Learn Different Types of Floor Jacks
Most people set out to buy a floor jack without gathering important information about the jack they need. It is not just about your personal preferences but also about the kind of car that you want to use the jack on. If you have just one vehicle, it is easy to check the weight and distance between the car and the ground to find a jack that will suit your needs. However, if you want to get a jack that will be used on different vehicles or for different purposes, you will need to consider getting one that is versatile and that can cater to all these demands. The types of jacks that you can buy include:
Bottle Jack
This floor jack is also known as the piston jack. At a glance, it actually looks like a bottle as it has concentric cylinders that use hydraulic mechanism to raise a vehicle. The piston jack is preferred for use on trucks and heavy duty vehicles because the distance between these automobiles and the ground is large. The piston jack cannot compress as low as the scissor or hydraulic jack and thus cannot fit underneath lower vehicles. It can also support a lot of weight which makes it suitable for use with these bigger and heavier vehicles.
Scissor Jacks
Scissor jacks are the most common types of floor jacks. They are available with the purchase of every vehicle and have been used for a very long time. These jacks have screws that compress the scissor mechanism, allowing the jack to raise a vehicle. Unfortunately, you need to employ a considerable amount of effort to carry out this process. These jacks are light in comparison to the other two jacks and are therefore preferred when it comes to having a jack in the trunk of your car. They will come in handy during those minor roadside emergencies. One limitation that the jacks have is that they cannot raise vehicles very high. This makes them suitable for tire changes and other minor procedures only.
Hydraulic Jacks
Hydraulic jacks are the most preferred floor jacks in the market. They are versatile and can be used by both amateurs and professionals. One of the reasons why this is possible is due to the fact that the hydraulic jacks do not require a lot of effort to use. They are also pretty straightforward in their working. There is usually a detachable lever which you fix on the jack and pump to create pressure and raise the jack. Once the release valve is closed, the hydraulic fluid flows alternately between two cylinders, thus creating the pressure that is required to raise the vehicle. Hydraulic jacks have the highest height capacity and a considerable weight capacity as well. They also compress to very low heights. A combination of these factors makes them suitable for use in a wide range of vehicles. They can even be used to raise other things such as floorboards as you renovate or replace your aged, slanting or sagging floorboards.