Need more 'lift' out of my floor jack


  #1  
Old 12-07-08, 07:21 AM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 167
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Need more 'lift' out of my floor jack

I ruined my car's scissor jack, so now I use a floof jack. But the floor jack is smaller and doesn't get high enough to provide good ground clearance(sp.). I was thinking about rigging a piece of 4x4 cut at the top to fit the car body where the jack goes and then notch out the bottom to fit the jack.

Does this sound ok or is there a commercial 'adapter' I can buy to give me some more lift?
 
  #2  
Old 12-07-08, 07:47 AM
P
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,306
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'd be leery of scabbing something together for safety reasons. You could probably get another identical scissor jack from a nearby junkyard. That's what I did. Then if you have roadside trouble you're covered, instead of having to carry a floor jack and pieces of wood around.
 
  #3  
Old 12-07-08, 08:15 AM
R
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Central Indiana
Posts: 896
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
floor jack

DO NOT cobble up something. I have had them fall with approved lifting methods,your chances go way up with something like you are considering. I never worried too much about things like this till I had one drop just far enough to break two ribs,this got my attention. RW
 
  #4  
Old 12-07-08, 08:36 AM
Gunguy45's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 19,281
Received 6 Upvotes on 6 Posts
I've used blocks made of yellow pine and old, old, studs (hard as oak) that I pulled out of a 60 y/o warehouse to get another couple of inches, but those were in controlled garage conditions. Just to lift it far enuf to get the jack stands under it, at the height I needed.

This was putting it under frame members, not the little notches on the sides for the stock jack.

As always, never trust just a jack to hold 4000 lbs over your ribcage.
 
  #5  
Old 12-07-08, 02:00 PM
nightowlpunk's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Connectitax
Posts: 434
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
If you really want more ground clearance, you could do what I did. I bought a 4X4/SUV floor jack from my local auto parts store for $50 or so. It gave me about an extra six inches of clearance over the $20 floor jack meant for cars. Good luck!!
 
  #6  
Old 12-07-08, 02:06 PM
Speedwrench's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,602
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
jack the vehicle up. place on jack stands, lower jack, place heavy plywood under the jack and then jack the vehicle up enough for your needs, or I like NOP's suggestion

are you going to cowboy up or just lay there and bleed?
 
  #7  
Old 12-07-08, 09:23 PM
R
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Central Indiana
Posts: 896
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Need more lift

[.

As always, never trust just a jack to hold 4000 lbs over your ribcage.[/QUOTE]

Did I say anything about a jack?
 
  #8  
Old 12-08-08, 06:39 AM
Gunguy45's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 19,281
Received 6 Upvotes on 6 Posts
RW didn't mean that in ref to you....
Heck I've seen pictures and heard stories of the falling off hydraulic lifts too.
It was just a general statement. Sorry, if it was taken wrong.
 
  #9  
Old 12-08-08, 07:35 AM
R
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Central Indiana
Posts: 896
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
jack

I guess the main thing is to keep someone from getting killed.Recently had a guy get killed under a semi tract front axel a mile from my house. RW
 
  #10  
Old 12-10-08, 12:28 PM
nightowlpunk's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Connectitax
Posts: 434
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
In case anyone is curious my truck/SUV jack lifts from 6 to 21 inches and holds 4 tons. Overkill, yeah I know, but nice to have if I need it.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: