why doesn't my floor jack work?

[stangguy]

What it is one of those cheapie jacks that now cost about $39.95. Several years ago when I got it I am sure it wasn't more than $19.95. Anyway, it starts to lift fine. it lifts strong till about 1/2 way up. then it stops lifting as if it is at the top of its range. With no or very light load, it will lift full range. When it stops lifting with a heavy load, it will hold it there all day, no leak down, just won't go higher. Yes, it is full of oil, and I followed the instructions to bleed any air. Wondering idf anybody has any ideas? Won't spend much money on it, as I said a new one is only $40

 

[Trav]

I wouldn't mess with it, the last thing you want is the thing collapsing under load. If its full of oil and bled and still does not work properly I would toss it.

 

[wpod]

oil?

 

[BigCahuna]

Might need to bleed air out of the jack.,,,

 

[Aredeeem]

Better then the jack bleeding out of you. Get rid of it. How can you ever trust it? You’re life is worth $40, and probably a lot more.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Hey, who is trusting it? You jack the car or truck, being out of the "bite", and you put jackstands in place before proceeding further...

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The cheapest jacks worth using are this aluminum jack and this steel jack. Sometimes they have coupons making them cost less.

 

[ajchien]

Is there an overload valve adjustment? Other than that, I do not see it worthwhile rebuilding, unless you want to learn how it works.

 

[demarpaint]

If it's full of jack oil, properly bled and not working, I'd get rid of it.

 

[stangguy]

Hey, who is trusting it? You jack the car or truck, being out of the "bite", and you put jackstands in place before proceeding further...

Yes, I do not trust ANY jack even a new expensive one. But if it worked, It would get the job done. I only use it as a secondary jack, like the other day when I had one front wheel jacked up, and wanted to turn the wheels side to side with my hands, so needed to get the other side slightly up. Or some such thing. For this, with a block of wood it worked fine, but if I had needed to go higher it wouldn't have.

 

[stangguy]

Think I will ask for one for Christmas. Actually even a good scissors jack would work for my purposes.

 

[stangguy]

That's not a jack. It's a joke. They just piss out oil when you try to lift

The cheapest jacks worth using are this aluminum jack and this steel jack. Sometimes they have coupons making them cost less.

I know it isn't a great jack, but it worked fine for enough years, that I can't remember when or where I got it. Course that could be due to my age.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

The cheapest jacks worth using are this aluminum jack and this steel jack. Sometimes they have coupons making them cost less.

I have both of those jacks, although I have the 3T on the second one. Both work fine for what I need to do.

I just had the first one for a few years. It works fine for my accord and her Altima. When I would use it in her daughters jeep or CRV, I would have to use a couple of 2x4’s on the jack plate to get it high enough to get the wheels off the ground. Now I have the other one so no problem anymore

 

[MolaKule]

I suspect the pump piston is worn and is leaking at an increased pump pressure, or your pump-up, drain-down valve has a leaky seal. The pump-up, drain-down valves have failed on me on a number of occasions so that's when I get rid of the jack.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I gave away my original, cast iron, pig heavy floor jack as I could no longer lift it into the truck bed.