A truck floor jack effortlessly lifts vehicles weighing several tons

A truck floor jack is a simple but effective tool for safely lifting heavy loads, including vehicles. It is operated manually, making it particularly low-maintenance, reliable and also easy to handle.

Design of a truck floor jack

A truck floor jack consists of the following components:

• Four castors, at least two of which are steerable
• Sturdy housing
• Hydraulic lifting mechanism
• Scissor linkage with movable support plate
• Pump with long lever extension

Function and use of a truck floor jack

At its core, a truck floor jack is a simple hydraulic unit with attachments. The entire tool is mounted on the steerable castors. This makes it easy to roll into position under the desired point. The sturdy housing and castors are designed for a load capacity of several tons. This means that even heavy trucks can be safely inspected and repaired on the road.

The hydraulic lifting mechanism consists of the slave cylinder, a tank and a resettable changeover valve with an attached pump. When the lever is moved using the extension, the hydraulic oil is forced past the changeover valve into the slave cylinder. With each pumping motion, the cylinder extends a little and moves the scissor linkage. As soon as the support plate reaches the jacking point, it moves independently until it is optimally seated. Only then does the actual lifting process begin. After completing the inspection or repair work, the reset valve is opened using a small screw. It is recommended to open this screw only in very small increments. This ensures that the load is lowered slowly and in a controlled manner. Once the slave cylinder has fully retracted again, the reset valve is closed again and the truck floor jack can be pushed back to its place.

Use of the truck floor jack

The truck floor jack is used wherever no vehicle lift or inspection pit is available. It is also a welcome tool for quick checks or minor repairs. For heavy vehicles, this tool—heavy in itself—is the only option for mobile use.

Like a standard jack, the truck floor jack is used exclusively for lifting the vehicle. It is not suitable for carrying out repairs under the vehicle. If this is required, an additional mechanical axle stand is essential. Only with this, and with the vehicle securely chocked, is working on the underbody sufficiently safe.

Without the axle stand, there is always a risk that the truck floor jack could suddenly lower due to a defect or carelessness, which can result in serious to fatal injuries.

Maintenance of the truck floor jack

A truck floor jack should be tested under load at least once a year. All lines and cylinders must be tight and free of leaks. The oil should also be changed once a year, especially if it is used regularly. During inspection, the truck floor jack should also be checked for rust and load damage. If there is excessive damage to load-bearing parts, especially the housing, the tool should be disposed of immediately and replaced with a new one.