The Porter-Ferguson Speed Midget 4-Ton Tool Set includes one hand hydraulic jack, one jack body toe, two ram extension toes, one jack base, two rubber heads, two offset spreading toes, two ram caps, two 20" tube extensions, one 12" tube extension, two 3" tube extensions, one 5" tube extension, one 8" tube extension, one 36" tube extension with two pins, one hydraulic spreader, two V-notch caps, two 6' chains, one chain pull collar, two Bite-Tite clamps, one short ram and one all angle pull clamp. All attachments have EZ-on connections, and all components are packaged in a rugged steel carrying case. Porter-Ferguson sets can also be custom tailored to the individual requirements of any body repair operation.
The review
Tom Clark, owner of Seekonk Auto Body in Seekonk, Mass., says that Porter-Ferguson's Speed Midget 4-Ton Tool Set has made work easier and faster for the shop.
The complete set contains a hand pump, two different rams, clamps, chains, a spreader, and extension tubes. While Seekonk Auto Body owns the complete set, the manufacturer can also custom tailor a set to any shop's needs.
Among the items in the kit, Clark had high praise for the Porter-Ferguson SM0200 4-ton jack that comprises a P-F SM0034 Ram and an SM0033 Hand/Hydraulic pump. "This ram is better and stronger than any we've ever used.," Clark notes. He points out that the ram has a steel, drop-forged broad base which makes it very stable even in awkward positions. "It does cost more than the Japanese ones we've been using," he observes, "But we have to replace those about once a year. This one is so rugged that I would expect it to last four or five years. Or more."
Clark believes that one reason inexpensive pumps have to be replaced so often is seal failure. "If you look inside a P-F pump, you'll see there's a super high finish on the piston that helps the seals last longer. And there are stainless steel balls and springs in a coined metal cup so there's only metal-to-metal contact; there are no plastics to wear out."
Clark says that friends at other shops have complained about oil leakage with foreign-made pumps. This is not necessarily a problem with the tools, he believes, but with maintenance. " Seals need to stay hydrated to keep them swollen to their original size. A lot of guys neglect this. Or they use hydraulic fluid that has detergents and stuff that can break down and wear out the seals. The secret is to use mineral oil as your lubricant. It's cleaner and it doesn't break down."
Other tools in the P-F set that techs appreciated were the extension tubes. The set includes five sizes: 3", 5" , 8", 12" , and 20". There is also a 36" adjustable tube extension. "The attachments we'd been using were either too long or too short," says Clark. "If they were too short, we’d have to put wood in between the ram and the work. With P-F's different sizes, the process is a lot easier. Plus they're really strong; they don't bend easily."
Clark notes that his shop had a car with frame rails that were so bent they kept springing back. "We had to heat both frame rails and I couldn't have done this job with the frame machine alone," he explains. "So we used the P-F jack and extension tubes from the kit to hold the space and used the frame machine hydraulics to pull the whole front end back into place."
Clark says there have been many times when Seekonk techs have gone to the P-F toolbox instead of their frame machine. For example, with a car that had front end damage, the radiator supports needed to be pulled back into place. "We did the job in ten minutes using the P-F jack and extension tubes. If we'd used the frame machine, it would have taken an hour. We've also saved time pulling reinforcement bars back into place," he adds.
Would this equipment be a worthwhile investment for a facilty which does not specialize in collison repair? "Absolutely," Clark says. "They might not use them as much as a dedicated collision repair shop would, but they would find plenty of uses for them. The hydraulics would be especially helpful in reinstalling a car or truck engine. There are plenty of ways to use them. In fact, the marina where I keep my boat has some of these tools," he adds.
Was there anything that Seekonk Auto Body does not like about the Porter-Ferguson tools? "The toolbox was a tight fit," Clark says. "So after we took tools out we had a hard time getting them back in. I hear that P-F is going to a bigger box so that will probably cure the problem. And although a service manual is included, there's no instruction manual - so these tools aren't for rookies. But the P-F rep was great about helping us with the learning curve."
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would Clark and his techs rated their satisfaction with their Porter-Ferguson tools? "We'd give them a solid 10," he says. "They're great to work with and they can really save you time."
