Jack stands are not high-tech equipment that requires extensive reviews to choose a good pair. However, there are certain features and values to look for when choosing the top-performing jack stands to support your car, truck, SUV, or RV. Knowing what features to look for and what to avoid will make working on your vehicles easier and help ensure your safety.
Examples include pin vs. pawl, safety features and regulations, steel vs. aluminum, how load ratings are determined, and footpad design.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of jack stands these days are made overseas, in China or Taiwan, to keep costs down. However, the quality in general is still good in most cases. Though harder to find, we have also included jack stands made in the U.S.A.
As a safety note, a factory car jack or floor jack should never be used as a jack stand. If a hydraulic seal or mechanical linkage were to fail under load, your car or truck could come crashing down upon you. There are far too many injuries and deaths each year due to jack failure without the safety of a jack stand.
If you need a new jack, we have an excellent review of floor jacks here.
Are Jack stands safe?
Years ago, jack stand designs was like the “Wild West”. Manufacturers were selling and promoting premium-quality stands that had not undergone much testing, if any.
There was always a story about someone being hurt by a jack stand failure. Inferior materials, poor castings, thin-gauge metals, or bad design were all culprits.
Fortunately for the industry, jack stand testing, newer safety regulations, and far better design and materials have produced jack stands that are much better today than they used to be. Most injuries result from improper use of jack stands, not from jack stand failure.
Jack stand design
Most jack stands are made of steel for both strength and economy. However, aluminum stands are available and can offer advantages over steel when lightweight, corrosion resistance, or easy portability is important. Typically, steel jack stands are the most durable over time.
For height adjustment, two basic designs get the job done. You have a choice between a ratcheting mechanism and a pin-type adjustment.
Jack stands with a ratcheting mechanism provide the quickest height adjustment. They can also make the smallest changes in those adjustments.
The one concern that some people have with this design is the rotating cam or pawl that wedges underneath the teeth of the main support post. It is generally held in place to the locking lever with a roll pin.
On rare occasions the roll pin and subsequent pawl have been known to rust and fail over time, disabling adjustment of the jack stand.
This is not a safety issue, however. Even if the roll pin fails, the locking cam design will prevent the support post from lowering while under load. It is a safety feature built into the adjustment mechanism and has been used successfully for decades.
Pin-type jack stands use a high-tensile steel locking pin that inserts through the support bar to hold it in place.
The pin will either rest in a saddle on the base of the jack stand or pass through a hole in the base and main support post.
Pin-type adjustment for a jack stand is considered stronger than the ratcheting style and will not fail. This is why it is a favorite for heavy-duty jack stands.
Though the pin can bend slightly, making it difficult to pass through the hole, replacing the pin is much less expensive than replacing the entire stand.
The only disadvantage with a pin-type design is that you can’t make very small adjustments in height to compensate for uneven floor heights or different support points under a car.
Jack Stand Weight Ratings
Contrary to some misinformation available about jack stand weight ratings, we want to clarify how jack stands are rated under the most recent requirements.
The ASME PASE-2014 (Safety Standard for Portable Automotive Service Equipment) states that jack stands must be rated as a pair, not per stand. This became effective in late December of 2015. It also states: “Maximum load capacity per matched pair shall not exceed the rated capacity of the individual stand”.
Separate from that, test standards require that each jack stand must be able to pass a proof load test of 200% of rated capacity for a minimum of ten minutes, with no more than 0.125” reduction in the overall height of the jack stand. This is measured after the load is removed. This is a separate testing requirement from the rating standard as a pair.
Essentially, if a pair of jack stands is rated for 3,000 lbs., then each stand must have a minimum rated capacity of 1,500 lbs.
Now that we know a little more about design and weight ratings, let’s discuss which stands may be best for you.
The following is a list of jack stands rated for budget, value, construction, and weight capacity. We have also listed which jack stands do the best job of protecting your garage flooring.
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Best Budget Jack Stands
If you are on a budget and want to find a suitable jack stand for the least amount of money, then nothing beats the price and performance of a set of Torin Big Red jack stands.
TORIN BIG RED STEEL JACK STANDS
With all-steel construction and ratcheting height adjustment, these are among the least expensive jack stands available. We like these because all Torin stands are tested to ASME standards. This will allow you to feel confident about their safety.
They are available in 2-ton, 3-ton, 6-ton, and 12-ton load ratings. Each has a 1-year limited warranty. The max lifting height ranges from 16-9/6″ to 20.5″, depending on the jack stand you choose.
The price was so good on these that we ordered a set of the 2-ton stands to test for ourselves. We were satisfied with the welds and the finish. They have been in use for over 10 years now without any issues.
One possible concern with the construction of budget stands like these is the legs’ bottoms. The footpad is the typical thin steel 90-degree angle leg with sharp edges. They can scratch garage floor coatings and other finishes if you are not careful.
They will also sink into asphalt and dirt when under load, as well as leave permanent marks on asphalt and other soft surfaces.
Torin Double Locking Jack Stand
Torin also makes these jack stands with a double-locking option if you feel more comfortable with the added safety. They have an additional cutout at the top of the base to insert an angled pin under the support post’s teeth.
In the rare occurrence of a complete failure of the ratcheting mechanism, this pin will hold the support post in place under load. This pin should never be used separately if the ratcheting mechanism becomes defective.
Though they do cost a little more, the extra expense is worth the peace of mind if you are prone to worrying.
Torin 3-Ton Double Locking Wide Base
Lastly, Torin has a 3-ton Double-Locking Wide Base option. The higher weight rating, double locking feature, and wider base for added stability make this one of the safest jack stands you can purchase.
This jack stand features a flat bottom footpad to spread the load across the ground. This will prevent sinking into asphalt, dirt, and other soft surfaces. Plus, it works well for interlocking garage tiles and won’t mar garage coatings and other concrete finishes.
High Quality Jack Stands
One of the best-quality jack stands we have been using for years is the ESCO 10498 3-ton jack stands. We have a full set of four that are our preferred stands to use. In fact, these are hugely popular with many automotive enthusiasts.
ESCO 10498 3-ton jack stands
The ESCO 10498 is an all-steel construction, pin-type jack stand with a tripod design. They come with a powder-coated finish to resist rust, unlike the typical enamel paint finish that is standard with most jack stands. All ESCO stands are independently tested by the AL2A testing facility to ensure they meet ASME standards.
One distinct advantage of the tripod design is that it works well on irregular and uneven surfaces. You will never have a problem getting them to set flat like you can with a four-legged stand. Plus, the pin-type design allows for 10 different height adjustments.
Please be aware that pricing is for 1 stand and not a pair.
Two other features that make them so popular are the removable flat-top rubber support pads and the large, round feet.
It is also one of the best jack stands for pinch welds. The flat rubber top works very well on unibody cars, where it isn’t always easy to find support points that will accept the standard V-shaped jack stand post. The rubber also protects the paint and finish where it comes in contact with the vehicle. This is one of the many features that ESCO jack stands receive high praise for.
Removal of the pad reveals a nice round metal perch with four raised tabs to help secure round lift points or axles from sliding on the stand.
The flat, round support feet are on a 12” base for better stability and provide a large contact area that distributes the load exceptionally well. This feature, along with the locking-pin-type design, makes ESCO one of the safest jack stands available.
Unlike the typical sharp-angle footpad of many jack stands, these are great for softer surfaces such as wood, asphalt, dirt, and even interlocking garage floor tiles.
With a minimum support height of 13.2”, you will want to make sure your current jack lifts the car high enough for these stands. Maximum lift is 21.5” and works well for a wide variety of vehicles and trucks.
Esco 3-Ton Shorty
One concern for the 10498 ESCO jack stand is the minimum support height of 13.2”. This can be too tall for some people’s needs. In addition, factory car jacks and smaller floor jacks couldn’t always lift the car high enough to place the stand underneath. As a result of these concerns, ESCO created the 3-TON Shorty.
The ESCO Shorty has a minimum lift height of 11″ and a maximum of 17″. This minimum height is on par with other short jack stands.
The Shorty has 7 height adjustments with a 9.5″ base footprint. Just like its bigger brother, it still uses the removable flat rubber top pads.
Probably the biggest complaint all ESCO jack stands receive is the occasional ugly-looking welds. This is fairly typical for most jack stands made overseas. The welds are more noticeable than those of other brands due to the tripod construction.
However, the welds are substantial and there are no reports of failure or cracking as a result of these welds. Also, be aware that some ESCO jack stands are sold individually and not in pairs. As a result, some people (not us!) think they aren’t the best value.
Best aluminum jack stands
Aluminum jack stands are not as prevalent as their steel counterpart, but they can have their advantages. Besides their general good looks, they are lighter for easier transportation and storage, and there is no worry of rust like metal jack stands can have.
Torin Big Red T43004 Aluminum Jack Stand
These aluminum stands are rated at 3 tons with a pin-type adjustment. They have a minimum height of 10.75” and a maximum height of 15.5” with 6 locking height positions. As all Torin stands, these meet ASME safety standards.
Weighing just over 5 pounds each, they are easy to transport or stow away. And with a very attractive red anodized finish on the support columns, they would look good in any garage.
The column and support post of the stand are made of aluminum tubing, while the support base is cast aluminum. They ship in pieces and require you to slide the red column into the top of the cast support base and attach it with the supplied screw. It’s a simple process that only requires a screwdriver.
Their shorter height works well for smaller cars, and the pad on the support post is fairly flat, making it easier to use on unibody cars. The larger flat-bottom support plate distributes the load extremely well and will not sink on softer surfaces such as asphalt, dirt, and gravel. Plus, they won’t mar garage floor coatings or other decorative concrete surfaces.
The advantage of these aluminum jacks stands is that they will not rust if exposed to inclement weather. And because they are extremely light and compact, they make for easy storage in garage cabinets or other areas of your garage if you don’t have much room. They will also fit well in the trunk of your car.
One thing to consider is that these stands may not be the most stable on surfaces that are not fairly level. Though the cast aluminum base is a hexagonal shape (much better than circular, which can act like a wheel if tipped), it’s still not as wide as most traditional jack stand bases that have a 3-ton rating.
Best American-made jack stands
US Jack Garage Stands are the only jack stands that are 100% made in America that we have been able to source. It is the brand that is used by the U.S. Military, Boeing, Snap-On, and Lockheed Martin.
US Jack Garage Stands
These American-made jack stands are of excellent quality and should be considered if they are within your budget.
Their 3-ton and 6-ton stands are the most popular. They are an all-steel construction featuring a double-locking security system that uses two ratcheting pawls (instead of one) to lock the support post in place.
In addition, the wide base uses heavy gauge stamped steel with a perimeter ring welded to the legs.
They are also the only manufacturer we know of that uses ductile iron support posts for a ratcheting jack stand instead of the more common cast iron posts. Ductile iron will bend without breaking, whereas cast iron is brittle and will break when bent.
The 3-ton D-41609 Garage Stands have a minimum height of 11” and a maximum height of 17.75”. The base is 10”x10”.
The 6 Ton D-41610 Garage Stands have a minimum height of 16.25” and a maximum height of 25.25”. The base is 11”x11”.
Except for the ESCO 3-ton stands, US Jack Garage Stands have some of the widest bases available for increased stability.
The one issue we have with the base is the angle iron feet. For the price, these stands should come with a wider footplate to distribute the load. This will prevent sinking into asphalt and soft surfaces and damaging garage floor finishes.
What about Hein-Werner?
Hein-Werner is a jack stand that used to be made exclusively in the U.S.A. However, Hein Werner was bought a few years ago by the Shinn Fu Company of America, Inc., and the stands are no longer 100% U.S.-made.
The box the stands ship in is labeled “Assembled in the U.S.A”, while the sticker on the jack stand says “Made in the U.S.A.”.
So what the heck does that mean exactly?
After a little digging, we discovered that the jack stand base is made overseas and the cast iron support post is made in the U.S. The base is then shipped to the Hein-Werner factory in the U.S., where the jack stand is assembled (post inserted into the base) and boxed at the Hein-Werner factory. It then gets the aforementioned labeling.
Since there are very few U.S.-made jack stands available, we felt compelled to list them. Their 3-ton jack stand has a minimum lift height of 12″ and a maximum lift height of 19.”
The 6-ton Hein-Werner stands have a minimum lift height of 16.25″ and a maximum lift height of 25.75″
The quality of the Hein-Werner jack stands is better than that of other brands, such as Torin. However, the fact that this stand is only partially made in the U.S.A., yet is marketed to make you think otherwise, leaves a sour taste in our mouths. The pricing is good for what you get, though. We’ll let you be the judge on this.
Best heavy-duty jack stands
Last on our list are the top heavy-duty or extreme-weight-rated jack stands for large trucks, SUVs, RVs, motorhomes, and other commercial vehicles. There are a few good options to choose from. Our recommendation is the Sunex Tools 22-Ton jack stands due to their lower price and high quality.
Sunex Tools Heavy-Duty 22-Ton jack stands
These stands are a beast. They are pin-type jack stands with welded heavy gauge all-steel construction. The support post has a large V-shaped saddle to firmly support axles and frame rails.
The minimum height is 11.8” to a maximum height of 19.7”, with a massive locking pin of approximately 1” in diameter.
They come with a convenient carrying handle and storage slot for the locking pin when not in use. With a 22-ton weight rating per pair, there isn’t much you couldn’t support with these stands.
Jack Stand Safety Tips
When you receive your new jack stands, be sure to inspect them right away. Don’t wait until the first time you need to use them. Check the welds and make sure that all features work properly. If your stands have four legs, they should sit evenly on flat ground.
If you have a ratcheting post stand, make sure all safety features work properly. Pull the post up to the highest setting, then wiggle it back and forth while pressing down on it to ensure it does not slide down. If there is a defect in the ratcheting mechanism, it will generally show up here.
Most ratcheting jack stands have a tab near the top of the base that you can bend inwards once the support post is in place. Some have a cotter key that is pushed through the bottom of the support post. This will prevent the support post from pulling out should you pick up the stands by the post or hold the jack stand upside down. It does not affect the safety of the stands.
These tabs take a bit of effort to bend, so we choose not to. It’s up to you. We like to be able to pull the post out to inspect the ratcheting mechanism occasionally, and bending the tab to pull the support post out is an annoyance. We just make sure to hold the stands upright by the base when carrying them.
If you have a pin-type jack stand, make sure that the support posts slide freely within the column and that the locking pins fit properly through all the holes.
Be sure to consult your vehicle’s user manual if you are unsure about the proper lifting points of your vehicle. Though a particular point may look strong, it’s possible for that point to bend or even fail once the weight of the vehicle is lowered onto the jack stand. This is especially true for unibody vehicles.
Final Tips
If you are not sure whether a jack stand is necessary for your needs or you are uncomfortable using them, we have reviews of reviews of car ramps that can lift your car or truck off the ground instead.
When comparing jack stands, the wider-based stands are more stable than the narrow-based ones. Always choose the wider base if you can. Also, support posts with a real deep “V” shape may work fine for supporting axles, but they do not work as well for unibody cars since the pinch welds and support points of these cars do not fit well into the deep recess of the post.
Remember that your safety depends on the quality of the jack stands and how you use them. Always buy the best jack stand that you can afford, and never use a jack stand with a defect of any kind. Jack stands can be replaced, but your life can’t.
I gotta say, I hadn’t heard of the Esco jack stands before. However, after buying a set of 4 and using them twice now I will never go with anything else again for my car. Just know that even on the lowest setting that they do sit higher than most stands.
Hello Justin. Yes, the Esco is our favorite as well. You are correct, they do sit a little higher.
Thank you for the excellent article. The best written and most informative article on jack stands on the web. In a good way, makes choosing more difficult. Also goes for your article on ramps.
Thank you, Joe. We appreciate the feedback.
A newer company that started manufacturing jack stands in the USA a few years ago is Jackpoint. They are expensive, but they are also probably the safest and most stable on the market. I’m thinking about getting a pair…
https://www.jackpointjackstands.com
Hello Tom. We are familiar with these stands and yes, the quality is very good. We didn’t include them in our list due to the high price point and the fact that the Esco stands can perform many of the same duties, though not all, that the Jackpoint stands perform.
Any idea who makes jack stands that are sold under the Napa, Auto Zone or Auto Craft (Advanced) brands.
Napa currently offers a pair of 2 ton jack stands for $18.
Thanks
Hello Werner. Many of these stands are made overseas and then sold under a variety of brand names. We can’t tell you for sure who makes the Napa stands.
Hi. Can you use these stands under your RV slide out?
Hi Liz. Which ones are you referring to?
I’m looking at getting a set of the 22 ton Omega stands. I can’t find any info on whether they meet the ASME PASE 2014 standards. Did your set indicate that they did? Thanks.
Hi Chad. The Omega jack stands are manufactured by the Shinn Fu Company of America. This page here states that all of their products meet ASME and ANSI standards. If you have any further questions about the jack stands, we recommend that you contact them directly.
Do you have a jack recommendation for a small 21ft RV that’s going to stay parked? Tires are starting to get wonky and I know I need to give it some support, but I’ve never bought or used jacks before.
Hello A. We just need some clarification. Do you want a recommendation for a jack to lift the RV or stands to place it on once you do?
Stands I guess…? Could the Big Red 12tons do both?
RV is probably (6000 to 7000lbs if I had to guess?)
They can’t do both. Jacks and jack stands do two completely different jobs. The jack temporarily lifts the vehicle, while the jack stands support it. So once you lifted one side or corner of the RV, you would place a jack stand under the frame or axle and then lower the RV onto the stand when you let the jack down. Four of the 6000 lb Big Red jack stands would safely support the RV off the ground. I’m assuming at this point that you have the proper jack to lift the RV.
Ah, thank you. I have nothing to lift it, no, and this would be a one-time use, really.