Hi,
Im going to buy a jack that I can keep in the car in case of a flat tire or something else unexpected.....
So I figure I need a jack low enough to reach under the front a-arms.
I have a -88 GTA, so with the sideskirts its quiet low.
I dont how low, since my car is in winter storage.
Can anyone recommend a good jack for this?

Hasse

 

A Factory One Would Be Your Best Option,I've Seen Used One's Sold On This Site.

 

The car should have a jack from the factory, I have no clue as to how safe it is as I have never had to use mine. I generally suggest the Harbor Freight low profile hydraulic jack as a good alternative to the unsafe scissor and bottle style jacks that come with other cars. On long trips or commutes, I'd also suggest making a jack stand or two and emergency flares part of your emergency roadside kit as well. Around town, if you have a lot of friends or family to call on you could just leave everything at home to save on weight and cluttering up your car. Blow outs only happen from tire defects, low air pressure, and hitting crap in the road, so if you avoid those things you'll probably never have one anywho.

Or just get an emergency road side membership with someone like AAA and let them tow you to the tire shop worry free.

Ps. As a former tire buster, I'd advise everyone to NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER use that fix a flat slime crap. Generally never works, it sticks to the inside of your wheel like glue, and most tire shops won't repair tires with that crap in it.

 

Problem is in an emergency, the car has typically has a flat tire & it is even lower than normal... meaning you will have trouble getting anything under the car.


My low profile Craftsman barely fits under the car with air in the tires.
I keep a few short boards to drive up on to raise the car so the jack fits.
Not sure you want to carry boards & a floor jack with you. The factory jack & a few short boards may get you by in an emergency.

 

Get the scisors jack kit from a 90s GM full size truck. It is only 2in high and has extension to reach under front crossmember.

 

This little floor jack is a work horse.
Very low profile and fits in tight places. Every one sells them .I carry it and two jack stands. Might want to slide a board big enough for it to set on incase your in the dirt/etc.
http://www.sears.com/ac-delco-2-ton-...&mktRedirect=y
I also carry a plug kit and small compressor that plugs into the lighter.


Side note.= I have a clutch pack posi and staggered wheels. That leaves me with two options. Either call for a "flat bed" tow or plug it.

 

[QUOTE=Lonnie P;5890458]Problem is in an emergency, the car has typically has a flat tire & it is even lower than normal... meaning you will have trouble getting anything under the car.

The Factory Jack Will Work With A Fully Flat Tire,It Jacks From The Sides Of The Car ,Not The Front Or Rear Suspension.

 

Nothing wrong with the factory scissor jack. And if you keep your head out of your **** it is perfectly safe to use to change a tire on the side of a road.

 

The only two places I would put any jack is either under the front lower control arm or the rear lower control arm when changing a tire.
Here are the other lifting points.


Side note= This is why I hate the two post lifts. If the guy does not get on his back with a flashlight to spot the proper lift points stop him because hes doing it wrong.I know first hand at how to crush your underbody at the pinch welds cracking the side skirting with a Mechanic unfamiliar with our cars.I don't even take my car in when I buy new tires. I just take them my wheels.

 

Thanks I'll check it out.
My car is lowered & I can barely get a jack under it with air in the tires. I'll have to look at the jack in my moms 95 Truck.
At least I can test it out.


Since my car is painted underneath, I'm not anxious to put anything under it in the factory locations. I have been using a large rubber pad on my jack to keep from scratching it.

 

I have to slip my little floor jack in just in front of the front tire all the way under. Then put the bar on and use small up and down motion with the hole unit under the car. The head of the jack is under the lower control arm far enough in to slide a jack stand in between it and the tire when the time comes.
Also, unless its a really bad blown tire it could hold air even with a small compressor that I have. You can just air the tire up and perform what ever maneuver you want. That's the first thing I would try.


Like I said earler and just a heads up if you have a clutch pack posi unit you need the same size tire with the same air pressure on bouth sides. You will burn it out if you try to drive with a donut/etc. This could be true of gear style units but am not sure.
When you must get a tow and have the 700r4 transmission use a flat bed only, because if he hooks you up from the front and leaves the rear tires to spin it will damage the transmission.