Jack question

Hello, this may be a silly question, but hey....

Having been thinking for the last week 'One of these days I really should
get the jack out and find out how it works' I had a flat tyre this morning
and had to change a wheel.
The jack that came with the vehicle is a pillar jack, with a foot bit to
go on the bottom and a ratchety spannery bit at the top. There's a bit
that sticks out the side which I plug into a hole just under the bumper.
This stick-out-the-side bit (the 'jacking peg') is hinged. On my jack,
the hinge means that when you let go of it, the peg falls downwards
(parallel to the pillar). In order to use it, I have to lift the peg to
put it in the hole in the bumper.
Logic sort of says that this is the wrong way round, the peg should hinge
_upward_ for storage, and should stick out horizontally by itself in order
to support the weight of the vehicle.
Sorry if this is gibberish (it's been a long day), but should I take my
jack apart and put the hinged peggy bit on the other way up??

thank you and good night.

Olly R

"Olly R" <[email protected]> wrote in message
newsp.s85in5bknzf0cm@oliver-861yfc71...
> Hello, this may be a silly question, but hey....
>
> Having been thinking for the last week 'One of these days I really should
> get the jack out and find out how it works' I had a flat tyre this morning
> and had to change a wheel.
> The jack that came with the vehicle is a pillar jack, with a foot bit to
> go on the bottom and a ratchety spannery bit at the top. There's a bit
> that sticks out the side which I plug into a hole just under the bumper.
> This stick-out-the-side bit (the 'jacking peg') is hinged. On my jack,
> the hinge means that when you let go of it, the peg falls downwards
> (parallel to the pillar). In order to use it, I have to lift the peg to
> put it in the hole in the bumper.
> Logic sort of says that this is the wrong way round, the peg should hinge
> _upward_ for storage, and should stick out horizontally by itself in order
> to support the weight of the vehicle.
> Sorry if this is gibberish (it's been a long day), but should I take my
> jack apart and put the hinged peggy bit on the other way up??
>
> thank you and good night.
>
> Olly R
short answer no.
when the horizontal is in the mounting hole the sides of the hole prevent it
hingeing down . Don't ask me why but its been normal practice for a long
time
probably sound engineering reasons and shearing forces or similar.
Derek

>> Sorry if this is gibberish (it's been a long day), but should I take my
>> jack apart and put the hinged peggy bit on the other way up??
>>
>> thank you and good night.
>>
>> Olly R
> short answer no.
> when the horizontal is in the mounting hole the sides of the hole prevent
> it
> hingeing down . Don't ask me why but its been normal practice for a long
> time
> probably sound engineering reasons and shearing forces or similar.
>
Quite possibly it was done that way to stop people putting the peggy bit
under the bumper, or some where else where there wasn't a proper hole for
it, if it hinges down then it will only work when you stick it in the proper
hole. (ooh err matron etc!)

Olly R wrote:
> Hello, this may be a silly question, but hey....
>
> Having been thinking for the last week 'One of these days I really
> should get the jack out and find out how it works' I had a flat tyre
> this morning and had to change a wheel.
> The jack that came with the vehicle is a pillar jack, with a foot bit
> to go on the bottom and a ratchety spannery bit at the top. There's a
> bit that sticks out the side which I plug into a hole just under the
> bumper.
> This stick-out-the-side bit (the 'jacking peg') is hinged. On my jack,
> the hinge means that when you let go of it, the peg falls downwards
> (parallel to the pillar). In order to use it, I have to lift the peg
> to put it in the hole in the bumper.
> Logic sort of says that this is the wrong way round, the peg should
> hinge _upward_ for storage, and should stick out horizontally by itself
> in order to support the weight of the vehicle.
> Sorry if this is gibberish (it's been a long day), but should I take my
> jack apart and put the hinged peggy bit on the other way up??
>
> thank you and good night.
>
> Olly R

It's to accomodate the change in attitude of the vehicle as you lift it.
As the chassis rises the angle between the chassis and the pillar of the
jack deceases - hence it's hinged to accomodate that change.

On Sun, 07 May 2006 01:35:20 +0100, SimonJ <[email protected]> wrote:

>>> Sorry if this is gibberish (it's been a long day), but should I take my
>>> jack apart and put the hinged peggy bit on the other way up??
>>>
>>> thank you and good night.
>>>
>>> Olly R
>> short answer no.
>> when the horizontal is in the mounting hole the sides of the hole
>> prevent
>> it
>> hingeing down . Don't ask me why but its been normal practice for a long
>> time
>> probably sound engineering reasons and shearing forces or similar.
>>
> Quite possibly it was done that way to stop people putting the peggy bit
> under the bumper, or some where else where there wasn't a proper hole for
> it, if it hinges down then it will only work when you stick it in the
> proper
> hole. (ooh err matron etc!)
>

Thanks chaps, it worked ok, but it's good to know that it's correct!

cheers

Olly