My 20 year old floor jack died last night

[Best_man23]

And, of course, Mr. Murphy decided to kill it AFTER I had placed Mrs. Best's car on jack stands to perform some maintenance. Ended up using the scissor jack from the trunk to get the car off the jack stands.

Been researching floor jacks and I'm between getting a lightweight aluminum (I'm not as young as I once was) and a heavy duty Daytona jack that can accommodate a lift bar that would allow me to lift the entire front (or back) of a car or truck.

I will never have ramps in my garage, there is a reason you don't see them at professional auto repair shops.

[walkingman]

1. I hear ya - those jack are heavy and everytime I use mine

I think, damn didn't realize it was this heavy (getting weaker as I age). But I trust mine. I guess you realize that there are seal kits for them? If not, check it out.
https://www.hcrcnow.com/shop/seal-kits/daytona/page/2

[House of Roberts]

4. My problem in getting one of those seal kits,

is describing to them that my jack is blue, and was bought from Auto Zone back when it was called Auto Shack. I doubt they would be able to match up a kit for my jack based on that amount of information.
Fortunately, I have a second jack that still works.

[rampartc]

2. i needed ine last fall to level my house.

about #120 at auto zone.

[captain queeg]

3. They are a must have tool. They've gotten really cheap these days.

I finally donated my first Jack and bought a new one. It cost less than my original Jack not even adjusting for inflation. Those scissor jacks are scary. It’s not like I really ever use it any more it I like to have it and sometimes ed up helping someone else. You can get a ton and a half from Harbor Freight or Walmart for abut $20 and it’s adequate but over always spent a bit more for extra capacity.

[Ligyron]

5. Don't know jack about jacks really but...

I'm sure glad it didn't die when you were under it.

I know you're smarter than that but you hear about this happening every once in awhile and it ain't pretty most times. If it doesn't outright crush you and it somehow only traps a limb, better make sure someone else finds you or you face the prospect of hours days of no food or water plus the pain of a crush type injury.

Not a pretty picture and don't know why I'm painting such a morbid picture this early in the morning, sorry. I was encouraged to look for problems at one time back in the military and it became a life long obsession.

[gibraltar72]

6. Check Harbor Freight.

I have one of their heavy duty heavy ones and a lighter aluminum one. None of my projects seem to require the heavy one. Don't use it unless more height is required. Harbor Freight has gotten into some pretty good quality lines.

[Chainfire]

7. I would try unscrewing the (on/off lug for lack of a proper name) and seeing if I could find the right size "O" ring for

it. That may restore life to the unit without the "kit." It is broken already, what do you have to lose?