A floor jack and a pair of jack stands each have a weight rating, and the right one depends on how much of your vehicle’s weight sits on its heavier axle. Too small is unsafe. Too large costs more and, for a low car, may not fit underneath.
Pick your vehicle, or a vehicle class, or enter a weight. Say what job you are doing, then press Show results. The calculator gives the jack and stand ratings, checks whether you need a low-profile jack, checks the lift height, and lists what to buy for the job. The explanation of how the numbers are worked out is underneath, after the results.
Jack and jack stand size calculator
Vehicle
Not listed? Pick a class below or enter a weight. The sizing works the same way.
The job
Search by make and model, choose a vehicle class, or enter a weight. Your answer appears here and the address bar becomes a link to it.
How jack and jack stand ratings work
Jack and stand ratings are given in tons, and one ton here is 2,000 pounds. A 3 ton jack is rated for 6,000 lb. The rating is the load the equipment is built to hold when the load is stable, on a level, hard surface.
Jacks and stands do different jobs. A floor jack lifts. A jack stand holds. Stands are sold in pairs and rated per pair, so a “3 ton” pair is rated 3 tons for the two stands together, not 3 tons each.
The sizing method
The calculator uses one method. You can check it by hand.
- Pick the weight. Use curb weight by default. Use GVWR, the gross vehicle weight rating on the door-jamb sticker, when the vehicle is loaded or towing.
- Find the heaviest-axle load. Weight x max(front %, 100 – front %) / 100. If you do not know the front/rear split, the tool assumes 60/40 front-heavy for cars and crossovers and 55/45 for trucks and SUVs.
- Size the floor jack. Each lift raises one end of the vehicle, so the jack carries about one axle’s share. Multiply the heaviest-axle load by 1.25, a 25% margin. Convert to tons at 2,000 lb per ton. Round up to the next standard size: 1.5, 2, 3, 4 or 6 ton.
- Size the stands. Use the same figure, heaviest-axle load x 1.25, and round up to 2, 3, 6 or 12 ton per pair. Putting all four stands under the car does not change this. The heavier axle is still carried by one pair.
For a 60/40 car the arithmetic is 0.6 x 1.25 = 0.75. That is the familiar “three quarters of the vehicle weight” rule of thumb, and it gives the same number for a typical front-heavy car. This method uses the vehicle’s actual split.
The margins, ranges and lift heights on this page are conventions used by this tool. They are not measurements or manufacturer figures. Your owner’s manual and the rating label on your equipment always win.
Worked examples
A 4,000 lb car with a 60/40 split puts 2,400 lb on the heavier axle. Times 1.25 is 3,000 lb, or 1.5 ton. A 1.5 ton jack exists but is uncommon, so the practical answer is a 2 ton jack and a 2 ton stand pair.
A 5,500 lb SUV at 55/45 puts 3,025 lb on the heavier axle. Times 1.25 is 3,781 lb, or 1.89 ton. That is a 2 ton jack and 2 ton stands. Load the same SUV to a 7,000 lb GVWR and the axle load is 3,850 lb. Times 1.25 is 4,813 lb, or 2.41 ton, which moves you up to a 3 ton jack and 3 ton stands.
A heavy-duty truck at a 9,500 lb GVWR and 55/45 puts 5,225 lb on the heavier axle. Times 1.25 is 6,531 lb, or 3.27 ton. The jack rounds up to 4 ton. Stands come in 2, 3, 6 and 12 ton, so the stands round up to 6 ton.
| Weight | 60/40 split (cars, crossovers) | 55/45 split (trucks, SUVs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy axle | Jack | Stands | Heavy axle | Jack | Stands | |
| 3,000 lb | 1,800 lb | 1.5 ton | 2 ton | 1,650 lb | 1.5 ton | 2 ton |
| 4,000 lb | 2,400 lb | 1.5 ton | 2 ton | 2,200 lb | 1.5 ton | 2 ton |
| 5,000 lb | 3,000 lb | 2 ton | 2 ton | 2,750 lb | 2 ton | 2 ton |
| 6,000 lb | 3,600 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton | 3,300 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton |
| 7,000 lb | 4,200 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton | 3,850 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton |
| 8,000 lb | 4,800 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton | 4,400 lb | 3 ton | 3 ton |
| 9,500 lb | 5,700 lb | 4 ton | 6 ton | 5,225 lb | 4 ton | 6 ton |
| 11,000 lb | 6,600 lb | 6 ton | 6 ton | 6,050 lb | 4 ton | 6 ton |
Low-profile jacks and lift height
Rating is not the only thing that decides whether a jack fits. If ground clearance is under 6.0 inches, a standard floor jack saddle, which needs about 5 in to slide under, may not fit. Use a low-profile jack with a saddle under about 4 in.
Then check that the jack can lift high enough. Add the height you need to the starting clearance. As a rule of thumb, a tire swap needs about 6 in more, wheels off for brake work about 12 in more, and underbody work about 18 in more.
Typical jack ranges are 5-15 in for a standard floor jack, 3.5-18 in for a low-profile jack and 5.5-24 in for a high-lift jack. Typical stand ranges are 10-15 in for 2 ton, 11-17 in for 3 ton, 15-25 in for 6 ton and 19-29 in for 12 ton.
Safety rules
- Never get under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Stands hold the load.
- Work on a level, hard surface, never on a slope. Avoid gravel, dirt, and asphalt on a hot day, where stand feet can sink in.
- Chock the wheels that stay on the ground.
- Lift only at the manufacturer’s lift points, and set stands on the lift points or frame, on a flat surface.
- Never exceed the rating of the jack or the stands.
- Do not use a bumper jack or the scissor jack from the trunk for work. They are for roadside emergencies only.
- Before going under, shake the vehicle firmly at a safe distance from the side. If it moves, lower it and reset the stands.
- After raising the vehicle onto stands, lower the jack until the stands carry the load.
Electric vehicles
Battery packs make EVs heavier than a similar gas car, so do not size from the gas version’s weight. The lift points are also different. Most EVs lift at pinch welds or designated jack pads. A jack pad adapter or rubber puck protects the weld. Use the lift points in the owner’s manual. Never lift on the battery pack.
Frequently asked questions
What size floor jack do I need for an SUV?
A 2-ton jack covers most SUVs at curb weight. A 5,500 lb SUV with a 55/45 split has a heaviest axle of 3,025 lb. Add the 25% margin and the jack needs 3,781 lb, or 1.89 tons, so a 2-ton jack is the smallest that works. Loaded to a 7,000 lb GVWR the same SUV needs 2.41 tons, which is a 3-ton jack. If you tow, carry cargo or want headroom, buy the 3-ton.
Can a 2 ton jack lift a 4,000 lb car?
Yes. A jack lifts one end at a time, not the whole car. At a 60/40 split the front axle carries 2,400 lb, and with the 25% margin the jack needs 3,000 lb, which is 1.5 tons. A 2-ton jack clears that. On the same 60/40 split a 2-ton jack is enough for a car up to about 5,300 lb.
How many jack stands do I need?
Two stands, one pair, if you lift one end. Four if you lift the whole vehicle. Stands are sold in pairs and the rating is for the pair together. The rating you need does not change with four stands, because the heavier axle is still carried by one pair.
Is a 3-ton jack enough for a truck?
For most pickups, yes. A half-ton truck at 5,000 lb curb and a 55/45 split needs 1.72 tons, which is a 2-ton jack. At a 7,200 lb GVWR it needs 2.48 tons, which is a 3-ton jack. A 3-ton jack is enough up to about 8,700 lb at a 55/45 split. A heavy-duty truck at an 11,000 lb GVWR needs 3.78 tons, so buy a 4-ton.
What size jack stands do I need?
Use the same figure as for the jack: heaviest-axle load times 1.25, rounded up to a 2, 3, 6 or 12 ton pair. At a 55/45 split, a 2-ton pair covers a vehicle up to about 5,800 lb, a 3-ton pair up to about 8,700 lb and a 6-ton pair up to about 17,400 lb. Buying one size above the minimum is cheap insurance.
Do I need a low-profile jack?
If the vehicle has under 6 inches of ground clearance, probably. A standard floor jack saddle starts around 5 inches, and a lowered car or a sports car can be lower than that at the lift point. A low-profile jack has a saddle under about 4 inches. The calculator flags it from the vehicle's clearance.
Do electric cars need a bigger jack?
They need the same method, applied to a heavier vehicle. A 5,000 lb EV at a 52/48 split has a heaviest axle of 2,600 lb and needs 1.63 tons, so a 2-ton jack. The bigger difference is where you lift: use the pinch welds or jack pads in the owner's manual, never the battery pack, and put a jack pad adapter on the saddle.
Is it safe to work under a car held up by a jack?
No. A jack is for lifting. Once the vehicle is up, lower it onto jack stands set on the manufacturer's lift points, on a level hard surface, with the wheels that stay on the ground chocked. Give the vehicle a firm shake before you get under it.
Sources
The 1.25 margin, the standard sizes, the lift heights and the typical ranges are conventions used by this tool. They are not taken from a standard or a manufacturer. Follow your owner’s manual for lift points and capacity, and the rating label on your own jack and stands.
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Marco Delantero
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This article was researched against manufacturer records and editorially reviewed before publishing. We accept no payment for coverage.
