lower stand. For large projects like an engine swap or transmission drop, I’ll reach for a larger stand every time. These are a really great set of small stands.



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand09-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand09.jpg)
HF 3 ton jack stand post detail



Post design: The post features a deep groove. This totally prevents any contact with the Miata’s bottom seam weld. The reinforced metal pad on the inside of the frame rail (where the stock scissor jack actually contacts) takes all of the load. I’ve never used a stand with this style post. For the past 10 years, I’ve had stands that have used the pinch weld as the load point. I’ve never crushed that pinch weld. I’m on the fence about this style of post.
Stability: Good. The extra heft of these stands over a similar 2 ton version really gives these the edge in stability. The base is not very wide, but it does the job considering the lifting height of these stands.
Overall: As I mentioned above, this really is the bargain of the bunch. For $20 it’s hard to beat a pair of these Harbor Freight stands. Spend a bit more per pair and get the rubber post covers to ensure no harm comes to your paint. If you have an HF store in your town, what are you waiting for? Heck, there’s a very good chance that you own 4 of these already.



Torin Aluminum 3 Ton Race Jack Stands
http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand10-500x388.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand10.jpg)
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand


Price: $70 per pair.
Buy from: NorthernTool.com (http://www.northerntool.com/), but I’ve heard some Pep Boys locations keep these in stock.


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand11-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand11.jpg)
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand12-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand12.jpg)
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand



Lift height: 10.75” minimum to 15.6” maximum
Base dimensions: 6.75” by 7.5” Small. Hexagonal. Which is better than small and round. The base actually fits INSIDE my MVP 2 ton stands with the exact same base dimensions.
Speaking of round, I need to take a moment out of this review for a warning. There’s a blue version of these stands with a round base available. Amazon sells one named OTC. I think Snap On also sells this same round aluminum stand. I believe this stand to be incredibly dangerous. What happens if a round stand tips a little bit while supporting a car? The round base becomes a wheel. At least with the hexagonal base that the Torin stands use, there’s no possibility of it transforming into a wheel. So, props to Torin for the base design. I just wish it was a bit bigger.
Construction: Machined aluminum. These stands consist of main pieces: the base, the tube, and the post. All are machined out of solid aluminum. They fit together very well. The small silver base is connected to the red tube via a single screw.



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand13-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand13.jpg)
Torin aluminum jack stands in action



Ease of use: Extremely good. These aluminum stands weigh nothing and are easy to toss around your shop/garage/pit. They are also nice and small. A pair fits easily in the Miata’s trunk along with with the small Harbor Freight aluminum race jack. For changing tires at the track, it’s hard to beat this stand. But for doing any work in your garage at all? There are many better stands.



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand14-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand14.jpg)
Torin jack stand post detail



Post design: The post is rather wide for such a small jack stand. It’s also flat. I prefer a flat post to a grooved one. The post is extremely strong. There’s not really any point of failure. The whole “tube” inspires a lot of confidence. Alas, the small base takes that confidence right away.
Stability: Poor. These stands are manufactured to very tight tolerance. All 4 of mine are exactly the same height. Exactly. And the aluminum construction means no give whatsoever. And my garage floor is not perfectly flat. See where this is going? It’s teeter-totter city. I have a hell of a time getting a car stable if supported by 4 of these stands. Add that to the extremely small base and you have a very nervous Miata mechanic.
Overall: These stands have their use. I believe that is at a track changing tires. I personally do that with the car only supported by the jack. But now that I have these little aluminum stands? I’ll be throwing one in the trunk every time I go out to kill some cones. However, that’s pretty much where the usefulness of these stands stops. They are not very good in a garage. I would not lay under a car if supported by these tiny stands. Brake work with 90% of my body not under the car is where I draw the line. And for the price? There are a lot of better jack stands in the world. Harbor Freight sells some.


ESCO 3 Ton Flat Top Jack Stands
http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand15-500x433.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand15.jpg)
ESCO 3 ton jack stand


Price: $78. EACH!!!! And that’s a sale price. I’ve seen these for $90 each. In other words, a set of four will run you around $400.
Buy from: The internet. I got mine from ASEdeals (http://www.asedeals.com/flat-top-jack-stands.html). Great customer service and free shipping!


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand16-500x338.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand16.jpg)
ESCO 3 ton jack stand


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand17-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand17.jpg)
ESCO 3 ton jack stand



Lift height: 13” minimum, 21” maximum.
Base dimensions: Triangular with the legs 12.5″ apart
Construction: Welded steel tripod. The welds are nice and clean. Nice painted silver finish on the stands. Very well made. And they seem to be hand made, not something done by a robot in a factory. I was a little hesitant to spend this kind of money on jack stands, but the high quality of these ESCOs put my mind at ease the moment I opened the box.



http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand18-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand18.jpg)
ESCO jack stands in action



Ease of use: Could be better. These stands are huge and heavy. That means they require a bit more work to lug around your shop. You have to raise your car a bit higher to get these under it. And they take up more space when not in use. But…. well…. they’re worth it. These stands are totally worth the hassle.


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand19-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand19.jpg)
ESCO jack stand post detail



Post design: The post is HUGE. It dwarfs any other stand I’ve ever seen. The post is basically the same size as the pad on your floor jack. The rubber pad comes on it from the factory. ESCO says this style is designed for cars with flat frame rails. It works fine on the Miata’s pinch weld and even better under my FM frame rail armor. Really, these posts are like nothing I’ve ever seen before on a jack stand. Amazing.
Stability: Perfect. Could not be more stable. There is not one millimeter of shake in the car when held up by four of these stands. I can always feel at least a little bit of movement when I shake the car after lowering it onto a set of jack stands. Just a little bit. But not with these ESCO stands. It’s like the car is supported by solid metal beams.
Overall: These are the perfect jack stands. As of July of 2010, there’s nothing else on the market of higher quality than these stands. Yes, they cost a lot. But the feeling of stability is worth it to me. I’d sleep under a car supported by these stands. I’d trust my life to them. Can you say that about your current set of jack stands?
Part 2 is right around the corner! (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/mega-jack-stand-review-2)

Additional photos
http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand20-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand20.jpg)
ESCO stand vs Torin stand.


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand21-500x331.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand21.jpg)
The ESCO pad is wider than the jack point.


http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand22-500x341.jpg (http://revlimiter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jackstand22.jpg)
The far-side helper stands for the entire review.


Lifts!

Max Jack Portable Lift
http://maxjaxusa.com

http://www.costco.com/Dannmar-MaxJax™-2-post-Portable-Auto-Lift.product.11731656.html?catalogId=10701&keyword=MaxJax&langId=-1&storeId=10301&refine=



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya38rppimP4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSUAXQOoXuY#t=167


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKPNUxcQkqo

[Oli77]

Cool!

I am happy with my Harbor freight ones. They hurt the pad on our cars a bit. I now put them on the frame and that's a nicer fit.

[wsmeyer]

I read that a few years ago. It's a shame he's completely oblivious to the physics on why a round base is the SUPERIOR design.

If a force is applied to a car on stands a round based one is the only one that won't have a torque force applied to it.

[theothersawyer]

That review is done by Adam (username Revlimiter) and that car is named Sharka! It's probably one of the most famous Miatas in the scene!

[BMWCurves]

Cool!

I am happy with my Harbor freight ones. They hurt the pad on our cars a bit. I now put them on the frame and that's a nicer fit.

+1, I've got a mixed set of 3-ton Harbor Freight ones that do the job. I haven't noticed and significant damage to the pads as a result of their use though.

[WOLFN8TR]

I have the Torin 3 Ton Jack Stands. I also use the modified hockey pucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Classic-Ice-Hockey-Puck/dp/B00BPHES8W/ref=pd_sim_263_24?ie=UTF8&refRID=1TDE5RBXNSHHN39ZC0K7


20717

20715

20716

[toddness]

Interesting the modified hockey puck!

I 'll throw it out there I'd suggest to not use Chinese made pucks (yours say Czech Republic). I've seen many of the Chinese made pucks break even at 12 and under age levels. I can't imagine them being safe in this environment.

[ELCID86]

I have the HF 3tons and am happy.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[wsmeyer]

I made my own custom adapters:

20732

[rguti153]

Damn nice

[WOLFN8TR]

I made my own custom adapters.

Those are Sweet! How much for a set of 4? :cool

[bimmergofast]

Slightly OT, BUT something I've never really figured out.

Where to jack if you are going to put the stand on the pads, or where to put the stand if you put the jack stands on the pads? I've tried lots of places but never been entirely happy, what do you guys do?

[danewilson77]

I jack from rear, and put stand under same side front pad. Then I jack up the front (from pad) on other side, and put a jack stand under the CA ball joint. Both rears? Use diffel brace with stands under rear pads.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

[WOLFN8TR]

21817

[WOLFN8TR]

BUMP...

[WOLFN8TR]

Bump...

[danewilson77]

Bump...
Good bump

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[stephenkirsh]

21817

News to me about those jack points bending... also, that looks like an M3, so what would be the equivalent jack point on the non-m?

[UdubBadger]

Excellent info!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WOLFN8TR]

News to me about those jack points bending... also, that looks like an M3, so what would be the equivalent jack point on the non-m?

Believe me these do bend, both my ZHP and my M3 had the rears bent. The rear one on my M3 is bent inward pretty bad.

The jack points are pretty similar if I remember correctly, coupe vs coupe.

[quikryptonite]

Those are Sweet! How much for a set of 4? :cool

+1.

[stephenkirsh]

Believe me these do bend, both my ZHP and my M3 had the rears bent. The rear one on my M3 is bent inward pretty bad.

The jack points are pretty similar if I remember correctly, coupe vs coupe.

What part, specifically, bends?

[WOLFN8TR]

What part, specifically, bends?

Part of the metal unibody where the jack pad adapter attaches. On my M3 it's bent inward.

[WOLFN8TR]

Thought I would put this here. I ran into an issue with my 2.5 Ton Harbor Freight Aluminum Floor Jack. If you have one check for excessive side to side play. My jack got jammed when lowering my car the other day. The large pin that goes thru the pad got jammed against the side of the jack due to excessive play.

[holyc0w]

I think I have the 2 ton in the garage, but I think something got lost/broken that was holding one of the wheels in and there's not much stopping it from falling off. Any ideas for a fix?

[WOLFN8TR]

Post a Pic if you can.

[holyc0w]

Took a look, it's actually the 3 ton Pittsburgh jack.

I think both of these came off.
29219

Broken side
29220

Okay side
29221

The clip that fits into the ridge is missing.

[ELCID86]

Thanks. I need to check my HF jack when I get home.

[WOLFN8TR]

Welcome...

Looks like the larger washer will fit over the axle and then a cir clip and your back in action. [emoji106]

[holyc0w]

Where do I find such a clip?

[WOLFN8TR]

Do you have a ACE True Value Hardware store in your area? They have everything!

eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300PC-EXTERNAL-CIRCLIP-SNAP-RING-RETAINING-HOOK-CLIP-FASTENER-KIT-NEEDLE-NOSE-/371877323656?hash=item56959da388:g:JbUAAOSw4CFYslw i

[holyc0w]

Do you have a ACE True Value Hardware store in your area? They have everything!

eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300PC-EXTERNAL-CIRCLIP-SNAP-RING-RETAINING-HOOK-CLIP-FASTENER-KIT-NEEDLE-NOSE-/371877323656?hash=item56959da388:g:JbUAAOSw4CFYslw i

Yes I do, though one of those in the ebay kit should fit. :rofl

Do I need those circlip pliers or can they be placed by hand?

[WOLFN8TR]

You can install the new clip without the tool. But if you had the retaining tool you could remove one of the other cir clips and take it down to the hardware store and match it up.

[holyc0w]

Had a chance to fit the snap ring on the wheel. The washer on the other wheel looked slightly different. Hope it holds. It seems like it needs some grease.

Next week I'm planning on putting it to use when I take off the winter wheels. :biggrin

[WOLFN8TR]

Cool

[mercury26]

I highly recommend the MaxJax in the review. I have had mine for 3-4 years, it was life changing (seriously!). I also have (3) pairs of the ESCO stands, they are top notch also. I would never another jack stand. I had a pair similar to the Craftsman in which I encountered an incident, which led to the purchasing of the MaxJax.

[WOLFN8TR]

I highly recommend the MaxJax in the review. I have had mine for 3-4 years, it was life changing (seriously!). I also have (3) pairs of the ESCO stands, they are top notch also. I would never another jack stand. I had a pair similar to the Craftsman in which I encountered an incident, which led to the purchasing of the MaxJax.

MaxJax is on my list for sure! Glad to hear you like it.

[DeathTrap]

Harbor freight recall bump.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[WOLFN8TR]

Harbor Freight Jack Stands Recalled for Risk of Collapsing.

The Harbor Freight jack stands that we've all bought, borrowed or seen in our friends' garages are being recalled due to a risk of collapsing under load. Go check yours immediately.

In a recall filed with the NHTSA on March 20 of this year, Harbor Freight explains that certain 6-ton jack stands have the potential to disengage their support pawl under shifting weight, causing the stand to drop suddenly. A second recall, filed May 3, extends the recall to 3-ton jack stands. The defect is attributed to aging tooling at the factory that produced the jack stands.

The recall document says that the problem could affect more than 450,000 6-ton jack stands produced between 2013 and 2019 and nearly 1.3 million 3-ton jack stands produced between 2012 and 2020. These jack stands were sold under the Pittsburg brand name, and can be identified by item numbers 56371 or 61196 on 3-ton models, and 61197 on 6-ton models.

Harbor Freight urges anybody in possession of affected jack stands to return them to the store in exchange for a gift card equal to the price of the stands. Any unsold jack stands covered by the recall have been removed from stores. Check on your buddies and spread the word around—these jack stands are ubiquitous, and a failure like this could be fatal.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200523/8e5959b8718fa2f95bcc433a7d213f90.jpg

[cakM3]

Always something these days.... first it's the Takata airbag recalls... now this....

better alive than dead as they say... :thumbsup

[Thatguy_JZ]

I just bought these ESCO's from Amazon to replace my Harbor Freight specials. They also make a lower profile version of these. I needed the taller though as I used my HF 3 tons for work on my Tacoma and 4Runner

https://www.amazon.com/ESCO-10498-Jack-Stand-Capacity/dp/B0019JVIPM/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=esco+jack+stand&dchild=1&keywords=esco+jack+stand&pd_rd_i=B0019JVIPM&pd_rd_r=875f63f0-b5f9-4601-8319-da9a5aca0039&pd_rd_w=L0usG&pd_rd_wg=QzFRA&pf_rd_p=39765fd1-ffee-45e9-8f18-3372ad113070&pf_rd_r=6V9WERVSNZMBVY05HFD7&psc=1&qid=1590454831&sprefix=esco+&sr=1-1-191b1ae3-0539-4250-ad39-b698e0b800f6


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