Floor Jack Recomendation

This is a great jack for the money and fairly light weight
1.5 Ton Compact Aluminum Racing Floor Jack with Rapid Pump®

 

You do need one that starts off very low. Mine won't fit under the car unless I drive it onto 2X material.

 

Don't know of specific good brands. I would suggest to get one rated 3 tons; they tend to have more lift range and are more solidly built. A hardened rubber cradle is nice, or you can retrofit one. Regular steel cup cradles can be hard on the lift points. You can also cobble shims, plywood or 2x4 blocking.

I got my "genueen" Samona jack for $69 on Boxing Day, maybe 10 years back. It's just regular looking, not low-profile, but just clears front bumper and front lift point, no problems.

Got it at Summit Tools: was supposed to pick it up from their loading bay, but it was down a terrifically steep decline, and while bare, it was cold and snowing hard. Their warehouse guy heroically dragged it up the slope for me, lol.

 

I picked one up at Costco (Arcan 3-ton) for $100. Works great!

 

The ones made for "racing" and sports cars are low profile. Hence some here have the aluminum ones, which are made to look like NASCAR jacks.

 

I have a floor jack already, but it wasn't low profile and didn't reach enough so I got this one that works and was cheap enough.

Low Profile Floor Jack - 2 Ton, Rapid Pump® Jack

 

My 3 ton is very regular profile, works fine. The front/central jack point is some distance back, and clearance is not great, but not bad. I wouldn't get too hung up on the low profile requirement.

 

That is unless it has been modded lower.

A picture of @Taxi/Limo 's Prius would help the discussion. If stock, the 3 ton jack from harbor freight works well and I have been using it on our stock 2010 Prius II for over 7 years with no issues. The front lift point is deep in there, and jacking up at the start is slow but it does the job well.

 

Yeah, and if you've lowered, just rolling the front wheels onto something like 2x10's should remedy.

 

Harbor Freight has a very good selection of floor jacks. I suggest a jack with 23" of lift (that seems to be the maximum). I bought their Daytona model, but they have a few for about $125 USD which are heavy duty, 23" and low profile. And pick up 2 or 4 of their jack stands while you're there. They also sell red vinyl covers for the jack stands to prevent scuffing the car

 

Yeah you can never have enough jackstands. Wheel chocks too: 4 heavy rubber ones will do it.