One specific tool that is rather noteworthy is the ATD hydraulic transmission jack due to its prowess in aiding you when wrenching on your transmission. As such, we thought it worthy of review.
Quality
In our opinion, there are very few half ton heavy duty hydraulic transmission jacks that can compare to ATD’s product. You know you’re getting a quality tool in this case because this ATD transmission jack is specifically designed to meet the ASME/ANSI-PALD safety standards. What do the PALD safety standards do for you, you ask? The safety standard for Portable Automotive Lifting Devices (PALD) is applicable to every automotive lifting device and guarantees the consumer an automotive tool that will meet minimum specifications for tool design, maintenance, operation and inspection. Adhering to this criteria ultimately means that you are getting a tool that has been verified to be safe and will perform as advertised.
In addition to meeting specs, we think that one of the greatest design quality accomplishments of ATD’s half ton transmission jack is the hydraulic system. Unlike other products, ATD’s jack has a patented hydraulic bypass mechanism that protects it from damage during overload. We also really like the attached restraining chain that enables safe raising and lowering of the system throughout the entire time you are using it.
Features
ATD’s hydraulic jack includes an expanded saddle measuring 17 inches x 9-3/8 inches. This is extremely helpful when trying to jack any number of large automatic transmissions that typically do not seat well on smaller platforms. The saddle base itself measures 12-5/8 inches by 7-7/8 inches providing ample support for lifting a large transmission.
Designed with heavy duty steel wheels and ball bearing casters, ATD’s lift has a solid support base that allows smooth and reliable movement of a transmission from directly under your vehicle. We really like the full range of pumping motion that the 22-1/2 inch handle gives you as well.
Another feature we like about this transmission jack is its lifting range. With a minimum height of 8-1/2 inches this jack can easily slide under most vehicles even when using low jack stands (see our recommendations on jack stands here). ATD’s jack can reach a maximum height of 24-3/4 inches which is pretty good considering many other transmission jacks only manage a scant 20 inches by comparison.
In our opinion the best feature of ATD’s transmission jack has to be the adjustable head. It can be moved in four directions to make lining up the jack with any number of transmission bolt patterns easy and it allows you to do this faster than with a rigid lift. Time is money to both a professional mechanic and shadetree alike and this feature will save you quite a bit of both.
Value
For merely a fraction of the price of competing automotive jacks, ATD’s 1/2 ton hydraulic floor transmission jack delivers high quality performance with ease of use and many great features that don’t come standard on many more expensive models. In our opinion, this jack has everything you need and all the features you could want in an automotive transmission lifting device. It should be noted that these jacks are found relatively infrequently in brick and mortar stores. As such, you will likely have better luck buying them online.
The quality of materials and design really make this jack stand out from the competition when price is considered. When you’re under a car getting ready to remove or install a heavy transmission, the last thing you want is a flimsy jack buckling under the weight and possibly dropping off the jack while potentially destroying your nice garage floor (or your foot for that matter). The good thing is that you don’t have to pay a lot to get one that won’t do this when buying an ATD.
All in all, we think ATD makes great automotive tools and this 1/2 ton automotive transmission jack is no exception. Try out some of the other jacks on the market, then come back to ATD and you’ll realize why so many customers rave about this tool. If you want to see some of the market’s other offerings to comparison shop, have a look at our guide to choosing the best transmission jack to see what’s out there. Happy wrenching!
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