The operating principle of the jack
Jacks are usually referred to as mechanisms( portable, mobile or stationary), through which the lifting of cargo to a certain height. In terms of size and their device, these mechanisms are different: screw, rack, pneumatic, wedge, hydraulic, etc. That's it was the last, hydraulic version of the car jack, equipped with steel wheels, reminiscent of a small narrow cart, called a rolling jack.
Most often hydraulic jacks are used in automobile service organizations. Like stationary, rolling jacks combine in one design a special hydraulic cylinder and a piston pump with a manual lever drive.
Such designs have the following advantages: complete autonomy, high efficiency and safety of repair work. Usually the choice of a rolling jack is connected with a whole set of considerations and factors. Starting from, whether it will be used in conditions, for example, a tire fitting shop or a personal garage. Of course, such a simple, efficient and very reliable lifting device is indispensable in case of need for minor repairs, replacement of rubber, wheels, lifting and smooth lowering of the car in garage conditions. For a small tire service or a complete car service, a jack is useful for wheel replacement or repair operations.
It allows you to carry out repairs on an adjacent site or parking lot, which saves considerable time, space and labor. In addition, the variants of the design of almost all the rolling jacks allow the equipment to be equipped with removable stands and grippers, which expand their capabilities. Many models have thrust pins that increase safety in the raised state.
Parameters on which the jack
should be selected Among the parameters of interest in the first place, the lifting capacity is considered. It can be from two tons. There is a jack upright 3t, 5t and up, and there is also 750 kilograms, for motorcycles and ATVs.
Carrying capacity of two tons can be enough for a personal garage with a small car. But the owner of a more solid technique, an inveterate "jeep", you need to consider the carrying capacity of three tons. And this, if the weight of the car does not exceed the specified.
In addition to the lifting capacity, roll-up jacks( as well as other mechanisms of this function) have a certain range of lifting heights .Usually from the minimum values (80-130 mm) to the maximum( 350-800 mm).Of course, choosing the model option, you need to take into account the minimum height, given the need to place the heel of the jack under the stop in the body of the car.
The already mentioned thrust pin , inserted into a special socket, significantly increases the safety of operation in the raised state with the load. And although safety technology strictly prohibits operation without an emphasis in the rack or bracket, this requirement is often not met.
The same pin ensures that the jack does not collapse suddenly due to a malfunction of the hydraulic lifter mechanism.
The lever is longer or shorter, it can have special forms of handle, from which it becomes more convenient to work. The length of the lever of the jack lever is important. It is obvious that a jack of 3.5 tons is easier to use with a longer handle, because it is easier to lift a large and heavy car with such a lever.
At the same time, for cars that are more practical, a shorter handle. However, manufacturers have provided a variant of the collection lever handles, which have the ability to adjust the length, in accordance with the requirements of the situation.
Among the proposed jacks the weight of the models can be quite different. The lightest weigh about five to six kilograms, the next category is about twelve. But the carrying capacity and the own weight of the jacks are not directly related.
So, two-ton cargo can lift mechanisms with a weight of ten kg and fifty kg. The choice can also be greatly influenced by the manufacturer - domestic or foreign. A separate line is the jacks from Chinese manufacturers.
Tips for operating the jack
When deciding on how to choose a rolling jack, it is worth considering some features of its operation. The jacks of budgetary series often have a package in the form of plastic cases, they are not heavy and satisfy the needs of the majority of car owners.
A feature of the operation may be the need for periodic pumping of the hydraulic system. This will help prevent or reduce the risk of an arbitrary lowering of the jack under the load. Usually, instructions for use describe the sequence of actions when pumping.
In addition to the possibility of bleeding and, as a result, the lowering of the load, in winter the hydraulic fluid can freeze at all, which must be taken into account among other factors. Well, once again, it should be recalled that next to the case in the trunk should lie the simplest supporting tripod as a pledge of safety repairs.
Using a rolling jack, its complete set needs to be supplemented with a pair of rubber ring gaskets to protect the bodywork. Since the rolling jacks are equipped with steel wheels, in certain positions and on slopes the jack can be rolled, especially under load. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures that exclude such a danger: stoppipes, stops, etc.