Am I missing something here?

First off you know it's a motorcycle lift yet you use it to lift a car.

Second, as you state 'The frame bent from changing tires on a 3500 lb car .

J&S clearly states a weight capacity of 2000 lbs with a lifetime warranty on the frame ..

So you knew it's capacity was only 2000lbs yet you tried to lift va 3500lb car and now wonder why it's bent and are p*ssed with J&S because they won't honor their warranty.

This doesn't add up to me.

 

The OP made a mistake and he knows it. However, I don't think you read the post(s) carefully. He was lifting a portion of the car, and I'd be surprised if it was really lifting 2,000, let alone 3,500 pounds.

 

And this is having to be debated why?


Anybody know where I can get 1/4" socket adapter for a 3/4" breaker bar?

 

Yes you are missing something. When you lift one tire off the ground of a car it is assumed you are lifting a PORTION of the total weight of the car.

If you have a normal midsize car it is assumed a standard craftsman jack will do the job. Which are ALWAYS rated below the total weight of the car.


A 4000 lb jack would normally be overkill on a 4000 lb car. A 2000 lb jack would seem reasonable as your lifting a tire at a time as opposed to the whole entire car from the center with all 4 tires off the car.

Home that clears up the logic behind using a 2000 lb jack on a car

 

Kind of a cheap shot (couldn't help myself). Dude might also call foul play because he was shot after bringing a knife to a gun fight.

 

Would never even think to do that especially when a $60 floor jack will work and is what that type of jack is design and built to be used for.

Yes, perhaps J&S should not claim a weight capacity of 2000 lbs but, that is not for me to say. Direct load vs. a offset load. Who knows. Just know I would never use a motorcycle jack to lift a automobile. Period!

 

Would you use a 2000lb capacity jack to lift 2000 lbs of anything? Or 1800 lbs of anything?

If I own a jack whoses weight rating is 2000 lbs, am I completely out of line to assume it is safe to lift up to 2000 lbs ?

 

Not sure I would trust the jack again even after straightening it out. The frame will not be as strong as it once was. I wouldn't trust putting my very expensive Harley on a jack that has had a bent frame.

 

Life is like a box of chocolates....
This is why manufacturers are required to put goofy do not do messages on the manuals.

 

I was thinking the same thing (direct load vs. offset). While I understand his thought process - the way he was using the jack put stress (even if it was less than 2000 poiunds of stress) on the jack in a way other than intended. All the car weight that was lifted was on one side of the frame.

The physics of the weight was just wrong for the tool. That's why you use the right tool for the right job. It's kind of like using the wrong size socket on a bolt ad then crying because you rounded the bolt's edges.