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Another reminder to not trust jacks

MattK

MattK

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Posts
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Location
Dallas, TX
Especially cheap ones!:eek1:

Well I was doin some wrenchin today. Replaced the radiator yesterday and the power steering pump today. I had a jack under the front diff to take some weight off the tires in order to bleed the power steering. It did fine for a few cycles with the engine off, but when I started the truck and started to turn, the jack broke! One of the casters simply gave way.

Of course this was just a HF lightweight, lo-pro cheapie, but it has given me about 4 years of reliable service. If you've got this jack, take a look at the casters now and again. I never trusted this jack as much as I had trusted others, but it seems my gut feeling has been confirmed.

Pics:

The rig. That's my DD next to it. It doubles as tool storage :haha:

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The work. Note the ziptie mania I got goin on. I also used some old radiator tube to extend the neck of my power steering pump. This increases fluid capacity which helps since I have hydro assist steering. More fluid should also help keep the system's fluid a little cooler.

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Oh noes!

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To the garbage...

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you will not catch me using china junk.

the boss at work got a new 3 ton sears jack. said try it. with 3/4 ton on it it blew the guts right out the bottom and all the oil in it.
 
I have this same exact jack. I dont use it for anything but to lift my Acura NSX. At the time it was the only jack low enough to fit under my car. I would never even think to use this jack for my blazer. For my blazer I have a 3 ton craftsman steel jack.
 
sweetk30 said:
you will not catch me using china junk.

the boss at work got a new 3 ton sears jack. said try it. with 3/4 ton on it it blew the guts right out the bottom and all the oil in it.
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nsxxtreme said:
I have this same exact jack. I dont use it for anything but to lift my Acura NSX. At the time it was the only jack low enough to fit under my car. I would never even think to use this jack for my blazer. For my blazer I have a 3 ton craftsman steel jack.
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Hehe, I've killed a 3 ton craftsman as well. What are the better quality brands out there?
 
MattK said:
Hehe, I've killed a 3 ton craftsman as well. What are the better quality brands out there?
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I have a 5T Holmes shop jack that was my "going away" present to myself when I worked at Goodyear 30 some odd years ago.

My BIL hooked me up with an Air Lift hydraulic from an old Bear Alignment machine...think it's a 3T. It's Great!

Both have served me quite well....But...I Always use Jack Stands...Always...
 
chevydan3 said:
Jack is for lifting, jack stands are for living.
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ill go with this, ill lift my truck with my jack, dont support it with it though. had a friend whose life was saved my a maglite, had a really cheap jack that broke under his sixty something tbird car fell on the maglite, held up the car. needless to say he got the hell out of there.
 
K5Jimmy said:
I have a 5T Holmes shop jack that was my "going away" present to myself when I worked at Goodyear 30 some odd years ago.

My BIL hooked me up with an Air Lift hydraulic from an old Bear Alignment machine...think it's a 3T. It's Great!

Both have served me quite well....But...I Always use Jack Stands...Always...
Click to expand...

I'll look into those. Thanks.
 
Good casters aren't cheap so unless you buy an expensive jack it will have some cheap junk casters on it. The jack itself on the other hand is nothing special or different from any other jack. Why not just find some good quality casters that will fit that jack and just replace the casters.
 
I always toss the wheel/tire under the truck (frame) as added insurance should things go wrong. Not a substitute for jackstands, just added insurance. Probably not going to keep it from hitting me, but going to keep from squishing me.
 
If my jack stands are too short, I will put them on 2x12 wood blocks. I think this is safer than using cinder blocks. I've seen lots of guys that have been using hollow cinder blocks for years and never had a failure, but how many times does does a car have to fall on you to kill you? You only die once.
 
andyblack said:
If my jack stands are too short, I will put them on 2x12 wood blocks. I think this is safer than using cinder blocks. I've seen lots of guys that have been using hollow cinder blocks for years and never had a failure, but how many times does does a car have to fall on you to kill you? You only die once.
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thats why i use solid
 
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