Transmission floor jacks are a piece of heavy-duty equipment that every professional auto shop will have available to lift big vehicles, and likely they’ll have more than one. Effective car maintenance and repair is not just about having the right skills but also having the best tools and equipment to match those skills. A transmission jack is also a great tool for the enthusiastic home mechanic who’s working on a car rebuild or DIY repair job and needs to hold up the gearbox or differential units.
Transmission jacks for sale come in all shapes and sizes, and it can be hard to really determine those of a high order of quality from others. Lucky for you, we’ve taken the time to look into the matter and have come up with what we think are the best to meet the most demanding of jobs.
Scroll Down for Our Reviews.
1. Draper 53095 Transmission Floor Jack – Editors Choice
This unit from Draper comes with a 150kg capacity, and is suitable for lifting and lowering both gearboxes and differential units. It’s nice and light at just 42lbs, and is built on 4 sturdy casters that make moving it into position very easy. You get good versatility with the unit, being able to raise or lower the saddle with standard or pneumatic ratchet, but it’s not suitable for use with impact wrenches.
It’s not the most affordable in the entire selection, but flexible payments are an option, and it is manufactured to meet EN1570 specifications to help ensure greater quality. In the design, some may find the tray too short.
Pros
- Solid capacity for handling engines and differentials
- Light and maneuverable
- Versatile and easily operable
- Flexible payments are an option
- Meets EN1570 specifications
Cons
- Tray too short for some to use effectively
2. Sealey TJ150E Transmission Floor Jack – Best Value
This unit is a good all-round value product from a well-established manufacturer and with solid and sturdy dimensions. The hand-operated scissor mechanism is easy to use, and the heavy-duty swivel casters make life easier when it comes to moving the unit about. It’s especially useful for lifting differential units.
The only drawback is that its lifting range is limited. The maximum saddle height is only 23 inches (585mm) which is more limited than other models.
Pros
- Well constructed, solid and durable from a reliable industry name
- Easy to use
- Easy to maneuver into position
- Very well suited to differential units
- Flexible payments available
Cons
- Applications more limited
- Max saddle height only 23 inches, much lower than other competitors
3. Sunex 7793B Transmission Floor Jack – Premium Pick
One of the first things you’ll notice about this unit is its incredible reach of up to 74 inches (1879mm) which is far higher than its competitors in this category. It comes with a premium price tag, but you get what you pay for. It works with a simple foot-pump action via an oversized pedal that keeps your hands free, and its lower arms mean you can transfer a transmission from the jack to the workbench with considerable ease.
It’s compliant with ASME PALD and the quality is backed up by a 12-month warranty from a producer with a solid track record in this field. Use either the nylon strap or chains to tie down what you’re lifting securely. One small design flaw is that the lowering knob to bring the jack down is too low, making it harder to access.
Pros
- Huge reach of up to 74 inches
- Hands-free operation
- Easy to transfer heavy gear from jack to workbench
- Compliant with ASME PALD and backed up with 12-month warranty
- Secure payload with nylon strap or heavier-duty chains
Cons
- Jack lowering button is not conveniently placed
- High price tag
4. JEGS Low Profile Transmission Floor Jack – Budget Option
When affordability is key, this jack will offer you what you want the most. Even better, you get quite a lot of innovation along with it. The load support arms, in particular, are interesting because you can adjust them individually to suit the shape of the object you’re lifting. It also has a huge capacity of 1,000lbs (453kg), which makes it very versatile and dependable.
The one thing you don’t get with this budget model is the ability to move your lifted object from side to side. Where others offer more capability to transfer a transmission or other unit to a workbench, this one does not. It’s only up or down.
Pros
- Terrific price point
- Very high load capacity
- Innovative adjustable load arms
- Versatile and easy to use
Cons
- No sideways movement action for payload; less convenient
