Often car enthusiasts ask for advice on which jack to choose. It’s enough to read any forum on the subject and you’ll see that there are as many people as there are opinions. And everyone insists on his/her own opinion, arguing that he/she uses a device which he/she recommends. As a result, a person, who asked for advice, finally gets confused and does not know who to listen to and what jack for a jeep to choose. It is better to understand all subtleties yourself in order to avoid such a situation. After all, who knows about its features and operating conditions better than the owner of the car? In fact, the algorithm of choice is quite simple. So, let’s begin!

Step 1: Determine the Lifting Capacity

Each jack is designed to lift a certain weight and has a maximum allowable weight, which should not be exceeded. Failure to do so may result in damage to the lifting mechanism itself or damage to the car – the device simply cannot take the strain. Therefore, when buying the best jacks for lifted jeeps, you should consider the weight of the vehicle you will be lifting. It is necessary to take not the curb weight, but the estimated actual weight, taking into account the loads carried in the boot or the body (fire extinguisher, spare wheel, etc.).

Selection of Jack for The Jeep

Car enthusiasts may be advised to take a rhombic jack with a small reserve in terms of load capacity. For example, for a sedan weighing 1.2 tonnes, a model with a maximum weight value of 1.5-2 tonnes will be sufficient. It is not necessary to take the too “powerful” device, because its purchase will be more expensive, and you will hardly have to use it to its full capacity.

How to Choose A Jack for an SUV

Car-care center employees have to deal with different car weights, so it is better to choose a jack that will help to serve both small cars weighing up to 1 ton and SUVs weighing over 2.5 tons. Generally, devices with lifting capacities of 3 to 8 tonnes are used in the professional sector.

Choosing the Jack for Your Truck

Truck and van drivers require a jack with a lifting capacity of 15 to 30 tonnes.  The weight of the vehicle and its lifting capacity must be taken into consideration since it may be necessary to jack up the vehicle when it is loaded.

It is important to remember that choosing the correct capacity is the most important consideration when purchasing a jack. After all, the efficiency and safety of lifting the car depend on it in the future. Now on to the other, no less important, characteristics.

Step 2: Selecting the Maximum Lifting Height

This is the height from the ground (or fulcrum) to which the jack can lift the load. Most models have between 300 and 500 mm. That is high enough to remove a car wheel or access a handbrake cable. Rack jacks, or as they are also called high jacks, are capable of lifting the vehicle to a height of more than 1 meter off the ground. However, the use of such mechanisms will only be rational in a narrow range of applications, such as off-road driving where you need to lift an off-road vehicle that is stuck in the mud, or in construction where you need to lift heavy structures.

Step 3: Consider Jack Lift Height

This refers to the distance from the ground to the bottom of the vehicle from which the lift is performed. Different jacks have a jacking height between 60 mm and 250 mm. You should make your choice based on your vehicle’s ground clearance, or ground clearance, as most car enthusiasts call it. This is the distance from the wheel support point to the lowest point of the vehicle’s centreline. In this case, the owners of SUVs and vehicles with increased ground clearance will find it easiest, as almost any type of device (bottle, slatted, diamond-shaped) will do. Vehicles with a ground clearance of less than 150 mm have more difficulties in selecting the right jack. Usually, preference is given to rolling models or screw-type jacks as their design allows for a jacking height of 60 to 90 mm, but the smallest pick-up height is with the hitch-type jacks at 20-30 mm. Also, models with low lifting height are great for lifting a car that is deep in the mud.

Good to know! You may also encounter such a term as the jack’s stroke. This term refers to the distance from the pick-up point to the maximum lifting point. In simple terms, it is the height range over which you can work. The wider it is, the more functional the device is and so it can be used on a variety of vehicles.

Step 4: Deciding Which Type of Drive Is Best for Your Work

Jacks differ not only in design but also in the way they are actuated:

• Mechanical jacks – they lift when the user exerts a force on the handle (pressure or rotation). These units are suitable for infrequent use, e.g. replacing a wheel on the road. It is a budget option suitable for owners of cars. It is not practical to use these jacks every day in a garage or workshop.
• The hydraulic jack – like the mechanical jack – is actuated by pulling on the handle, except the user is not required to apply too much force. Lifting is made easier by the pressure generated by the working fluid, which pushes the plunger with the load secured to it.
• Pneumatic jacks – these units are powered by a compressed air source, either at a workshop on a compressed air line or in the field by a gas bottle or vehicle exhaust pipe. When the chamber is filled with air, it increases in volume and begins to lift the vehicle like an air cushion. A person doesn’t have to exert any effort at all. The advantage of an air-assisted device is not only the reduced effort but also the instantaneous lifting.

The question to ask at this point in the decision-making process is: “How often will I need to use the jack? If you buy this device “just in case”, and most of the time it will lie in the boot, there is no point in buying expensive hydraulic models, because it will not be possible to realize all their capabilities. For a repair shop, however, a hydraulic or pneumatic jack is the ideal solution to speed up the work and make it easier for the mechanic. 

But if you haven’t found all the answers to your questions yet, then you need to go to Forum. This is the only place where you can ask questions to professionals and amateurs, as well as learn important information on the topic here. So only this forum will allow you to learn as much as possible about the jacks for a Jeep.

Step 5: Don’t Forget the Brand Name

Why buy a brand-name jack? The main argument in answering this question is to match the claimed performance to the real thing. Self-respecting manufacturers of garage equipment test their products, so if the stated capacity is 2 tonnes, this is indeed the case. In addition, only quality materials are used for manufacturing, all mechanisms are precisely adjusted and connections are properly secured. In operation, these devices are excellent, they have a smooth motion, they do not rust, and do not sag under the weight of the load.

Conclusion

Practice shows that most of the no-name jacks break during the first or second use (threads break, frame bends, nuts crack). The car owners don’t even dare to repair them – the car is more expensive. In their opinion, it is better to buy a new jack and be sure of its reliability. Many manufacturers give a warranty of 1 to 3 years of operation, which is an additional argument in favor of branded products. Today the market offers a huge selection of branded devices in a wide price range: from a few hundred to several thousand rubles. Therefore, it is easy to find a suitable option for your needs and cost. So, I hope this article was useful for you! Have a nice day!