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- Nov 29, 2009
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Is there a point where you just toss it in the trash and buy another one? It's just a bottle jack after all. I suppose new seals could be put in it.
Is there a safe floor jack lifespan?
- Thread starter The motor guy
- Start date
Safety shouldn't be a question since you won't be putting life or limb at stake going under something only supported by a jack.
If the jack fails, your thing should just settle back down onto the ground. Use a stand.
Jacks get frustrating before they fail completely, by leaking by and slowly lowering. Usually.
If the jack fails, your thing should just settle back down onto the ground. Use a stand.
Jacks get frustrating before they fail completely, by leaking by and slowly lowering. Usually.
This exactly. I don't think hydraulic usually fails from a sudden catastrophic failure. A slow leak and lowering is usually what happens.
And anyway you shouldn't count on any one thing to keep a vehicle raised.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
I worry more about my aluminum jacks failing - my 4 tons are crazy heavy steel …
The only problems I've had were solved with a little jack oil. And my 1st trolly Jack is too heavy for me now; I can't lift it into my PU. So I gave it away.
My 1974 1.5 ton Sears floor jack is still going strong.
Always use proper jack stands, buddy of mine had to lift a car off his father in the late '60's, don't know if it was jack failure or what.
I never pressed him for details. Dad did not make it.
Always use proper jack stands, buddy of mine had to lift a car off his father in the late '60's, don't know if it was jack failure or what.
I never pressed him for details. Dad did not make it.
I would say in the not to distant future no one will say toss something like this in the trash and buy a new one. Especially when the prices more than double. The question will be how do I fix it. 
I have tossed a couple of jacks that quit working, but the truth is, they probably just needed to be bled. If you know how to bleed them, you can keep a jack working for a long, long time. I don't know about bottle jacks, though.