How to repair a hydraulic jack?
A hydraulic flat jack can be used as industrial equipment in different industries. The equipment is designed for lifting and supporting heavy loads. Apart from the flat jacks, there are hundreds of other shapes and varieties of hydraulic jack that are specialized to work as industrial equipment for certain tasks.
The different other jacks other than a flat jack include pallet jacks, house jacks, whiskey jacks, floor jacks, railroad jacks, screw jacks, garage jacks, farm jacks, and other industrial models.
A hydraulic flat jack can have many uses in the automotive industry along assembly lines or in workshops and car repair shops, it can work as a specialty device for lifting high vehicular lifts. There are other uses as mechanical jacks for certain industrial use and then there are pallet jacks and scissor jacks for ensuring lifting.
But with regular and extensive use your hydraulic flat jack may malfunction and then you need to repair it. We will give you the stepwise process but as a prelude to it, you also must know about the common problems that may arise in your hydraulic jack.
Sometimes it may so happen that if you have some knowledge of mechanical equipment repairing then you may fix the issue on your saving further costs.
Common problems arising in hydraulic flat jacks
It is not about a flat jack only but any type of jack has some of the common problems that are listed below.
Leaking oil or hydraulic fluid from the jacks
Rams will not fit in as service jacks
Jacks that won’t extend completely
Weakening of the frame construction due to jamming cracking or bending with general extensive use
Squeaking wheels that will not roll to the fullest extent
Handles of the jacks kicking back
Foamy oil coming out from the device
Overload safety valve tripping out of the jack
Evaluation and careful inspection is the key to your hydraulic jack repairing.
Repairing your hydraulic jack
So the first step as you can see is to identify the problem. As a precautionary measure first check the maximum weight limit that your jack can safely uplift. Remember that due to any problems it may have a reduced weight-bearing capacity.
Avoid using the jack having malfunctioning problems for use in regular work in your industry as you run the risk of injuring the laborers doing so.
The next step is to extend the jack with no weight on top of it. Sometimes the jack may be such damaged that it won’t extend as you pump on it. So what you need to do is ask someone to pull on it as you pump in the hydraulic fluid. Now you can open the release valve and pull the piston out. This allows you to extend the jack without may further pumping required.
So now that the valve is finally open check to find out if there is any oil, grease, or dust build-up that is jamming the extension process.
Generally, even a trace amount of grease and dirt mixture is enough to stop your hydraulic flat jack from working normally. Check out if the seal is damaged in any way too. Find out signs for cranks and dents as then you may need to carry it to the repairing shop.
Now the next step is to open the reservoir oil filer cap and ensure that there is at least a quarter of an inch of oil within it. Open the top of it using a screwdriver and fill it in with oil.
Ensure to clean the jack with a cloth and open the release valve. As soon as you do it then pump the hydraulic flat jack handle several times. Do this and you will find if there is any oil leaking out. Now close the valve and then pump the jack back to its full height.
If you find out that there is any sealing problem, then try and find out the sealing problem or take help from an expert. Now that most of the problem part should be over try lifting a vehicle with a hydraulic flat jack. If it still won’t lift, then there are some other issues that you need to inspect. If such is the case, then you may need to change the jack with a new one.
Finally, how to find out the right repairing or contracting team
Despite all your efforts to repair and service your hydraulic flat jack on your own, you might fall short. Thus we recommend you look for a hydraulic jack repairing team that can help you with the right set of tools and a high level of expertise to ensure that the problem is repaired faster.
To find out for a hydraulic jack repairing team you can do so online or check out from a few of your friends and colleagues.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
