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Finding a floor jack for an SUV or a 4×4 used to be really tricky. Short of going to a specialist parts shop, it was nearly impossible to find a floor jack that would support a big heavy vehicle. But because of the increase in popularity of SUVs and 4x4s in recent years, there are plenty of floor jacks on the market now that claim they are perfect for these vehicles.
We have reviewed the top floor jacks for SUVs, 4x4s and other off road vehicles to take the trouble out for you. Below is a full guide with our recommendations along with their weight capacity, maximum heights and minimum chassis size – don’t worry, we’ll explain what all these are too.
Buyers Guide to Floor Jacks for 4x4s and SUVs
The key to choosing the right jack for any off road vehicle or SUV is to ensure that it has a high lifting capacity and a high maximum height.
Lifting Capacity
No matter what vehicle you’re purchasing your jack for, you must ensure that it’s suitably rated for the weight of the vehicle. This is particularly important when you reach heavier vehicles such as 4×4’s. Although a floor jack will never need to take 100% of a vehicles weight, as good practice we’d recommend that is what you aim for when deciding on the right weight capacity.
To give you an idea of vehicle weights:
- A typical car (e.g. Vauxhall Corsa): Around 1200kg (source)
- A typical SUV (e.g. Ford Kuga): Around 1400kg (source)
- A typical 4X4 (e.g. Range Rover): Around 2500kg (source)
You may find that jacks are able to lift more than the specified weight, especially when they are newer as the weight rating has been designed to last the product’s lifetime.
Lifting Height
A jack for 4×4’s and SUVs must have a far higher maximum height due to the extended ride height that these vehicles have. This is the space between the bottom of the tyre and the lowest point on the chassis, often referred to as ground clearance.
Whilst regular cars will generally have a ride height between 160-170mm, off road vehicles and SUVs will often have a ride height of 200mm or more, with some such as a Range Rover as high as 250mm.
For this reason, regular floor jacks are not enough to gain adequate space under the vehicle to work so they must have an extended lifting height which can be achieved via a longer length or added height on the touch point of the jack itself.
The two measurements we have included with our recommendations are:
- Minimum saddle height – this is the lowest point the tip of the lifting arm (saddle) will go, i.e. the minimum ride height that it will be suitable for.
- Max lifting height – this is the highest point the tip of the lifting arm (saddle) will go when fully jacked.
You may also see ‘maximum chassis height’ in some specs. The maximum chassis height refers to the highest part of the jack when it is fully collapsed. This is different from the minimum saddle height as many jacks have a curve shape meaning the middle part of the jack is higher than the saddle.
Best Floor Jacks for SUVs and 4×4
Here is a run down of the trolley jacks that we recommend for your 4×4 or SUV:
Sealey – Best Overall
A good all-round floor jack from a recognised brand that’s suitable for larger vehicles and will deliver quality for many years.
Min saddle height: 140mm
Max lifting height: 432mm
Lifting capacity: 3 ton
This Sealey car jack has been designed with quality in mind and is best suited for serious hobby car owners and for use in busy garages. The jack will last many years of constant use, provided it is cared for properly of course.
It has a long arm which makes it perfect for lifting bigger vehicles and it’s 3 ton capacity will see it lift even the heaviest of 4×4’s. The maximum lifting height is 432mm, so it’s not the highest lifter on this list.
The jack has a single hydraulic unit, and there is added protection thanks to the overload protection system. There was never any doubt that this Sealey jack is one of the best ones going.
Liftmaster 3T Trolley Jack – Runner Up
This 3-tonne car floor jack has the lifting range that anyone with a big vehicle needs, it’s a monster!
Min saddle height: 190mm
Max lifting height: 530mm
Lifting capacity: 3 ton
The Liftmaster 3 tonne floor jack is also a competitive jack with similar specs to the Sealey. It has a 3 tonne capacity and a maximum lifting height of 530mm.
It has a slightly different design with a shorter body with added height on top of the arm which gives it the extra lifting capability, however the compromise with this is that it will struggle to fit under some cars which makes it less of an all-rounder.
Liftmaster have recently refreshed the design so it can now handle 10 times more lifting operations than the previous version. Although Liftmaster aren’t as well known as Sealey, they do offer a three year warranty and excellent customer service when you call about your jack, it’s no wonder they have sold so many!
DJM Heavy Duty Trolley Jack – Great for Higher Vehicles
DJM makes plenty of car jacks, this one is the high lift jack and boy can it lift high!
Max lifting height: 720mm
Min saddle height: 150mm
Lifting capacity: 2.2 ton
DJM makes some of the most robust car jacks on the market. This high reach floor jack is no exception to this. It is very well built and perfect for SUVs or 4x4s although with the lowest lifting capacity of those we compared, 2.2 tons, it may not be suitable for the biggest 4×4’s as we always recommend matching the capabilities with the total vehicle weight (although some experts recommend 75%).
The biggest advantage of this jack is it’s high lifting ability thanks to a super long arm. And if you’re worried that lifting it hat high will take too much elbow grease, DJM already thought of a solution to that and added their Super Rocket lift feature which makes quick work of jacking up your vehicle.
Ambienceo – For Lower Chassis SUVs
With a minimum saddle height of 85mm this beast will get under most vehicles and at a very affordable price too.
Min saddle height: 85mm
Max lifting height: 380mm
Lifting capacity: 2.5 ton
There’s no doubt that jacks for SUVs and 4x4s are bigger than a typical jack that is required for a car. This means they aren’t always great for all-round use. That’s where the Ambienceo comes in as it has a low saddle height of just 85mm and still manages to lift all the way up to 380mm.
With a lifting capacity of 2.5 tonnes it has lots of potential uses. So, if you have an SUV, a 4×4 and a smaller car, this jack will work on them all!
The body of this jack is made from steel that is coated in a heavy-duty paint that protects the jack from rust and corrosion. If you look after this car jack, it will likely be lifting cars for you for the rest of your life!
So, there are our favourite floor jacks for 4WD vehicles and SUVs. If you need a solid jack for your own larger vehicles then the Sealey Heavy Duty Jack should be your first choice. But, we’ve also shared some thoughts if you have more specific needs.
Scott’s love for cars goes back as far as he can remember which is why he’s our go-to guy for all automotive product reviews. When Scott’s not at hotrod shows or drag racing events, he’s dreaming about that E-type drag that will hopefully appear on his drive one day.
