Can't find a floor jack that works for my car

**Shatterz** · 05-28-2006, 04:46 PM

I'm trying to find a good floor jack for my 02 Z28. I've always used bottle jack for my trucks but this is the first car I've had so I got to get one. The first one I got (Westward 2 1/2 ton)was a piece of crap and got stuck on the way down and I almost killed myself getting it to come down. Then I got a slick craftsman aluminum racing jack but the handle always aims up at a slight angle and won't clear the body work when trying to lift the car from right under the engine cradle. Before I spend any more $$$ I want to know what brand and model of floor jack YOU HAVE OR KNOW WORKS WELL ON THIS CAR (02 Z28 Camaro). Please be as specific as possible and model # would be very helpful along with where you purchased it and price. Thankyou!

**Mr. Luos** · 05-28-2006, 06:35 PM

Before I was lowered my 2 ton jack from Checker Auto worked great.
Now I need ramps.

**~redlinels1~** · 05-28-2006, 06:51 PM

I use the steel jack from craftsman. Its been working great for 2 years now. Before I jack the car up, I just drive up two pieces of wood (2x4). it gives me the clearance I need to use the jack. Regardless of the jack I'm using.

**JimmyGTO** · 05-29-2006, 05:47 AM

Advance Auto has a good 2 ton called Speed Lift model F-777. I've used it on chevelles, gto's, and 2003 eclipse that has been lowered 1 1/2".

**02z28ls1** · 05-29-2006, 07:04 PM

I got a Craftsman 3.5 ton one pump to load height with 2 heavy duty jackstands for like $60 on sale a couple years ago. This sucker is very heavy duty and could be used in a commercial shop. It weighs like 85 pounds by itself so it'll be quite a bit different from the aluminum one-haha. You have to remove the saddle to get it to slip under the front crossmember (I'm at stock ride height), and slide it under the front from the side under the foglights. Then it takes a few small pumps before the car raises up enough to get a long stroke with the handle and get things moving fast, but hey it's all good, any jack is like that. I guess the main advantage is the handle goes all the way down flat to get under the front end. Didn't know that about the aluminum one not going down flat with the handle-always like the looks of that jack but would have been dissappointed with the handle issue. An added advantage is the 85 pounds makes for a good trunk weight in the snow storms,

makes the Camaro into a snow patroller. (no I don't haul it around the rest of the time-hehe)

**Roastem** · 05-30-2006, 09:51 AM

It is a real PITA to jack my Z from the front or the rear. Damn low ass air dam in front gives you about 2" jack handle clearance, the engine cradle is designed where jacking it up from there can be tricky if you don't have it centered correctly, you usually have to drive one wheel on a brick or something just to get the DAMN jack under it.

***Ed Blown Vert*** · 05-30-2006, 10:27 AM

I use two of the Craftsman Aluminum jacks. And my car is lowered.

**Shatterz** · 05-30-2006, 05:18 PM

Thanks for the replies, does anybody have a good made in U.S.A jack, I hate buying all the made in china crap, I tried another craftsman 3 ton steel jack but the effort to lift the car was ridiculous, I was almost jumping on the damn handle and this thing is supposed to be able to lift 6000 lbs

Also where are you guys putting the jacks stands in the front and rear after lifting up the car? I was going to put them in the unibody notches for the spare tire jack but the car is at such and extreme angle once lifted the car will barely touch the flat part of the jack stand.

**thirdbird** · 05-30-2006, 06:05 PM

A word of caution.
If you jack or support your car at extreme angles and twist the chassis, you risk breaking or cracking your hatch glass or your t-tops. I had tires put on, and the shop foreman had me loosen the t-tops, and crack open the rear hatch.
Seems he had seen something break before.
Only takes a second to loosen that stuff up. Better be safe.

If you need to get the car in the air and it can rest on the tires, get a set of Rhino Ramps. I have had a set for years, and they are well worth the money. They are cheaper now than when I bought mine many years ago. The shallow ramp angle will clear the nose of a TA and I imagine just about anything else. I dont even think of trying to get under the car without the ramps.

I use a small cheap hydraulic floor jack when I rotate my tires by jacking under the A-arm where the shock mounts, one side at a time. I jack it just enough to clear the tire off of the ground. I use a 2 ton large floor jack under the differential, again just barely lifting the tires off of the ground.

I have found that most jack stands are just too tall for f-bodies. You have to get the car too high to use them, in my opinion.

**Shatterz** · 05-31-2006, 06:25 AM

Thanks thirdbird for that info, I didn't know you could crack the glass

, that would ruin my day LOL. I'm gonna get those ramps too. Your right about the jack stands, most stand anywhere from 11"-12" and thats ridiculous. Now I just need a good made in USA jack.

**BIG D's SS** · 05-31-2006, 06:31 AM

A couple of boards and slide in on the left or right of the air dam. Any jack works when you do it like that.

**Roastem** · 05-31-2006, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by BIG D's SS

A couple of boards and slide in on the left or right of the air dam. Any jack works when you do it like that.

The engine cradle has a short slope, and when you start to jack it up, it gets even worse, make sure the middle of the jack plate is centered on the rear of the engine cradle, not centered under the cradle. That way, the jack plate's teeth will catch the engine cradle, instead of allowing it to be dangerously slippery on an inclined slope.