Stupid POS CRAFTSMAN Jack victim #847

Gogar · 06-10-2009, 03:23 PM

I can't believe it. Well, guess I can believe it, Craftsman jacks (I mean, Chinese Torin Jacks) are getting a real rep for bad seals.
I've picked up the car with it maybe . . . 10 times.

Can someone explain to me like I'm a little kid how to fix this? I know I need a new seal and some new oil, but what kind of oil, and where is the 'seal'? I really haven't even looked at it yet, had to leave right after this happened.

I'm handy, I think if I can't return it on warranty I'll fix it. It's been 7 months.

TIA!

p911dad · p911dad's Garage

Aren't Craftsman tools guaranteed for life?

NineOhOne · 06-10-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeteer

Aren't Craftsman tools guaranteed for life?

Hand tools are.

legion · 06-10-2009, 03:39 PM

Welcome to the club. Meetings are Tuesday nights at 7:00 in the bowling alley behind the Elks lodge. The secret hand signal is to make the motion of a flaccid penis with your pointer finger.

No Craftsman does not guarantee floor jacks. They did, however issue a recall on some of the 1 1/2 ton aluminum floor jacks. Take it to your local Sears and try to bully them into taking it back.

Gogar · 06-10-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeteer

Aren't Craftsman tools guaranteed for life?

I'm away from the house, and can't find the info online. Hand tools with no moving parts, yes. Other stuff? Some 90 days, some 1 year.

If I can return for something else I will, this particular jack weighs 101 pounds!!!!! Didn't really realize how enormous it is until I was home with it.

nynor · 06-10-2009, 03:59 PM

damn, you need another jack just to lift that jack.

pwd72s · 06-10-2009, 04:02 PM

Just back from giving my old (made in USA) NAPA jack a hug...Cindy gave it to me as a gift decades ago. Can't begin to count the number of uses on various cars...even a pair of 911's from back east.

Never a failure...

legion · 06-10-2009, 04:04 PM

Crap, that's the model jack they gave me to replace the last one that crapped out.

Zeke · 06-10-2009, 04:53 PM

Well, the oil you need is hydraulic oil and is available at Sears or your FLAPS. The seal may or may not be available from Sears. Anyway, it's under a gland nut on the piston. I've never put one in opting to just buy another jack for $60.

Actually, I've never had one fail, that's why I now have 3. Can't pass up a good deal.

They're all Chinese that I can tell, no matter where they were purchased.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

In most instances, you can use mineral oil as hydraulic fluid. You might have some already on hand.

trekkor · 06-10-2009, 07:30 PM

I replaced the seal and used brake fluid. ( Motul )

KT

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryH

In most instances, you can use mineral oil as hydraulic fluid. You might have some already on hand.

not as nasty as brake fluid either when the seal fails next time

That must be some jack to pick up 2 911's, what is that, 6500 lbs?

nynor · 06-10-2009, 07:50 PM

it'll get the mail delivered, too.

Jeff Higgins · 06-10-2009, 08:00 PM

I have found that mine will leak if I store it in anything other than the fully collapsed position. Seems like if I let it all the way down, pushing with my hand to make sure it really is bottomed, it never leaks. Otherwise, if it's even up an inch or two, it tends to leak down, dribbling fluid out.

And yes, I'm talking about my jack...

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I have found that mine will leak if I store it in anything other than the fully collapsed position. Seems like if I let it all the way down, pushing with my hand to make sure it really is bottomed, it never leaks. Otherwise, if it's even up an inch or two, it tends to leak down, dribbling fluid out.

And yes, I'm talking about my jack...

What else would be talking about? LOL

cab83_750 · 06-10-2009, 08:41 PM

3 Craftsman floor jack. All failed at around the 100th day (i.e., a few days after warranty).

Long story short.......no more Craftsman jacks for me. Just tools!

By the way, my 30-year old jack (made in China) still works.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

My dad has a chinese jack he bought in about '82 that still works.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

My cheapo Harbor Freight aluminum jack has given me years of service with no end in sight. I just picked up a Craftsman motorcycle jack, but haven't gotten to use it yet.

charleskieffner · 06-11-2009, 07:23 AM

how bout trying out the "new and improved,as seen on TV" model # 848.5????? LOL!

i feel yer pain. all 3 of my floor jacks are CRAPSMAN! seal kit simple. use scribe to pull old o-rings out, reseal with new ones, add jack oil..............watch it all leak out in a month. bean der done dat. actually used mine last night doing brakes on yamaha grizzly 4 x 4 quad. it actually stayed up long enough to finish pads and bleeding of system.

never trust a jack and always buy herky mongo mega built jackstands.

mca · 06-11-2009, 01:45 PM

UGH!

I went through 2 of those is 16 months! First one blew a couple of weeks after the 1 year mark but they still replaced it. Second one blew after just a few lifts!

After a loooonnnnnngggggg argument with every associate at Sears I managed to get my money back. What a pain. They tried to say that the replacement they gave me didn't have another warranty - meaning that they were not giving me another year on it.

I did buy a $99 craftsman that is heavy as hell and isn't as low profile. But it had great reviews and it has been wonderful so far.