Jacks are tools for lifting vehicles like heavy-duty military-grade armored vehicles to regular-sized family vans. They are designed to load, lift, suspend and lower these vehicles for purposes of inspection and maintenance.
The best jack for heavy vehicles comes in all shapes and sizes and can work out for you if you choose a jack that fits your vehicle, instead of a product that you have not researched. Modern technology allows you to choose from a range of modern features in jacks.
Product features like one-touch button-operated lift systems with dead-man switches, low-profile floor space, height adjustability, portability, floating casters and rolling bearings, etc. are an indelible mark of technological superiority that must be checked for to fit your specific needs and address your concerns.
Lifting jacks for trucks are essential devices for the maintenance of the long-term operational health of your vehicle, as well as your emergency aid for quick and cheap automotive fixes. Their proper maintenance aids their long-term returns.
How to Choose a Jack?
- Understand Vehicle Requirements – The first and foremost requirement for choosing the right floor jack for cars is understanding the type of jack you require for your vehicle. For instance, you might not require a floor jack at all, if say, you take your cars for regular servicing to a commercial garage that have service pits which use pit jacks of their own.
- Safety Precautions of Jacks – Since jacks are involved in risky tasks regularly like loading vehicles, they need to be marked safe for use and maintained accordingly. Choosing the right loading tool for the right vehicle size, storing and maintaining them for enhanced efficacy, and making sure that it is safe for the personnel involved in the process are all security precautions that must be taken into account for choosing the right vehicle jack.
- Jack Material – Steel bodies for jacks are the sturdiest options to go with when choosing a heavy-duty jack. This, along with zinc-plated components are shown to add to the durability and reliability of the jack and its ability to function properly in the long-term. Hydraulic and pneumatic jacks are prone to malfunction and their longevity is enhanced by choosing the right build material for the jack.
- Vehicle Load Capacity – Lastly, the load capacity of the jack determines the choice of jack to a large extent. Load capacity is usually measured in pounds or kilograms, with a typical jack type bearing a load capacity ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 pounds (about 2267.96 kg). This basically means the amount of weight it is designed to carry and varies based on the mode of operation of a jack type- pneumatic, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, or hybrid, etc.
Calculating Vehicle Load Capacity
Calculating the load capacity for jack types for different vehicles involves understanding the mechanics of the jack and the weight it needs to support.
This is the part where it gets technical, and you can skip it as this is only in-depth technical information for the jack nerds. Here is a basic formula to calculate the force required for a jack without considering friction: F=2πRQp
Where:
- ( F ) is the effort force at the end of the arm or handle (in lb or N)
- ( Q ) is the weight or load (in lb or N)
- ( p ) is the pitch – distance or lead of thread in one turn (in inches or m)
- ( R ) is the lever-arm radius (in inches or m)
If we unintentionally gave you jitters with the physics tidbit here, worry not as this is only something you for you if you are interested in understanding the technicality behind understanding how load capacities are calculated.
The rest of the information will guide you to choose the right lifting jack for trucks. So, sit tight and read on!
Understanding Load Capacities by Jack Types
Floor Jack – These are the most popular jack types used in lifting heavy weights, be it small cars or heavy-duty military-grade trucks. Their load capacities vary according to the type of car they are used to lift. For instance, the Scorpion floor jacks by Stan Design Inc. are built to lift anywhere from 24000 lbs.- 28000 lbs.
Fast Lube Jack – These are manually operated machines that aid in tire servicing like tire rotation, lube servicing etc., transforming your commercial garage into a proper automobile station. For instance, the fast lube jacks by Stan Design Inc. are built to lift anywhere from 6000 lbs.- 9000 lbs.
Rolling Bridge Jack – These jacks allow a special type of lifting, by aiding automobile lift systems found in big garages. These are very costly and are prone to malfunction. For instance, the rolling bridge jacks by Stan Design Inc. are built to lift anywhere from 6000 lbs.- 50000 lbs.
Pit Jack – These tools are jacks specially designed for fitting into service pits of commercial garages or automotive shops. For instance, the pit jacks by Stan Design Inc. are built to lift anywhere from 12000 lbs.- 35000 lbs. Not only that, but they are also built with powerful air motors for lifting in a few seconds.
Stan Design Inc.
Stan Design Inc. is the most reputable and trusted name in the truck jacking industry in Canada and North America. You can go through the second section of this blog again to arm yourself with crucial information about the load capacities of their different jack types.
With over 25+ years of experience in the field of designing and manufacturing jacks like floor jacks, pit jacks, rolling bridge jacks, fast lube jacks, etc., they are the masters of understanding your requirements- whether for personal or commercial use- and helping you accordingly.
Not only do we provide jack types with a wide range of load capacity, but we also manufacture jacks in both pneumatic and hydraulic design variants. This empowers you to load and lift your vehicles effortlessly and safely without feeling a hole burning through your pockets!