Is this a good jack for these HD trucks?

[jm888]

I just do occasional work on my vehicles and have a small floor jack but wanted to get one that can accommodate these trucks as well. Probably won't get much use (as the truck is so high I can practically sit under it to change the oil!), but I might want to rotate the tires myself. I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that may get used once or twice a year, so what do you guys think of this Pittsburgh 3 ton jack from Harbor Freight that is on sale for $119 through tomorrow? It lifts up to almost 20 inches which should be fine for the truck, and has a minimum of 3 1/8" so should work on my car as well. I have read good things about the Daytona jacks, even on this forum, but for someone that is not going to use it much, how does this look?

A couple other questions while I am at it: Is it ok to lift the rear of the truck by the differential, and what height of jack stands would you need to get the rear wheels off the ground? Would these 3 ton stands work that are on sale for $32? They have a range of 11 3/8 to 16 7/8" Thanks!

 

[sanda]

I've got the same jack and it works well for my 7400# HD. You may have to put a 4X4 wooden block between jack and diff. to reach the height for your jack stands to allow removal of each tire.

 

[NC Rebel]

I have this jack also, works fine.

 

[Riddick]

Jack will work fine, I'd consider upgrading to the 6 ton stands. You will be close to maxing out the 3 tons. I personally like to have a little cushion for the weight limits on my jack stands..... The additional height is nice to for these trucks.

 

[amauri]

According to the owner's manual, it is not a good idea to lift the truck by the differential.

I realise it says don't do it if the truck is loaded, but I don't like doing it either way.

 

[jm888]

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess it will only take a few more minutes to jack up each side of the axle. So will this get it high enough with the 6 ton stands then? I don't really want to mess with putting a block of wood to gain height. Then from what I gather reading other threads, I just need to get the rear on stands and jack one side of the front up at a time and swap that tire then switch to the other, so all 4 wheels don't have to be up at once, correct?

 

[jsalbre]

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess it will only take a few more minutes to jack up each side of the axle. So will this get it high enough with the 6 ton stands then? I don't really want to mess with putting a block of wood to gain height. Then from what I gather reading other threads, I just need to get the rear on stands and jack one side of the front up at a time and swap that tire then switch to the other, so all 4 wheels don't have to be up at once, correct?

Make sure you’re putting the front on a stand as well. Never work on a vehicle with only the jack holding it up.

 

[Sam 15]

I've had two pittsburgh jacks. The first one was fine, second one no good. The pitts has a rubber plug at the oil fill and it popped out on the first lift spraying oil on everything close to it. I took it back. I didn't want to take the chance of it failing while putting jack stands under it. Look at the Daytona low profile jack. Threaded plug and seems to be better built. When I bought mine before all prices skyrocketed I pais $35 more for the Daytona, but worth to me after the rubber plug failed.

3 ton Low Profile Professional Floor Jack with RAPID PUMP, Orange

Amazing deals on this Orange 3T Steel Low Profile Floor Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[UglyViking]

The Daytona 3 ton super duty jack (link) is always my recommendation. It's likely made in the same factory as the Snap-on model that it compares to, and shares so much crossover that Snap-on sued HF for it (they lost, but it was that close). It's a little more spendy than their other options, but it's durable as anything else you'll find on the market and can't be beat for it's price.

 

[jsalbre]

The Daytona 3 ton super duty jack (link) is always my recommendation. It's likely made in the same factory as the Snap-on model that it compares to, and shares so much crossover that Snap-on sued HF for it (they lost, but it was that close). It's a little more spendy than their other options, but it's durable as anything else you'll find on the market and can't be beat for it's price.

I’ll support (haha) the recommendation for that jack as well. It appears to be very well made and has a huge lift range.

 

[Riddick]

I’ll support (haha) the recommendation for that jack as well. It appears to be very well made and has a huge lift range.

I guess ill support the recommendation as well. I have the same jack and it works perfect. High quality materials including the paint and the jack is very smooth to operate..... I think the super duty gives you an additional 3 inches of height compared to the Pittsburgh and standard Daytona.

OP: I think the Pittsburgh will meet your needs especially if you are only using it to rotate tires. The main thing is the height, but I think it will get the truck off the ground for tire rotations. If you have sometime to kill and want to nerd out on automotive jacks watch this:

 

[Brutal_HO]

I guess ill support the recommendation as well. I have the same jack and it works perfect. High quality materials including the paint and the jack is very smooth to operate..... I think the super duty gives you an additional 3 inches of height compared to the Pittsburgh and standard Daytona.

OP: I think the Pittsburgh will meet your needs especially if you are only using it to rotate tires. The main thing is the height, but I think it will get the truck off the ground for tire rotations. If you have sometime to kill and want to nerd out on automotive jacks watch this:

I was just going to post that.

If there's something I don't have and need, I do some research and form an initial short list, then go to PF to check if there's a review. More often than not, I've already agreed on his findings in general, but sometimes he's saved me a few bucks.

 

[jm888]

I was just going to post that.

If there's something I don't have and need, I do some research and form an initial short list, then go to PF to check if there's a review. More often than not, I've already agreed on his findings in general, but sometimes he's saved me a few bucks.

I guess ill support the recommendation as well. I have the same jack and it works perfect. High quality materials including the paint and the jack is very smooth to operate..... I think the super duty gives you an additional 3 inches of height compared to the Pittsburgh and standard Daytona.

OP: I think the Pittsburgh will meet your needs especially if you are only using it to rotate tires. The main thing is the height, but I think it will get the truck off the ground for tire rotations. If you have sometime to kill and want to nerd out on automotive jacks watch this:

I appreciate it. The Daytona does look nice but for the once or twice a year I use it, I don't need to put out that much. If the 20 inch height of the Pittsburgh gets it off the ground, I'll go with that. Can anyone in here actually confirm that it will get the tires off the ground if jacking from the axle?

 

[jsalbre]

I appreciate it. The Daytona does look nice but for the once or twice a year I use it, I don't need to put out that much. If the 20 inch height of the Pittsburgh gets it off the ground, I'll go with that. Can anyone in here actually confirm that it will get the tires off the ground if jacking from the axle?

Unless you put 44" tires on it you'll definitely get them off the ground with a 20" lift height jack. (Stock tires 33" / 2 = 16.5" - 2" (half the axle tube diameter) = 14.5" of height from the ground to the axle tube with no weight pressing on the tires.

 

[Surf2snow1]

In case anyone is looking for good Jack stands, occasionally Amazon drops the price of these:
Sunex 1310 10-Ton Medium Height Pin Type Jack Stands, Pair https://a.co/d/bA04vnK

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

I have two Daytona jacks and they’ve been very good jacks. Both are 3T one is a long reach. 3 ton is plenty.

 

[phrogman]

I have the yellow Daytona as well and I'm very happy with it.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[joelp]

i got the safejack 6T barrel jack. works fine. only question is where you're meant to put the jack stands on the front if you jack the truck in the factory approved location?

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

i got the safejack 6T barrel jack. works fine. only question is where you're meant to put the jack stands on the front if you jack the truck in the factory approved location?

I can’t recommend a certain way for you to Jack your vehicle

I typically use the factory jack locations when I’m using the factory jack to change a flat.

When I’m using a floor jack and putting the truck on jack stands for a tire rotation or other service, I may jack it differently such as using the center of the axle (tube/diff)

 

[Send2joey]

Coming waaaaay late to this discussion, but am shopping for a new jack myself so found this thread. I've been using a 2.5 tom "MVP" floor jack and 3T jack stand set I bought for my first Ram at least 20 years ago. It's got the height to lift my 2500 on the stock 275/70R18s, but it is kinda sketchy on building lift pressure and on maintaining it so I always slap the stands in as soon as it's up. I jack under the axle at the shock mounts, and put the stands as close as they'll go to the same point.

"I just need to get the rear on stands and jack one side of the front up at a time and swap that tire then switch to the other, so all 4 wheels don't have to be up at once, correct?" I don't center- or diff- lift because I'd be scared of balancing the truck (and now I doubt my crappy jack could lift the whole front end if I tried). May just be me, but am also not comfortable having three wheels off the ground when I'm anywhere near it . . . I start on passenger front, lift it, stand it, pull the wheel then follow the pattern around the vehicle - walk that wheel over to the driver's rear, lift it, stand it, swap it, drop it, proceed to same on driver's front then passenger rear, finishing back at passenger front. Usually runs me an hour including final walk around with the torque wrench.

@jm888: what did you end up with? I've been looking at the Daytona floor jacks. @Riddick I like the idea of the 6Ton stands but man, are they tall. Will need to go measure some stuff