How much should you spend on a floor jack? This question pops right after you decide on buying a floor jack. Summarizing the answer yourself is quite difficult – especially if you are looking for jack for the first time.
Read this article till the end to bet your bucks vigilantly.
How Much Should You Spend on a Floor Jack?
As an estimation, you should have around $150 in hand to buy a floor jack with primary features. The prices of a floor jack will go high with your specific need on the type, height, and number of the piston pump.
Below we have discussed what factors fluctuate the price range of a floor jack.
What Factors Affect the Price of a Floor Jack?
Material
Two types of materials are most popular in the floor jack. One is aluminum, while the other is steel. Generally, aluminum floor jacks are higher in price than steel ones.
The reason why an aluminum floor jack is a premium model is a weight it has. This type of floor jack is lightweight, and that’s why it is easy to transport. So, if you have a good amount of bucks, an aluminum floor jack is a good option to go.
Related: The 3 Best Floor Jacks Under 100 US$
Piston Pump
It is rightly said, “Time is money.” This phrase applies to the piston pump factor of a floor jack. In the two types of piston pumps that are single and dual, a unit with a dual-piston pump will always be an expensive deal.
Saving time and conservation of energy are the two reasons why a dual-piston pump floor jack is expensive. Since there are two pumps integrated into a unit, it achieves the maximum lift height more quickly and with less effort.
In fact, some dual-piston floor jacks require just 4 to 7 strokes to attain the maximum height. However, if you are running short on pennies, a single-piston floor jack is a good option as you can save up to $50 by buying it.
Profile
Categorization is also there in the profile of the floor jack. You’ll find some jack labeled as low profile and a few as high profile. Understand that the low-profile floor jacks have a low minimum height and are made to slide under low-clearance vehicles like sports cars.
Due to this particular feature, the price of a low-profile floor jack will always be high. In a few cases, high-profile floor jacks are also expensive. High-profile jacks are versatile and can work as both low and high-profile just by attaching an extension at the top.
A high-profile floor jack will come in handy for trucks, SUVs, as well as cars. So, if you have a garage where you repair different kinds of vehicles, a high-profile floor jack is worth the investment. In this case, you should have at least $150 – $250 to spend.
Tons of Weight
Do you know what it means by tons of weight in floor jacks? Well, floor jacks are available in 2, 3, 6, and 12 tons. Sometimes, you’ll find them in 15 tons as well. 2 tons of a floor jack can lift a weight of 4000 pounds.
The difference in the tons of weight one handle is one of the primary reasons for the difference in the price of a floor jack. You’ll easily be able to get your hands on a 50-dollar floor jack having a 2-ton capacity.
When you buy a floor jack, make sure of the weight of your vehicle. You’ll need a floor jack that can easily lift your car, truck, or SUV. For instance, small cars under 4,000 pounds are easily lifted by a 2-ton floor jack.
Brand
Every brand sets a different price for its floor jack. It is because of the material they use and their technique in manufacturing a piece. There are a few brands that cost you higher than others, and sometimes, it’s worth the price.
Consider the example of the three top-notch brands, including Big Red, Pro lift, and Torin. Comparatively, Torin is the most expensive brand among these. Its 3-ton floor jack is tagged as $289, while you’ll get a Pro-Lift floor jack of 3 tons at $173.
These prices are at the time of writing the article.
Material, lift height, and pump type also comes into play for their price difference. Furthermore, the Torin jack provides you with additional features like side handles and minimum lift height which the Pro-Lift floor jack doesn’t.
Lift Height
Missing the minimum and maximum lift height of a floor jack can make your purchase go in vain. It’s very important to pay attention to what minimum and maximum height a floor jack have to offer.
Low clearance cars that are Corvette or some Tesla models having a clearance of fewer than 3 inches will not be able to fit a jack with 6 inches minimum height. If you put wood blocks to lift it a bit, then it’s another case.
The point to ponder here is that a floor jack with a low minimum height will add a few bucks to the cost since they are specialized units. Just like that, one with the highest maximum height will cost you a few bucks more as it’ll allow you to change brake pads and oil under the car rather than only changing the tire.
Conclusion
By now, you’d be sorted on how much you should spend on a floor jack.
Practically speaking, you should have around $150 in hand to buy a floor jack. Remember, the more you’ll pay, the chances are the better and more versatile model you’ll get.
There are different factors due to which floor jack varies in the price range. Take brand, material, piston type, tons of weight, and lift height, for instance. Get ready to ship a floor jack since you know how much amount you should bet for a floor jack.