Jack failure

[Flinty]

After taking the first wheel off to switch to my summer tires I came out of my shop to find the attached picture; my jack blew a seal. This is the second time this has happened to me in my lifetime. I post this as a reminder to all you professionals and DIYers alike to remember to work safe. I never trust my life or limb to a jack. I does happen.



Jon

 

[JohnBoy5]

i tell people all the time to put jack stand under them. hardly ever to they listen. think i will print this off hopefully it will open their lazy eyes. sorry about your truck laying on the ground and hope it did not mess anything up. thanks for the picture. Use a jack stand for now on so this will not happen.

 

[GCroyle]

Jon,



Glad you are OK. This is a good reminder.



Take care.

 

[Flying_gage]

Thanks for posting. Hope all turned out well.

 

[Flinty]

I don't usually use a stand when swapping summer/winter tires. However, I NEVER put myself under a rig even for a second. The jack was high enough when compressed to just barley keep the ball joint grease zerk off the ground.



Thanks,



Jon

 

[seafish]

A good reminder... glad no one got hurt, including your truck.

Just wondering if that is the Harbor Freight orange paint that I see on the jack??

 

[tkerrigan]

One thing that will help to keep floor jacks from blowing seals is to store them with the handle down. With the handle up, the pump piston is exposed and gets rusty, then cuts the seal. No guarantee but helps.

 

[pullya]

That picture should make everyone of us that have crawled under a truck that was jacked up w/o stands pucker!!!!!!! Thanks for the picture and the reminder

Jay

 

[Flinty]

Been pretty busy and haven't checked in for a while. My mother-in-law (future m. i. l. , at the time) bought that jack for me in 1992. The agreement was that I would rotate the tires on her Jeep until she bought a set that had free rotations included in the warranty. At the time it was an expensive jack, made in U. S. A. Rest assured, she got her money's worth.



Jon

 

[HSpiering]

After taking the first wheel off to switch to my summer tires I came out of my shop to find the attached picture; my jack blew a seal. This is the second time this has happened to me in my lifetime. I post this as a reminder to all you professionals and DIYers alike to remember to work safe. I never trust my life or limb to a jack. I does happen.



Jon

How many ton was the jack??

 

[Dl5treez]

Glad you weren't under there. A very good reminder for all.



We just had a guy last night @ the track jack up a race car to "move a bar, should only take a couple seconds... . "



The jack slipped out and the car landed on his head and upper torso. Lucky for him the car is relatively light weight and we all could lift it off, but he went to the ER for stitches and onward for a CT scan...



It happens fast... .

 

[Flinty]

There was probably 2000 to 2250 on the jack. It was rated at 5k.





Jon

 

[GCroyle]

Jon,



Let us know if you are replacing it, what brand jack caught your eye for your needs.



I recently need to replace an old Sears made in Japan IIRC (circa 1978-79) and it was faithful to the end, just wouldn't pick up a load, no external leaks. Replaced it with a NAPA, that one slowly drifted down, NAPA replaced under warranty and that has been about 1 1/2 years, working just fine.

 

[HSpiering]

There was probably 2000 to 2250 on the jack. It was rated at 5k.





Probably really used an under rated jack. I have a 4000lb, it will not lift the front of my truck. I don't use the jack that comes with the truck either . They just don't cut it. I had a flat on a slight down hill angel and a 12000 lb would hardly lift the one side of the front end. I now carry a 24000 lb jack . So I guess the seal on the 2000 lb was really under a lot of stress. 12 ton may sound like a lot but it is stable and makes for an easy lift.

 

[Matt400]

Glad thats oil and not blood under there, excellent reminder.

 

[fmj]

Over the years we forget about some of these things. While I never get under my truck with a jack only, my offroad and hotrods are another story. Your picture just gave me chills. This is going out to a lot of friends. Thanks for the reminder of what my dad and uncles always drilled in.

 

[p-Bar]

watch all those jacks . They are all made in Tiawan and now China seals blow all the time. My dad owed 100 cherry pickers which were placed at auto parts stores he was continually replacing them think one let go on the front of of a car and messed it up. China's way of increasing the tonnage is putting a longer jack handle on it . Go figure and they are a super power???

 

[Dieselnut59]

watch all those jacks . They are all made in Tiawan and now China seals blow all the time. My dad owed 100 cherry pickers which were placed at auto parts stores he was continually replacing them think one let go on the front of of a car and messed it up. China's way of increasing the tonnage is putting a longer jack handle on it . Go figure and they are a super power???

Not true! I have had a Hein Werner jack and jack stands for several years. Made in USA and a GREAT jack for lifting our heavy trucks. You get what you pay for. I trust my jack, but will still not get under the truck without jack stands.
Hein-Werner Automotive

And this is the actual jack I have... . still made in USA!
Hein-Werner Automotive HW93652 3 Ton Service Jack