How to Properly Maintenance Your Floor Jack Step By Step Guide

When you buy a new floor jack, it should be able to serve your needs for a very long time. However, the lifespan of the floor jack, solely depends on the maintenance. With proper care, you can actually extend the lifetime of your jack, irrespective of the wear and tear issues. Surprisingly, maintaining your jack is very easy and you would need to be an expert to do it. The other advantage is the fact that it is only required to be done 2 to 3 times in a year.

If you are a busy person, you still can manage to maintain the floor jack properly. The basic maintenance procedures will take about 3 minutes and you will be good to go. If you are a new car owner and have just acquired a floor jack, we will share some easy tips that you can floor so as to maintain your floor jack properly.

How to Properly Maintenance Your Floor Jack

Easiest Way to maintain your floor jack

✓ Frequent Inspections:

While we mentioned that the maintenance of a floor jack ought to be carried out 2 to 3 times in a year, you should inspect it, every time when you have a chance to. Before trying to lift your vehicle using the floor jack, you should check to see if everything is in place. Checking there are any cracks on the frame and if all he nuts and bolts are secure and tight.

You should also check if there is any leakage of the hydraulic fluid. If during the inspection, you notice any unusual issue, it is advisable to consult an expert. You should not attempt any repairs, even if it appears to be easy and straightforward. You can only fix it if you are certain about the procedure.

✓ Keep it Clean:

Your floor jack is lubricated using grease due to the fact that grease is solid and does not spill, like oil. Unfortunately, grease seems to attract a lot of dust and dirt and as such, you should make it a habit to clean your jack. You will just need to use a piece of cloth to wipe it down immediately you finish using it. This will prevent dust build up and will make the floor jack ready for use.

✓ Use Grease to Lubricate Moving Parts:

The floor jack depends on the movements to perform its functions. As such, you should ensure that all the moving parts are lubricated. Most people use oil as a lubricant and this is not effective. Oil does not flow and will stagnate in one place, but when you apply grease on the moving parts, it keeps spreading to the other parts and this enhances the overall performance. You should apply grease to all the moving parts, right after washing the floor jack.

✓ Change the Hydraulic Oil:

Another essential tip in making sure that your floor jack is maintained properly is by ensuring that the oil is replaced frequently. When replacing the oil, you should be keen to note that exact level of the oil so as to avoid potential damage to the floor jack.

For more in-depth information about “How to Refill Hydraulic Oil in a Floor Jack” Highly Recommend This articles 

✓ Bleed the Cylinder:

Bleeding the cylinder should restore the lifting capabilities of your floor jack. The cylinder should be bled continuously so as to enhance the overall performance of the floor jack. One of the main indicators that the cylinder needs bleeding is when the jack seems to strain in lifting and supporting loads.

✓ Proper Storage:

Storage is a critical element of proper maintenance of the floor jack. You should always ensure that the floor jack is wiped down and clean before storing it. Release all the pressure in the cylinder as this will alleviate the stress on the system. When storing your floor jack, you should always ensure that it is in the upright position. This will prevent the hydraulic oil from leaking.

Essential Considerations for Floor Jack Maintenance:

Proper maintenance of the floor jack will be the main determinant of its longevity and durability. There are a number of critical factors that should be considered in maintaining the floor jack:

Safeguarding the Cylinder from Water:

You should make every effort to ensure that water does not get into the system and mix with oil. In the unfortunate event that the water mixes with oil the floor jack tends to become useless as far as the lifting capacity goes. You should protect the floor jack at all times and ensure that water does not get into the system.

✓ Maintenance Timetable:

Create and stick to a maintenance timetable. This will serve as a reminder of cleaning and lubricating the floor jack. When you have a schedule that you are sticking to, the dust and dirt will not build up and this will help keep your floor jack in the best condition. When you have random cleanup schedules, they do no help very much, since you cannot keep track and you may realize that you have skipped the maintenance when it is too late. Once the floor jack is cleaned, you should store it in a cool dry place.

✓  The Cost of Maintenance Products:

Some of the common items that are required for proper maintenance include grease and hydraulic oil. Once you purchase your floor jack, it would be advisable to find out from the store which oil and grease would serve your needs, without compromising the quality of the performance. Do not use low-quality products since they may end up destroying the overall functionality of the floor jack.

Proper maintenance is not rocket science and everyone can do it. With the tips provided above, you will extend the lifespan of the floor jack. You might have a very expensive floor jack, but the key making it last for a very long time is through maintenance. You should always check to ensure that the floor jack is shielded from the dust and dirt. The maintenance process of floor jacks is pretty easy, but most people do not perform it. If you ignore your floor jack, then you will be forced to buy another one after a short while.