Keep Your Floor Jacks from Getting Jacked Up

Keep Your Floor Jacks from Getting Jacked Up

Like all equipment, floor jacks should be inspected regularly for damage and kept clean.

Most well-made floor jacks will have a long service life in the shop if they are properly maintained.

Like all equipment, floor jacks should be inspected regularly for damage and kept clean. The owner’s manual is the best source for specific recommendations on lubrication, when to change the hydraulic fluid and other maintenance requirements.

The following five tips should help keep your floor jacks from getting jacked up:

1.  Check hydraulic fluid: With the saddle fully lowered and the jack on level ground, remove the filler screw. Hydraulic fluid should be filled to the level of the filler screw hole. If the level is below this hole, add hydraulic fluid.

2.  Use proper fluid: Do not use brake fluid, alcohol, detergent motor oil, dirty oil or any fluid other than quality hydraulic fluid. Improper fluids can cause internal damage to the jack and improper operation.

3.  Lubricate properly: All moving joints require lubrication often. Lightly grease the saddle post and saddle bottom. Remove the handle and grease the lower end of the handle where it rotates in the handle socket. Using a grease gun, grease the lift arm pivot shaft grease fitting until grease appears at the end of the shaft. Oil all lift arm linkages, front wheels and rear casters.

4.  Bleed the cylinder: If the jack seems to strain in lifting and supporting loads, bleeding the cylinder could restore the lifting capabilities. The cylinder should be bled continuously to enhance the overall performance of the floor jack.

5. Store properly: Storage is a critical element of proper floor jack maintenance. Ensure that the floor jack is wiped down and clean before storing it. Release all the pressure in the cylinder to alleviate stress on the system. When storing a floor jack, ensure that it is in the upright position to prevent the hydraulic oil from leaking.

This shop tip is brought to you by BendPak.

BendPak, Inc.
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Phone: 805-933-9970Fax: 805-933-9160

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I’ve always liked catalogs but can’t really explain why. Maybe it’s the time period I grew up in, or maybe it’s because I used to think they were easier to use. I got into the industry long before parts departments were using computers, and catalog racks that stretched longer than your arm span were status quo.My first industry job was in a parts department, and once you got used to the format of the catalogs, you realized the logic that went into laying them out, and finding parts was measured in the seconds it took and nothing more. It was literally, as easy as 1, 2, 3. Areas of a car like brakes or cooling system became numbers in your mind, and you could flip to a catalog section quicker than the customer would finish what they were asking for.For those of us who were used to the catalogs, it was hard to give them up, partly because it took a long time before the same type of efficiency could be reached by a computer. However, it wasn’t the fault of the computer, rather the design of the application that held things up. As with all electronics that changed the face of this industry, websites and catalogs had to grind through their share of growing pains.The bugs have long been worked out of using computer-based systems, but a well thought out design is still necessary to make any application worthwhile, and that’s exactly what we’ve done with the TechShop Buyer’s Guide.The TechShop Buyer’s Guide is like a tool catalog on steroids, with an easy-to-use interface that works much quicker than I could ever flip pages, even on my best day. If you’re looking for automotive tools and equipment, and you’d like to know your options, the TechShop Buyer’s Guide is such an application.Equally user friendly on a computer or a cell phone, here’s how it works. At the top of our techshopmag.com website homepage, you’ll immediately spot the words “Buyer’s Guide,” or on a cell phone, it’s the first option when you touch the menu icon in the upper left. Select it, and you’ll have the option to search by company, category or alphabetically, for whatever you need.With the instant power of the internet, a complete list of tool manufacturers and company information is at your fingertips. And what’s more is that all product posts, news and videos from each company can be accessed directly from their profile.So, the next time you need tool company info, try out the TechShop Buyer’s Guide. After all, it’s a new year, so why not try out some new things? TS

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