Floor jack help

[pismorat]

I searched the forum and have Googled myself to death on this...but cannot find the solution to the problem I am having with my floor jack. I had the front of my truck lifted about 1" off the ground and was getting the jack stands ready when the thing just released all at once and dropped the truck (tires still on). It then wouldn't pump up at all, so I assume something is wrong in the release valve area. I took the whole thing apart and found an aluminum washer/seal under the release valve housing (pipe threads) that I think is the issue. Problem is I cannot find a way to fix this thing...should I just cut my loses and get a new one?

 

[Smokinthehippies]

I think for something like a floor jack. I wouldn't want to trust it to thinking you had found the problem. Probably just buy a new one

 

[pismorat]

Has anyone rebuilt their floor jacks? I know it is common, but all the seals were OK in this one from what I could tell. The issue is in the release valve area...

 

[K85 Octane]

all depends on how $$$ the floor jack is. Sure people rebuild them, but that might be Snap-On or Lincoln or something like that. Not familiar with some of the more $$$ jacks, but really, you can get a pretty nice one for 100-150 bucks. I think I paid $149 and it's great.

 

[imiceman44]

Has anyone rebuilt their floor jacks? I know it is common, but all the seals were OK in this one from what I could tell. The issue is in the release valve area...

You can rebuild them but I think from what you are describing, it's probably low on oil.
Try and fill it and see if it works.
That's what happened to mine last week.
And the other hand, I got myself a 3.5 ton Michelin floor jack for $65 from SAMS CLUB, can't beat that.

 

[79rustyk10]

I took one apart and put new Orings in it and cleaned and lubed everything. Its an old texaco floor jack my grandpa had.

works WAY better than the POS HF one I thought I was going to replace it with.

Sounds like something with the valves is bad, unless its a high dollar jack Id move on.

 

[owenst7]

And the other hand, I got myself a 3.5 ton Michelin floor jack for $65 from SAMS CLUB, can't beat that.

Sam's in Reno stopped selling them, now they sell the HF jack with a quick pedal thing

When you pulled your valve apart, does it have a washer under the pipe plug that has a square ID? My HF one is that way, and there's a square rod inside the plug that passes through that square washer and pushes the ball in to the seat to seal. If you push that rod out of the pipe plug and inspect things, you'll see that the washer under the pipe plug doesn't seal anything, the friction from the plug smashing it in to the housing is just keeping it from spinning, which forces the square rod to rotate inside the pipe plug when you rotate the handle. When that square rod rotates inside the pipe plug, it is either raised or lowered, which seals/unseals the ball against the seat to the ram.

 

[imiceman44]

Too bad, I was going to get another one, it's the best one I ever bought for that price.

Sam's in Reno stopped selling them, now they sell the HF jack with a quick pedal thing

When you pulled your valve apart, does it have a washer under the pipe plug that has a square ID? My HF one is that way, and there's a square rod inside the plug that passes through that square washer and pushes the ball in to the seat to seal. If you push that rod out of the pipe plug and inspect things, you'll see that the washer under the pipe plug doesn't seal anything, the friction from the plug smashing it in to the housing is just keeping it from spinning, which forces the square rod to rotate inside the pipe plug when you rotate the handle. When that square rod rotates inside the pipe plug, it is either raised or lowered, which seals/unseals the ball against the seat to the ram.

 

[owenst7]

Too bad, I was going t

o get another one, it's the best one I ever bought for that price.

I strongly agree,i have one in anchorage and reno and wish I had two more.
This is the one we're talking about for everyone thats out of the loop.

One of mine is probably around seven years old and going strong, and i've always read good things about them on pirate. Its like 2.5 pumps to the top when theres no load and it has a ujoint instead of two gears. I think I paid $70 for each of mine at Sams when they still carried them.

 

[pismorat]

You've got it pretty close Owenst7, there is the square washer, then the alum. seal that is worn out. Mine doesn't have a ball that seats, more a needle on the end of the square shaft that seats it. Don't know if I can get a new alum. seal, or if that's even the issue since this jack released all at once like something let go.