MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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So I'm guessing I need to change/top up the hydraulic fluid? What is hydraulic fluid? I've got some dirt cheap thick as mince engine oil taking up space. Would some of that do the job?
No, not engine oil. Automatic transmission fluid or power steering fluid would be my first guess.
I would assume some form of DOT fluid, a la bike brakes. In which case you'll have to match it up with what's already in there (off the top of my head I think you can mix DOT4 with DOT5.1, but cannot mix DOT5). If it's not stamped on the jack anywhere you'll need to google it.
Huh, yeah got a couple of bottles of old brake fluid. Black plastic bottle with red top. Could always just replace it all. Can't see that ever being used for anything either.
Cheers.
So what to do with a random 5L of cheap Wilko engine oil? Seems a waste to bin it. It's like 50w or something so too thick even for my un-fussy old car. No idea where it came from, it's been in the shed for ages.
You can buy jack oil in most motor factors. Don't use engine oil or DOT4. You can get away with other hydraulic oil, eg old fork oil. Vegetable oil actually works ok.
I would assume some form of DOT fluid, a la bike brakes
Mineral oil brake fluid (DOT5) would probably do at a pinch but anything glycol based would be a very bad idea. As thols2 hasit, ATF or similar would be my pick.
As nickjb says, the correct oil (usually labelled Jack Oil) is readily available, and not dear, so why use anything else? Also change it all, there's not much of it anyway, as you don't know what was in there before. Any other stuff might be ok, but on the other hand it might eat the seals...
Like a polar bear?
It’s a jack, so will presumably be used for lifting heavy things. I’d use the proper stuff - as said above it’s available and not expensive. Most other oils would probably do the job, but it could be a very painful way to test it. I’d imagine brake fluid definitely wouldn’t work, and would probably knacker the seals..
Edit - a fiver from Halfrauds, and your children will probably inherit it 😀
Aye, I'll get some proper stuff. Just trying to re-use and not waste (can't be arsed to go to shop).
The seals are probably gone anyway. It's a dirty old oily jack of unknown provenance. Prob why it's not working very well, oil has leaked out.
Like a polar bear?
First class.
My last one done that and I just bought a new jack, (Although I had the old one for years and it was only a 1.5 tonne one so got a 3 tonner as I had a van as well but it was only about £50) The jack shouldn't really go spongey so maybe a seal is away
You need a seal kit. Shouldn’t go spongy. My jack is about 20 years old and not spongy, well wasn’t about 18 months ago the last time I used it. My dads jack os probably 40!years old. He had to replace seals once. It’s a jack. Don’t mess about. You can get a seal kit and it’s dead easy to replace. And use proper jack oil.
Spongy means it's got air in it.
Most jacks weep oil. They ideally shouldn't, but they do.
For a jack, ISO 36-68 hydraulic oil or any light(ish) engine oil (something 5w30 to 15w40) will work. Too thick and it'll likely be very slow to drop and draw air in when jacking up, especially when cold. Too thin, and it'll leak out faster.
Jack oil, is just hydraulic oil, but you know, people are convinced using the 'wrong' oil will result in death, so you can charge more for a tin that says 'jack' oil.
And for those paranoid about messing with a jack, maybe consider the fact you should always be prepared for a jack failing.
Injuries/deaths by failing jacks are not uncommon, but you'll struggle to find any incidents that don't involve people thinking the jack alone will hold a vehicle up. But there are also plenty incidents involving people who do daft things that result in vehicles rolling of axle stands.
people are convinced using the ‘wrong’ oil will result in death, so you can charge more for a tin that says ‘jack’ oil.
Yeah, but jack oil is cheap. You don't need much of it. The seal kits are not expensive either. If you can't be bothered maintaining it then that means you're not qualified to use it. Would you put jack oil in your car brake system? Hardly something that is difficult, expensive or onerous to maintain. Just do it properly. Just as easy to go out an buy the proper stuff than the incorrect stuff. Yes always use axel stands etc, but a jack failing as you're jacking it up can still do some damage if you're unlucky...eg. if you already have one or more corners on axel stands and the jack fails as you're jacking up another corner and the car twists and topple off the axel stand. Worse case you injure yourself. Best case you cause alot of expensive damage to your car...far more expensive than a seal kit and a few CL of proper jack oil. Either way you come off looking like a proper chump.
I personally know of a person who died as a result of a jack collapsing. Don't know the particulars, in all likelihood it was him taking shortcuts and being lazy, but a silly and tragic death all the same. First rule of any workshop is to maintain proper procedures and maintenance of tools.
I'm just going to buy a new one and relegate this to a spare. It's ok until the very top of it's travel then gets all spongey. Plus it seems to take a lot of bloody pumping to get it not far up at all...flou flou... I hadn't noticed until I bought new, bigger axle stands. Can't get the car high enough to use them. So new, higher jack, probably pick up some oil whilst I'm at it. So thanks.
Plus it seems to take a lot of bloody pumping to get it not far up at all
Mine was like that. I just put more oil in it and it's fine now.
@wobbliscott I hope that chump comment wasn't aimed at me.
As I said, 'Jack' oil is just hydraulic oil. Engine oil will work, and I've seen jack manuals that actually recommend engine oil, and some that even say ATF. So 'Jack' oil would actually be against some manufacturer's recommendations.
The key thing is, a jack is a basic hydraulic device. It just needs some form of uncompressible fluid that'll avoid corrosion, and not destroy seals. You could put water in a jack, and it'll still function, but not likely last very wrong.
And if you want to play the whole I know somebody, I know somebody who found their dad crushed to death under a car after the jack failed.
I also seen the internal accident report from somebody who got knocked out and his teeth smashed by the jack handle, after an internal valve failed, causing the handle to fly up when jacking up a lorry.
So as I said in my previous post, always be prepared for a jack to fail.
The seal kits are not expensive either. If you can’t be bothered maintaining it then that means you’re not qualified to use it.
And on this bit. You better tell my employer that since it's against company policy for me to maintain workshop lifting equipment, I'm not allowed to use it. 😉
Is this a euphemism ?.
Down to old age, bound to go spongy. Lost its solidness.
The key thing is
The key thing is that you need to identify what's in there already and then add a bit more of it.
Or take out what's in there already and fill it full of something. Jack oil/engine oil/automatic transmission fluid/hydraulic cyder vinegar.
Scrap the jack and buy some Fleetwood Mac.
Or drain, refill with new oil and bleed. Spongey = air in the oil.
The key thing is that you need to identify what’s in there already and then add a bit more of it.
That is valid, but I personally wouldn't worry too much as long as it's oil. All the oils I've mentioned will mix.
However, if the jack is cheap and of Chinese origin, there is potential for them to be blocked up with grease. I think certain factories coat all the internals with an excessive amount of assembly grease, which the oil softens, allowing the grease to wash off and settle.
I know the coil spring compressor I bought, I had to spend a couple hours dismantling and flushing sludge out off to get it to pump correctly. And I've seen other cheap hydraulic stuff with a similar greasy sludge in it, but it's never affected the operation.
@wobbliscott I hope that chump comment wasn’t aimed at me.
No not directed at anyone specific, just the generic issue of falling foul of something when you've not done the proper thing. Just trying to reinforce that cutting corners on something so cheap and easy is silly especially when you consider the possible consequences.
Its clear to me the jack needs a proper service. A few quid seal kit, a few quid on fresh oil 20 - 30 mins job done and jack retuned to as new operation.
No point in toping the oil up because what's already in there is contaminated and will not be behaving like hydraulic oil even when mixed with fresh oil, and the root cause of the issue has not been addressed - the knackered seals.
Jacks shouldn't be spongy. Ever.
People on about death. You shouldn't really be getting under a vehicle held up only by a jack. The jack should be for raising and lowering and while working the vehicle held on stands blocks other stuff that doesn't fail in the way a jack can.
These here jack seal kits. How do you know what to buy? And where from? My jack is at least 25 years old and I can't remember where I bought it or what make.
These here jack seal kits. How do you know what to buy? And where from?
If You don't know then you shouldn't be allowed to use the jack.
People on about death. You shouldn’t really be getting under a vehicle held up only by a jack. The jack should be for raising and lowering and while working the vehicle held on stands blocks other stuff that doesn’t fail in the way a jack can.
This also.
Whenever I change a wheel I always pop it under the sideskirt, just in case.
And not sure how decent a jack it is, but I bought one of these a few years ago to replace the standard cheapo one - lovely bit of kit.
Scrap the jack and buy some Fleetwood Mac.
Those SGS jacks are good, I have the low profile one as well (it jacks higher than standard) but doesn't have a central pin so can't fit a lifting beam adaptor, only the 3 ton ones do that. The swivelling pumping handle is very handy though.
People on about death. You shouldn’t really be getting under a vehicle held up only by a jack.
+1
If someone is killed by a jack failing, it wasn't the jack that failed it was their common sense...
I’m so paranoid about this now that I don’t even trust axle stands any more! I’ve got some half sleepers and if I need to go under I tend to lob a couple of those under the chassis rails as back up.
My problem with stands is I often find it difficult to find a spot to fit them that I’m completely happy with. This is especially the case at the rear of my T6.
I have got some SGS stands though and they seem very good quality.