Floor Jack Extension

The floor jack is one of those tools that you’ll find in any auto mechanic’s workshop. It’s used to lift a vehicle from the floor, allowing the person to efficiently work on the repairs underneath the car, replace flat tires, and a lot more.

But what is a floor jack extension, and what is used for?

To understand this piece of equipment, we have to address the floor jack itself first.

The floor jack is a manually-operated machine made to deliver an incredible load advantage to raising heavy loads. There are many uses to which the floor jack can be put, and most of the applications relate to raising vehicles. These devices use various methods to execute lifting efforts and, in most cases, these involve lead screws and fluid pressure.

A good quality floor jack has many advantages. For instance, it’s easy to use, and it delivers huge lifting power to lift the vehicle off the ground. Floor jacks can have an impressive range of lifting based on the particular model. Furthermore, floor jacks are easily controlled, making it easy for you to lift your vehicle.

Here are some important factors you need to take into account when purchasing a new jack:

Durability

If you plan on regularly using your floor jack, we recommend looking for one that’s crafted out of heavy-duty alloy steel or thick aluminum. Also, we advise you to get a model that comes with metal wheels and casters, since plastic ones aren’t of the best durability.

Lifting Capacity

Having a floor jack that’s not capable of lifting your vehicle makes zero sense. Additionally, if you try to stretch the floor jack’s maximum load capacity, you could end up getting injured, and you risk your car getting damaged.

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If you don’t know how much your vehicle weighs, you can find the details in your car’s owner’s manual, or you can visit the manufacturer’s site and find the information there. Depending on that number, you can pick a floor jack model that’s capable of lifting it off the ground.

Lifting Range

Not only does the floor jack have to lift the vehicle off the ground, but it also has to create enough space for a person to work without any issues.

So, if you intend on going under your car with the use of jack stands, you’ll have to make enough space for you to go underneath the vehicle so you can do the necessary work. However, if you have a higher vehicle so your jack can’t reach jacking points, there’s a solution called floor jack extension.

What Is Floor Jack Extension?

The floor jack extension is a great add-on when lifting vehicles whose jacking points are a little higher than usual, such as lifted trucks. Adding a floor jack extension to your floor jack will add extra lift height, enabling you to reach the vehicle’s jacking points and raise the vehicle so you can do the necessary repairs or maintenance. You may want to know that some floor jacks come with an integrated floor jack extension (see example below).

Here are some good examples of floor jack extenders:

911 Motorsports Floor Jack Extension

This floor jack comes with a jack saddle, giving extra 2-inches and 6-inch and 11-inch extension tubes that can be stacked, allowing you to reach 16 inches of height. It also has multiple pin styles that work with different floor jacks. With this one, you can finally ditch the wood, metal blocks, or hockey pucks as jack extenders.

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Specifications:

  • Load Capacity: 1.5 ton
  • Maximum Lifting Height: 16 inches
  • Materials: Alloy Steel
  • Color: Grey

 

Champ 2 Ton Cross Beam Jack Adapter

This floor jack extension is designed to provide extra stability. It can be adjusted from 23 inches to 32 inches in the center so you can distribute the weight evenly so that your vehicle is solidly secured. The threaded pad design on the jack’s saddle provides you with an additional 2 inches of adjustment. The jack adapter also comes with a rubber lift pad for increased stability and can be used to lift vehicles without an axle beam.
Specifications:

  • Load Capacity: 2 ton
  • Maximum Lifting Height: 2 inches
  • Materials: Steel body and rubber lift pad
  • Color: Red, black

Cat 3 Ton Big Wheel Off Road Hybrid Jack

Here’s an example of a floor jack that has an integrated floor jack saddle extension making it the safest option for all types of trucks, SUVs, and off-road vehicles. It has a bottom skid plate that keeps the jack stable even on soft surfaces. And the adapter included makes for a perfect off-road jack extension as it features max lift heights nearing 7.75 inches.

Specifications:

  • Load Capacity: 3 ton
  • Maximum Lifting Height: 21.5 inches (up to 29.25 inches with extension)
  • Materials: Hybrid Steel/Aluminum
  • Color: Yellow, black

Safety Recommendations

While resourcefulness is a great thing to have, we don’t advise you to modify your floor jack that’s rated at 5000lbs to lift a 10000lbs pickup truck. If your floor jack’s maximum lift height can’t reach your vehicle’s chassis, don’t try to improvise by adding pieces of plywood or brick on top of the jack. Any makeshift jack extension is unsafe so be sure to use proper floor jack extensions if your floor jack is lacking the required height to lift your vehicle.

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