Rebuilding a floor jack?????

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have a Crapman, er I mean Craftsman 3 ½ ton floor jack. It is junk but man is it pretty. :rolleyes: I bought it a few years ago and got very little use out of it before it started to give out. :mad: As much as I would love to throw it in a scrap pile, I think I should try and repair it first. I am spending enough o tools as it is so I would like to avoid buying a new floor jack if I can help it. Have any of you tried it? Can it be rebuilt and working like new again?

[harryredtrike]

yes it can be rebuilt.go to a craftsman order web site with model number and you will be on your way.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Ugh, do I have to go through them? Would a hydraulic place have what I need? I have heard both yes and no about rebuilding these things.

[racerxxx]

LSTZ,

Try to locate your model number usually XXX.XXXXX, follow the link and search by model number. I don't think sears sells the rebulid kit but they will sell you a new power pack(usually not worth the cost of the jack). I've always wanted to rebuild one but so far have never needed to. It can't be too hard, google how to rebuild a floor jack if you haven't already. I would assume that it's just a few o-rings and seals. Also check to make sure there is no shizz in the check balls, my dad had one that wouldn't hold up and he found a small shard of metal by the check ball. Good luck with it. Hey aren't you in the military--take it to your Hydraulic guys, I wouldn't mind my tax dollars fixing you jack!:lol:

http://www.searspartsdirect.com

[SYKO]

ADD this to the list as to why you need to actually spend good money on a good product man... I bought a high grade floor jack back in 98 paied nearly 400 for it.. lasted untill 07 when it was stolen

[firehart]

Take it back to Sears and complain really loud. They probably give you the parts or a new jack. I got a new floor jack from Harbor Freight when my old Harbor Freight one quit working. I tried to use a different word than complain but the trailpros came up.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I thought I was buying a good jack at the time. I now know Sears crap sucks.

[Raziel661]

You should be able to return a Craftsman anything to a sears or whatever and get a replacement. Dont rebuild it until you've tried taking it back. Craftsman is supposed to be guaranteed for life so tell em you want a new one.

[Macs]

A local hydraulic shop will have everything you need. on mine, i just pulled the cylinder and dropped it off to them, picked it up the next day and i cost me $20. some jacks are not servicable, that is mostly the really cheap ones. also check your fluid. It could be just low.

[LonesomeTriZ]

That warrent only applies to their hand tools. Even that is getting tougher to get them to stand by.

The fluid is fine. I'll see if my wife can run it by a hydro shop though.

[rdlsz24]

I also have a Craftsman 3 ton jack that is about 2.5 years old and no problems to speak of but I too agree they are not what they used to be going by the reviews on their web page (which you should ALWAYS read before buying a Craftsman product imo). My dad had the same 2 ton the whole time I was growing up and it's still going strong 20 years later. I don't think he has ever serviced it or even changed the fluid lol.

Rob

[LonesomeTriZ]

Do you have the link? I would love to leave a message if they allow it.

I have some damn old Craftsman stuff that is biult well. Thier new stuffs sucks worse than a hooker with jagged teath.

[rdlsz24]

Just go to their website at Sears.com and search for whatever product. Click on the product you want to see. At the bottom of each product page they have reviews. Here is a jack for example: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950239000P?keyword=floor+jack#revi ewsWrap. As you can see it's rated pretty crappy, a 1.7 out of 5 based on 81 reviews. You can't beat these real-world reviews when it comes time to purchase a Sears product for yourself.

Rob

[atctim]

You should be able to return a Craftsman anything to a sears or whatever and get a replacement. Dont rebuild it until you've tried taking it back. Craftsman is supposed to be guaranteed for life so tell em you want a new one.

That's what I thought too - not true - I bought a 6" vice just for their warranty - and when it broke - guess what - nope - only hand tools is what I was told. I have had several tool replacements rejected by Sears - makes me so angry!!! read their fine print - it spells it out - might need a craftsman magnifying glass to see it though!

[MonroeMike]

I had a Craftsman floor jack that used to let the car down real slow. I took it to Sears just to see if they would replace or fix it, they said no (I didn't think they would, but I thought I'd try).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craftsman_(tools)

[Jason Hall]

I agree with Syko, buy a good Jack the first time. I bought a Lincoln floor jack for myself about 8 years ago. I then bought another licoln for my shop at work about 2 years after I bought mine (Taiwan Mickey Mouse Jack). Lincoln used to be a good floor Jack, until they sold out to the Taiwan company. The older Lincoln Jacks have a one piece handle, the new Taiwan Crappp has a 2 piece handle, and LOTS of Crappy parts made out of cast aluminum junk. The Taiwan sellout Jack spun the hex off the swivel under the handle after about 6 months. I then took the 35 year old swivel off my Walker thats still working like a champ. Walker was bought out by Lincoln a long time ago. I'm not sure you can even buy a real American made Jack anywhere, maybe you can from Snap-On or Mac.

The seals In your Crapsman jack will probly be a commonly used seal that any hydrolic rebuilder should be able to locate. I have also taken hydrolic jack pumps apart & just cleaned them out. Sometime's a small piece of dirt will get stuck In the bypass circuit not allowing It to make pressure. Good luck with It :w00t:

[firehart]

That's why I like my son working for Harbor Freight. I get almost everything replaced if it breaks.

[racerxxx]

This might be a good read -- can't vouch for who wrote it though. But seems to have some facts. We unfortunately live in a disposable society, make cheap, sell cheap, throw away, buy again.

http://www.hyjacks.com/H2.HTM

I have a 2 tonner by Alltrade http://www.alltradetools.com/

My old man bought it for me years ago because I was always stealing his from his shop to use in my shop (drug it throught dirt and stones to my shop). He bought it at Sams club or Costco, came with jack stands, a cheap deal. He just wanted me to have my own @ 20 some years old, we'll its been 12-14 years with out problems. I've always stored it fully compressed with the valve open(no pressure) not sure if that helped or not but the old man always told me to do it that way, mabey it helps in longevity. I'm sure it's a China jack. In years to come I'm sure I'll get my dads old jacks, back from when things were built to last.

You may want to look at craigslist for old shop equipment and stuff, even if it needs rebuilt, at least you know it was built tough. My buddies are in the trucking business and usually go to equipment auctions and score some killer jacks and stuff for cheap. Alot of their jacks are probably 40+ years old and still lift axles and such on big rigs. WWII era equipment is usually top notch stuff, my father in law has some in his machine shop, and uses it everyday, and it hammers along with out fail, when I use his stuff I always wonder what it has made in its life time, if it could only talk!

Good luck with your decision!

[LonesomeTriZ]

I will be adding my review as well. I am surprised they have that there. Melissa is going to take it to a local hydro shop and see if they have the seals. Thanks for all the links I hope this thing is up and running before I get home on R&R. I have D60 swap to do in a short time.

And for the record, Craftsman tools suck ass.

[ATC-Eric]

Good thread, got a slipping jack that needs help.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Who makes it?

[ATC-Eric]

Also a craftsman. 2 1/2 ton.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I am hearing from a lot of people other places the same thing. I guess it is just universal. Sears will never see any more of my money.

[Dirtcrasher]

I bought mine at BJ's wholesale club about 20 years ago for 70$. I beat the snot out of it and it's never let me down - no pun intended :lol:

That show that cuts crap in half to show how it works just showed a floor jack a couple weeks ago. Destructed?? is that it??

It's no different than a caliper except it has check balls and a valve you manually open and close.

Just like a caliper, if the piston or bore are worn or scored, an oring and seal won't repair it......

[LonesomeTriZ]

Maybe, I doubt it, but maybe I will have time to tear it down myself when I get home. The only down side is wasted time if it turns out to need more that new seals.

[racerxxx]

Don't think of it as wasted time but Gained Knowledge! (I waste alot of time!):lol:

[LonesomeTriZ]

Normaly time would not be an issue. But I am very limited on my R&R's and I have to fit in a front end swap under my truck while I am home.