Is a 1 ton scossor jack OK for std car?

longwalks1

Need to replace the scissor jack that came with my Audi A4, and most popular one on Amazon is 1 ton rated, would this be OK to keep in the car for emergencies? I'd imagine all cars are more than a ton these days, but would it b OK to replace the old one that is missing??

Marktheshark

Your not jacking the full car up, just the corner.

BeenThroughItAll

If the factory widowmaker is knackered, do the sensible thing and don't replace it with another scissor-jack. Buy something else, preferably a small trolley-jack, or even a bottle jack as long as it has a decent base.


Even for just an emergency wheel-change, I won't use a scissor jack. They're lethal, and not just for the users. I've seen cars dropped on their hubs by them when they collapse.

Strider590

I'd agree, they're terrible things.
Just about ok on a perfectly flat/level surface, but if that surface is even slightly off bubble, they're incredibly unstable.

I don't like bottle jacks for lifting cars, purely because the jacking point is so small (typically around 1 inch diameter) and i've seen them go clean through a floor pan. You could use a puck to spread the weight a bit though.

BUT it's not usually practical to carry a trolley jack in your car, so options are pretty limited.

davetrousers

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

I've seen cars dropped on their hubs by them when they collapse.

Put the spare or removed wheel underneath to protect the hubs just in case.

BeenThroughItAll

davetrousers wrote: »

Put the spare or removed wheel underneath to protect the hubs just in case.

Yeah, I always do. But plenty of other people don't.


And if the jack does fail, a new wheel and tyre damaged by a car falling on them will cost more than just buying a better jack to start with.


On the subject of size in boots - I agree, a trolley jack isn't necessarily for everyone, but there are plenty of smallish ones which take up no more room than the average 'pile of unnecessary crap' people keep in boots


WRT bottle jacks - I keep a 4" square and 6" square wooden block with a routed location for the bottle jack pad in the wheel well to spread the load.

Strider590

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

WRT bottle jacks - I keep a 4" square and 6" square wooden block with a routed location for the bottle jack pad in the wheel well to spread the load.

Wood splits, a hockey puck won't and only costs a few £, compared to £15+ for a proper jack pad (which is usually just cut out of a hockey puck anyway).

caprikid1

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-PAIR-RUBBER-WHEEL-CHOCKS-CAR-VAN-RACE-RALLY-HOME-DIY-GARAGE-WORKSHOP-SAFETY-/111342768332?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19ec8bd0cc


Jacking any car, these are a must.

enfield_freddy

you need a "air jack" , as shown on tomorrow's world !!!




http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/air-jack-1980s-/351420738175?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51d24eea7f

BeenThroughItAll

Strider590 wrote: »

Wood splits, a hockey puck won't and only costs a few £, compared to £15+ for a proper jack pad (which is usually just cut out of a hockey puck anyway).

Wood only splits if it's not used on a flat surface, and there's plenty of flat locations under my cars which can be used.


I have plenty of 'proper' jack pads, made specifically for certain locations on vehicles (turned and milled from Delrin blocks as and when needed) but for the occasional use likely in an emergency situation, I'm not going to leave them in the boot of the car just on the off-chance.

EdGasket

I find scissor jacks fine for changing a wheel; much better than the 'dogs back leg' widowmaker style. Just don't get underneath the car when using one and line it up with a reinforced jacking point NOT the floor pan as per an earlier post re. bottle jacks.