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Hi all my long reach car jack has basically lost all of its lift and only works on the last part of the arms throw  Can someone tell me if its possible to fix it? or is there someone out there who can? I cant really afford a new one and it seems a shame to throw this one away  Any help much appreciated! Chris |
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Depends on the make?
my 50 year old bradbury high lift had a re-seal last year for the grand total of £7
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R.I.P photobucket
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dazcapri
North East
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,057
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it.s probably a seal thats gone in the ram could just be low on hydraulic oil machine mart sell oil to suit in small quantities if you know what type it is you'll probably be able to get a rebuild kit for it
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Mk3 Capri LS
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,714
Club RR Member Number: 34
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fixing up a car jack?Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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o-rings are cheap, and thats usually all seals them. I local hydraulics supplier will be able to do you the oil and some good quality seals (if you take them the old ones to match) for the price of a pint. its usually quite a messy job doing a rebuild on a jack, but I'm one of those people who take immense satisfaction in fixing/refurbishing something rather than throwing it away, so i spend quite a bit of time rebuilding old tools  |
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Last Edit: Apr 3, 2011 20:14:02 GMT by Dez
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sorry for a slight thread jack but I'm also having a slight problem with my farm jack. 25ton proper massive trolley jack for lifting tractors. Got it out to change the wheel on the discovery yesterday and found that I had to literally hang of the jack arm to get it to lift. Yet it still lifts on the whole stroke and doesn't come back down other than with the release arm, its just mega stiff. Any ideas people I need it to jack up a traction engine next week and I'm not sure my 10stone will be enough to make it lift 20tons of steam engine
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fixing up a car jack?retrowagen1234
@GUEST
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Mine was just down on hydro fluid... Chucked some brake fluid in there and been fine since... Both my little portible one and the bigger 3 tonne one..
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I thought you weren't supposed to put brake fluid in them because they have mineral hydraulic oil in them?
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69 Plymouth Fury Convertible
75 Range Rover 2 door
82 Range Rover 4 door
84 Range Rover 4 door
78 Datsun 120Y 2 door
78 Datsun 120Y Coupe
78 Datsun 620 Pickup
81 Datsun Urvan E23
86 Datsun Vanette van
98 Electric Citroen Berlingo
00 Electric Peugeot Partner
02 Electric Citroen Berlingo
76 Honda C50
04 Berlingo Multispace petrol
07 Land Rover 130
15 Nissan E-NV200
15 Fiat Ducato
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mk14dr
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 4,472
Club RR Member Number: 85
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fixing up a car jack?mk14dr
@mk14dr
Club Retro Rides Member 85
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Mine was just down on hydro fluid... Chucked some brake fluid in there and been fine since... Both my little portible one and the bigger 3 tonne one..  You are joking right? I was under the impression that, like datman implies, the chemicals in brakefluid will degenerate the rubber seals. You could end up with it failing and droping whatever your jacking.... |
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Indeed - you can buy specific jack oil. I'd drain it out and flush it through a few times at least.
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Unless it's LHM left over from his dad's Citroen DS...?
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1989 Peugeot 205. You know, the one that was parked in a ditch on the campsite at RRG'17... the glass is always full. but the ratio of air to water may vary. |
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10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,253
Club RR Member Number: 204
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fixing up a car jack?10mpg
@10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member 204
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I've had two jacks for decades working absolutely fine on straight ATF, that's all i use to top them up...
I have one lurking somewhere that is using 10/40 motor oil, seems to work a treat except when it gets really cold! a mate filled it years ago by accident when he had knocked it over and the lid came off draining it out, i put it to one side thinking 'ah well the seals'll be fooked,' i needed to use one in a pinch (somehow the other 5 were being used!) and i dragged it out and used it, worked fine and still is and that must be 5 years ago!
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The Internet, like all tools, if used improperly, can make a complete bo**cks of even the simplest jobs...
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megzy
Part of things
Posts: 364
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a little brake fluid will make the seals swell as so tighting them up but this is a very short lived fix i did it on my pas system on the landy and it did 6 months before the pump gave up
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fixing up a car jack?retrowagen1234
@GUEST
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Mine was just down on hydro fluid... Chucked some brake fluid in there and been fine since... Both my little portible one and the bigger 3 tonne one.. You are joking right? I was under the impression that, like datman implies, the chemicals in brakefluid will degenerate the rubber seals. You could end up with it failing and droping whatever your jacking.... Nope not joking... Its just brake fluid... Its not going to kill anything more than "jack fluid" Theres rubber seals all over a cars brakings system but they don't disolve with contact of brake fluid do they? Plus on the collapsing side of things... Thats why we use axle stands and chuck a spare wheel under the crossmember or sill. Ive been doing it on various jacks for years with no issues. And both my current ones have no leaks. They don't slowly drop like some new ones ive had either. |
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fixing up a car jack?retrowagen1234
@GUEST
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I thought you weren't supposed to put brake fluid in them because they have mineral hydraulic oil in them? Never heard of that... Hydraulic oil is hydraulic oil.... ;D If the seals go then they go that doenst bother me. Tbh I'm supprised the big one has lasted as long as it has. It was second hand from a vw mechanic when I got it. So its had a hard life... But still doenst leak. Not even weaping.. It also did a great job at holding the xr4 up for a whole weekend the other week. I know that as I forgot to drop it back onto axle stands...  EDIT: BTW I'm not for one second saying its fine to put brake fluid in, I'm just saying I have with no issues... Both mine were emptied by accidentally tipping them (one in the back of my polo ) So it was a quick fix that has worked fine for me... Might be worth looking into a little more just incase it spontaniusly combusts with the precise weight of a austin a40 or somthing... |
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Last Edit: Apr 4, 2011 11:10:35 GMT by retrowagen1234
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Hi all thanks for the replies! Ive worked on hydraulic systems at work before but I didnt really look at how a jack was built until I removed the cover........ simples aint it lol  I have pulled it all apart and can see its basically leaked out over time at the handle plunger end so what we saying then, fill with brake fluid, might help the seals a lilttle? or I have some power steering fluid somewhere too. also fill to the brim? heres it in pieces lol  thanks chris |
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Fas as I know seals are made of a different material to handle brake fluid. Why not use jack oil or hydraulic oil, for the sake of a beer voucher. Pretty sure the destructions for mine specifically say do not use brake fluid.
Mine's also due a seal overhaul. Trip to local bearing shop should sort it out for very little £s.
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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