Bottle Jacks

I use a 4-tonne bottle jack, which slipped the other day while changing a wheel. I didnt have chocks, and had to lift from the leaf springs. I got the wheel off no probs, but the truck slipped into its handbrake notch right at the wrong minuite causing it to topple off the jack, Yes I did have to jack on the second from last leaf in the middle as the jack was too tall.

The RAC guy said that they are too tall for jacking on the leaf spring and are crap because of the poor surface area on them. How true is this?

i always chuck a wheel under before i use the jack,
be it the spare or the one i just took off

Live and learn I geuss!

gerra Disco jack with the arched pad

oil dripper said:

gerra Disco jack with the arched pad

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What drippy says they fit round the axle nice

GET yersel a cheap trolley jack,(i know they is no good for workin under)bear with me jack +handle +wheel brace+locking wheelnut key,,,,make yourself a wooden box for all items,keep in back of landy ,,,,,flat tyre get box out,crack nut ,kneel on box if road wet,jack up change wheel ect,now if you have put a pair of gloves in the box you did,nt even get your hands dirty ,over a period of time i do it to all my motors its dead handy..............dave

trolley jacks are ok until you use them on soft ground, then problems begin

It was the no chocks bit that caused the falling off the jack bit. Nothing wrong with bottle jacks I wouldn't be without my disco one.

What Hughesy said ... nothing to do with the jack that the Landy fell off, that's purely an operators fault for not securing it properly.

Having said that .. my Disco's bottle jack is ace ... has got me out of the ****e in the woods as well as changing a caravan wheel, three 'other peoples' wheels and for spreading axles when changing springs!!

Dunno what it's like for changing a Disco wheel yet ...

Landie_Man said:

I didnt have chocks, and had to lift from the leaf springs.

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what part of the leafs was the jack head in contact with ?

iannotts said:

trolley jacks are ok until you use them on soft ground, then problems begin

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Thats where the 2 short planks of wood come in.

ratty said:

Thats where the 2 short planks of wood come in.

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is you being sarkey ratty??.

gemsdad said:

is you being sarkey ratty??.

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Nope. I carry 2 short planks in my landy and even more in my truck. They are ideal for standing jacks on to help em sinking. I spose the term '2 short planks' could have a dual meaning here.

ratty said:

Nope. I carry 2 short planks in my landy and even more in my truck. They are ideal for standing jacks on to help em sinking. I spose the term '2 short planks' could have a dual meaning here.

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yes it is a good idea,i thought you meant the " other two short planks ".

Worked with a bloke, right pain in the rear he was cos would not do anything not compliant with H&S, anything over 25Kg had to have a crane etc.
One day no show, on second day still no show and we were all called into crew room. Was told he would not be back as he was killed working under his car with just the jack, knowing what he was like at work none of us could believe it but it sure taught me a lesson.
Now have axle stands or if at the side of the road do the wheel trick as nickh75 said.

Mercedes Sprinter jacks are virtually identical to Disco ones but much cheaper and usually available on flea-bay.

Landie_Man said:

the truck slipped

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what truck?

Treworgey 90 said:

Mercedes Sprinter jacks are virtually identical to Disco ones but much cheaper and usually available on flea-bay.

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They can't be much cheaper a brand new disco one's only about 15 quid