If you want to do your own car work at home, you need to know what the best floor jack is. Most importantly, you are asking, what size floor jack do I need? In this guide, we discuss the ratings and show you which size to get for your vehicle type.
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What Size Of Floor Jack Do I Need? (Different Sized Explained)
The floor jack helps to raise part of the vehicle off of the ground so you can work underneath it. It should be used in conjunction with jack stands to ensure your safety. However, there are multiple types of floor jacks you can buy, each with a different weight rating. What size floor jack for a truck would you want to buy?
In general, at the bare minimum, you want a floor jack that can raise three-quarters of the weight of your vehicle. To determine how much is needed, you must know the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of your model. You can find this information in your owner’s manual or on the driver’s side door jamb.
While this is the minimum you should hope for, it makes much more sense to purchase a jack that could handle the whole car, just so you know you’ve gone above and beyond. Plus, if you plan to work on multiple vehicles, you need a jack that will handle the heaviest option.
Let’s look at a few of the top options.
2-Ton Floor Jack
In general, you aren’t going to use a 2-ton floor jack to lift your truck. However, this is a good size to lift one corner of most compact cars and sedans. Anything larger than that demands a bigger jack to ensure your safety.
3-Ton Floor Jack
The 3-ton floor jack is used by most at-home mechanics. It's a good size to handle most passenger vehicle types, whether it is a car, SUV, or minivan.
4-Ton Floor Jack
The 4-ton floor jack is ideal for heavier vehicles. It is capable of lifting a corner of most trucks and service vehicles. However, there are some heavy-duty models that should be put on a lift or worked on with better equipment.
What Size Of Floor Jack Do I Need For Various Truck Models?
What size floor jack do I need for a truck? It depends on what truck model you are driving. You want to pick a jack based on the weight of the vehicle. Let’s take a look at some popular models.
What size floor jack for Silverado 1500 models? The 2022 Silverado 1500 has a gross vehicle rating of up to 7,100 pounds, so you should have a minimum of a 3-ton jack.
What size floor jack for RAM 1500 trucks? These models have a gross vehicle rating of up to 7,800 pounds, so a 3-ton jack should also be usable.
What size floor jack for Tundra trucks? The Tundra lineup also contains a GVWR of up to 7,080 pounds, making the 3-ton jack a good option.
What size of floor jack do I need for F150 trucks? Again, the maximum GVWR is 7,150 pounds, making the 3-ton jack perfect for most users.
What size floor jack for Ford Ranger trucks? As a smaller truck, the Ranger GVWR is only 6,050 pounds. However, the 3-ton floor jack might still be the best option.
How Do I Choose The Right Floor Jack Size?
You have several things to consider when you are choosing your floor jack size. To start, you must look at the GVWR of your vehicle. Thankfully, you don’t need to handle the entire weight of your vehicle because you aren’t lifting the whole car or truck. Normally, you are only lifting one wheel off the ground, occasionally two. If you are lifting the front of the vehicle, you will have to consider the weight of the engine and transmission as well. That’s why it’s best to choose a jack that can lift three-quarters of the GVWR.
For example, if your truck weighs 7,000 pounds, ¾ of this is 5,250 pounds. For this reason, a 3-ton jack should be sufficient.
The biggest consideration beyond weight is determining what vehicles you will be lifting. If you have multiple vehicles to work on at home, you want to factor in the size based on the heaviest option. Additionally, if you plan to work on people's cars as a professional, you will want a heavy-duty jack to handle a variety of vehicles and to ensure maximum safety.
Frequently Asked Floor Jack Sizes Questions
Can I use a 2 ton jack on a 3 ton car?
It wouldn’t be wise to lift the 3-ton (6,000 pounds) vehicle with a 2-ton jack because 75% of 6,000 pounds is 4,500 pounds. Instead, you want to purchase a 3-ton jack to be safe.
Is 1.5 ton jack enough for SUV?
You can use a 1.5 ton jack if your SUV weighs 4,000 pounds or less. Anything more than this will require the use of a larger jack to ensure your safety.
Can a 2 ton jack lift a minivan?
Most minivans weigh slightly more than 4,000 pounds. For this reason, the 2-ton jack should be enough to lift most minivan models. However, you should always check your vehicle’s GVWR to be sure.
What is the maximum size of a car that can be lifted by a floor jack?
You can lift part of any vehicle with a jack that is at least 75% of the GVWR. However, it’s always safer to put a vehicle up on a lift instead of using the floor jack. If you are working with heavy-duty equipment, you might prefer investing in a lift.
Conclusion
What size floor jack should I buy? It depends on what type of vehicles you are working on. Figure out the GVWR to ensure the floor jack you choose will provide the lifting power you need. It would be best if you always erred on the side of more rather than less.