The Best Car Jacks
When it comes down to automotive essentials, the sturdy carjack is the most valuable tool for replacing your most vulnerable component. All too often, the carjacks that come with new car purchases are too small, difficult to operate, and require a lot of manual exertion. While we're not expecting every standard auto package to come with a high-end pneumatic lift, every carjack should be made of heavy steel components, be built to withstand significant weight, and have a structurally safe base. That's why we've done the research and came up with a list of the best of the best in the world of carjacks. Read on to find the perfect pick, so you can score a jack that's guaranteed to carry its weight (and then some) in the garage or on the open road.
Torin BIG RED Steel Jack Stands
A Gentleman's Jack
Putting your well-being in the hands of hardware makes your purchasing decision all the more important. With Torin, you can rest assured knowing that safety is the top priority of this world-class weight lifter. The wide pyramid base design may not be a space-saver, but the rigidity and stability are more than worth this trade-off. This jack works by simply aligning the saddle bar with your car’s frame and turning the crank until the sawtooth-designed ratchet bar reaches the desired height. When it comes time to change your oil, rotate your tires, or replace a flat, a pair of BIG RED Steel Jack Stands will be plenty to get the job done right.
Pros:
- Depending on the option you choose, Big Red jacks are capable of lifting from 4,000 to 24,000 pounds
- Maximum height of 16 and a half inches
- The two-ton pair only weighs seven and a half pounds.
- Graded to ASME standards
Cons:
- A minimum height of approximately 11 inches will not work for some low sports cars and sedans.
Pro-Lift Grey Hydraulic Trolley Jack
The World-Class Weight Lifter
Trolley carjacks are a favorite in the auto mechanic and racing communities for several reasons. To start, the hard rubber casters mean that the jack is both easily moveable and sturdy. The compact, long frame of the trolley also lends to its stability, ensuring that the lift won’t tip over while in action. The Pro-Lift’s steel frame is rust-resistant and comes with a carrying case as well, allowing you to preserve this useful tool in pristine condition. Lastly, the long lever is much easier to operate versus shorter cranks or bars, which require you to kneel and twist. When you want the convenience of lifting 3,000 pounds a foot in the air in an easy-to-use hydraulic package, choose Pro-Lift.
Pros:
- 5.25-Inch minimum height
- Convenient carrying handle attached to the base of the jack
- Ideal for compact cars and sedans
- The circular lift’s jack pad fits perfectly into the car’s frame for added security
Cons:
- The carrying case isn’t the most durable
Pro-Lift Double Pin Jack Stand
Watch Out Atlas
When you need to lift something a little heavier than a compact sedan, the automotive accessory prices tend to rise commensurate with the weight. Pro Lift’s Double Pin Jack Stands won’t break the bank and are graded to six tons per pair, meaning two of these car jacks can lift the back of a heavy-duty truck with ease. Having more safety precautions is always a smart feature at higher weights, and Pro-Lift doesn’t disappoint. As noted in the title, this jack stand has two locking points: one in the actual crank and another which braces itself against the sawtooth ratchet teeth.
Pros:
- The corners of the base are reinforced for added strength
- Each jack weighs 13 pounds
- Welds are substantial
- Meets both ANSI and PALD engineering standards
Cons:
- The black rubber caps on the release handle fall off easily
ROGTZ Electric Car Jack
A High Voltage Helper
Adding electronic features to your product can either lend to its ease-of-use or make it infinitely more complex. Fortunately, with the ROGTZ car jack, it’s the former. ROGTZ’s Electric Car Jack is the posterchild of simplicity, featuring a total of two buttons for up and down movement. This scissor jack-style lift can easily be fit into tight storage spaces and is the perfect accessory on the road. While this electric jack doesn’t have AC wall power accessibility, the power can be connected via a 12-volt car outlet or clamped directly to your car’s battery. Furthermore, with a minimum height of under five inches and a wide base plate, the ROGTZ Electric Car Jack will be compatible with the lowest of low riders.
Pros:
- It takes approximately two minutes to reach a maximum height of fifteen inches
- Can be purchased with two or three-ton weight capacity
- Waterproof design makes this perfect for changing flats in the rain
- LED built-in for use at night time
Cons:
- Cannot adjust the maximum height of the lift
Eaz-Lift 24″ RV Stabilizing Scissor Jack
Lift Your Expectations With Eaz-Lift
For fans of the scissor-jack-style lift, look no further than Eaz-Lift. Coming in at 12 pounds each and displacing a maximum of 7500 pounds each, the 24″ Stabilizing Jack gives you the ability to overcome the heaviest of automotive issues. Eaz-Lift’s powerful product grows by an astounding nineteen inches to full height, allowing adjustments on everything from a smart car to full-sized recreational vehicles. Furthermore, due to this model’s compact size, the top plate can actually be mounted, via bolt or weld, to the metal frame of your car, making repairs out in the elements as easy as pulling out your crank and adding a bit of torque.
Pros:
- Mounting hardware in the form of bolts included with purchase
- Includes drill bit for automatic lifting
- Ideal permanent addition for trailers and RV’s that need to be stabilized when not connected to an automobile
- Extra layers of stamped metal added to every pressure point for a stronger hold.
Cons:
- The included manual crank is extremely difficult to operate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps to properly raise an automobile with a car jack?
Lifting a car is a relatively simple process that can be achieved with a little common sense and muscle. First, select a spot in your garage or on the roadside where there is no slope to the pavement. Angles can make even the sturdiest car jack unstable and can lead to the model failing as well. Once you’ve selected your real estate, begin manually lifting your car and ensure that any locking mechanisms are in place at the desired height. While lifts should be sufficient to hold your car independently, jack stands are a great investment and should be installed under your car once jacked fully. Testing your jack stands with a properly weighted push before sliding it underneath doesn’t hurt either.
What factors should I consider when purchasing a car jack?
Primary use, the weight of your car, and the product’s quality should be the three most important factors to consider when purchasing a car jack. Pneumatic lifts, while sturdy, are extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver outside of a garage, whereas scissor jacks are compact. Considering most 3-ton jacks can handle everything short of oversized autos, it’s always wise to purchase a lift that can handle more weight than is called for. Lastly, there are tell-tale signs of well-made jacks, as well as poorly-made ones. Extra welding, primarily metal parts, professionally coated finishes, and reinforced pressure points indicate quality manufacturing.
About the Author
Why Trust Us
With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.