Which Portable Jack

[Black Rabbit]

Hey Guys I have a 95 RMW and I need a portable jack that can fit on the floor of the rear seats. I have found a couple online but I was wondering whats the lowest lift range I could go with? I was using my GFs jack in an emergency and i couldn't even get my tire in the air, I'm just looking for something that can lift the car enough to change a tire. Also weight wise what should I go with I was looking in the 1.5 ton range, I know the RMW weighs about 4500 lbs, idk if thats enough or not.

Thanks

 

[buickwagon]

I'm just looking for something that can lift the car enough to change a tire.

The factory jack isn't the greatest piece of kit ever made, but does meet the need of lifting the stock car sufficiently to replace a tire.

Which begs the question: what happened to the factory jack or what modifications have been made to the car that would prevent the factory jack from doing the job anymore?

Now, when I'm at home and doing maintenance like tire rotation, brakes, etc. I have a hydraulic floor jack that is far more convenient. I think it lifts up to around 20" or so. A 2-ton hydraulic jack is more than enough to lift the RMW. Many have a removable handle so wouldn't be a problem to fit in the footwell.

 

[Black Rabbit]

well my factory jack is MIA, when I bought the car it wasnt present so now im looking for an alternative

 

[azroadmaster]

Look into a bottle jack, they don't take up much room and you are only lifting 1 corner of the car to change a tire.

 

[buickwagon]

I've never found a typical bottle jack to be sufficient on one of these cars. If the jack is short enough to fit under the car, the travel is insufficient to lift the wheel off the ground. I have a nice 20-ton jack with sufficient travel, but it's too tall to fit under the car!

 

[turbostar]

OK, I'll ask the obvious question: Why not go to a wrecking yard and pick up a factory jack,they have to be cheap and do the job.

 

[Black Rabbit]

Yea, i might just check out a yard

 

[MrBuick (Magnum)]

I bought a jack from Walmart a few years ago for this reason. It was in a plastic case, 2 ton, trolley jack. It had a handle, that doubled as the breaker bar, with 2 sockets mounted on the jack. the sockets could be inverted, for a total of 4 sizes. Worked really good when I made it home on my 1000 mile road trip, and got a flat on the rear in my driveway. I can't seem to find any info on it. It was a "GM Performance Parts" brand.

The other jack I keep in another car, is a light aluminum one from Harbor Freight. You can get it on sale for $60. I have used it as well, to change a rear tire. It is VERY low profile, very light, but requires a decent surface to lift. Two chunks of small plywood normally get the job done. Just need to be easy on it, since it's not steel. The handle pops off, so it fits in small places.


If you do end up wit a stock jack, get one from the 80's RWD GM full size cars. They work like a bumper jack, in that it ratchets, and is much easier to use, and a better design that the stupid scissor design they put in these cars.