Jack and axle stands - any recommendations?

[Portent 0]

Right... I have a list of things to do on the Corrado. My original plan was for my brother to help me with them as he has access to garage facilities and, unlike me, knows one end of a spanner from another. Unfortunately through circumstance it hasn't been possible to get up to him recently (I've been ill and now he's got a new job and may be offshore for a while). So I think I need to start learning and just get on with it in spring when the weather returns.

 

Long story short... I need a jack and axle stands. Budget around £100 to £150 (less would be good). Any recommendations?

[Supercharged 2]

Halfords - great quality and not too pricey!

[swiftkid 1]

SIP low profile jack for me http://www.sipuk.co.uk/tools/info_SIP03914.html, I would have no hesitation about working under my car with it on the jack alone, not that I do, but you get the idea! Little bit pricey but you have to bare in mind that once its bought, you have it for life unlike the clarke/halfords crap that last 5 minutes and look like they would have trouble jacking up a pedal bike. Can you tell I have a hatred for those small jacks after my car fell off the jack and dented my brand new exhaust system!

 

Axle stands, I'll agree with supercharged. Unless your working on lorries, most axle stands do the same job.

[Toohottotrot 10]

My halfords jack was crap....gave it away on freecycle! Machine mart have a fab trolley jack for lowered cars at around £80, light and strong. Also vat free for the next week or so!

[boost monkey 0]

...unlike the clarke/halfords crap that last 5 minutes and look like they would have trouble jacking up a pedal bike. Can you tell I have a hatred for those small jacks after my car fell off the jack and dented my brand new exhaust system!

 

 

Sounds like you're bitter over the halfords jacks simply because you didn't use it properly! Why are you surprised your car slipped from the jack? Sounds like misuse to me, plus where were your axle stands? :wave:

 

My halfords items have lasted about 5 years (not 5mins! :lol: ) and still working fine.

[swiftkid 1]

My axle stands were removed as I was letting the car down off the jack, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to know how to use a jack, nor does it take one to realise the quality difference between one of those and the one I have now. I had 2, one would let itself down as I was jacking it up and the other just fell to bits. I'm surprised the car fell off the jack because a jack is supposed to lift and lower a car not pick up and drop it, misuse you say? I used it to lift a car, how the hell is that misuse!?

[Stonejag 10]

Not going to argue with swiftkid but my Halfords trolley jack has been fine. They don't supply a rubber pad with it though so if you're not careful you can squash the metalwork around the jacking points...

 

Their axle stands are about 20 quid but I haven't used them. Normally I use my ramps for working underneath though.

 

Up to how much you're going to use them really - you could sort yourself at Halfords for under £50 if you aren't going to use them that often. I only use mine for swapping wheels over and adjusting the coilovers so I can get away with the cheap gear :)

 

Stone

[Toohottotrot 10]

I had the same problem with the Halfords jack.......trying to jack up and the jack just going down! The last time it let me down (Every pun intended) was a real bad situation, a ramp had slipped on the transporter with the car on it! No probs so far with the Clarke racing jack.

Oh and being ex RAC recovery technician, I kinda know what I'm doing.........mostly lol

[swiftkid 1]

I'm not trying to kick off and start a mass argument but I do a lot of work on cars, I'm not a mechanic I just enjoy working on cars (glutton for punishment!!!) and if your only looking to jack your car up, swap a wheel or maybe lift coilovers then perhaps a halfords/clarke jack will be fine but if your looking to do a fair bit of work on your car I'd spend the extra.

[Toohottotrot 10]

We could get Harry Hill to have a "fight" between the different jacks! :)

[Critical_Mass 10]

i really could do with a low profile jack - tired of having to use scissor jack to lift the car a bit to get the normal jack under. A low profile would be better.

[tony_ack 0]

I got a couple of jacks from GSF a few years ago, 2 tonne rated. They weren't particularly expensive (£20-£30 each?), and aren't going to set the world alight but have been reliable enough so far. No rubber pads, but I use planks of wood with the jacks anyway. Car is lowered 30mm, and I sometimes have a bit of trouble getting them under the front with the wood as well. I'd probably look for a low jack if I was buying again, but it's not enough of a problem to justify replacing the ones I have.

 

I have a couple of pairs of Halfords professional axle stands, and they're fine - had my old MK2 breaker propped up on them for a couple of weeks with no issues.

[Toohottotrot 10]

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctj1250a-11-4-tonne-aluminium-trolley-jack

[joebloggsVR69 0]

I'd love to get some of these.. http://www.restorationramps.co.uk/

A bit pricey though!

[Portent 0]

Thanks for the suggestions. They will only be for occasional use; mostly removing a wheel or doing a service. I don't yet know enough to do serious work on the car so anything major would still need to be sent to a proper garage. But once I start doing my own work on the Corrado then I'll probably also start maintaining the Golf too. So I guess I'd use them 5 to 10 times per year max. I've heard mixed things about the Halfords jacks so will probably look at one of the others recommended.

[monzablau16v 0]

gonna throw my hat into the ring here and say that the two lidl jacks that i have been using for the last 3 years are still going strong - and they have been thoroughly used! Never had any issues with them and when used correctly with axle stands (also from Lidl!) I have never had any failures or issues.

 

They were cheap as I remember, something like £20 for a 2tonne jack.

 

:)

[fla 9]

i really could do with a low profile jack - tired of having to use scissor jack to lift the car a bit to get the normal jack under. A low profile would be better.

 

just drive on to some blocks of wood first then use the jack. I've 'made' some ramps from different lengths of wood, 5 pieces in all, nice and wide and ultra stable. I say made, as i just cut them up using a circular saw and store them as loose planks for convenience.

[northG60 0]

This is a good lightweight jack - http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctj1250a-11-4-tonne-aluminium-trolley-jack

 

ive had it for about a year with no issue and it's really easy to move about and pump up ( get under low car lol)

 

and for axel stands - http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/as10-axle-stands?da=1&TC=SRC-axel stands

 

i use mine for the Dragster with no hassle and again nice and leightweight easy to use

 

i would love to get one of these things pic below........imagine how easy life could be

[SamG40 0]

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctj1250a-11-4-tonne-aluminium-trolley-jack

 

I bought one of these the other month on a vat free day at machine mart which made it very good value. Its a lot better than my halfords jack that I've had for years because of the problem already mentioned. If you continually use the halfords jacks they just seem to dome in the jacking points. The clarke one spreads the load more efficiently and has the rubber pad to protect the metal. Much easier to use and very much lighter too. No more driving onto lumps of wood either as it goes under my car no problem. For the money its great.

[Portent 0]

That Clarke from machinemart jack does look good. But unfortunately while it's fine for the Corrado it may be a problem with the Golf (1.4+ tonnes).

[Toohottotrot 10]

That Clarke from machinemart jack does look good. But unfortunately while it's fine for the Corrado it may be a problem with the Golf (1.4+ tonnes).

 

It will lift more than the weight stated, I'm sure manufacturers err on the side of caution. Correct me if I'm wrong but you wouldn't lift the whole cars weight in one go?

[Portent 0]

It will lift more than the weight stated, I'm sure manufacturers err on the side of caution. Correct me if I'm wrong but you wouldn't lift the whole cars weight in one go?

 

Hmmm that's true. But I'd assumed the weight rating meant it could only safely be used on cars of that weight or less. I told you I was a novice :)

[Toohottotrot 10]

Hmmm that's true. But I'd assumed the weight rating meant it could only safely be used on cars of that weight or less. I told you I was a novice :)

 

Possibly that is the case, but if they put a max weight on a jack, some nut might try and lift RSJ's and bits of buildings and stuff that weigh that ammount? Not that I know anyone that would ofcorse.............:bonk::thumbleft::dance::shrug:

[VW_OwneR_85 2]

i brought this, it can be a little hard to jack up but it is very very low!! perfect for the lowerd car and for what you want it for, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALUMINIUM-TROLLEY-JACK-RACE-CAR-CTJ1250A-7621800-CLARKE-/120659786575?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item1c17e23b4f