Aluminium trolley jack?

[8ob]

I bought an ali trolley jack from Costco about three years ago for about £120, looks very similar the Sealey. No issues with it and that's been used in the yard on uneven ground lifting things like transits. Still good, surprised me because I wasn't expecting much from it.

Bob

 

[hotponyshoes]

Can’t find a better one but the orange thing pulls out and down.

Strap the Jack to it and it lifts up and in.

I think it’s got some sort of cantilevered thing to make the lifting part easier.

View attachment 393372

I've taken these things out of rac vans before.
It's basically a drawer, it's held in place horizontally until it's pulled 90% of the way out then it drops down like a ramp.
You push the jack up it, strap it in place, lift to horizontal then push it back in.
They have a stop/hump at the 90% mark that you have to lift the draw slightly to overcome. Probably to stop you pulling it straight out and it dropping down without warning.
Don't think I ever kept a complete one but I'm pretty sure I've got the runners from them if you want me to have a look?

The current aa vans have a slightly fancier version with a couple of blocks operated by a foot pedal that hold the back end of the jack once it's up the ramp. Saves you bending down to do a strap up.
They also have a strap for lifting, again, so your not bent down so far.

A simpler diy version would just be a ramp fixed to a hinge on the inner end. Wheel the jack up the ramp into a box then fold up the ramp to close the open end of the box.
Or just make a small ramp that locates into the door catches and store it on a hanger on the side wall or back door.

 

[Agroshield]

the bathroom scales are glass, that wont end up well putting a trolley jack on them!

Stand on scales. Read number. Step off scales. Hold jack in arms. Stand back on scales. Read number. Subtract.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Thanks for the answers, but I do not need to lift it in more than a few times a year as most of my use would be at home. I dont want a ramp or contraption for lifting it in. Unfortunatly I dont have any scales (the bathroom scales are glass, that wont end up well putting a trolley jack on them!) to weigh my jack but its all 6mm plate!

I was really asking about if the ally ones are reasonable quality and are as good as they sound. Seems like mixed opinions on them.

You'll save about 20% weight with an Alloy vs steel jack.

Facom DL.25AL 2.5 Tonne Aluminium Trolley Jack

Capacity 2.5 Ton Twin piston pump Max height 459mm Min height 100mm Side handle for easy handling Weight 26 Kg (Approx.…

www.primetools.co.uk

On offer, check the warranty on it, I think you get 5yrs on the steel ones?

 

[Ton-up]

Stand on scales. Read number. Step off scales. Hold jack in arms. Stand back on scales. Read number. Subtract.

I have real trouble getting it into my van floor. **** lifting it in my arms . Prob bust the scales too…….

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Like @8ob I have the Costco one which was c £89 when I bought it. I'm now finding it on the heavy side when carrying it from the shed to the kerbside - so I put it on a sack barrow now.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Pretty sure mine is 1.25 or 1.5...whatever it is it's more than capable of lifting my XC70 which is the heaviest car I'll use it for.

What I like is I can pick it up with 1 hand (the jack that is)...if I'm working on the street it's the jack I use.

My 3ton lives in the garage...I only ever wheel is around...lifting it would likely put my back out!

 

[Ton-up]

Right, in the best traditions of the forum I've weighed the Bluepoint jack...




I have a 50kg fishing/suitcase scale I hang from the garage roof, so -
Two lengths of 3x2 on a centre pivot, trolley jack on one end. One bag of sand, half a bucket of sand, tin of old screws and a couple of weights for fine tuning and the jack weighs approx 41 kg!!
The handle weighs another 3kg alone.

As I said its a heavy bugger....

This is the jack -

 

[hotponyshoes]

Right, in the best traditions of the forum I've weighed the Bluepoint jack...

View attachment 393403


I have a 50kg fishing/suitcase scale I hang from the garage roof, so -
Two lengths of 3x2 on a centre pivot, trolley jack on one end. One bag of sand, half a bucket of sand, tin of old screws and a couple of weights for fine tuning and the jack weighs approx 41 kg!!
The handle weighs another 3kg alone.

As I said its a heavy bugger....

This is the jack -
View attachment 393404

Well, you are already half way to making up some sort of catapult arrangement for loading it now...

 

[Trevorleach]

I have an alloy 2 or 2.5 t one, it is okay and I have had it for soemthing like 10 years, but I always consider it a biut of a toy, and it does like to twist if the ground is the slightest bit uneven.
Plus all the bolts have come loose more than once, the lift plunger likes to stick down every now and then, it is also still bloody heavy.

 

[Keithmac]

I have a Clarke Racing 2T aluminium jack and it's ok (probably 20 years old or more now).

My steel Snap-on 2 ton jack is significantly heavier but built like a brick sh1thouse!.

 

[cheb]

I had been wondering the same thing as my 2.5T jack is a back breaking weight. Then spoke to a mate who's been running a T2, 4,5&6 spannering business for years, he's tried them broken them & reverted to proper steel ones.
I can barely lift my tool box but that can be split into 2 or 3. I'm not sure what the answer is, maybe the solution depends upon frequency? & Set up of your van. If it's something you have to lift in& out many times daily then it's worth putting £ towards the solution. If you only put it in the van occasionally then a ply ramp would. Get it in without too much effort.
The solutions could be:
- buy an ali jack & be prepared to buy again.
- One of the little cranes used for wheelchairs, usually into the boot of a car. This has the advantage of helping with other heavy loads.
- Ramps of some variety
- borrow Sven when ISIHAC is not recording - I'm sure he'd be happy to push it in for you

I'd rather borrow Samantha and have her help me get it up.

Possibly foolish question: If you are lifting one end of a 2 tonne van why do you need a 2.5 tonne jack? You're only lifting part of the van, not all of it? There's no safety margin needed as you shouldn't be working under it until it's properly supported. I've never used anything bigger than a 2 tonne jack under any my vans when at home. That doesn't mean I'm right or wrong, but I'd like to know.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I'd rather borrow Samantha and have her help me get it up.

Possibly foolish question: If you are lifting one end of a 2 tonne van why do you need a 2.5 tonne jack? You're only lifting part of the van, not all of it? There's no safety margin needed as you shouldn't be working under it until it's properly supported. I've never used anything bigger than a 2 tonne jack under any my vans when at home. That doesn't mean I'm right or wrong, but I'd like to know.

It's a lot less effort on the handle when using a bigger/overrated jack.

I'd guess if a seal pops they'll all come down at the same speed so bigger won't be safer

 

[Turbo]

Right, in the best traditions of the forum I've weighed the Bluepoint jack...

View attachment 393403


I have a 50kg fishing/suitcase scale I hang from the garage roof, so -
Two lengths of 3x2 on a centre pivot, trolley jack on one end. One bag of sand, half a bucket of sand, tin of old screws and a couple of weights for fine tuning and the jack weighs approx 41 kg!!
The handle weighs another 3kg alone.

As I said its a heavy bugger....

This is the jack -
View attachment 393404

I have a sealey version of that jack, now I know why my back aches if I have to lift it! Never would have guessed 41 kg!

 

[PhillipM]

Don't get the SGS ones, they're crap and so is the support, I bought a pair and I may as well have just burned the money, they creep, they don't pump up at all sometimes, one of them randomly drops halfway through a stroke, they went back to be fixed and came back the same but with the wrong handles fitted so now they jam up undoing them too...I've heard nothing but issues from everyone that had one. They're just box shifters mainly outside of their main gas strut business.

 

[TEO]

Don't get the SGS ones, they're crap and so is the support, I bought a pair and I may as well have just burned the money, they creep, they don't pump up at all sometimes, one of them randomly drops halfway through a stroke, they went back to be fixed and came back the same but with the wrong handles fitted so now they jam up undoing them too...I've heard nothing but issues from everyone that had one. They're just box shifters mainly outside of their main gas strut business.

Totally agree

 

[steveo3002]

I bought an ali trolley jack from Costco about three years ago for about £120, looks very similar the Sealey. No issues with it and that's been used in the yard on uneven ground lifting things like transits. Still good, surprised me because I wasn't expecting much from it.

Bob

i was going to suggest costco , i also had one before covid was just over 100 iirc , gifted it to some mates and its had hard use with no bother , was instore only so no idea if they still get them

for the ones linked and i guess costco theyre all overseas imports with different labels etc....id get whatever is cheapest and suits you best , im not sure a roller front wheel would be that ideal for me

 

[8ob]

i was going to suggest costco , i also had one before covid was just over 100 iirc , gifted it to some mates and its had hard use with no bother , was instore only so no idea if they still get them

for the ones linked and i guess costco theyre all overseas imports with different labels etc....id get whatever is cheapest and suits you best , im not sure a roller front wheel would be that ideal for me

Seem to be available online, bit of a price hike since I bought mine. https://www.costco.co.uk/Tyres-Auto...le-Stands/Hilka-25-Tonne-Racing-Jack/p/390854

Bob

 

[ajlelectronics]

Don't get the SGS ones, they're crap and so is the support, I bought a pair and I may as well have just burned the money, they creep, they don't pump up at all sometimes, one of them randomly drops halfway through a stroke, they went back to be fixed and came back the same but with the wrong handles fitted so now they jam up undoing them too...I've heard nothing but issues from everyone that had one. They're just box shifters mainly outside of their main gas strut business.

I bought a transmission jack from them which didn't work. That ended up as a Section 75 because they were just not interested.

 

[steveo3002]

Seem to be available online, bit of a price hike since I bought mine. https://www.costco.co.uk/Tyres-Auto...le-Stands/Hilka-25-Tonne-Racing-Jack/p/390854

Bob

this is the one i had . old link says £77 lol