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#1
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Hydraulic floor jack, life span?
I have a 3 ton Sears Craftsman floor jack that has been in use for over twenty years. I changed out the hydraulic fluid a few years ago. So far no problems although when I want to jack up the 1984 300 DT, I place a four foot long piece of 2X4 lumber under the frame member. I usually have to air up the tires to around 40 PSI to allow enough room for the jack to slide under the 2X4.
NAPA has a really nice low profile jack; that said, I tend to be a cheap skate and don't want to spend money if I don't have to. Ideas and input are appreciated....... |
#2
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You probably won't be able to justify getting a new jack by wearing out the one you have. You can also drive the car onto 2x6's or similar to get a bit more room, instead of airing up the tires.
WANTING a new jack is reason enough to get one.
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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap |
#3
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I have a Chinese jack that I bought in Napa thirty years ago. Works every day, but I think it's time to replace it.
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#4
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I’ve destroyed a few hydraulic jacks in my career as a barn builder and my experience is they dont die with a bang but a whimper—they get weaker and one day they just fail to do their duty and lift things. Screw jacks are another matter.
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#5
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I remember my father in law repairing a jack back in the 70s. The jack's seals had failed. He was a machinist, took the jack apart, cut a groove to take an o-ring and put the thing back together. I think the failed seal was leather or something.
Regardless, I have a jack that's been working since at least 1984. They were much more expensive especially when measured relative to wages. I think that one was $200 or 300 back then which was represented week of work.
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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do. |
#6
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As has already been said, hydraulic jacks last a *VERY* long time. Your clue that they need attention is when they fail to hold up and start sagging. Eventually you'll get to a point where it's a race to pump it up and get the jack stands under the car (NEVER EVER work under a car supported solely by a hydraulic jack!). Usually when that happens it's due to wear in the cylinder seals. Most of them can be rebuilt and back to like-new for decades more use.
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Current stable: 1995 E320 149K (Nancy) 1983 500SL 120K (SLoL) Black Sheep: 1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) Gone but not forgotten: 1986 300SDL (RIP) 1991 350SD 1991 560SEL 1990 560SEL 1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!) |
#7
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Supposedly the yellow Daytona jack at Harbor Freight is selling for $179 and is the same unit that Snap On sells. Im not a fan of Chinese dumped products, but there just isnt a whole lot in the cost effective US made jack arena. Even Hein Warner is now US made but Chinese owned.
If there's something worthwhile at HF, Id say its their jacks. Their little Aluminum ones are pretty awesome if you can keep the wheels from corroding...
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Current Diesels: 1981 240D (73K) 1982 300CD (169k) 1985 190D (169k) 1991 350SD (113k) 1991 350SD (206k) 1991 300D (228k) 1993 300SD (291k) 1993 300D 2.5T (338k) 1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k) 1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k) Past Diesels: 1983 300D (228K) 1985 300D (233K) |
#8
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I still have my grandpas jack from when he was rebuilding his model A... seriously.
I think it was from the 60’s... still works... weighs a ton. I mostly use the hardly fright aluminum jacks now... I have a slew of them... Low profile one, tiny one, huge one... etc... they are cheap, and light, and wrk well...
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread "as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do! My drivers: 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!! 1987 300TD 1987 300TD 1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere! |
#9
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With seal replacement, nearly forever. We DO like our tools so, go ahead and splurge, the Daytona jack will make your life a lot easier.
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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily 1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk 2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor. |
#10
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There to me on occasion is nothing quite like a large heavy floor jack from long ago. They are still out there. Of course you would not use them for everything today. You just cannot beat the lift they give you. You are pretty much limited to using them on a concrete surface as well.
This theory that you cannot have enough jacks is semi true. I do a few yard sales at the early part of the year. Partialy because I run across people I may not have seen for a long time. Last Saturday there was your typical cheap hydraulic jack and two jack stands for 11.00. So into the trunk they went. I am not chicken little in life. I just will not get under a car with any part of my body. With the car on jack stands alone. Never have. Something in my mind tells me it is not totally safe. Block the car as well as it only takes a minute or two. Along with yet another 5 gallon plastic gas jug. I kind of get pissed off at what they normally retail for now. For what they are. |
#11
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Try bleeding the jack cylinder, sometimes they get air in after a while this being the case on mine - still not perfect but a lot better.
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David 1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project - 1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle) |
#12
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Quote:
Jacks do last a long time unless they are destroyed by using the wrong type of fluid. In the old days, people used latex or EPDM O-rings and a vegetable-based fluid. Later, mineral oils were developed that did not collect water and lasted longer. Mineral oil destroys the old seals. On real old jacks, you would be better off putting Wesson oil or Mazola corn oil in the real old jacks, the seals were compatible. Any jack made after about 1968 will use Buta-N or Nitrile O-rings and mineral oil. In some you can use non-detergent SAE 30 as long as you don't use it in sub zero temps. Thinner non-detergent oil will work ok in those. The big issue is cleanliness and sealing. That's why the super old jacks were made with plates on the bottom users can unscrew, clean, re-seal and refill for another 200 years of use!
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Strelnik Invest in America: Buy a Congressman! 1950 170SD 1951 Citroen 11BN 1953 Citroen 11BNF limo 1953 220a project 1959 180D 1960 190D 1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr 1983 240D daily driver 1983 380SL 1990 350SDL daily driver alt 3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5 3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6 |
#13
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I have to add oil to my HF jack every year or so, has bad seals from sitting outside it's whole life. But a little bit of ATF each year for faithful operation isn't much to ask for. Can add oil in as little as 5 minutes.
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04 Sprinter 3500 - 310k "Ich mag die Dieselgeräusche" https://youtu.be/YjrxHqNy5CQ ✞ |
#14
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I just rebuilt my early model WALKER 1 1/2 ton c. 1980's ? for more than twice the money what I could have bought a new HF jack with double pump piston.
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#15
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My youngest son bought one of the huge jacks manufactured back in the 1940/50s. It's a bear to move around but it's still kicking. I think he said he paid 20 bucks for it.
I also have one of the Harbor Freight jacks similar but made with aluminum. You can pick it up with one hand. I'd be surprised if that old jack quits before me and the HF jack do.
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84 300SD 85 380SE 83 528e 95 318ic |
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