Stan Design

Category: Truck Jacks

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Truck Jacks

How to Properly Maintain and Store Your Truck Jacks

Trust us when we say this, you do not want to mess with the storage and maintenance of your heavy-duty jacks such as military grade truck jacks. Or, for that matter, even your regular car jacks. 

The correct and safe usage of car jacks is an essential and fundamental life skill that every driver should possess. And with the need for usage comes the responsibility of maintaining and storing them correctly. 

It is a common perception that heavy-duty jacks or military-grade jacks lose their vigor over time. What does that mean? To solve the problem we need to break it down into small tangible chunks. 

Simply put, ‘losing vigor’ in the context of jacks can mean anything from physically breaking down (including malfunction of constituent parts and units) to mechanically shutting off (for instance hydraulic fluids drying up in hydraulic jack systems). 

Or, from operating inefficiently (like lifting or lowering slower than it used to) or degrading in quality (due to rust or corrosion) to hindering productivity or becoming unsafe or outdated for continued usage, to name a few among other things. 

And well sure, most of these issues are bound to happen over a considerable period of time after sufficient usage, they can still be effectively handled to be postponed by enhancing their longevity simply by storing and maintaining their carefully. 

After all, jacks like heavy duty jacks or military grade jacks are essential tools for the maintenance of the long-term operational health of your vehicle, as well as your emergency aid for quick and cheap automotive fixes.

However, it is no rocket science, everyone can do it with a little patience and our guide. Happy learning! 

Checklist For Regular Inspections – Common Mistakes to Avoid

The first step to maintain truck jacks properly is to create a robust checklist for regular inspections, as it would not only help you easily avoid common mistakes associated with the process, but also save you time and money in the long run.

Read our comprehensive checklist for avoiding the top 3 mistakes people make while using and maintaining jacks. Feel free to refer to it for getting started.

  1. Prevention is cure. That is why choosing the right jack for your vehicle tops our list. If your jack is compatible- its weightlifting capacity, its portability and size, its profile, etc.- with your vehicle then it automatically lowers the possibility of injuring itself, your car, or the person wielding it (including yourself). 
  2. Knowing its type. Understanding the method of operation of your jack- that is, whether it is a hydraulic jack or an air bag jack, for instance – will enable you to know where and what to look at for inspecting its health. For instance, hydraulic fluids naturally run out after continued usage, needing refills without which the jacks refuse to function properly. So, keeping it in check can take care of that issue. 
  3. Keeping a lookout for dents or broken parts on and of your jack. This is a clear giveaway that your jack is set to malfunction sooner rather than later and you might want to get it fixed before it hurts you- something most people tend to ignore, ultimately paying dearly for it in times of distress. 

5 Easy Steps to Maintain, Clean, and Lubricate your Jack

There is no easy way of putting it but the longevity of jacks- be it heavy duty jacks, military grade jacks, regular bottle or floor jacks, scissor or pit jacks, or any other variant- solely depend on your quality of storage and maintenance.

Also Read: Streamlining Oil Change Operations

So, here are 5 easy steps to maintain, clean, and lubricate your Jack. We will cover their proper storage techniques and ideal storage conditions in the following section before ending this blog.

  1. Set up a maintenance routine to keep inspections regular without forgetting about it. Even though jacks rarely demand any attention, meaning you can inspect them twice or thrice a year, but please keep an eye out for unusual issues and do not hesitate to consult professionals as not all repairs are DIY (do it yourself) friendly. 
  2. Release pressure before putting away the jack. Bleed the cylinders regularly before storage when the jack seems to strain in lifting and supporting loads. Not only does releasing the pressure make the tool more compact and easier to store, but it also releases stress on the system that can contribute to the deterioration of various components, enhancing its overall performance. 
  3. Use a damp cloth to clean the dirt before it settles and gets sticky. Grease, the numero uno lubricant for most jacks, tends to attract a lot of dirt because of its texture and character. Settled dust and the moisture from the grease can lead to the deterioration, rusting and clogging within mechanical and structural components. 
  4. Use quality oil, grease, or hydraulic fluid to lubricate your jack as and when necessary. This will reduce unnecessary friction which leads to premature wear and tear within the mechanical and structural components of jacks. It is a contributing factor in ensuring the long-term health of your jack. Regularly inspect for oil levels (in hydraulic jacks) and refill it accordingly. 
  5. Keep the cylinders dry and out of water. You should make every effort to ensure that water does not get into the system and mix with oil. In the unfortunate event that the water mixes with oil the floor jack tends to become useless as far as the lifting capacity goes. 

Storage – Proper Techniques and Ideal Conditions

Perhaps, the easiest trick to solve in the puzzle of maintaining your precious little tool’s efficacy is the storage. 

Just store it in a clean and dry area, away from sunlight or moisture and you are good to go! 

This will not only help prevent rusting of essential components, but also save you the pain of losing a fine tool because of the smallest oxidation deterioration as it renders them completely useless. 

Also, remember to store your jacks upright to prevent oil leaks, and follow the above instructions carefully and refrain from using low-quality products since they may end up destroying the overall functionality of the jack. 

 

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Categories
Truck Jacks Uncategorized

Preventing workplace accidents how scorpion pit covers help

The story is not new. In fact, it has been run time and again while promoting pit cover accident prevention strategies and highlighting the risks uncovered pits pose to personnel and property in automotive workshops. 

During routine maintenance at a truck service center, a worker tripped and fell into an uncovered service pit, leading to severe bodily injuries and not to mention a temporary halt in operations. 

At commercial garages, pit safety solutions are a less-than-common sight. And the ones that exist are less than effective. Below we will cover some of the main risks of uncovered pits. 

Top 5 Uncovered Pit Risks

  1. Falling Risk – The numero uno risk posed by uncovered pits is the obvious danger of falling into it. Especially, if their exterior outlines are not marked with a colored line as a warning sign, even though the efficacy of just a colored line alone for preventing such mishaps is debatable. The grave health hazard this sets for the personnel handling it daily is massive.
  2. Explosion Risk – Another risk of uncovered pits is the risk of explosion or fire and fumes. This usually happens when unusual chemicals are introduced in any manner (just forgotten and mixed up, even!) and arranged within the physical proximity of electrical wires or damp environments, which are often found in service pits. Even faulty machinery or equipment in automotive workshops and service pits can set off fire.
  3. Ventilation Risk – The point made above is both a cause as well as effect of the risk of ventilation. Poor ventilation or even the lack of one in service pits can lead to major risks to the overall health of the environment of the commercial garage within which it is located, even if it is uncovered. 
  4. Drainage Risk – This brings us to the point of drainage risks. Draining any kind of fuel near service pits unauthorized for such work is highly risky. Besides, uncovered and poorly ventilated pits release the hazardous atmosphere developed by fuel vapors within them into the open, harming both personnel and customers, not to mention the reputation of the establishment.

Top 5 Safety Features in Pit Covers to Look For:

  1. Panels – When looking for inspection service pit covers for your commercial garage or automotive workshop, you should pay special attention to their panels, that would not only that enhance safety but also the efficiency in an automotive service environment. Typically, depending on whether the cover is made of concrete, wood, plastic or some other material, you should check the pit liner to ensure durability and protection.
  2. Design – An important yet often overlooked safety feature in pit covers is their design. Do they accommodate space for safety rails to extend along the length of the pit, painted safety yellow, to guide vehicles, if the service pit does not already have it outline on its exterior? Is the texture of the pit cover composed of non-skid material for safety? These are yardsticks to judge a pit cover design by. 
  3. Capacity – The tolerance of the pit cover as well as the track surface, if at all it provides a track system feature at all, should be commensurate with its weight lifting capacity for top notch security. 
  4. Convenience – Most modern service pits come with the convenience of modern technology. Small storage units like a cup holder for the technician using the pit momentarily, or perhaps an installed intercom system for seamless communication between upper and lower units, or quick access toolbox holders – your modern pit cover should come with these facilities if you so wish for. However, it is on you to check whether they are inherently safe to use.
  5. Compatibility – Finally, the biggest safety feature in pit covers to look out for is their compatibility with your existing service pit systems like those provided by Devon and Uni-lube. Stan Design Inc. is one such company that has emerged as an industry leader in North America because of its design and manufacturing of pits that are universally compatible with the leading pit system brands.

Pit Safety Solutions – Scorpion Pit Covers 

The incident discussed in the beginning of the blog underscores the critical need for secure pit cover installation and pit safety solutions to prevent workplace accidents and ensure worker safety. 

Properly secured and durable pit covers are essential to minimize uncovered pit risks in service pit areas. The safety systems can be as simple as a fishing net strung across the opening. 

At Stan Design Inc., we examined all these systems and decided there was room for improvement. So, we bring to you Stan Design Inc.’s Scorpion Pit Cover PLC1000, important to avoid harm to vehicles as well workers. 

Apart from dropping right in to fit in like a glove and providing your existing pit facility with the safety and security it needs, the Scorpion Pit Cover PLC1000 offers extreme strength and resistance to all types of chemicals. 

Made from a proprietary plastic composite material, the fruit of labour of innovation, design and development genius of over two decades, Stan Design Inc.’s revolutionary new system has segments 2ft long and as wide as your pit. 

These segments are very light- only 12 lb./ panel- and slide onto one another with just a push, with each panel holding over 1,000 lb., hiding all the meanness of the oily mess below, giving your workshop a tidy and hygienic look. 

Give your customers the professionality they expect, while upgrading from unreliable pit safety systems and increasing your productivity. 

 

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Categories
Bridge Jacks Floor jacks Hydraulic Jacks Jacks Truck Jacks

How to Choose the Right Truck Jack for Efficient Lifting?

Choosing the Right Truck Jack
Explore various truck jacks and their features to find the perfect match for your lifting requirements.

Working in commercial garages or automotive workshops can become a nightmare without the right collection of equipment at your disposal. One such tool in your arsenal is truck jacks. These heavy-duty jacks for trucks are capable enough to make the lifting process of big vehicles smooth and effortless while ensuring safety and stability.

By saving time in lifting heavy loads, suspending them securely to service them efficiently, and lowering them without technical hiccups, truck jacks enable workers to maintain and repair bigger vehicles like heavy-duty military or commercial trucks, buses, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and all sorts of big automobiles.

Having many different operational mechanisms- mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, hybrid, etc., these jacks deliver high value to professionals wielding them. By lifting and transporting all types of heavy weights, industrial loads, vehicles, and machinery equipment for clamping, jacks aid customers in varying industries, like:

  • Aircraft
  • Automotive
  • Bridges
  • Cable tensioning
  • House moving
  • Construction
  • General industrial
  • Laboratory
  • Locomotive
  • Marine
  • Mobile home
  • Railroad
  • Shipbuilding
  • Shoring and stabilizing such as for tunnels and mines
  • Tractors & trailers

To understand simply the workings of a truck jack like the Stan Design pit jack, let us consider the example of a hydraulic system of operation, consisting of the following broad components:

  • Hydraulic oil,
  • Reservoir or buffer or oil tank,
  • Main cylinder or ram,
  • Release valve,
  • Control valve,
  • Check valve,
  • Lifting arm or pad,
  • Hydraulic pump with piston or plunger, and
  • Pump lever or handle.

The reservoir or buffer or oil tank is the physical compartment of the heavy-duty jack for trucks that holds the hydraulic liquid or pump oil together when it is not in use. The control valve stays in a closed position when the jack is not in use to prevent the accidental flow of oil.

When the handle or lever of the hydraulic pump with piston or plunger is mechanically lowered or raised, it activates force and builds up pressure in the adjoining compartment, i.e., the reservoir or buffer tank containing the hydraulic fluid or pump’s oil.

This applied pressure transfers the oil from the pump through a check valve and into the main cylinder or the ram, which extends out of the hydraulic jack body creating the required lifting force and lifting the load.


What are Factors to Consider for Choosing the Right Truck Jack for Efficient Lifting?


1. Compatibility with Your Vehicle: Before choosing the right jack for lifting heavy vehicles, it is essential to check its specifications to verify its compatibility with your vehicle. This step is important and must not be avoided under any circumstances or considerations because doing so can impose great harm on not only the vehicle being lifted and serviced using the jack, but to the safety and even life of the personnel engaged in the process of lifting and maintaining the vehicle. To ensure compatibility, checking the jack’s weight capacity, size, portability, clearance or lift range, quality, build materials, brand reputation and user testimonials can be a starting point.

2. Weight Capacity: Usually expressed in tonnage, the weight capacity of a jack shows its capability of clamping, lifting, suspending, lowering, transporting, etc. loads of particular weights. The load or weight capacity of a jack is distinctly different from its lift range or size and is not indicative of either. Neither do the jack’s lift range nor its size in any way denote its load capacity. So, if you have a bigger or heavier vehicle to be repaired, going for heavy-duty pit jacks would be a wise choice, while for smaller cars investing in small and more portable repair and maintenance jacks would be sufficient.

3. Size and Portability: The size of a jack directly affects its portability. Heavier jacks, usually made of steel, are more suited for use in commercial garages and automotive workshops where they may be fixed in places for more convenient use. Unlike that, smaller jacks using hydraulic systems to operate either made of lightweight steel or aluminum, can be stored in small storage compartments of cars to be unloaded and used for emergency purposes like fixing a flat tire, etc. However, it is wise to not rely on portability alone while determining the size of the jack being purchased and weigh its compatibility with your owned vehicle or the types of vehicles you commercially service.

4. Clearance: The clearance of a vehicle refers to the distance between the lowest part of its undercarriage (not including the tires) and the ground. Also referred to as ride height or ground clearance, this area is the best suited for car jacks to be implemented for repairs and maintenance. Usually, the higher the clearance, the higher the center of mass of the vehicle. Therefore, this can be translated to suit low lift ranges of car jacks to make it compatible with the clearance of the car being serviced.

5. Brand Reputation and User Testimonials: While making an automotive jack purchase, you should bear in mind its producer and manufacturer. Checking out the brand reputation diligently and doing a fair bit of research on its product description and features, while also reviewing user feedback and testimonials for both the product and producer can go a long way in ensuring that you make a wise investment. For example, our Stan Design pit jacks are highly trusted across the industry as we serve our customers not only before they make a purchase with us, but also long after they sale is closed.

6. Quality and Build Materials: Perhaps, the biggest component in selecting a jack is its safety features. Since it is such a basic consideration, we have not discussed it as a separate point and wish to highlight it through this concluding point about quality and build materials. The quality of a jack should never be compromised based on price points as it can severely constrain the safety of your vehicle and yourself. Checking its build materials, whether steel, aluminum, hybrid, etc. is imperative to determine not only its size and portability but also its quality and sustainability, that is directly proportional to the safety it offers.

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Categories
Floor jacks Jacks Truck Jacks

Top Reasons That Make Scorpion Floor Jacks a Great Tool For Truck Owners

Why Truck Owners Prefer Scorpion Floor Jacks
Scorpion Floor Jacks: Reliable Tools for Trucks

Hydraulic jacks are an essential tool in any garage owner’s arsenal. For the best buy, the Stan Design Scorpion floor jack inevitably stands out. Where conventional truck jacks wear out easily, this jack lifts high and heavy with ease, safety and speed.

Hydraulic floor jacks are mechanical devices used to lift heavy loads and forces like trucks, sports utility vehicles, or other types of cars, among other heavyweight items. The reason why the Stan Design hydraulic system Scorpion floor jack makes a great tool for truck owners is the agility it offers.

Its components work in accordance with Pascal’s law to produce applications in a range of fields beyond the automotive industry. But for the sake of this blog, we will only explore its mechanism in lifting heavy trucks and buses off the ground for repairs and maintenance.

Like other hydraulic auto jacks, the anatomy of the Stan Design Scorpion floor jack can be broken down into these main parts, namely:

  • Reservoir or buffer tank
  • Pump with piston or plunger
  • Pump lever or handle
  • Check valve
  • Main cylinder or ram
  • Release valve
  • Handle

The reservoir or buffer tank is the physical compartment of the floor jack which holds the hydraulic fluid or pump oil. When the handle or lever of the pump with piston or plunger is mechanically lowered or raised, it builds up pressure in the adjoining compartment, i.e., the reservoir or buffer tank containing the hydraulic fluid or pump’s oil. This applied pressure is transferred from the pump through a check valve and into the main cylinder or the ram, which extends out of the hydraulic jack body creating the required lifting force and lifting the load.

Why Choose the Scorpion floor jack?

As famously quoted by Benjamin Franklin in George Fisher’s book, “Time is money” indeed! And the more time you spend in non-revenue generating tasks, like fixing your auto jack instead of lifting with it, the more you lose out on money!

Truck drivers and professional vehicle servicing garage owners across the country are tired of wasting countless hours every day lifting heavy duty vehicles with slow, heavy, and cumbersome auto jacks that require multiple stands to support the truck. Not to mention the risk of injury and damage to the vehicles they must brave daily with these conventional floor and pit jacks for trucks.

At Stan Design, our professional designers and engineers understood the assignment. So, they went to great lengths to come up with a product that addressed the woes of the target market. Enter, the Stan Design Scorpion floor jack.

How does our expert craftsmanship and innovative design philosophy shine through in our Scorpion floor jacks?

  • Only the highest quality materials are used to ensure that they can stand the wear and tear of lifting for decades to come.
  • Low profile for an extended and elevated reach while offering sustained and stable lift and minimal upkeep needs.
  • Built-in three stage safety lock guaranteeing lifting the entire front or rear of your vehicles without any danger.
  • Weight lift capacity of up to 14 tons that makes you forget the hassle of hand pumping, with easy maneuverability.

Stan Design Scorpion Floor Jack Models to Choose from

Scorpion TJ12S 

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 8’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15.75” 

Scorpion TJ12SL 

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 7.5’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15” 

Scorpion TJ14 

  • Capacity – 28,000 lbs./14 Tons
  • Only 8.25” Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 20” 

Scorpion TJ12E 

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 8’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15.75”
  • 2 Extendable Arms 

Scorpion MJ25 

  • Capacity – 25,000 lbs./12.5 Tons
  • Lifts Over 36”
  • Extendable Beam with Stackable Adapters Designed for All Military Vehicle Applications.

Pros and Cons of hydraulic floor jacks 

Hydraulic jacks are mainly of two types: bottle jacks and floor jacks. The latter are popular because of the enormous benefits they offer their users, especially to do it yourself (DIY) automotive garage enthusiasts. Unlike bottle jacks which operate vertically, floor jacks operate horizontally, therefore, providing a greater range of vertical lift than bottle jacks. Below are their benefits in various applications.

  • Most floor jack designs occupy less space and are lighter than other types of jacks like screw jacks, ratchet jacks, scissor jacks, leveling jacks, etc. This makes them portable enough to carry around.
  • Less likely to jam due to rust in the screw thread as unlike mechanical jacks which work by using them, these jacks use hydraulic power to work.
  • Highly effective with heavy loads as they are built to lift heavier loads compared to bottle jacks or trolley jacks, which do not have the lift range or weight capacity of floor jacks.
  • It is easier to use as its working mechanism is simple, making it a convenient choice for a range of clientele, especially do it yourselfers (DIYers).
  • Loads are lifted with minimum effort as hydraulic mechanisms make it easier to lift heavy and high using scientific laws as opposed to tiresome mechanical effort.

Despite the good advantages of hydraulic floor jacks, some limitations still occur. Below are the disadvantages of hydraulic floor jacks in their various applications.

  • It has a relatively low speed, as compared to other jacks which however may either take up more space or be heavier and more cumbersome to use.
  • Susceptible to failure if oil seals are worn out as hydraulic floor jacks use hydraulic fluid pressure to lift heavy loads, which if leaked can cause soil and water pollution.
  • The device can emit an unpleasant odor due to the overuse of warm oil so regular checks and maintenance of the pump oil or hydraulic fluid becomes mandatory.
  • Overheating can quickly occur, making taking care of the floor jack an added trouble in today’s fleeting age.
  • It is considerably valued at higher price points than other jacks because of the features like convenience of use, portability, lift range and weight capacity it offers.

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Categories
Hydraulic Jacks Jacks Truck Jacks

Complete Comparison: Hydraulic Jack Vs Mechanical Jack for Trucks

Hydraulic vs Mechanical Jacks: Which Lifts Your Truck Better?
Hydraulic vs Mechanical Jacks: Which Lifts Your Truck Better?

Mechanical and hydraulic jacks be it bridge jacks, truck jacks, auto jacks, or any other kind of jacks- both serve the same purpose- that of working with, loading, lifting, and where necessary, transporting heavy loads, weight and forces.

You may notice that we employed two different types of classification for cataloguing the jacks. One type- grouping it by name or the purpose it serves, i.e. bridge jacks, truck jacks, auto jacks categorically differs from the other type- grouping it by operation or its mechanism of functioning, i.e. mechanical jacks and hydraulic jacks.

It is the latter taxonomy that we are going to expand upon in this blog. Because before making a purchase based on the naming classifier, it is important to know the mechanism which the jack you are looking to buy works on. Only then can you be assured that it will serve your purpose fruitfully.

As the names suggest, a hydraulic jack is powered by hydraulic force, primarily based on the fluid, as opposed to a mechanical jack that is powered by mechanical force.

Both the jacks serve key roles in their own niches, have their own sets of pros and cons, and cater to a heavily biased client base. Understanding the differences between these two types of jacks is crucial in choosing the right tool for the task at hand.

Mechanical Jacks- Mechanism of Operation

To understand how a mechanical jack works, it is first important to learn about its main components, which include:

  • Screw or worm gear
  • Handle
  • Lifting arm or pad
  • Support or stabilizing legs

The mechanism of operation or function of a mechanical jack is relatively easy and straightforward to understand. It relies on the principle of mechanical advantage. For the uninitiated, mechanical advantage simply means a denotation of a measured force.

In the working of a mechanical jack, the mechanical advantage is based on the principle of the screw. The pitch of the screw determines it. An increased pitch gives a greater mechanical advantage, which results in the easier lifting of heavier loads. Whereas a decreased pitch does the vice versa.

How to Choose Mechanical Jacks?

Compatibility– Before choosing a mechanical jack it is absolutely necessary to determine its compatibility with your vehicle that you are going to lift using it.

Handle Effort– The handle effort of a mechanical jack refers to the force or effort applied on the handle to lift the load or weight on the mechanical jack.

Lift Range– The lift range of a mechanical jack refers to the range of height the stroke of the mechanical jack can reach.

Travel Speed– The travel per stroke of a mechanical jack determines the travel speed.

Portability– The size of the jack determines the portability of the mechanical jack and should be a contributing factor to your purchasing decisions.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Mechanical jacks offer several advantages that make them a popular choice for customers. However, they have a set of disadvantages or limitations too. We will discuss them all for your perusal and contribution to a purchase choice.

  • Its major advantage is the ease and convenience of use it offers.
  • However, it offers limited lifting capacity when compared to other jacks.
  • Because of their fewer moving parts, its durability and reliability are prolonged.
  • However, because of this non-specialized unit comprisal, they are not suitable for lifting very heavy loads.

Models

We have extensively surveyed a range of products from various brands to pick the best mechanical jacks for your use. Here are our top picks:

Scorpion TJ14

  • Capacity – 28,000 lbs./14 Tons
  • Only 8.25” Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 20”

Scorpion TJ12SL

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 7.5’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15”

Scorpion TJ12S

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 8’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15.75”

Scorpion TJ12E

  • Capacity – 24,000 lbs./12 Tons
  • Only 8’’ Collapsed Height
  • Lifts Over 15.75”
  • 2 Extendable Arms

Scorpion MJ25

  • Capacity – 25,000 lbs./12.5 Tons
  • Lifts Over 36”
  • Extendable Beam With Stackable Adapters Designed For All Military Vehicle Applications

Hydraulic Jacks– Mechanism of Operation

Like mechanical jacks, these tools also have a rather simple mechanism of function or operation. Its components can broadly be listed as:

  • Hydraulic oil
  • Reservoir or oil tank
  • Control valve
  • Hydraulic pump
  • Lifting arm or pad
  • Piston

The reservoir or oil tank holds the hydraulic liquid or oil. The control valve stays in a closed position when the jack is not in use to prevent the accidental flow of oil. The hydraulic pump activates the force or pressure necessary to move the oil that helps in lifting the load.

How to Choose Hydraulic Jacks?

While choosing hydraulic bridge jacks, there are just a few specifications that you need to keep in mind. Check the features like build or material- whether heavy like steel or portable like aluminum- size and weight or load capacity, lift range, price and quality, safety offerings like locking mechanisms, and finally the brand reputation and user reviews of the product and client testimonials of the business or brand.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Hydraulic jacks offer several advantages that make them a popular choice for customers. However, they have a set of disadvantages or limitations too. We will discuss them all for your perusal and contribution to a purchase choice.

  • One of the key advantages of these jacks is the greater lifting force they are capable of generating.
  • This increased lifting force allows them to lift greater loads as well as for greater heights.
  • Their disadvantages include the price point at which they are usually listed as compared with other jacks.
  • A key disadvantage is the obvious danger of accidental hydraulic oil spillage, which if gone unchecked can cause great damage to life and property.

Models

Scorpion PJ15

  • Capacity – 15,000 lbs.
  • Dual Hydraulics Arms
  • Extended Lifting Height – Over 20”
  • Size – 34” Wide
  • Expandable Size – 42” Wide

Scorpion PJ25 

  • Capacity – 25,000 lbs.
  • Dual Hydraulics Arms
  • Extended Lifting Height – Over 20”
  • Size – 34” Wide
  • Expandable Size – 42” Wide

StanJack J9000H 

  • Capacity – 9,000 -18000 lbs.
  • Heavy-Duty Hydraulics
  • Extended Lifting Height – Over 11”
  • Lowest Collapsed Height

Pit Jacks J6000HFL 

  • Capacity – 6,000 lbs.
  • Narrow 34.5” Top Beam
  • Heavy Duty Hydraulics
  • Extended Lifting Height
  • Lowest Collapsed Height

Pit Jacks J9000HFL 

  • Capacity –9,000 lbs.
  • Narrow 34.5” Top Beam
  • Heavy Duty Hydraulics
  • Extended Lifting Height
  • Lowest Collapsed Height

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Categories
Floor jacks Hydraulic Jacks Jacks Pit Jacks Truck Jacks

10 Reasons Hydraulic Jacks are Extremely Useful

Hydraulic jacks are a cornerstone in today’s self-sufficient garages. Be it for industrial repair or maintenance purposes or personal use, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes to serve all types of vehicles, their service pits and allied requirements.

Designed to lift heavy loads, weights and forces, mainly in the automotive industry, like heavy duty vehicles, cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, etc. hydraulic jacks like Scorpion floor jacks from Stan Design are a useful addition to any trucker’s or other customer’s garage.

Spanning several beneficial and customizable features, like weight, size and portability, lift range, weight capacity, safety, construction material, etc. jacks like Scorpion floor jacks and Scorpion pit jacks have applications in a range of industries.

How do Hydraulic Jacks Work?

An important reason why customers prefer hydraulic jacks over other mechanical jacks is that they work according to the principles of fluid dynamics. In simpler terms, this makes it easier for the end user to utilize in lifting heavy loads effortlessly and efficiently.

A hydraulic jack’s workings are simple. First, let us understand its anatomy. Among other things, it mainly consists of:

  • Reservoir or buffer tank
  • Pump with piston or plunger
  • Pump lever or handle
  • Check valve
  • Main cylinder or ram
  • Release valve
  • Handle

The piston is responsible for lifting the heavy load or weight. It is usually mechanically activated by shifting the positions of the handle or pump lever attached to it. This movement builds up pressure in the hydraulic fluid contained inside the reservoir or buffer tank. The pressure created allows the fluid to move through a check valve into the ram or main cylinder, which then pops out of the main body of the hydraulic jack creating the force required to lift the load. Finally, the release valve relieves the built pressure for easy retraction and lowering of the ram with the load on it.

Why Use Hydraulic Jacks– 10 Reasons

Hydraulic jacks, like the Scorpion floor jack, are mainly used by the lay person for the repair and maintenance of cars. Other than that, its industrial use is varied from applications in the automotive industry to a variety of other industries where it is also used for lifting and moving heavy weights, like:

  1. Aerospace and Aircraft: Aircrafts often take on large amounts of stress in the ordinary order of business. Standard flight operations of everyday requires the need for robust and regular checks and inspection to ensure the competency and safety of the vessels used to transport life and property. Hydraulic jacks form the root of the maintenance operation by assisting in essential ground support.
  1. Bridges and Cable tensioning: Bridges support extreme tension regularly, by accommodating fleets of vehicles and the movement and sustenance of life. That is why they require daily maintenance which bridge jacks can do. Cable tensioning, a construction method often used in erecting cable bridges, also requires hydraulic system jacks in its production, maintenance and repairs.
  1. House Moving and Mobile Homes: If you have ever witnessed the procedure of house moving, a method of lifting off a made building structure from one point to the other, you would know that hydraulic jacks come at the core of it. Hydraulic jacks provide the support for lifting the heavy weight of a building off the ground and moving it to the desired location through a series of often repeated steps.
  1. Construction: Hydraulic jacks are used by construction workers for a variety of reasons other than just lifting heavy quantities of loads or working with great forces. From moving building materials in the bulk to dealing with heavy equipment, or even entire structures, one may find hydraulic jack systems built into forklifts, bulldozers, elevator systems and a range of other products within the construction industry.
  1. General Industrial: In general industries, hydraulic jacks, like the Scorpion floor jacks, have a single purpose of lifting and transporting heavy loads from one point to another. By the application of fluid dynamics, these jacks are able to support the accommodation and transfer of heavy loads of materials offering considerable and convenient load-lifting solutions to a range of consumer applications.
  1. Agriculture: In the agricultural sector, hydraulic jacks have been used substantially. From being a part of heavy machinery used for agricultural purposes like tractors, trailers and trucks, to helping in moving goods around and assisting in carrying out repairs on farm vehicles, hydraulic system jacks come in handy for a large range of workers employed by the sector. Farm jacks, with a system like the Scorpion floor jack, are specialized hydraulic jacks used specifically for agriculture.
  1. Laboratory: In laboratories, usually smaller variants of jacks are used, that employ the use of hydraulic systems, to support a range of equipment for the purposes of research and development. For example, portable lab jacks can act as a support for benchtop glassware or equipment like hotplates, flasks, baths, magnetic stirrers, or any other objects that need a precise height setup to stabilize sensitive objects.
  1. Marine and Shipbuilding: This industry deals with behemoth machinery and vessels that traverse the known and unknown waters and weather conditions of the world. For transporting passengers to essential goods from one to the other corners of the world, they require a strong build and robust upkeep. That is why hydraulic jacks are required by the marine and shipbuilding industry.
  1. Mining: The mining industry is an ardent consumer of hydraulic jacks because of the importance of the work it does. To meet the demand of valuable minerals and other natural resources for sustaining the increasing population, the mining industry requires stable jacking to explore its full capacity and potential. Hydraulic jacks come into play here from providing support to shoring up the land to employing stable jacking methods, and more.
  1. Railroad and Locomotive: The rail industry is a loyal consumer of hydraulic jacks. From the production to the maintenance and repair of rail vehicles, to the production and maintenance and repair of heavy railroad tracks, hydraulic jacks are crucial equipment of the workers engaged in these essential tasks. Bigger hydraulic jacks with robust rotation capacity, or weightlifting capacity are often in high demand by this industry.

Now that you know the 10 reasons why use hydraulic jacks, you would be better equipped to purchase one for your garage. Depending on your vehicle size and use, various hydraulic system jacks like our Scorpion floor jacks or Scorpion pit jacks may assist you in the maintenance and repair of your daily transport system.

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Categories
Jacks Truck Jacks

9 Essential Automotive Tools for Trucks

If you love maintaining your truck yourself, there’s a bunch of tools you must have in your garage. These tools will make your life easy when performing maintenance tasks like oil change, tire replacement, and such.

Here’s a list of 9 essential tools to have in your garage in 2024:

1. Floor Jack

Unless you’re running a full-service workshop, you won’t need a full-blown service pit equipped with a robust floor jack to lift heavy vehicles. But what you do need is a floor jack. These cool tools enable users to lift cars, trucks, EVs, and all other types of vehicles effortlessly by employing the principles of hydraulics.

Floor jacks also have low collapsed profiles to fit under low ground clearance vehicles. They often come with metal casters for mobility. High-quality jacks like the Scorpion Floor Jacks from our stable can lift really heavy trucks high enough for easy undercarriage maintenance. For instance, the Scorpion MJ25 Floor Jack can easily lift 25,000 lbs. over 36”.

2. A Standard Toolbox

Your truck probably came with a toolbox. But it probably has too few options to work with in a full-blown garage. Make sure your custom toolbox carries screwdrivers, Allen keys, socket wrenches, standard spanners, ring spanners, adjustable spanners, nuts, bolts, pliers, and cutters of all the sizes you will need to work on your vehicle. Make sure you buy from reputable manufacturers only because you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of a repair job with a broken tool and a dismantled truck.

3. Flashlight 

Trouble always arrives unannounced. You may find yourself stuck in the middle of the night with a flat tire or a dry radiator. And that’s exactly when you’ll begin to miss a flashlight if you aren’t already carrying one with you. Always keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy for exigencies. A flashlight with a range between 30 and 100 lumens should be enough for your workshop or roadside repairs. But if you are looking for a tactical gadget, you need something that produces light as bright as 100 lumens or more.

4. Duct Tape

It’s hard to imagine how handy duct tape can be. From leaking fuel lines and bared wires to rattly bumpers and broken windows, duct tape can be a quick fix for all sorts of issues. But don’t rely on it for a permanent solution. Use duct tape as a stopgap measure only and rush to your nearest garage as soon as you can.

5. Multimeter

Your truck has an electrical circuit and probably also an ECU on board to help it run smoothly. Everything from ignition to airbag deployment is monitored by ECUs in modern vehicles. So, it helps to have a multimeter in your toolbox. You can check for input and output voltage across circuits in critical components like the turbo boost or light setup in case of a malfunction. All modern trucks go through strict quality control before making it to the dealers. Hence, most electrical malfunctions are glitches that can be easily detected if you have a multimeter to check for current flow. But we suggest you visit a qualified technician if you aren’t confident about your skills as a DIY enthusiast.

6. Air Pressure Gauge 

The most common tool to miss while packing for a long trip is the air pressure gauge. Don’t thump your tires with your hand or a crowbar to check for air pressure. Carry an air pressure gauge. It’s an inexpensive tool vital to the smooth running of your truck. Too little pressure and your truck’s tires will attract leaks. Too much pressure and they can explode after a long stint on uneven terrain in hot weather. Only an air pressure gauge can tell you if your truck’s tires are properly inflated or not.

7. Crowbar

From prying out nails and opening crates to keeping you safe on the road, the applications of the humble crowbar are countless. You can even break down wood pallets for firewood with a crowbar on a cold night! The hardened steel used to manufacture crowbars can withstand a lot of stress and won’t give up on you easily.

8. Claw Hammer

You got to keep a claw hammer with you at all times on the road! It’s one of the handiest tools to have in your garage. You can use it to remove nails, drive in wedges, straighten bent metal parts, and even for self-defense. Tap rusty lugs with the hammer to loosen them before changing tires.

9. Safety Gloves

Always carry safety gloves in your toolbox. Truck components like the engine and exhaust system can burn your bare skin on contact. Metal shards and nails sticking to your truck tires can give you nasty cuts. Broken windows produce shards of glass sharp enough to lacerate bare skin. Always wear safety gloves when working on your truck to protect your hands and fingers from cuts and burns.

Summing it up

No matter which tools you use in your garage, always buy from trusted manufacturers with a reputation for manufacturing quality products.

Check out our products page for award-winning lifting solutions for cars, trucks, and military vehicles. We use the best materials to manufacture our floor jacks, bridge jacks, and fast lube jacks. They are tested for quality and durability so that you can enjoy a good return on your investment.

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Categories
Floor jacks Hydraulic Jacks Jacks Truck Jacks

How To Choose the Best Floor Jack for Your Car, Truck, or SUV

A common question among garage owners worldwide is, “How do I choose the best floor jack for cars and trucks?” We will try to answer that question with this blog. Read on!

When it comes to car and truck maintenance, nothing beats a floor jack in terms of versatility and user-friendliness. It’s a simple tool that functions on the principles of hydraulics by multiplying the pressure applied on its handlebar and using the thrust to lift heavy vehicles.

Here’s a list of qualities that makes the hydraulic floor jack the most popular vehicle lifting solution worldwide:

  • Robustness: Floor jacks are robust. High-quality products like the Scorpion TJ12S heavy-duty floor jack from our stable perform the task of lifting cars, trucks, EVs, military vehicles, and whatnot day in and day out for years without breaking down.
  • Maneuverable with a small footprint: Floor jacks are highly maneuverable and have a low collapsed profile that makes it easy for them to be moved around the shop floor and placed under vehicles with a low ground clearance easily.
  • Great value for money: The best floor jacks for cars and trucks prove to be great value for money due to their competitive pricing and high build quality. They can easily stand the test of time and rigorous use, serving as an asset to garage owners everywhere.

It’s the biggest differentiating factor when it comes to choosing the best floor jack for cars and trucks. Things to look for in a high-quality floor jack are hardened steel components, zinc plated surfaces for corrosion resistance, robust hydraulic and compressed air apparatuses, and such. This is exactly what we are known for. Our Scorpion Floor Jacks are engineered from the best quality materials for extra longevity.

Lift Capacity

The first thing to check when buying a floor jack is its lift capacity. Lift capacity tells you how much weight you can lift using your chosen tool without compromising its structural integrity. Floor jacks come with different lift capacities and the best ones can lift anything you throw at them. For instance, the Scorpion MJ25 heavy-duty floor jack from our stable can lift military vehicles as heavy as 25,000 lbs. or 12.5 tons. Now, this is a tool you want in your garage if you are planning to lift big and heavy vehicles on a regular basis!

A word of caution, never use a floor jack with a low lift capacity on a heavy vehicle. It can cause the jack to malfunction and damage your vehicle in the process.

Lift Height

The purpose of a floor jack is to elevate a vehicle high enough for tire changing, undercarriage maintenance, engine oil replacement, and such. The lift height of a jack determines how high it can lift a car or truck for easy access to the undercarriage. The best floor jacks in the business are known for their lift heights. For instance, the Scorpion TJ14 heavy-duty floor jack from our product line can lift vehicles up to 20”. A good lift height ensures that the vehicle is raised high enough to facilitate maintenance activities.

Build Quality

It’s the biggest differentiating factor when it comes to choosing the best floor jack for cars and trucks. Things to look for in a high-quality floor jack are hardened steel components, zinc plated surfaces for corrosion resistance, robust hydraulic and compressed air apparatuses, and such. This is exactly what we are known for. Our Scorpion Floor Jacks are engineered from the best quality materials for extra longevity.

Safety Features

Safety is paramount when dealing with heavy vehicles. Make sure the floor jack you buy has locking mechanisms to keep the elevated vehicle steady during maintenance. We ensure safety in our product line by implementing a unique three-stage locking mechanism for added stability. This class-leading feature ensures no wobbling or sudden movements of the lifted vehicle.

Now that you know what to look for in the best floor jacks for cars and trucks, let’s have a look at some of the best products in our inventory.

The Scorpion TJ12S Floor Jack

This class-leading product is renowned for reliability and robustness.

Features:

The Scorpion TJ12SL Floor Jack

Known for its incredibly low collapsed profile, the TJ12SL is an asset to any garage owner.

Features:

  • Lift capacity of 24,000 lbs./12 tons.
  • Low collapsed height of only 8”.
  • Lift height of over 15”.

The Scorpion TJ14 Floor Jack

This popular product from our stable trumps competition with user-friendly features and unmatched durability.

Features:

  • Lift capacity of 28,000 lbs./14 tons.
  • Low collapsed height of only 8.25”.
  • Lift height of over 20”.

The Scorpion MJ25 Heavy-duty Floor Jack

This one is the undisputed champion of floor jacks that dusts competition with raw lifting power and unmatched lift height.

Features:

  • Lift capacity of 25,000 lbs./12.5 tons.
  • An extendable beam with stackable adapters makes it suitable for any military vehicle.
  • Lift height of over 36”.

Check out our product page for more winning products!

Summing it up

No matter which floor jack you choose for your garage or full-service workshop, it’s important that you don’t compromise on quality. Only a high-quality, precision-engineered tool can ensure that you get a good return on your investment. Choose wisely. Use safe products.

Happy lifting!

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Categories
Jacks Truck Jacks

Where to place the jack when changing the rear tire of a truck?

How many times have you found yourself stranded in the middle of the road with a punctured rear tire?

Car and truck owners have to deal with this situation many times during road trips. What helps in such situations is a robust jack.

Depending on your vehicle type, you might be needing any of the following jack types:

  • Scissor jack: These simple but robust tools will work with any car or light vehicle. They are simple machines that turn rotational motion into upward thrust. But be careful not to use scissor jacks with heavy vehicles. They are not made for lifting trucks.
  • Truck jack: Truck jacks come in a lot of varieties, the most common being the hydraulic floor jack. The floor jack is a device that uses hydraulic fluid to amplify the force applied to the jack’s handlebar and raise heavy vehicles like trucks efficiently with minimum effort. The bottle jack is a variation of the floor jack with a stubbier profile and less footprint.
  • Bridge jack: These tools are used exclusively in inspection pits as installations and are capable of lifting mammoth-sized vehicles in no time. Bridge jacks are smooth and highly efficient and allow for controlled lifting. With bridge jacks, safety is the name of the game!
  • Rolling jacks: Like bridge jacks, rolling jacks work as installations but with vehicle lifts instead of inspection pits. If you have a 2-post or 4-post lift in your garage, you need a rolling jack to facilitate undercarriage repair.

So, what if you find yourself stranded in the middle of the road with a damaged rear tire on your truck? It’s time to change the tire.

Here’s the list of the things you’ll be needing to go about the job:

  1. A robust truck jack with a lift capacity exceeding your truck’s weight.
  1. Best if you have a pair of safety gloves.
  1. Protection for your eyes.
  1. A grease cutter can help with the muck on the lug nuts.
  1. A wrench to loosen the lug nuts.
  1. Spare tire – do we have to tell you to carry one always?

Going about the business

Step 1: Choose a level surface free of debris or snow. Never attempt a tire change on a slope. It is dangerous!

Step 2: Ensure that the parking brake is on. A good practice is to engage the truck’s gearbox to eliminate any possibility of rolling. Carrying wheel chocks is also a good idea. Always apply chocks on the wheel diagonally opposite to the one you are working on.

Step 3: Place the truck jack under the designated lift point nearest to the damaged tire. If you are unsure about the lift points, consult the owner’s manual. Lift points are hardened areas on the subframe that can withstand the thrust from the jack’s ram.

In case you have taken your truck to a workshop with an inspection pit or lift, the technician servicing your vehicle will probably use a bridge jack. In that case, they’ll place adapters on the bridge jack’s lifting arms to match your vehicle and lift it across the axle.

Having jack stands in your inventory is a brilliant idea. Jack stands share the load on a truck jack and help increase the latter’s lifespan.

Step 4: Before you attempt to lift your truck, loosen the lug nuts slightly. Next, give the jack a few pumps on the handlebar and your truck will be up and ready for a tire change. Loosen the nuts all the way and remove the wheel to replace the tire.

Step 5: Once you have put the wheel back on, tighten the nuts and lower the truck slowly. Now, you are ready to hit the road!

What is a Good Truck Jack?

First-time buyers often don’t know what to look for in a quality truck jack. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Lift capacity: The lift capacity of a truck jack tells you how much weight it can lift without malfunctioning. Always buy a jack with a lift capacity exceeding your vehicle’s weight. This will prolong the life of your tool.
  • Lift height: For trucks and offroad vehicles, you need jacks with enough lift height to compensate for the vehicle’s high ground clearance. It’s no use buying a jack that can’t lift your truck high enough for easy access to the undercarriage.
  • Quality and durability: Quality should be your top priority when buying a truck jack because only high-quality components can ensure safety. A hardened steel frame, zinc-plated components, and precision engineering – these are the things to look for in a truck jack. And never forget to buy your tools from an experienced manufacturer with high-quality products in their stable!

Summing it up

The purpose of a truck jack is not limited to changing tires. A vehicle’s undercarriage is the region that takes the maximum amount of beating during its lifespan. And what do you need for easy access to your truck’s undercarriage? A high-quality truck jack!

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Categories
Bridge Jacks Hydraulic Jacks Truck Jacks

How To Lift A Military Truck Safely

We can’t do enough to help our brothers and sisters in the Army, can we? When it comes to servicing military trucks, special care needs to be taken considering the weight of those vehicles and the sensitive equipment they might be carrying. A lot of times military trucks end up with a banged-up undercarriage due to the rough terrain they have to endure. A standard truck jack is what you need to lift such heavy vehicles for access to the subframe, wheels, or transmission. A rolling bridge jack is even better in such circumstances because it allows for more controlled and efficient lifting.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to lift a military truck safely and efficiently using a hydraulic floor jack or bridge jack.

Prerequisites 

Before you can go about lifting a military truck in your workshop, you need to keep the following tools handy:

  • A robust truck jack: make sure you have a truck jack with enough weight capacity to elevate a fully loaded truck. Otherwise, it can bend and buckle under stress, causing harm to the operator and the vehicle. Also, make sure that your floor jack or bridge jack has enough lift height to reach the lift points on the undercarriage of vehicles with high ground clearance and elevate them high enough for easy access to the subframe. Military trucks almost always have high ground clearance. So, the last bit is particularly important.
  • Jack stands: Always use jack stands with a truck jack. Because military trucks are big and heavy, a robust floor jack might not be enough to support the vehicle’s weight. Jack stands assist in vehicle service and maintenance by sharing the load on the truck jack and making it safer to keep a vehicle in an elevated position.
  • Wheel chocks: You cannot be too careful when working with heavy vehicles! Wheel chocks prevent vehicles from rolling forward or backward during the lifting process and add an extra layer of safety.
  • Protective gear: Never work on a vehicle without wearing protective gear. Your eyes and hands need to be protected at all times during the lifting process.
  • A reliable power source: Because most modern truck jacks use compressed air along with hydraulics to lift vehicles, it’s important that you have a reliable power source to operate the air pumps of your equipment. The absence of a reliable power source can increase downtime unnecessarily.

Now that you know what you need to go about lifting a military truck, let’s jump right into a step-by-step guide on how to lift the vehicle smoothly and efficiently.

Step-by-step guide to lifting a military truck with a reliable truck jack

Step 1: 

Position the truck in the service bay. Make sure the area is clean and well-lit beforehand. Check your lifting equipment for malfunction or structural damage. This is important because you don’t want your truck jack to give up on you midway through the process.

Step 2:

Position the jack under the designated lift points of the truck. If you aren’t sure where the lift points are, consult the truck’s manual. Lift points are reinforced areas on the subframe capable of withstanding the pressure exerted by a truck jack’s piston.

Step 3:

Raise the lifting apparatus of your floor jack to touch a lift point on the subframe. If you are using a bridge jack, make sure you use adapters appropriate to the vehicle type with the twin lifting arms of the jack so that it can lift the vehicle across its axle. Place jack stands beneath the remaining lift points to support the weight of the lifted vehicle in case you are using a floor jack.

Step 4: 

Use the controls of the truck jack to gradually lift the military truck to the desired height. You can start working on your truck once it’s secure in its elevated position.

Step 5:

Once you are done with your repair job, lower the truck slowly until the wheels are situated firmly on the ground. Don’t forget to remove the jack stands and the wheel chocks if you have been using them. Your truck is now ready to roll!

The Best Jack for Military Trucks

At this point, you might be wondering what’s the best lifting equipment you can use with military trucks. As you know already, with military trucks you need something robust and durable with a generous weight capacity and lift height. Well, we have good news for you!

Introducing the Scorpion MJ25 Floor Jack!

Why it’s special:

  • With a 25,000 lbs. or 25-ton weight capacity, the MJ25 is an absolute beast when it comes to lifting big, bulky vehicles.
  • And how high does it lift? Over 36”! Can you believe that?
  • Say goodbye to long downtimes! The MJ25 Floor Jack also uses stackable adapters to suit any military vehicle type.

And we are not finished yet! There’s the J50000H Stan Jack to make your day. This beast of a bridge jack will make you grin from ear to ear with the following qualities:

Savvy?

Endnote:

No matter what you buy for your workshop, remember what’s cheap upfront might not be cost-effective in the long run. Buy your truck jack from a reliable manufacturer with a reputation for manufacturing class-leading products for a substantial amount of time. That’s what you call an investment for the future!

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