Torin Aluminum 3 Ton Race Jack Stands
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand
Price: $70 per pair.
Buy from: NorthernTool.com, but I’ve heard some Pep Boys locations keep these in stock.
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand
Torin 3 ton aluminum jack stand
Lift height: 10.75†minimum to 15.6†maximum
Base dimensions: 6.75†by 7.5†Small. Hexagonal. Which is better than small and round. The base actually fits INSIDE my MVP 2 ton stands with the exact same base dimensions.
Speaking of round, I need to take a moment out of this review for a warning. There’s
a blue version of these stands
with a round base available. Amazon sells one named OTC. I think Snap On also sells this same round aluminum stand. I believe this stand to be
incredibly dangerous. What happens if a round stand tips a little bit while supporting a car? The round base
becomes a wheel. At least with the hexagonal base that the Torin stands use, there’s no possibility of it transforming into a wheel. So, props to Torin for the base design. I just wish it was a bit bigger.
Construction: Machined aluminum. These stands consist of main pieces: the base, the tube, and the post. All are machined out of solid aluminum. They fit together very well. The small silver base is connected to the red tube via a single screw.
Torin aluminum jack stands in action
Ease of use: Extremely good. These aluminum stands weigh nothing and are easy to toss around your shop/garage/pit. They are also nice and small. A pair fits easily in the Miata’s trunk along with with the small Harbor Freight aluminum race jack. For changing tires at the track, it’s hard to beat this stand. But for doing any work in your garage at all? There are many better stands.
Torin jack stand post detail
Post design: The post is rather wide for such a small jack stand. It’s also flat. I prefer a flat post to a grooved one. The post is extremely strong. There’s not really any point of failure. The whole “tube” inspires a lot of confidence. Alas, the small base takes that confidence right away.
Stability: Poor. These stands are manufactured to very tight tolerance. All 4 of mine are exactly the same height. Exactly. And the aluminum construction means no give whatsoever. And my garage floor is not perfectly flat. See where this is going? It’s teeter-totter city. I have a hell of a time getting a car stable if supported by 4 of these stands. Add that to the extremely small base and you have a very nervous Miata mechanic.
Overall: These stands have their use. I believe that is at a track changing tires. I personally do that with the car only supported by the jack. But now that I have these little aluminum stands? I’ll be throwing one in the trunk every time I go out to kill some cones. However, that’s pretty much where the usefulness of these stands stops. They are not very good in a garage. I would not lay under a car if supported by these tiny stands. Brake work with 90% of my body not under the car is where I draw the line. And for the price? There are a lot of better jack stands in the world. Harbor Freight sells some.
ESCO 3 Ton Flat Top Jack Stands
ESCO 3 ton jack stand
Price: $78. EACH!!!! And that’s a sale price. I’ve seen these for $90 each. In other words, a set of four will run you around $400.
Buy from: The internet. I got mine from
ASEdeals. Great customer service and free shipping!
ESCO 3 ton jack stand
ESCO 3 ton jack stand
Lift height: 13†minimum, 21†maximum.
Base dimensions: Triangular with the legs 12.5″ apart
Construction: Welded steel tripod. The welds are nice and clean. Nice painted silver finish on the stands. Very well made. And they seem to be hand made, not something done by a robot in a factory. I was a little hesitant to spend this kind of money on jack stands, but the high quality of these ESCOs put my mind at ease the moment I opened the box.
ESCO jack stands in action
Ease of use: Could be better. These stands are huge and heavy. That means they require a bit more work to lug around your shop. You have to raise your car a bit higher to get these under it. And they take up more space when not in use. But…. well…. they’re worth it. These stands are totally worth the hassle.
ESCO jack stand post detail
Post design: The post is HUGE. It dwarfs any other stand I’ve ever seen. The post is basically the same size as the pad on your floor jack. The rubber pad comes on it from the factory. ESCO says this style is designed for cars with flat frame rails. It works fine on the Miata’s pinch weld and even better under my FM frame rail armor. Really, these posts are like nothing I’ve ever seen before on a jack stand. Amazing.
Stability: Perfect. Could not be more stable. There is not one millimeter of shake in the car when held up by four of these stands. I can always feel at least a little bit of movement when I shake the car after lowering it onto a set of jack stands. Just a little bit. But not with these ESCO stands. It’s like the car is supported by solid metal beams.
Overall: These are the perfect jack stands. As of July of 2010, there’s nothing else on the market of higher quality than these stands. Yes, they cost a lot. But the feeling of stability is worth it to me. I’d sleep under a car supported by these stands. I’d trust my life to them. Can you say that about your current set of jack stands?
Part 2 is right around the corner!
Additional photos
ESCO stand vs Torin stand.
The ESCO pad is wider than the jack point.
The far-side helper stands for the entire review.
Lifts!
Max Jack Portable Lift
http://maxjaxusa.com
http://www.costco.com/Dannmar-MaxJax...=10301&refine=