5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using a Floor Jack

We’ve all wrestled with using a floor jack at least once or twice. Whether you’re an avid car enthusiast or a first-time driver, it’s one of the tools in the garage that every vehicle owner must learn to use.

A floor jack (also called a hydraulic jack or a car jack) is a hand-operated hydraulic device used to safely lift a vehicle. It may also be used to lift components like engines, transmissions, and rear axle assemblies.

Most vehicles come with a basic tool kit that includes a lightweight bottle jack or scissor jack. While they may be useful for changing a flat tire on the side of the road, a floor jack paired with jack stands is a safer option for most vehicle repairs.

To keep your weekend repairs injury-free, here are five common mistakes you should avoid when using a floor jack.

Lifting a vehicle that exceeds the jack’s capacity

One of the first things you should check before attempting to lift a vehicle is your floor jack’s weight capacity. Ideally, the tool should comfortably lift more than three-quarters of your vehicle’s total weight.

It’s unsafe to attempt lifting a vehicle that exceeds the tool’s capacity. In some cases where the vehicle is too heavy, a built-in safety feature is triggered, and the jack won’t lift at all. The same rule applies to the jack stands. They must be properly rated for the vehicle they will be supporting.

Using a floor jack as the only vehicle support

The most common mistake is also the biggest safety hazard when lifting a vehicle. Remember that a floor jack is only meant as a lifting device. On its own, it doesn’t provide enough stability to make it safe for anyone to work underneath your vehicle.

Jack stands aren’t optional. After the jack has lifted the vehicle, the safety stands should be placed under it. After the vehicle is safely lowered onto the stands, the jack can be lifted to position as an additional safety measure. However, it shouldn’t retain any load. This way, if the jack slips or if the hydraulic ram leaks, your vehicle won’t come crashing down on you.

Improvising a jack extension

Resourcefulness is a great thing to have, but it’s not advisable to get creative modifying a floor jack rated at 5,000 lbs. to lift a 12,000 lb. truck. If your floor jack’s maximum lift doesn’t reach the chassis of your SUV or truck, don’t improvise by placing it on pieces of plywood or brick.

Any makeshift jack extension is unsafe. Always use a heavy-duty floor jack designed to match the minimum height and maximum lift required for your vehicle.

Using a jack on an incline

You should avoid working on any inclined surfaces because your car might tip over as it is being lifted. Before attempting any repairs, always double-check that your car is in “park” and that the parking brake is engaged.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

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Pro Tip: It is also important to note that as the jack raises the vehicle, the body of the jack must be able to roll on the surface it’s sitting on while the jack is being raised. So the surface supporting the jack must be flat, level, and without cracks or other obstructions that might catch the metal metal wheels and stop the body of the jack from moving away from you as you raise the vehicle.

If something stops one or more of the jack body wheels so that the body of the jack can’t move freely during the lifting phase, the cradle may shift, lose contact with the load point, and allow the vehicle to fall.

You should only jack up your vehicle on a flat section of the road remembering to block the wheels you aren’t working on with a wedge or a wheel chock just in case the brakes fail.

Ignoring designated jack points

Certain parts of your vehicle’s chassis are specifically reinforced to be safely used as designated jack points. Deviating from these areas can cause damage to weaker metal structures and cost you more in repair. Lifting your vehicle from other points also means there’s a greater chance of the jack slipping out from underneath your vehicle. The places designated as jack points for the jack that came with your vehicle are also suitable for lifting with a floor jack, so look those up.

How to Use a Floor Jack

When used correctly, a floor jack can help you create a safe and controlled environment to work on your vehicle. By keeping these things in mind, you can avoid additional costly repairs and prevent serious injury.

Check out these videos on how to use the jacks:

How to Get a Quality Replacement Floor Jack

It takes lots of effort to damage or wear out a floor jack, but even the toughest heavy-duty tool can eventually fail. If this happens, you must refrain from using the faulty tool to reduce the risk of damaging your car and get a replacement immediately. When you need a new, reliable floor jack delivered to your doorstep, visit CarParts.com.

CarParts.com makes the process of ordering a replacement floor jack simple and effortless. Enter the relevant information in our website’s built-in selector, and it will bring up the search results for the right item in our catalog of parts, accessories, and tools. Our helpful customer service team is available around the clock to answer your questions about the price and fit of our products. All our on-hand products are ready to ship from our strategically located distribution centers, ensuring that your order will arrive in several business days.

Get a high-quality floor jack that fits your budget and can safely lift your vehicle here at CarParts.com. Shop now to enjoy the best deals on floor jacks today!