STANDARD SIZED FLOOR JACKS COMPARED

1. First off - PRICES then ATTRIBUTES

   This is going to get confusing, but bear with us…
   The Milwaukee Model 20 is entirely made in America of completely American made components. It is therefore the most expensive.
   The Norco 71202A (formerly made in America) is now built in Taiwan using Japanese seals. It is a heavy frame model designed for serious jacking such as found in busy tire shops, so for the extra beef/metal it is priced a bit more than the standard Norco import floor jack.
   The Norco 71230A is imported from China, (tho made by a Japanese company using Japanese seals), thusly having the lowest price, (but, in using the higher quality seals and requiring finer machining, it is significantly higher priced than the average $69 disposable Chinese junk jacks).
   The NEW NORCO 71232 is essentially the same as the 71230A except that it has TWO pumping pistons to achieve a faster lifting action, and naturally that adds a few dollars more.

2. The Milwaukee is a full 25 pounds lighter than the Norcos, so if you happen to be lifting your jack in and out of your trunk a great deal or are small in stature and lift it only occasionally you might consider this a BIG plus!

3. All the NORCO handles can be broken down to half size while the Milwaukee cannot.

4. The Norco 71230A and 71232 use a pumping arc of from 90 degrees down to horizontal while the 71202A and the Milwaukee use an arc of more like from 45 degrees down to horizontal. So, if you always seem to be rolling your jack under the rear axle and lifting the entire rear end the 71202A & the Milwaukee will be more convenient and faster. But, if you have a small garage and usually lift from the side the 71230A and 71232's arc allows a pumping action from straight vertical all the way down to straight horizontal and would help keep your handle from hitting the wall or hitting another car parked nearby. The 71202A (and the 71232 with 2 pumps) brings the jack up to full extension much quicker than either the Milwaukee or 71230A.

5. Except for the newer pumping designs of the 71202A (4 years old) & 71323 (less than one year old), all designs have been around the industry for quite a while and are fairly well PROVEN.

6. The 71230A & 71232 use a gear-to-gear release, the Milwaukee a screw pushing against a lever and the 71202A a universal joint turning a screw -All seem to work quite well when used as directed and both can be trashed by mis-use.

7. For pumps, the 71230A, the 71232 and Milwaukee use chromed pistons working against O-Rings and are always exposed to the elements, but we have found that rarely do they rust up - You've got to keep them damn near underwater to have a problem. The 71202A uses covered, out of the elements, steel pistons working against a steel cylinder with a U-Cup as a seal.

8. For Main Rams the Norcos use a Poly-Urethane U-Cup against a steel cylinder wall while the Milwaukee uses a Chromed piston against an O-Ring. To prevent over-extension of the piston all four use an internal by-pass valve.

9. The Milwaukee has a round saddle/pad, while the others are square.

10. All use a welded on caster shoulder with replaceable metal casters, Milwaukee uses a roll pin to keep theirs in place in their cast iron holder while Norco's bolt through formed steel.

11. The 71230A and 71232 have 'flanged' side plates for extra frame strength.

12. The Milwaukee is warranteed for one year while the Norcos have a lifetime warranty against defects in parts and workmanship.

13. Also, Both companies have several service centers across the country.

If you have the money GO THE MILWAUKEE!
It IS the best damn jack out there!

If you're running on a tight budget and need the most value, the biggest 'bang for your buck' GO THE NORCO 71230A or the 71232. They are NOT the typical pieces of crap coming out of China!

If you need the extra ¼" lower saddle height because you've got a lowered 'Vette, BMW, Porsche or Eclipse, you tend to lift from the rearend 'pumpkin' or you're always in a hurry and need faster jacking action - GO THE 71202A. While it is a fairly new jack, Norco did NOT rush it out, they worked on it for over a year and a half and have done extensive testing (at Tire Stores, no less - They are Hell on jacks), so it has been thoroughly run through the ringer.

In early May of 1998 I had the opportunity to talk with a Vice President of a major jack manufacturer. We talked about the future of American jacks, especially with his company making a big move into importing Chinese jacks in the next year, During the course of the conversation he mentioned that he was at a trade show and had gotten into an argument with a VP from another major jack maker about importing jacks. Somewhere along the line the question of 'How many cycles can you get from a typical, bargain priced, All-Chinese made floor jack before it starts leaking' came up. They BOTH agreed on the number 10! Let me say that again, two VP's from major jack makers agree that you will only get 10 (ten) uses out of a typical ($59 - $79) All-Chinese made floor jack before it starts to leak!!!

I guess if you only use a jack 3 or 4 times a year to change your oil or adjust your brakes you might get a few years of use out of a cheap All-Chinese made floor jack, but if you are at all SERIOUS about using a floor jack - Quite honestly, you're pissing away your money on one!

So, there you go - Your Mileage May Vary...