So, you are a proud truck owner! One thing’s for certain: trucks don’t come cheap and truck owners love their vehicles. Timely servicing keeps trucks up and running for long and ensures a solid return on investment. When it comes to truck maintenance or upgrades, you need the proper tools to go about the business. And the truck jack is the one indispensable tool you can’t do without.
You’ll have noticed there’s a wide variety of truck jacks available on the market. But which one’s the perfect fit for your beast? In this article, we’ll cut the clutter and shed light on the key factors that’ll help you decide on the perfect heavy-duty floor jack, pit jack, or rolling jack for your truck. Read on!
Knowing your truck’s weight is crucial
Trucks are rugged vehicles built to haul around heavy loads across all kinds of terrain. Tarmac or no tarmac, trucks have to carry on performing their duties and this means they have a lot of chunky metal parts and reinforced sections for rigorous use and durability. All this adds to the weight of the vehicle, making trucks heavy – like real heavy!
Trucks can weigh anywhere between 3 and 25 tons, sometimes even more. So, how heavy is your truck? If you don’t know that, you can’t decide on the best truck jack for your vehicle. Truck jacks perform the all-important task of lifting vehicles for undercarriage repairs and maintenance. So, you need a tool that won’t buckle under the weight of your truck.
Heavy-duty truck jacks come with a weight capacity rating. This tells you about the load-bearing capabilities of the tool. Always go for a truck jack with a higher weight capacity than your truck’s weight. This will ensure a safe lifting operation and longevity of the jack. Savvy?
Now, let’s dive straight into the details of all the different jacks you can buy for your mean machine.
Heavy Duty Floor Jacks
Tough, compact, and user-friendly – that’s how you describe heavy-duty floor jacks. Floor jacks have been serving truck owners forever! These cool tools use a hydraulic system to amplify the pressure applied on their handlebars into the monstrous force required to lift big and bulky trucks. Heavy-duty floor jacks typically have a low collapsed profile for easy access to a truck’s undercarriage. Leveled trucks, lifted trucks, military vehicles, EVs – throw anything at them and they’ll perform equally well.
Stan Design offers you a wide variety of heavy-duty floor jacks with weight capacity ranging from 12 tons (the TJ12S Scorpion Floor Jack) to 25 tons (the MJ25 Scorpion Floor Jack).
Pit Jacks:
Quiz time! What keeps the fleets up and running all across North America? You guessed it right – it’s the intricate network of workshops dotting the landscape of Canada and the US.
Hundreds of thousands of truck owners in North America rely on truck workshops for maintenance and repair jobs. And the one tool these workshops rely on is the pit jack. These heavy-duty truck jacks are designed to fit into service pits and lift big and bulky trucks smoothly without compromising on safety.
Innovative products like the Scorpion Pit Jacks from Stan Design employ pneumatic systems to boost their hydraulic mechanisms, ensuring some serious weight capacity. For instance, the PJ35S Scorpion Pit Jack can lift trucks as heavy as 35,000 lbs.!
Pit jacks also have inbuilt safety mechanisms to ensure that vehicles are secured in their elevated position, and stackable adapters ensure that they suit every truck type thrown at them.
Rolling Jacks:
Workshops with car lifts prefer the rolling jack as a valuable tool. These jacks can slide under the lift and allow specific sections of the truck to be lifted for maintenance or repairs. Couple of things to consider before choosing a rolling jack:
- Safety and efficiency are equally important. Make sure the rolling jack you’re planning to buy has a proper locking mechanism.
- Reinforced parts made of high-grade steel – that’s what you’re looking for when buying a rolling jack. It ensures safety and longevity.
What to Look for in the Perfect Truck Jack
Material and Build Quality:
- Truck jacks are made of steel. We all know that. But the quality of the alloy and the construction of the tool matter. Make sure your truck jack has a robust build strong enough to endure decades of heavy use.
- What’s the biggest enemy of any tool? Moisture. Rust can wear down machine parts quickly, leading to critical failure. Make sure your truck jack comes coated with corrosion-resistant materials for longevity.
- Reinforced components, a wide base, and sturdy lifting arms are what you are looking for in the perfect truck jack.
Lifting Speed and Efficiency:
A wise man once said, you can make up for lost money but not time. The longer your truck sits in the garage, the more time and business opportunities you waste. So, you need a truck jack that operates quickly and smoothly.
Portability and Storage:
Truckers are constantly on the move. So, it’s in their best interest to carry a heavy-duty floor jack that’s compact, reasonably light, and portable. A floor jack with a low collapsed profile can be a lifesaver for overloaded trucks with saggy suspension.
Safety Features:
We can go on and on all day on the importance of safety features. Can you trust your truck jack to keep you safe when working under the vehicle? Here are a few things to consider as safety features:
- Safety valves.
- Locking mechanisms.
- Sturdy base.
Carrying jack stands is a good idea. They share the load on the jack, increasing the tool’s safety and longevity at the same time.
Endnote
Buying a truck jack should be a one-time investment. Your favorite truck-lifting solution will go through a lot of abuse during its time in the garage. So, it better be made of high-quality materials. Whether you buy a heavy-duty floor jack, pit jack, or rolling jack, prioritize robustness, reliability, and safety. Always go for time-tested products manufactured by popular brands. Remember, saving a few dollars upfront doesn’t always prove to be a good decision in the long-term.
Happy lifting!