Air Bottle Jack

[Mounty]

Need a new bottle jack, probably 20t capacity. Looking at an air version. Does anyone recommend them? Never seen one up close so just wondered what they're like. Do you have a nice control over it?

 

[Steevo]

Local tyre company have some that they use a lot. They are pretty nifty things and very handy. Probably double the size/weight of a normal bottle jack though.

They have their place. I think I’d want one of each.

 

[Si85]

If I’m near an air source will always use air jack over normal manual jack. Control is very good. I originally bought mine because I could not lift one corner of a Quadtrac with a 20ton manual jack it was just too hard to pump. Bought 20ton air bottle jack did it with ease. If mine ever breaks I’ll replace it straight away it’s that good.

 

[Steevo]

Agreed. Air jacks are ideal for the workshop. They need quite a bit of air - you won’t run it for long on a small 25l compressor. It will, but drains air really quickly and takes a minute or so to build back up.

Control is easy - they don’t go up very quickly.

The springs are handy too as they pull the jack right down without needing gravity. I always find I have to kick the bottle jack out from under the axle as it gets a bit stuck.

@Si85 - I solved the issue of being unable to lift heavy loads with a 20t manual bottle jack by buying a 1m solid bar handle. Huge improvement on the standard two pieces of tube when lifting heavy weights.

 

[Si85]

also a lot safer, (I know jacks should be placed securely) but sometimes finding nice flat bit to push on is difficult on some machines, at least you can lift it without having to be 1. Under the load and 2. Within a few meters of jack incase it slips and flies at you

 

[Mounty]

Sounds good @Si85 Good point you make about not needing to lie under the machine when jacking. What make have you got?

 

[Zebbedee]

Sounds good @Si85 Good point you make about not needing to lie under the machine when jacking. What make have you got?

Yea air bottle jack is good along with wheel changer makes the wheel changing job safe as you don’t have to be under the vehicle although you do have to go under to let jack down but wheel is back on by then.

 

[Steevo]

Yea air bottle jack is good along with wheel changer makes the wheel changing job safe as you don’t have to be under the vehicle although you do have to go under to let jack down but wheel is back on by then.

Good point that. I do wish jack manufacturers would change from that silly twist valve to drop the jack and make something a bit easier to do from a distance.

My old jack had a handle you pumped to lift it, then pulled it slightly out (1cm or so) so a lump of metal passed a "rest stop" and then it can drop further.

It's ideal when the handle is 1m long or so.

 

[Zebbedee]

I,m guessing that’s an old jack you have there we used to have one like that too handle was flat bar and Jack was a substantial green thing ????

 

[Steevo]

I,m guessing that’s an old jack you have there we used to have one like that too handle was flat bar and Jack was a substantial green thing ????

That's the type of thing - yes, flat bar handle. Sadly only lifts 5t.

My man in a van has one that's green IIRC. Mine has never had a colour as long as I've known it.

 

[Andrew]

I brought one of these years ago, still going strong. Don’t even know where the old manual one is. Runs fine off the air brakes too, and plenty of control. They have a manual pump as well if you really wanted.

20t air bottle jack - Google Shopping

www.google.co.uk

Edit: we brought a big high lift air jack, basically a truck air spring in a metal barrel, to do sprayer wheels. This is the jack of preference now.

 

[Mounty]

I brought one of these years ago, still going strong. Don’t even know where the old manual one is. Runs fine off the air brakes too, and plenty of control. They have a manual pump as well if you really wanted.

20t air bottle jack - Google Shopping

www.google.co.uk

Edit: we brought a big high lift air jack, basically a truck air spring in a metal barrel, to do sprayer wheels. This is the jack of preference now.

I can see the benefit of these big high lift ones as we have to block up a fair bit to use a bottle jack due to height of axles. The ones I've seen are around the £2k mark though? Which one did you go for?

 

[David.]

Was watching tyre fitter the other day and his air jack was doing it's best to walk off the wooden block it was standing on as it pulsated. Good job he was utilising the whole expanse of the lower link stabliser bracket to lift with .

 

[Andrew]

I can see the benefit of these big high lift ones as we have to block up a fair bit to use a bottle jack due to height of axles. The ones I've seen are around the £2k mark though? Which one did you go for?

Think it was about £800 IIRC. The Spaldings one, similar to this.

https://graytools.co.uk/tajs-3000-air-jack-stand/

 

[Mounty]

Glad I asked, not come across anything like that. Looks perfect, all the others were maxed out on height but this ones got loads to play with.