Trucks need periodic maintenance and repair to run smoothly and carry freight across the continent. So, truckers have to rely on workshops to keep their vehicles up and running. Which tool do the workshops rely on the most to service trucks? It’s the truck jack.
The type of Truck jacks are by far the most popular and effective vehicle servicing tools in the world. They use hydraulics to lift heavy trucks with minimum effort from the user. Once elevated, the truck’s undercarriage becomes accessible to technicians, aiding in servicing essential components like the transmission, exhaust system, and wheels.
Truck jacks come in many different varieties and weight capacities. Let’s look at the most popular iterations so that you can choose the perfect equipment for your workshop or garage.
1. The Heavy-duty Floor Jack
Hands down, this is the most popular truck jack on the market. Incredibly easy to operate, fast, efficient, and safe, the heavy-duty floor jack serves as the backbone of the car and truck service industry worldwide.
The floor jack’s lifting mechanism comprises a set of hydraulic cylinders filled with a viscous fluid, pistons, a pumping handle, and a lifting apparatus. When the operator pumps the handle, the hydraulic fluid transfers and compounds the pressure on the piston of the lifting apparatus and makes short work of lifting heavy vehicles.
When buying a heavy duty floor jack for your garage or workshop, look for the following attributes:
- Always buy a truck jack with a greater weight capacity than the heaviest truck you are planning to lift. This way the jack won’t buckle under the weight of the vehicle and compromise the safety of the user and the vehicle.
- What’s your truck’s ground clearance like? Is it a lifted truck or a standard one? These are two important questions you need to ask yourself before homing in on the truck jack with the right lift height.
- The best floor jacks for cars, trucks, EVs, and other vehicles are made of strong and durable materials like high-tensile steel. This makes them last really long and give a great return on the investment.
2. The Bottle Jack
Why are bottle jacks called ‘bottle’ jacks? Well, they are shaped like bottles! That’s it. No surprises there. These stubby jacks are robust and designed for heavy-duty lifting. And like the floor jacks, bottle jacks utilize the power of hydraulics to lift big and bulky vehicles high enough for undercarriage repair and maintenance.
If you own a full-sized pickup truck or a large commercial vehicle, a bottle jack might be the tool you need. Its compact design and smaller footprint compared to a floor jack make a bottle jack easier to move around and store.
The only catch is that bottle jacks aren’t known to lift as high as floor jacks and might not be the right tool to work on lifted trucks or off-road vehicles.
3. Scissor Jacks for Small Trucks and Cars
Scissor jacks are cool mechanical devices that convert rotational motion into upward thrust, lifting cars and small trucks in the process. You must have one as part of your car’s standard toolkit.
Scissor jacks come in handy in case of roadside repairs like tire changing and undercarriage inspection. A light yet sturdy build and incredibly small footprint make these cool tools perfect for lifting cars in tight spaces and uneven surfaces. But lifting loaded trucks is an absolute No for scissor jacks because they are simply not built to carry the weight of large and bulky vehicles.
4. Pit Jacks
Pit jacks have been keeping trucking fleets on the road for ages now. It’s impossible to imagine a truck or bus servicing workshop without a pit jack, and there’s a good reason for that.
Vehicles like large trucks and armored cars must take a lot of beating on their undercarriage due to the kind of terrain they normally have to endure. Only a pit jack has the robustness and lifting power to elevate these vehicles high enough for major undercarriage repair.
The only caveat is that these super-efficient tools need to be installed in dedicated service pits for them to operate. Despite their lack of mobility, pit jacks are tough and durable. Modern pit jacks rely on a combination of hydraulics and compressed air pumps for heavy lifting. They also have stackable adapters to accommodate all types of vehicles and subframes. So yes, you can trust a pit jack to lift anything you throw at it.
5. Rolling Bridge Jacks
Rolling bridge jacks are hydraulic devices designed to operate in tandem with four-post lifts. A set of roller bearings makes it easy to maneuver a bridge jack in a service pit.
Operating one is easy too. You just need to place the lifting apparatus of the jack under your vehicle and activate the hydraulic system and voila! Your vehicle is lifted high enough for easy access to the undercarriage. All modern bridge jacks use a combination of hydraulics and pneumatic pressure (compressed air) to lift cars and trucks. An intuitive control system aided by a locking mechanism makes the operation safe and easy.
Now that you know what’s selling, consider the following tips to home in on the perfect truck jack for your workshop:
6. Mind Your Truck’s Weight and Size
Before selecting a jack, it’s crucial to know the maximum weight of the trucks you are going to service. Check the manufacturer’s specifications for the maximum weight capacity of the truck jack you are planning to buy. Using a jack with insufficient capacity is a recipe for disaster.
Safety First: Use Jack Stands
Regardless of the jack type, always prioritize safety. Once your truck is lifted, secure it with jack stands. This provides an extra layer of protection, preventing accidents in case the jack fails.
Endnote:
Choosing a truck jack is a decision that can seriously impact your maintenance routine. Whether you opt for a scissor jack, heavy-duty floor jack, or a full-blown rolling bridge jack, make sure it aligns with your truck’s specifications. Remember, investing in the right tools ensures the longevity of your workshop business.
