What You Should Know About an Automotive Jack Before Buying It

Nov. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- As with any other product, before you buy an automotive jack, you should have been informed  exactly how to use it and which type is indicated for your vehicle. In general, an automotive jack is an important tool for a variety of car maintenance tasks which should not be missing in any garage. If you've bought a new car, you should have been provided with an automotive jack, suited especially for your car. However, in case this tool is faulty or broken, you need to find a valid replacement and be informed about the various choices.

Be wise when choosing an automotive jack and shop around since a wrong choice may cost not only money but also do minor or larger damages to your car. Mostly, automotive jacks are used for changing tires, so they are designed to lift only a portion of a car, typically a corner. But if you need to check an undercarriage damage or do anything like that you will have to lift the whole side of the vehicle, so you'll have to use a more specialized jack with a larger capacity. As for the types of car jacks, there are four of them. There are some very specialized jack types (which you can see here http://www.automotive-jacks.com), but these are major:

•   Scissor jacks. Here the central screw mechanism is used for raising and lowering the jack. It can be driven by a specialized handle or just a tire removal tool.
•   High-lifting jacks. These are used for larger vehicles, including trucks or mining machines. They have a large base plate and are driven by a tall metal pole.
•   Small air hydraulic jacks. There are two types of them: wheeled and non-wheeled. Both act the same way and are similar to scissor and high-lifting jacks.
•   Large air hydraulic jacks. You will need it, when you have to raise the entire front or end of your car.

A few words about the important safety features. Each and every automotive jack has safety features, which prevent accidental injuries to its owner. They have wide bases which stabilize the jack, they have special handles (or are designed in such a way that you can use a tire removal tool to raise it up), and they have a stop point, so you're not able to extend it beyond its capabilities. I'm sure, that you know the benefits of car jacks, but let me explain them once more. It will help you a lot on the road in the emergency situation, when you have to change a tire.

Frankly, if you don't want to call for assistance and pay hefty fees, using an automotive jack is your only choice here. The same situation is with changing brake pads, belts and oil safely in your garage. Surely there are some precautions, because you work with a heavy and expensive vehicle, and any potential damage is huge (a broken car is the best option here).

Some safety precautions you should bear in mind:
•   Place a jack on a level surface in an upright position.
•   Put a jack under a car frame, not its body or any other not-so-firm part.
•   Always use safety features.
•   Read the manual carefully before using a jack.
•   Apply the parking brake before lifting the car.
•   Never leave your vehicle in a lifted position for a night (or any long periods of time without your supervision).

For further information on safety features and a broad choice of hydraulic and pneumatic jacks for both cars and heavy vehicles, please visit http://www.automotive-jacks.com