Hi all,

Looking to pull the trigger and teach our son how to change a tire, thus need to purchase a home floor jack (might as well ask for a breaker bar referral also). Any recommendations from you guys?

Thanks in advance!

 

Just go find a nice aluminum one at a reputable store.

I needed a low profile one in the past to get under the jack point of my former NSX but that same jack is useless for my MDX - it doesn’t go high enough.

So consider the different vehicles and the heights they need when you choose because it really sucks having to use the stock scissor jack for that Mdx! If I used it more than 2x/yr I’d get a better one.

 

^^^ Yup. I have 3 jacks and a lift and use all of them. Don't forget the jack stands.

 

Great points from BioBanker.

Look to get a jack that is low enough profile for your lowest car (ideally even able to do center jack point lift if that vehicle has a jack point on a differential at the back)m and has enough lift for your largest vehicle (SUV or truck). I put a a few 4"x4" under my low profile jack for my truck but it's not safe / ideal.

That said, if you're only doing two or three lifts per year I'd just buy a Costco jack. It is nice to get a lighter aluminum one also.

Breaker bars don't need to be Gray or Snap-On (although awesome if so). Princess auto is reasonable and has a lifetime warranty.

Sorry if the above advice is sacrilege, more expensive tools are better, but for a couple tire changes a year $100 at Costco for the jack and $20 at Princess Auto works. I'd consider looking at a jack pad or jack point block if it's for a Porsche.

 

https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...ck/A-p8760670e

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...1504p.html#srp

 

years ago I had a michelin jack fold on me while supporting my old audi A6. it had the wheels on and no one was hurt but it was scary. I suggest getting one with a single front wheel like this: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...?rrec=true#spc
I also suggest at least once a year tightening the bolts as they do come loose over time.
curious how old is your son? thinking of teaching my 11 and 14 year old daughter.

 

https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...ck/A-p8486698e

bought this one on sale over the boxing week sale. Haven’t had a chance to use it yet but the reviews were great and it has a 2 3/4” min height which is idea for Porsches lowered on coil springs like mind.

 

We use our Quick Jack lift most of the time, but we also have the Canadian Tire low-profile steel+alum 3T jack. I like that it has the rubber insert on the lift point, but we also typically use a hockey puck on top of it. I think it was similarly priced to the Costco version.

HTH

 

Oh - and we also have breaker bars from Princess Auto. They do the job, and price was as good as anywhere.

 

Since you are teaching your kid how to chance tires, might as well use the jack and equipment the car came with. Then the next time it's tire change season, use a hydraulic floor jack. I've had aluminium and cast iron jacks in the past and by far the heavier cast iron ones last the longest. Had an aluminium one crack on me.

 

I’m with IMO, unless you plan on carrying it around with you, stick with good old steel. I have one similar to this one. Low profile so it fits under my lowered 911, yet high enough lift that I can easily use it on my Ridgeline. Jackstands are critical, and a very important part of teaching a kid to use these ALL the time.

Generally a cheap breaker bar is all that is needed, but get yourself a torque wrench, which is far more important, and teach him how to set and use it.

 

that looks like the one I now have. It works well. and I use a puck.

 

so what are your thoughts on it so far? Haven’t used mine yet, but the old girl coming out of hibernation next week and a Transmission flush on the agenda!

 

Canadian Tire often has the 24" breaker bar + torque wrench combo on sale this time of year, get that combo since you'll undoubtedly need a torque wrench too.

For floor jacks, they're all about the same from a quality perspective until you get into spending big dollars. So the 2-3 ton low profile long reach ones are your best bet. I hardly use mine anymore since I put in my lift though.

 

get a steel jack, safety over weight, make sure you consider the loading height and total lift height, and the rise over run of the snout, some cars need a long low snout to get to the jacking point
these work well https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...-0090226p.html