Air jacks – the essentials How to choose tyre service and car repair tools
An air jack would come in handy both at a tyre and car service. It is very useful anywhere you need to raise the car to a low height.
Air jacks – are they worth it?
In general, pneumatic air jacks are much more durable than trolley jacks.
The rubber bags raise along with the air that comes out of the pneumatic system. It means a comfortable raising of the car, making works with the car’s underbody way easier.
Getting an air jack – what to consider?
There are loads of air jacks available on the market. What is the most important thing while choosing the right jack?
First up, it’s the capacity. There might be loads of options here. From 2 up to 8 tons. It won’t hurt to have some spare capacity – just to be sure you are able to jack any car you ever need.
Castors size
Air jacks are not light – some of them weigh up to 30 kgs. The larger the castors, the more difficult it is to move around.
There are jacks with special overlays available – they make raising even easier (up to extra 10-20 cm).
Pneumatic air jacks are designed for raising many cars every day. But don’t forget that they require some care on your side.
How to store an air jack?
When you are done with the work, put the jack in the space where it can be stored in the upright position. Also, be sure to remove pressure from the rubber bags.
Where should you store an air jack? It doesn’t matter, as long as you keep it indoors. Never store it outdoors. Plus to that, make sure it has no access to various chemical products. This particularly pertains to products like:
- oils
- solvents
- petrol
Why? Chemical products are particularly harmful for the rubber parts.
How to keep the jack clean?
They do not require any special maintenance efforts. All you have to do is keep the jack clean. Also, when you are done wtih the work, make sure to remove any mud or sand – only avoid aggressive chemical products. When done, dry it.
How to clean rubber bags? If they get dirty, consider using some rubber product cleaners. Also, make sure to clean the surface totally.
Air jacks – typical problems
As we mentioned above, air jacks are relatively durable tools. If any problems appear, they usually affect:
- air leaks.
- Instability
- inability to push the bag down
These leaks can appear around the bag. Obviously, it may happen that the bags are damaged which is due to poor screw tightening. This pertains to the screws in the basis or the upper cover. Usually, all it takes is screwing them.
It may happen that the leaks appear at some different spot, like around the valve. You have to replace it then.
Instability
Don’t forget that the air jack can lose stability at times. Many of our Clients think that this is some fault. However – it is not! It is all about the structure of the jack. It would always be a little instable. Obviously, if you realize it is getting more and more instable, contact the service support. In extreme cases, there might be problems with the piston that needs replacing.
Pure air
As it is the case with other pneumatic tools, pure air is extremely important. It must not contain water or any other dirt.
How to work safely with air jacks?
Remember the few basic things:
- Use the jack only on flat surfaces.
- Raise the car on solid ground only (asphalt, concrete, etc.)
- Do not move the bags “by force” to the desired height – when the jack has raised the car, close the valve and close the air source. When you are done with the procedures, you can start working.
- Provide compressed air through the inlet valve in the back of the jack and leave the left switch in the closed position.
- Open the inlet valve – compressed air fills the bags and you can start working.
Want an air jack? Browse through our offer:
2T air jack
3T air jack
4.5T air jack
