*(#$*(#$ floor jacks

hscrugby

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
So I realize the little crappy floor jack I've had since high school is probably not the "safest" for how much I use it.
It's served me well, I figure I'll keep it around for the weird times you need multiple jacks, etc.
So I contemplate hitting harbor freight, but decide I'm to lazy to drive that far.
I go down to Pep boys, and opt out of the cheapest one, for a decent looking 3 ton one that has a decent max height.
I use it once on the front axle to replace the steering, then I use it on the back yesterday to swap out the d35.
I use jack stands instead of leaving it on a jack, cause I'm paranoid. So I finally get done, lower the jack and as it's going the rest of the way down (had just set the jeep back on it's tires) and as I'm pulling it out from under the axle, it explodes.
It sprayed fluid all over the back of my jeep, all over me, my face, coating my goggles, (once again, paranoid, fortunately) and a chunk of the jack shot off to the left smacking my buddy who was nice enough to help, right in the nuts.
:lol:
(Glad that was him not me)
So then I'm torn between cursing at the jack, or laughing at my buddy on the ground.

But moral of the story, always use jack stands. Had this happened with the jeep on it? YIPES.


Oh well, stupid 2 week old jack. Hopefully pep boys will accept it as a return.
 
hscrugby said:
as I'm pulling it out from under the axle, it explodes.
It sprayed fluid all over the back of my jeep, all over me, my face, coating my goggles, (once again, paranoid, fortunately) and a chunk of the jack shot off to the left smacking my buddy who was nice enough to help, right in the nuts.
Click to expand...
This sounds like some kind of sick automotive porno. :lol:
 
Hehe, it does sound bad. But as annoyed as I was, it was just the grand finale to the day.
Having air tools= good.
Not having power for the compressor= annoying.
trying to finish an axle swap as the sun is setting and you are using flashlights= THE SUCK.
having your floor jack explode on you = worse

Standing outside when the power pole falls over with the transformer exploding = funny. (Until you add 2+2 and realize, funny explosion = no electricity= no lights/compressor)

Like I said, I'm just glad I wasn't under the jeep, or having the jack hold up anything when it failed.
 
It could have been worse. The Harbor Freight special 3 ton long frame jack handle could have come loose as you were lifting it over a floor plate and hit you above the eye and give you eight stitches.......
 
After my long ordeal of jack-shopping, I wound up with the Blue Michelin one from Sam's.

The only thing I don't like is that the handle doesn't go fully vertical.
 
yea, it was "Made in China"
Pep boys were NOT helpful.
I was planning on just buying one and then putting the busted one in the box and returning it saying it was broken. :D

But I figured I'd call the Torin's customer service # on the manual.
Thinking, what the hell. I'll speak to someone in China or India and vent.
(at this point I'm really pissed anyway after the hassles today with sprint and time warner, but that's another rant)
So I call and get ready for the hold music.
Instead I get a dude that has hardly any accent, (more of the accent from someone that speaks Spanish as a SECOND language, but has to swap back and forth a lot)
So anyway, I tell him what happened.
He was very concerned sounding, asked if I was hurt, made sure nothing was hurt, I said no.
He THEN asked for a part #, I wasn't really sure, but I described the jack, and he explained it was probably a bad valve and it can happen if it's not bled properly, or if the valve fails.
He then apologized, offered to send me a new jack, but it would probably take ~10 business days. :(
He then asked if I'd be comfortable with just replacing the cylinder. If so, he could have one to me either tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest.
So somehow, I got a competent English speaking person on the phone. He took care of the problem, and I should be good to go by this weekend when hopefully some more parts are in for me to curse at. I mean install.

I'm really perplexed by good customer service these days.
(Especially since it wasn't a really high dollar jack.)

So all in all, good times. Other than the "new" jack looks like it's been used a lot. :)
And my buddy will probably wear a cup next time he helps me with the heep. :D
 
purpleTJchick said:
Did you learn your lesson? or do you have to be the one to go through the pain??
Click to expand...
Well everything he said was logical, about building up air, and needing to bleed it.
The other thing even though it "exploded" (that might be a bit strong, explosion was what the transformer did) this was more like a loud pop.
So I figure I'll bleed it and test lift the jeep a bunch of times, then trust it with jack stands.

I've read the posts on here of everyone else having trouble with jacks too, sooo,
I'll just need fatter friends to stand behind. :lol:
 
I was wondering what made the TV go out yesterday.. so it was you, huh? :lol:

(I'm just glad the data was still active)
 
Rich said:
After my long ordeal of jack-shopping, I wound up with the Blue Michelin one from Sam's.

The only thing I don't like is that the handle doesn't go fully vertical.
Click to expand...

I hear you Rich. $65 for a 3 ton jack that lifts to like 23" or so? It does what it needs to.
 
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