For most small cars or sedans, a two-ton jack will be more than enough for raising a specific corner. On the other hand, for SUV there are some particular two-ton jacks which are built to lift pick up trucks or SUVs. But we recommend buying 3 or 3.5-ton jacks for your SUV to maximize safety.
How Is 2 Ton Jacks Enough for SUV?
There are several types of jacks out there on the market and not every jack will not be suitable for your SUV. But to ensure maximum safety, knowing the exact type of jack that you require is essential. To determine that, you have to know the weight of your SUV and how the weight, jack points, and design effects the lifting procedure.
Check the Label
Each car jack comes with a clear label that indicates the certain weight range it can handle. As you are not going to lift your entire SUV with a single jack, so you do not need the one, that is rated to lift the whole weight of your SUV.
While Not Lifting the Entire Car
To be more specific, while you change your tires, you might change them one at a time. So, you may have only one jack and still complete your task without any complications. While you are changing them one at a time, your jack does not lift the whole car.
Ensure Safety
Now to lift most of the small car or sedans, buying a two-ton jack will be a safe and sufficient option. But for a truck or an SUV, a two-ton jack might not be always enough to lift them and provide the maximum safety you need. Consequently, you might want to choose a three-ton or four-ton jack for your SUV.
Types of Jacks to Lift Your SUV
There are many types of jacks out there for different purposes. Some of them are popular for lifting small cars or sedans and some for heavy-duty vehicles. Let’s find out which ones are suitable for your SUV.
Bottle Jack
For car lifting a good quality bottle jack is the highly preferable jack among the professionals. They are built in the form of a cylinder or a bottle which makes them too compact compared to others. But as they do not have any wheels under them, it is a little hard to move them.
Besides, the stability depends on the surface fully. For your SUV or trucks, this type of jacks suits the best.
Floor Jacks
After the bottle jacks, these jacks are the most common and popular as well. Though floor jacks are not as efficient as bottle jacks are, for an SUV or pickup truck, they work just fine.
Moving these floor jacks from here and is easy as you will find wheels attached to them. But as they weigh a lot, carrying them might not be too easy.
Hi-lift Jack
For off-road vehicles, hi-lift jacks are more preferable. These jacks can lift to 5feet up and their weight lifting capacity is up to 7000 pounds. But it is too hard to carry them in the trunk and that makes it impractical to some people.
Vehicle Type
To lift your car or your SUV, enough spaces are required. But with a low-profile car, you get a little low clearance, which makes it hard to lift with a typical jack. With these low-profile cars, bottle jacks might not be suitable. In that situation, floor jacks are more preferable as the initial height just goes well with it.
Material
Though most of the jacks are manufactured by metal. But jacks made of aluminum are being popular as they are light but expensive too. On the other hand, steel ones are a little heavy but comparatively budget-friendly. Also, some hybrid jacks may interest you too.
What Is the Best 2-Ton Jack for an SUV?
We have found Arcan 2 Ton Floor Jack A20016 the most efficient jack for an SUV. For its versatility and durability, this jack is second to none to some people. This one is a low-profile jack, so if your car has low clearance, you can go for it.
With the dual pump piston, you can raise your SUV too quickly without any complications and the operating process is comparatively effortless and straightforward.
The maximum lift capacity recommended is 4000 pounds. The manufacturer has designed the jack for heavy-duty purposes. And as it is made of high-quality steel, this is supposed to last for a long period.
The chassis you are going to find in this jack is quite long, 32 inches. So you do not have to worry about damaging your vehicle while changing your tire or repairing your SUV. On the other side, after using this jack for a long time, the performance might not be as satisfying as it was before.
Pros
- Good lifting range
- High versatility due to low profile frame.
- Efficient steel design
- Satisfying durability
- Easy to handle while operating
Cons
- From time to time, the pump speed might be slow.
Which Is Better: 2-Ton Bottle Jack or Floor Jack?
The bottle jacks are more compact than the floor jacks. So if you have to carry your jack from here to there, bottle jacks are more preferable as they weigh too much. On the opposite side, unlike the bottle jacks, floor jacks have wheels under them. So when it comes to moving them, floor jacks are the better option.
If your car has low clearance, then floor jacks might be an ideal option for you as the initial height of the floor jacks are comparatively low. With the cylinder or bottle design, a bottle jack might not be the best option in that situation.
Lastly, which is the best option for your SUV between these two? We would recommend the 2-ton bottle jacks as it gives you the advantage with the carrying and initial height is not an issue for the SUVs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much can a 2-ton jack lift?
Ans: A floor jack should be rated at least ¾ of a vehicle’s weight. According to this, a 1.5 ton or 3000 pounds jack can lift to 4000 pounds car with safety. Similarly, a 2 ton or 4000 pounds can lift a car that weighs between 5000 to 5500 pounds.
Q: Can I use a 2-ton jack on a 3-ton car/SUV?
Ans: Though we will recommend for your jacks to have the capacity of 100% of your car weight, you can go down to 75% if you want. Because the placement is wrong, there is a huge possibility for your jack to fail due to overloading. So, no, it will not be safe to use a 2-ton jack on a 3-ton vehicle.
Q: Which one I should prefer between standard jack and low profile jack?
Ans: A low-profile jack might be more preferable to you as they are more versatile.
Conclusion
When it comes to lifting your car, the first thing that crosses our mind is your safety. Though a two-ton jack will do its work just fine, if you make any mistake, any sort of accident might take place. So it is better to be a little extra conscious and go for the 3 ton or 3.5-ton jacks.
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