The most important thing to know, is not to get under the truck unless
it is sitting on it's tires, or else on well placed, high quality stands
that are sitting on a solid surface!
The $30 floor jacks usually are the small type, and won't lift the truck
high enough. The $50-75 floor jacks are the right size, but beware that
they are all made in China, and not of the best quality.
The bigger, American made (including American hydraulics) floor jacks
generally start around $200, and will last longer and work better.
That said, I've been using the same Chinese $70 jack for the past 10
years....
There are lots of strong looking jackstands out there that are made of
cast iron...not what you want. Get steel jack stands. The pin types
are ok if they are the heavy duty type, with double pins, and 4 legs,
well braced. I have half a dozen of these, and get a lot of use out of
them...I think they came from Pep Boys. I also have a pair of
ratcheting 5 ton $nap-On "real" jackstands, which I use most often.
They are big, and heavy, and STRONG!
Usually you can get by with 4 stands if you are only working on one
vehicle. You will usually use only two at a time, but if you have to do
something like remove a transmission from a car, then having 4 is a
necessity.
Unfortunately, Delco will put their name on any piece of Chinese junk
and sell it to make a buck. They do not make the jacks or stands
themselves...China makes them. Look for the little telltale sticker.
Jim
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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