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Floor jacks Hydraulic Jacks

How to Use Auto Hydraulic Jacks?

Auto hydraulic floor jacks are perhaps the biggest asset you can own for the service, maintenance and repairs of your vehicles. There are following reasons for that:

  • Size and Portability- Most floor jacks are designed to occupy less space, and are therefore lighter than other jacks, making them portable enough to be carried around.
  • Does Not Jam- Since these jacks use hydraulic power to work, they are less likely to jam due to rust in the screw thread as unlike mechanical jacks which work by using them.
  • Weight Capacity- As hydraulics generate greater lifting force, these floor jacks can lift heavier loads compared to other jacks with minimum effort using fluid mechanics.
  • Lift Range- This increased lifting force allows them to lift loads to greater heights, giving them a higher lift range.
  • Simple to Use- It is easier to use as its working mechanism is simple, making it a convenient choice for a range of clientele, especially do it yourself-ers (DIY-ers).
  • Durability and Reliability- Because of hydraulic jacks’ fewer moving parts, and fine quality build materials like high-grade steel, they can stand the corrosion, rust, oxidation, deterioration, and wear and tear of lifting for decades to come.
  • Low Profile- Hydraulic floor jacks usually have an extended and elevated reach while offering sustained and stable lift and minimal upkeep needs.
  • Safety- Auto floor jacks engage automatically at different heights, lifting the entire front or rear of your vehicles without any danger.
  • Maneuverability- Hydraulic floor jacks often come with roller wheels that guarantee ease and impressive mobility, while making them highly adjustable.
  • Versatility and Flexibility- Some hydraulic floor jacks fit virtually any pit or ramp application due to their compact design.

How Do Auto Hydraulic Floor Jacks Work?

To understand the benefits of auto hydraulic jack, let us understand how hydraulics in jacks work. Where conventional jacks wear out easily, hydraulic floor jacks are commonly used to lift loads high and heavy with ease, safety and speed for any maintenance purpose.

Its components work in accordance with Pascal’s law (also known as Pascal’s principle, or the principle of transmission of fluid-pressure), 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 helping lift heavy duty military grade trucks and buses to smaller and lighter family cars off the ground for repairs and maintenance.

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 anatomy of any auto hydraulic 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 jack body creating the required lifting force and lifting the load.

How to Use Auto Hydraulic Floor Jacks?

It is relatively simple to use hydraulic floor jacks. But we must warn you that before you proceed with anything technical, please take the necessary precautions (which must come along with your product usually in the form of a manual) as dealing with these devices are quite dangerous and can be life-threatening if not used with caution.

Do not allow children to come into contact with these devices and tools, and for the safety of your car and other property, follow the instructions diligently. Now, without further ado, let us get started, shall we?

1. Make sure your car is in gear and you have got your parking brakes engaged.

2. For safety reasons, unless you are in a state of emergency, get your park parked on a flat, levelled, solid surface like concrete and not grass and dirt.

3. Check out the jack points- a point on the chassis which contains the frame carrying all suspension and power components, in the undercarriage of your vehicle that is underneath the main cabin of your car- and distinguish between good and bad points.

4. For distinguishing between good and bad jack points, a preliminary inspection of your car’s undercarriage (and in case you are still confused, a quick Google Search) is sufficient- this will allow you to fix your auto hydraulic jack to a point that is designed to handle a lot of weight.

5. Once you have settled on your jack point that can jack up your whole car (or parts- rear or back) at once safely and easily, move the jack into place and lift your car steadily.

6. Once this is accomplished you can repeat the process for all the four corners of your car (or particular portions, like tires for replacement) to suspend it at the same level and work on its repairs and maintenance with ease.

Best Auto Hydraulic Floor Jacks to Use in 2024

You will realize that while using hydraulic floor jack stands become a necessity for their reliable and safe suspension. But it is an expensive investment. That is why Stan Design Inc. came up with hydraulic floor jacks that do not need stands. Check out our selection of their top auto hydraulic floor jacks.

Categories
Floor jacks Jacks Truck Jacks

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

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.
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.

Categories
Bridge Jacks Floor jacks Hydraulic Jacks Jacks

Where Can I Purchase a Quality Bridge Jack?

Workshops across North America rely on bridge jacks to service trucks, cars, EVs, and every other type of vehicle, and there’s a good reason for that.

Rolling bridge jacks:

  • Lift vehicles weighing tons at the flick of a switch.
  • They are extremely reliable and durable.
  • Bridge jacks help reduce service time drastically, meaning workshops can tend to more customers daily.

It’s the perfect tool for workshop owners and DIY car enthusiasts, and having one is a dream for many hobbyists. So, if you are looking to add this all-important tool to your armory, you might be wondering, “Where do I buy my bridge jack from?”

Where to Buy My Bridge Jack From?

Options galore when it comes to choosing the right place to buy a good quality bridge jack from StanDesign. From Walmart to online stores, you can explore several different options for a high-quality rolling bridge jack.

Here’s a short list of the places you can visit for your favorite tool:

  • You can try your local supply store or Walmart. They tend to have a variety of different equipment on sale and might turn up with the perfect bridge jack for your workshop.
  • Buying directly from a specialized equipment supplier makes sense because you get to choose from a wide range of products based on your exact requirements and budget.
  • The online marketplace bristles with sellers selling all kinds of stuff imaginable. Hence, it’s not hard to get your hands on a quality bridge jack in the online market. But make sure you are buying from bona fide sellers and not charlatans posing as one.
  • But the best way to buy a quality rolling bridge jack is directly from the manufacturer.

Why Buying Directly from the Manufacturer Makes Sense?

Nothing beats buying directly from a reputable rolling bridge jack manufacturer.

Here’s why:

  • You get the best deals on products, often better than what resellers or even wholesalers can offer.
  •  You establish a direct line of communication with the manufacturer. This means if your bridge jack starts acting up, you can directly ask the maker to address the issue and get it fixed in no time.
  • Manufacturers will often let you exchange old products with new ones at a nominal cost to sweeten the deal.

What more do you want?

The Stan Jack Advantage!

Assuming you own a lift, you already know the importance of rolling bridge jacks. A malfunctioning or leaking bridge jack is quite a headache and repairing one can be costly. Enter Stan Jacks!

  • Only the best for you! We design our products using the latest technology and the best quality materials to make them reliable and durable. Our bridge jacks last long, really long!
  • Choose between hydraulics and airbags: Lifting a loaded truck is no mean feat. That’s why bridge jacks need to be powered by precision-crafted hydraulic or pneumatic systems. Choose whichever system you think is the best fit for your garage.
  • We value safety! Stan Jacks have built-in locking mechanisms that engage at different stages of the lifting process, ensuring that your vehicle is always secure.
  • Dual Controls: We employ separate control buttons for lifting and lowering, ensuring that you are in charge of the whole process from start to finish.
  • Stackable Adapters: With so many different types of vehicles on the market, don’t you think it’s unwise to serve up a one-size-fits-all vehicle-lifting solution? We think so and that’s why Stan Jacks come with stackable adapters for all kinds of vehicle types and sizes.
  • Maneuverability is the name of the game! Stan Jacks come with roller bearing wheels for extra-smooth operation.
  • Looking good and keeping rust away are our top priorities! We know you love your workshop and want your tools to look the part. Stan Jacks come with a glossy antirust coating and galvanized components to keep rust away and look good at the same time.

Endnote:

It doesn’t matter where you buy your bridge jack from but the quality of your tool. It’s going to stay in your garage for quite a long time and see some serious use. So, it makes sense to trust manufacturers with a long history of manufacturing time-tested products. Choose wisely and put your faith in well-reviewed manufacturers.

Happy lifting!