How To Use A Hydraulic Jack – A Complete Guidance

If you’re seeking to familiarise yourself with hydraulic jacks and how to use a hydraulic jack, don’t worry. After reading this step-by-step manual, you will understand what hydraulic jacks are, their benefits, and use these hydraulic jacks safely.

Most cars come equipped with small manual jacks called scissor jacks. While these jacks can be helpful for basic repairs, but they have some limitations. A hydraulic jack is an excellent option for more concrete repairs or maintenance work.

Hydraulic jacks are versatile, powerful tools that use pressurized hydraulic fluid to lift heavy objects. Besides vehicles, you can be widely used in various venues, including auto shops, building sites, and even homes. Before using a hydraulic jack, checking for any damages or leaks is essential. Damaged jacks can be hazardous and should not be used.

A hydraulic jack is a powerful and versatile tool that can make repairs and maintenance work more accessible. However, it’s crucial to ensure the jack is in good condition and use it safely to prevent accidents. Consider purchasing a portable hydraulic jack for added convenience and versatility.

We all know that most of the jacks which come with the cars are small manual jacks commonly known as scissor jacks. You probably need a jack for your vehicle maintenance if you are here, and a hydraulic jack is best for that purpose. It could require less effort.

You can choose the best jack for your automobile from this collection: Best American Made Floor Jacks In 2023

What Is A Hydraulic Jack?

A hydraulic jack is a device that uses hydraulic fluid to lift heavy weights like cars. The hydraulic jack works on Pascal’s principle. Fluid in the hydraulic jack is incompressible. Currently, we have different types of fluid used in hydraulics, but mainly we categorize them into three, namely;

Water-based Fluid

One of the fluids used in hydraulic jacks is a water-based fluid that is highly resistant to fire.

Synthetic Fluid

The second one is the synthetic fluid that is toxic and tends to be a bit expensive.

Petroleum-based Fluid

Another type is petroleum-based fluids that are more versatile. You can increase their efficiency by adding a lot of things to them.

Also Read: How To Fill A Floor Jack?

The hydraulic jacks use the power of pressurized fluid. As fluid is incompressible, when a small amount of pressure is applied in the hydraulic jack with the help of a lever, it magnifies that pressure.

Hydraulic jacks are either made of aluminum or steel and due to hydraulic fluid and cylinder, these jacks have high lifting capacity.

How To Use A Hydraulic Jack? Safety Precautions

When you are going to use a jack, then first you should take some safety precautions such as;

You must ensure that the car is in first gear, and don’t forget to use the hand brake.
Don’t go underneath the vehicle unless it is not supported by the car jack only.
Go for good quality jack stands like Torin T83006 Jack or Arcan (ALJ3T / A20018).
Jack up your car on the flat, hard and level ground.
Block the wheels before you do any maintenance to stop the wheel from rolling.
Quality of the hydraulic jack matters; get one with excellent quality.
Heavier jacks are more stable than lighter Jacks.
Give a visual inspection to the car jack to detect any damage.
Don’t use a leaked jack, you’ll not get much efficiency.

Step By Step Explanation On How To Use A Hydraulic Jack

1st Step

After going through all the safety precautions, the first thing you need to do is to locate the correct jack point. The use of appropriate jack points will not damage your vehicle, and the jack will hold the weight of the car off the ground while you are working underneath.

Almost all the cars have jack points. The jack points are that area in the vehicle frame designed to handle the pressure of holding the car’s weight off the ground surface while jacking. If you can’t find jack points, you can take help from the internet or the instructions manual.

Ensure that you are using the correct jack points to prevent the jack from slipping off and the car falling on you.

2nd Step

After finding the jack points, the next thing you need to do is to bring the jack and fit it underneath the jack points. Then to lift the vehicle to the height you need, start pumping the handle up and down in even strokes.

Keep in mind that hydraulic jacks require less effort and little force, so be aware of how much high you want to raise your car. Pump the jack till the vehicle is raised enough to fit the jack stands, and the car settles on it.

3rd Step

Place the jack stands close to the car jack underneath the vehicle in this step. Now gently lower your hydraulic jack till the car settles on the jack stands. If you drop the jack too fast, it might damage your vehicle or cause serious injury.

4th Step

Now, shake the vehicle a little bit to know whether the jack stands hold the car or not. After completing your job, use the hydraulic jack again, raise your vehicle enough to remove the jack stands. When done, slowly lower the vehicle back to the ground.

Congrats! You have done your work successfully.

Conclusion

To cut the story short! We are sure you have learned how to use a hydraulic jack and work on hydraulic jacks. If you are unfamiliar with hydraulic jacks, learning how to use them is often the most common question regarding their usage. Hydraulic jacks are heavy object-handling tools that utilize force multiplication to lift or move heavy loads.

However, following the proper steps to lift your vehicle safely and avoid accidents is paramount. Always remember that safety is crucial when using a hydraulic jack. Therefore, you should ensure that you never get under your vehicle while it’s lifted and always use jack stands.