Floor jacks are an infamous tool for working on a motor vehicle like a car or a truck. When you need to work from underneath the vehicle, you need to lift it first. And that’s exactly what a floor jack does.
Arcan and Pittsburgh are two of the most reputed brands for manufacturing floor jacks. Staying at the top of a field requires something genuinely good from the candidates, and that’s what these two brands did. This guide will help you choose one over the other depending on what you want, and what they do best.
Features | Similarities and Dissimilarities
Putting these two brands against one another was not a difficult job. We pointed out the key features of a floor jack and analyzed which brand was better in which feature. The comprehensive explanation will help you get a better hold of things related to floor jacks.
Building Materials
An Arcan floor jack’s main body is built of high-quality aluminum. Aluminum is strong and at the same time, light. That’s why they are more expensive than steel. The whole structure is not made of aluminum though. Steel has been used as the building material for the handle.
On the other hand, floor jacks from Pittsburgh are made out of steel. They claim to be the industrial-grade steel that is used in their jacks. We found them to be very sturdy and it felt premium-grade steel. Because of this, they are very heavy compared to Arcan Floor Jacks.
Portability and Weight
Because of the aluminum used in the main body of the Arcan floor jack, it is easier to carry around as aluminum is significantly lighter than steel. There are two side handles on the Arcan jack to make the carrying easier. The wheels on the jack are not something extraordinary but it works.
When it comes to the Pittsburgh model, it is naturally heavier and difficult to carry. It weighs about 71.7lbs. But there are 4 wheels for easing the maneuvering problem. The wheels worked perfectly and moving the jack was not that hard. However, it is still very heavy and not as portable as the Arcan one.
Height
The minimum height of the Arcan floor jack is 3.6inches. It may not sound much but it is still enough to go underneath most of the low-profile cars you will come across. The maximum height that the Arcan model can go is 19.4inches. And it takes only 12pumps from the main handle to reach that height.
However, the Pittsburgh floor jack beats the Arcan floor jack with a minimum height of 2.845inches only. So, no matter how low your sports car is, the Pittsburgh floor jack will go underneath it and lift it to a maximum height of 19.75inches.
Pump System
The Pittsburgh floor jack uses a dual-parallel pump system whereas the Arcan floor jack uses the dual piston pump system. Both of them are great on their own and lift vehicles effortlessly, without breaking a sweat. But the one from Arcan does it faster with just 12 pumps.
Weight Capacity and Lifting Pad
Surprisingly, the weight capacity of both of these jacks is 3 tons. We recommend not exceeding the 3-ton mark while lifting trucks or heavy vehicles. The lifting pad of the Arcan is larger than that of the Pittsburgh. But the difference is not that much.
Maintenance and Miscellaneous
Steel is more prone to rusting than aluminum. This makes the job easier for maintaining an Arcan floor jack compared to a Pittsburgh floor jack. But the built quality of both of them is excellent. If you can keep the Pittsburgh model clean and tidy, it will last you a lifetime and so will the Arcan one.
The Arcan floor jack has an overload valve and a bypass valve. As a result, there is no possibility of overextending. Although the Pittsburgh model does not have these extra valves, the handle of the Pittsburgh floor jack can be twisted to control the lowering of the jack. The universal release system makes this possible.
Conclusion
This teardown of the Pittsburgh and the Arcan floor jack has once again proved that these two are pretty much equal on traits. Both of them can work on moderate level low-profile cars lifting to 3 tons. As with any other floor jacks, they will last a long time if you take care of it.
If you had to choose any one of the two, the deal-breaker for you should be the building material – aluminum or steel. Because that’s what makes one jack heavier and the other portable. However, we’ve put forward to you everything you need to know to decide. So, it all comes down to personal preference.
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