Most mechanics and repair personnel are familiar with the two principal means of raising vehicles for servicing. The most common device is probably the floor jack. Made in sizes from a few hundred pounds to several tons, these machines are operated by pumping a ram contained within a horizontal frame. In contrast, a scissor jack, which also comes in a wide variety of lifting capacities, works by straightening or locking up a scissors-type lift ram. The question remains: Is one of these options superior to the other, or does the nature of the job dictate which tool to use?

These two scissor jacks appear to be serving the same purpose, but I have found them to have very different uses. The 2 ton jack is light enough to easily move around a garage and is very handy for that type of use. The 3 ton jack is much heavier and stiffer and is better suited for high volume use in a fleet garage or repair shop. These jacks can be compared to truck jacks that can lift even heavier loads but are so big and heavy that they are impractical to move around the garage.

So which should I choose? Well that depends on how you intend to use the thing. READ MORE