Now that i am spending more time playing in the garage with the car its time to get a decent jack for the garage. Given the relatively low clearance of the Ftype what is a good floor jack to get that is reliable and low enough profile?

Going to pick one up Friday so I can get the spacers on.

 

Expensive, but one of the best low profile jacks (2.5"-20"):Omega 29023 Jack, Service - Lifting Equipment

 

Perhaps you should look at scissor lift. Would get all 4 wheels up

Most only lift car up 1 metre at the most so even with low ceilings you can get car airborne. If ground clearance over the ramp is an issue you can use little rubber ramps to get car over the lift and into position

 

Look for a jack that is around 2.5-3.5 inches at it's minimum. Make sure it's aluminum rather than steel. The steel jacks are extremely heavy.

 

I don't have a problem with my steel jack for home. I've used an aluminum one at the track though (our "ringer" for LeMons had a fully equipped enclosed trailer) and I must say, it sure was nice when we loaded up at the end of the day.

 

In my case, my steel one isn't a low profile jack, so it's much larger than my low profile jack (so it's heavy has heck). If your steel jack is one of the smaller low profile style ones, then yes it's probably not too bad.

Side note, I use the other jack to get my race car off the ground as high has possible. However, it starts out too tall so I use the low profile jack to get the car lifted enough to get the larger jack under it.

 

https://www.quickjack.com/

 

Aluminium is nice if you ever have to pick it up, but otherwise look for a big cup with a rubber pad, quick-lift, fixed lever item with a really long arm.

Low profile a bonus.

HTH

 

+1. If you lower the car with H&R springs, you are left with only 3.75" clearance to the jack points.

 

Thanks all. Great advice. Eventually I'm going to get a lift put in but in the interim I'll have the floor one. Shopping tomorrow.....

 

Did somebody say "lift"? Just for you my friend just for you...

 

"Any of you would do the same!"

 

I've had a Craftsman 5 ton floor jack for the last decade and it's been great. If you do lower the car, just drive up onto a wood block (small piece of 2x4) to get the additional clearance needed.

Avoid any low cost floor jacks (especially Harbor Freight), as the saying goes "you get what you pay for".

 

Bendpak BL 5000SLX AC 110V Quickjack by Ranger | eBay

Hands down winner!

 

^ that's a great lift for the entire car, +1

 

Go to harbor freight pick up a low profile heavy duty aluminum jack for $150, works just fine.

 

I'm really liking the Quickjack, and they are reasonably priced from their UK distributor too. They cost half of what I was expecting after seeing the US dollar price.

Does anyone here own or use one? If so is it really as simple as the sales videos make out?

I currently use a normal floor jack and stands, which means doing both sides separately and takes about 5 mins to lift and fit the stands, mostly on my hands and aching knees. 18 seconds for the DC version (the only one available in Europe/CE marked) plus the built in mechanical stands looks very attractive indeed. I like that you can use them sideways or front and back depending on what you are lifting too. They seem very versatile.

 

I don't have one yet but will be getting. This thread convinced me.

My V8V chasis (tubs) were damaged at Firestone - 6SpeedOnline - Porsche Forum and Luxury Car Resource

 

My QuickJack BL 5000SLX was delivered today and after assembly and a bottle of ATF I had a quick go on my XJL at lunch. It works great, and puts my head comfortably under the wheel arch when sitting on a stool. It was a bit nerve racking the first time it went up as it juddered (only slightly) and looked to be at an angle but that may have been me not bleeding the hoses properly on one side. The second time it was level and perfectly smooth. I ran it off a battery booster I have for starting cars.

The jacks themselves are really well put together and look like they will outlast me. The quick release fixings spills no fluid when disconnected, although I am going to buy some dust caps to stop dirt getting on them.

You'll need an air compressor and hoses to charge the gas struts used for the return, and some ATF. The tools are normal spanners and drivers you'll have in your garage toolkit. It takes about an hour to assemble and charge then just minutes to pull off the wall and slide under the car. (I'm hanging mine up to keep them off the floor, but they are low enough you could park on top of them if space is limited.

The UK distributor is Lift Master who supply MOT ramps, etc, and run the https://www.quickjacklift.co.uk site. Shipping was free and it was dropped off by their own installers. I can't fault their service.

 

Me too! I have 4-5 floor jacks, 4 four-post lifts, 1 two-post lift. I bought a low-profile version from HF and it works fine for me. Now, if I ran a shop and used it everyday, I'd go for a Snap-On.