You cannot use a standard floor jack. You’ll need to have a low-profile floor jack made specifically for vehicles with extremely low ground clearance if you plan to do any type of mechanical work underneath your project car.
Low-profile floor jacks are superior to standard floor jacks in terms of strength, length, weight, and thickness.
They eliminate the need for car ramps by making it simple to lift your vehicle off the differential or sub-frame. You ought to keep one of these in the garage if you enjoy automotive modifications and have a mechanical bent. Everything you need to know about choosing the best low-profile floor jack will be covered in this post.
What to Take Into Account When Selecting a Low Profile Floor Jack?
Although all floor jacks perform the same function, you should exercise caution while selecting one because your safety is at stake.
You must carefully take into account a number of things while selecting the best floor jack for the garage.
Lifting Range:
The lowest and highest positions your floor jack may be adjusted to are referred to as the lifting range. For instance, if the lifting range is defined as 3 1/2 inches to 14 inches, it may elevate objects up to a height of 14 inches from the ground.
This implies that these specifications won’t work if your automobile is lower than 3 1/2 inches or if you wish to lift it higher than 14 inches.
The maximum height should be taken into account because the car needs to be tall enough to employ jack supports for added safety.
Construction:
Choosing the correct floor jack requires careful consideration of the material. You desire a solution that meets your requirements. Aluminum is the greatest material if you reside in a wet, humid area because it can tolerate those conditions.
If you want the greatest longevity and don’t care about the floor jack being a little heavier, stainless steel is the best material. Aluminum, however, is preferred for portability because it is lighter than stainless steel.
Length of Lifting Arms:
Length and quality of a lifting arm are 2 critical aspects to take into account. If it’s too short, it will be difficult to use; if it’s too long, it will take up a significant amount of space.
To reduce space, we advise going with a two-piece lifting arm that can be shortened. However, using the floor jack with that feature means you’ll need to use greater force.
Weight Capacity:
The kind of floor jack you should purchase will depend on how much weight your automobile can support. It’s likely that the car you drive has been upgraded, and that it no longer weighs the same. That is something to think about.
The best course of action is to pick a floor jack that really can handle more weight than your automobile does. This is crucial; having that additional safety ceiling will help a lot.
Saddle Pad:
The component of a floor jack that elevates the vehicle and bears all of its weight is the saddle pad. It must, of course, be exceedingly durable.
Buy saddle pads with an anti-skid covering if possible. This will lessen the possibility of your car skidding. If the floor jack you want lacks an anti-skid coating, you can add a rubber sheet to the saddle pad to make it non-slip.
While working on your car, a rubber saddle cushion will help shield it from dings and damage.
Warranty:
A floor jack should always have a warranty and the longer the warranty, the better. You would like the guarantee to last the length of time you intend to utilize the floor jack.
Fluid leakage from hydraulic floor jacks is the most frequent issue. Ensure that this is covered by your warranty.
A lifetime warranty is offered by some manufacturers, although it is not the norm. Anything more than the standard of 1-year guarantee on floor jacks is a perk.
Rears and handles:
Rears, as well as side handles are optional parts, although they do affect how easily the floor jack may be maneuvered.
When you have to utilize side handles on a hefty floor jack constantly, its poor design becomes an issue.
Rollers and casters:
The floor jack’s wheels are known as rollers and casters. The majority of floor jacks weigh a lot, so you need to make sure the wheels make it easy to move the jack around.
Another factor to consider is the wheel’s quality. Heavy rollers and jammed bearings are not compatible too well.
Safety considerations:
When working on cars, safety is always the top priority. To prevent injuries, there are a few steps you need to take using your floor jack.
No matter how many attachments you utilize with your floor jack, using them improperly can result in catastrophic injury. Using just your floor jack is not a good idea. Always use jack stands and wooden blocks underneath the wheels to support your car for increased security.
If utilized improperly or if you buy jack stands as well as floor jacks without reading and comprehending the spec sheet, even the best ones will fail.
FAQs:
What is the purpose of a low-profile jack?
Low ground clearance cars are suitable candidates for the Low Profile floor jack’s design. This jack is a very interesting addition to any garage and fits under a 3-1/2 inch clearance with ease.
Can a truck be lifted by a low-profile jack?
This low-profile floor jack can lift lower automobiles with plenty of clearance because it has a minimum height of 3.5 inches. With a maximum range of 19.25 inches, the saddle can raise vehicles, SUVs, and even trucks with one tool.
What three varieties of jacks are there?
Which automobile jack do I require? Trolley jacks, bottle jacks, and scissor jacks are the three primary varieties of car jacks. Although they all carry out the same basic tasks slightly differently, some varieties are much more stable than the others.
Can an SUV be lifted by a low-profile jack?
Yes, it has an extremely low profile and will meet all your demands if there is a jack underneath the secure section of the SUV.