Last updated on February 27th, 2021
Floor jacks are used mostly in car garages to lift cars off the floor for repair purposes and routine checks. That sounds simple enough, right? Actually, there is a lot of thought that goes into choosing the right floor jack for you.
To start with, there are two types of floor jacks. Mechanical jacks that require you to manually push the jack-up, and a hydraulic jack that automatically lifts the vehicle up without you breaking a sweat.
Ask yourself these questions; what do I need the floor jack for? Is it for a motorcycle? Do I want to keep it in the boot of my car? The floor jack you would buy for your garage will be different from the one you would keep in the boot of your car for emergency situations.
There are hundreds of mechanical and hydraulic jacks on the market for you to choose from, that only makes picking the right one for your needs very difficult indeed. The Ultimate Floor Jack Buying Guide explains all there is to know about the different floor jacks on the market and how to identify the best one for you. By the time you finish reading it, I’m sure you will know exactly what you want to buy, just as I did when I read it.
Mechanical Floor Jack Step By Step Guide
Mechanical and hydraulic floor jacks work in slightly different ways. Because of the weight they lift, making sure you are using it in the correct way is even more important than the type of floor jack you use. Here is our mechanical floor jack step by step guide;
1. Always park the vehicle on flat and even ground if you plan on lifting it up with a floor jack.
2. Make sure the space is clear and you are not in an area that will disturb passing drivers.
3. Put an automatic vehicle in parking mode and a manual vehicle in first gear with the handbrake on before proceeding any further.
4. Assemble the floor jack.
5. Turn the manual floor jack handle clockwise to lift the vehicle slowly off the ground.
6. Change the damaged wheel and proceed to lower the car back down until the wheel is touching the ground.
Do not remove the jack until the car’s weight is back on the wheel.
Hydraulic floor jack step by step guide
Hydraulic floor jacks are much simpler to operate, but must be used correctly nonetheless, follow these steps for the safest operation;
- Park the car on a flat surface, out of the way of passing vehicles. Automatic cars should be in park mode and manuals in first gear with the handbrake on.
- Place the floor jack under the jack point.
- Push the handle up and down to lift the car up.
Top Tip: Place blocks behind and in front of the car wheels to secure it in place even more.
Alain is Cartbig’s managing editor, in charge of the research, production and editing of all content.
He has a BA in Journalism from Cornell University and is passionate about photography and technology.
He loves travelling but he lacks orientation so he never leaves home without his GPS. Really.
