Bottle Hydraulic Jacks

[Skylark]

A 3500 kg bakkie would have at the most have a 1000 kg (1 ton) footprint on a front wheel.
Thus my question: Why would one require a 10 ton jack or will the bakkie be carrying a 20 ton payload?
Quality bottle jacks do not leak when laid on their side thus storage is not a problem.

As long as you don't face that little rubber grommet on the side where the hydraulic oil is topped up down, if you face that down then they can leak.

[Koebelwagen]

Just a tip on clearance. If you cannot get the jack under the lifting point, drive the deflated wheel onto the spare wheel first, this will create clearance.

[Peter1949]

Howzit Peter,

May I suggest that you go with something heavier eg: 8 Ton / 10Ton... Anything smaller will bug you. These things are not expensive, and Autozone amd Midas keep them...

Just make sure to also add a decent foot plate on which to place it when using... eg: 250mm x 250mm. I use 3x 15mm layers of plywood. Glue them together with Expidermix 372, then trim them square, and sand the edges. I add two pieces of solid wood 75mm75mm x 150mm as spacers between the top of the jack and the underside of the point of lifting. I also carry a small length of aluminium tubing which fits over the little lever. That extension with save you a lot of schelp!

Great choice , and far better that the scissor jacks and tiny bottle jacks the OM'S supply.

Best regards
Tim Driman

This is good advice.
I do something very similar with a 10 ton bottle jack that I bought so far back that I don't even know anymore how much I paid for it, but would not have been over the top.
Most likely was from either Midas or Autozone.
I still use it, it has not failed in all those years and let me tell you that the old Suuz has been well overloaded and overlanded and even in overloaded state sometimes with the trailer still hitched as well, it has not failed to get it up

It is a very good idea to have a backstop in case it falls over though maybe due to the vehicle moving (soft sand or muddy conditions) or uneven terrain.
So find something to put under the raised vehicle near the jacking point.

[Peter1949]

Just a tip on clearance. If you cannot get the jack under the lifting point, drive the deflated wheel onto the spare wheel first, this will create clearance.

Now why have I NEVER thought of this!!!??
Maybe because I am getting old and stupid, but I was not always that way .... so, stupid, I guess.
They say there is no fool like an old fool.

Eish, yes, OK.

[Skylark]

Just a tip on clearance. If you cannot get the jack under the lifting point, drive the deflated wheel onto the spare wheel first, this will create clearance.

Or a block of wood, if I don't do that I can't get the bottle Jack under the jack point, it's also helpful to allow screwing more of the extension out that many jacks have and hence raise the vehicle higher at full extension.

[jfh]

As long as you don't face that little rubber grommet on the side where the hydraulic oil is topped up down, if you face that down then they can leak.

No you risk damaging the seal if it's on it's side for extended periods.
Inertia and vibration will work out the bottom part of the seal.

Mechanical is in this regard a much safer bet.

[Danie S]

After many years I decided to dump the hydraulic bottle jack.
It topped over in the load bin, leaked oil and when trying to use it the thing failed - consider it being quite a decade or 2 old.

Moved to a mechanical bottle jack, so far no issue.
Should you get sand and dust in strip clean, grease and it works again.

As a sturdy base I modified the high lift jack plastic base and for the last 10 years had no issues yet.
Had to clean it once and greased just for fun after 8 or 9 years.

Buy one that has the height to fit underneath what ever you need to lift.
Mine is a 5 ton as it must fit under the vehicle, the 8 ton one was just to high with the base.
Midas use to sell them many years ago.

[cainslie]

After many years I decided to dump the hydraulic bottle jack.
It topped over in the load bin, leaked oil and when trying to use it the thing failed - consider it being quite a decade or 2 old.

Moved to a mechanical bottle jack, so far no issue.
Should you get sand and dust in strip clean, grease and it works again.

As a sturdy base I modified the high lift jack plastic base and for the last 10 years had no issues yet.
Had to clean it once and greased just for fun after 8 or 9 years.

Buy one that has the height to fit underneath what ever you need to lift.
Mine is a 5 ton as it must fit under the vehicle, the 8 ton one was just to high with the base.
Midas use to sell them many years ago.

That looks almost identical to the Hilux factory jack. (Size may differ, it's hard to tell)

[Kortgat]

So a question on the hydraulic ones. How do you pack/store yours for travel, always find it a mission to pack it safely in the cabin somewhere. Such a heavy object and wants to be stored upright. It almost needs a dedicated strap-down place. That's my biggest irritation with them.

[Danie S]

So a question on the hydraulic ones. How do you pack/store yours for travel, always find it a mission to pack it safely in the cabin somewhere. Such a heavy object and wants to be stored upright. It almost needs a dedicated strap-down place. That's my biggest irritation with them.

My reason for switching to the mechanical on. You can store it flat wrapped in a piece of cloth.
Takes some thinking to use it as you need to wind it instead of pump.

It never failed yet despite that once I used it, it sounded a bit grinding due to sand inside.
Striped and cleaned only a while later.

[Danie S]

That looks almost identical to the Hilux factory jack. (Size may differ, it's hard to tell)

Midas Special, my 2.5 Ranger had similar jack painted black as standard.

Needed one for the off road trailer and found this at Midas.
It now stays in the 3.2 Ranger as it comes with a scissor jack and that piece of steel I don't trust.

Needed about 300 mm so the high lift plate worked perfect with a bit of mod.