Is Aluminum or Steel the right Floor Jack for you?

One of the questions we get here at Low Profile Floor Jack, is what material should my jack be made of. Primarily you will they are made of two materials: Aluminum or Steel, and sometimes it’s a combination of both. Your selection really will depend on what you are using your jack for, and what’s a deciding factor in it that you want. Let’s deep dive into the materials and benefits.

Aluminum Floor Jacks

The main benefit and biggest reasons people go with aluminum is the weight. Who doesn’t want something easier to lift and move around? This is one of the main reason you see aluminum used in the low profile racing jacks. You need to be able to transport it there, and easily and quickly get under your car with less strain. It also makes for handier storage because you can lift it onto a shelf or cabinet. We find durability with aluminum jacks is still really good, but obviously the heavier steel is more robust.

Steel Floor Jacks

Now let’s see the advantage of steel. The biggest is durability which makes this an ideal type to use in a workshop, or a person who does many diy projects on their car. Even someone who does seasonal tire changes on a the entire families vehicles can benefit from the durability of steel in the long run. My steel jack has been good for 10+ years with no issues, but that one is mainly used for tire swaps (although its 3 or more vehicles at a time). Then the obvious disadvantage is the heavier nature of these jacks, makes you loathe picking it up and storing it on a shelf.

Weight Differences

Let’s look at two of the floor jacks we have reviewed just to show you the weight differences. The Sunex 6603ASJ 3 Ton Aluminum Lift Jack weighs in at 58 pounds. If we compare that to a steel jack, we see the weight of the Arcan XL2T Steel Jack comes in at 97 pounds – almost double the weight!

Conclusion

So which one should you pick? Really the deciding factor is do you need it to be easily transported and is weight an issue? If you need something light for the garage and/or to take on the go, get an Aluminum Floor Jack. If weight isn’t an issue and you are looking for something to keep in your garage and to last a long time, steel is the durable way to go.