How easy is it to use the original jack?

[Hilux]

This may seem a strange question but when I used my original jack (cant get my normal one under the sill) to check the brakes etc before silverstone a couple of weeks ago it was really hard to use and started to bend the handle [&:]

Yet I saw others at that evening using jacks without any real issues. How come? My jack was greased etc so whats the secret.

PS what (hydraulic) jacks are low enough? What do you all use?

 

[Guest]

The original jack should be ok, if not maybe you could have a look round to replace it. I use mine to get the car just high enough to roll the trolley jack into place then use that. Reverse the procedure to remove the trolley of course.

 

[John Sims]

I've used mine once and wouldn't want to do it again. It doesn't seem to sit evenly into the jacking point and bends quite frighteningly.

I drive the car up a 50mm ramp (four pieces of 12mm MDF screwed together - the lower one longer than the one above) and then put a trolley jack under.

 

[Diver944]

I use a Draper 37036 two tonne trolley jack. It goes down to 13cm which gives a centimetre clearance to get under my M030 Turbo. Cost me £25 from a local motor accessory shop a few years ago

http://www.drapertools.com/draper/templates/draper/products.asp?param=13&ig_id=5726&title=2+TONNE+TROLLEY+JACK

 

[Guest]

The original aluminum jack that came with the car should work fine and have plenty of clearance to get under and start. But when you get it high up it is pretty frightening to see how unstable you are. And if you are bringing the whole car up, watch out! One time, I actually had my car about to crash over in the driveway. A neighbor saw me and rushed over to help. I bent the jack cranking arm almost straight pulling on that trying to keep the car from falling over. And that is a steel arm.

So, stock jack is OK if you want to change a flat tire when you are out on the road. Other than that, forget it. You can get standard trolley jacks and take the saddle plate off them. Usually they just pull up and off. Then you have plenty of room to get under. Then get a hockey puck and put that between and you won't scar up the undercoating too bad. Some guys actually take the hockey puck and have it turned on a lathe so they have a post to fit in the original saddle hole.

It works out pretty good and I've never used my original jack since. I know hockey isn't a big sport in the UK but you can probably find something similar. A hockey puck is only $1 in my area.

 

[berg944]

A pair of small plastic ramps (£10) from a caravan/camper shop will be just enough to get a jack under. Just right on there own for doing gearbox oil, but it does say not too on the packet [X(][X(]