Appropriate size Jack Stands?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by rick3000

Haha, there are no simple answers, and you have to keep in mind most of the people on this forum are enthusiasts not mechanics so you will need to evaluate the information/opinions you get for yourself and determine what you think is the best/right way to do things. That said, there are a lot of super knowledgeable people on this forum!


Those Lift Bars look great, but they are model specific and $275 shipped, a bit pricey in my opinion. The problem with that Harbor Freight attempt at a lift bar is that it doesn't have a place to put the jack stands once you get the car into the air, since the bar is already using/covering the jack points.

+1 for the Harbor Freight Long/Low Jack Gelbster mentioned. That is what I use and it works great, and can reach the back of the engine cover/plate to lift both rear wheels at once.

My Esco stands have a minimum height of 13", which is doable, but getting the car onto the stands is somewhat terrifying. I think 15" minimum height is too high, without using a crib or some cut up 2x10" to get the car a bit higher when you start. I will be building a 2 or 3 stage wooden crib in 4" high sections before my next oil change.

If you saw the lift bars, you would understand why they are worth the money; they are incredibly well made and very strong. A car up on them is both high and very stable, even at heights above 20 inches. We have a couple of sets and used them both in the shop and at the track. I would highly recommend them to anyone working on jack stands.