Daily Slideshow: The Great Debate on a Good Floor Jack

Essential Equipment

The Honda S2000 is a very user-friendly car to work on, so it is no surprise that the majority of owners perform their own maintenance and repairs. Although the engine bay is easily accessible for a number of DIY jobs, most jobs will require the car to be lifted and supported for work to be completed. Essentially, if you plan to wrench on your S2K, you are going to need a floor jack to get the car lifted off of the ground. So what should you look for when shopping for a proper floor jack? Remember, this is not an item you want to go cheap on! 

Keeping It Low-Profile

The S2000 sits quite low to the ground even in stock configuration with limited access to its lift points. Many owners have found that it can be a bit difficult to access these lift points with a standard height floor jack because its thickness does not allow it to slide under the car. Although this can be remedied by driving the car up onto a set of ramps or a couple of 2x4's, a low-profile jack will virtually be able to slide anywhere under the car with ease. If shopping for a new floor jack, it is highly recommended that you begin your search by looking at the low-profile variety of jacks.

>>Join the conversation about buying the right floor jack on S2Ki right here in S2Ki.com.

1.5 Tons or More

Weighing in at under 3,000 pounds, the S2000 is quite a lightweight vehicle. A floor jack with a 1.5 ton (3,000 lbs) lift capacity will be adequate as you will only be lifting a portion of the car at any one time. That said, a floor jack with a 2 ton or higher rating will often require less effort to lift the car and will also be capable of lifting heavier vehicles if needed. It is also worth considering the maximum lift height a jack can achieve as an extra inch or two of room under the car can be incredibly helpful when performing invasive tasks such as a clutch job. 

>>Join the conversation about buying the right floor jack on S2Ki right here in S2Ki.com.

Steel or Aluminum, That is the Question

Another aspect to consider when shopping floor jacks is the material of the jack itself. Generally, jacks made of steel tend to be cheaper than their aluminum counterparts, but are also significantly heavier and require a bit more effort to maneuver. While some may question if aluminum is a suitable material for a floor jack, rest assured that they are made of high-quality aircraft grade aluminum to give them excellent strength for a long service life. In short, a steel jack will typically be every bit as capable as a comparable (and more expensive) aluminum jack, but may not look as cool or be as easy to move around. 

>>Join the conversation about buying the right floor jack on S2Ki right here in S2Ki.com.

Bells & Whistles

Other considerations when choosing a floor jack are what features it may come with. Padding on the jack plate can come in handy as it provides a soft, non-slip surface that is less likely to mar the finish of your car. Similarly, handle foam has proven to prevent paint damage if the handle accidentally comes into contact with body paneling. The location of a support handle is also worth noting as some tend to be more ergonomic than others. Finally, some jacks feature removable plates to allow for additional height extensions or oversized attachments to equally distribute lifting force across multiple areas, or even for lifting/lowering large vehicle components. 

>>Join the conversation about buying the right floor jack on S2Ki right here in S2Ki.com.

Nothing Wrong With Old Faithful

Something to ask yourself before ultimately purchasing a new floor jack for your S2000 is if you already have an older jack sitting around the shop or garage. While everyone would love to have a new lightweight aluminum racing floor jack with all of the bells and whistles, an older jack with a 1.5 ton (3000 pounds) lift capacity or more can easily get the job done while also saving you some money to put towards your car. While it may be bulky, heavy, ugly, and lack some of the features mentioned here, driving the car onto a couple of blocks of wood and using a shop towel as padding on the jack plate has served thousands of S2K owners well and will continue to do so for years to come. 

>>Join the conversation about buying the right floor jack on S2Ki right here in S2Ki.com.