Page 1 of 2

Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 4:46 pm
by cthodgson
What size jack do people carry around with them when fully loaded. The 3 ton ones weigh almost 20kg more than a 2.5 ton one. I'm figuring you aren't lifting the whole vehicle so is the larger one necessary. Is a high reach one needed to? I'm beginning to get concerned with payload and where I'm going to fit everything in :shock:

I pick up my ford ranger tomorrow so I'm just trying to plan what I need to get.

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 6:52 pm
by keeflester
I was carrying a 1tonne jack and was embarrassed that it could not lift the arse end of my rig to change a tyre. Needless to say, I now carry a 2.5tonne jack.

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 7:57 pm
by cthodgson
Cheers for the reply, I was hoping the 2.5 tonne would be enough!
I bet your arm hurt after using the 1 tonne jack?

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 8:03 pm
by keeflester
cthodgson wrote:Cheers for the reply, I was hoping the 2.5 tonne would be enough!
I bet your arm hurt after using the 1 tonne jack?
I must admit, the air was blue. Lol

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 8:13 pm
by Bookend
would the jack that came with the truck not be capable of lifting the truck with the designed load?

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 8:17 pm
by keeflester
Bookend wrote:would the jack that came with the truck not be capable of lifting the truck with the designed load?
That'll be a big NO. The jack with my ranger has a tiny crank to wind it up and with airbags you are obliged to jack under the axle which means getting under the truck to put the jack in place. I tried it once then bought a trolley jack.

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 11th, 2015, 8:35 pm
by Bookend
Never thought about the air bag situation.

If weight is an issue I would just use membership to a good recovery service to help on the rare occasion it's needed.

I run LPG cars with no spare (which many modern cars don't have anyway) with this approach and have never had to use them.

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 10:04 pm
by rubberrat
Remember those exhaust gas airbags that were available a while back? Light weight, that's what we need - I think they were expensive though.

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 12th, 2015, 10:11 pm
by zildjian
Try before you buy on these, I've had one for several years and handy though it is I went to use it on hilux for something and found the 'funnel' to go over exhaust pipe is the same diameter (so can't be used)

fortunately Sue's fourtrak has smaller exhaust pipe so I inflated it off that instead, parked alongside.
I'll take a look at spec if it has it printed on it for weights

I last used it BTW to 'walk' camper into corner of garden

Re: Trolley Jacks

Posted: March 13th, 2015, 9:22 am
by Mike
What about a bottle jack that would be smaller than a trolley jack. Not sure about weight may not be much in it