Comparison of bottle and rolling jacks. Choosing the best tool for lifting a car

Almost every car owner has encountered changing a wheel on the road. But changing a tire without the help of a jack for a car is almost impossible. Of course, some cars have standard jacks, but their quality remains to be the best. Therefore, drivers prefer to purchase a high-quality jack that can help when changing a wheel. In this material, we will dwell in more detail on bottles and rolling jacks.

Let's define car jacks

Bottle jacks for cars have a vertical design and look like a bottle, hence their name. This is a very popular automobile accessory because it is capable of lifting vehicles that weigh tens of tons. They will be needed to replace wheels on trucks and minibosses. However they have the following drawbacks: during operation, the machine can move diagonally, and the load will be unevenly distributed. Therefore, using it on an uneven surface may cause the vehicle to shift and fall.

Rolling jacks car have a horizontal arrangement and therefore have a low height for picking up the vehicle (7-8 cm). Rolling jacks have an elongated handle fixed vertically. They are significantly larger compared to the previous one. But when folded it is very compact. When using them, it is impossible to move the car (like a rolling one). This is because during the process of lifting the car, the jack moves due to the rollers, so the load acts vertically. In addition, the presence of a wide base provides them with excellent stability.

Load Capacity

As a rule, the lifting capacity of rolling jacks is up to three tons. Although there are models with a carrying capacity of about 50 tons. Their design combines bottle and rolling jacks. Such jacks are needed for car services so that they can lift trucks. For passenger vehicles, cars jack of up to two tons will be enough because only one side of the car needs to be lifted.

Lift-level

Jacks capable of lifting weights of up to two tons have a hook of 13-14 cm and can be lifted to a height of 33-34 cm. This applies to traditional machines. If the driver has a sports SUV, then a special jack car will be needed due to the very low ground clearance. Such jacks can be placed under the bottom of a car with a ground clearance of 9 cm and raised by 35-36 cm. Thus, these jacks are universal. If we are dealing with a hydraulic jack (up to three tons), then it will be able to lift the load by half a meter. However, some models provide a lift of more than 65 cm.

Both rolling and bottle car jacks are hydraulically driven, so their operating principle is similar. The mechanism is activated by the reciprocating movements of the jack handle. The dimensions of the rolling jack, together with the long handle, make it possible to use them in a small space – the handle will rest against the wall. But if the garage is small, then you need to choose a jack with a handle that can turn. Then it will be possible to lift the car even if it is close to the wall.

Additional features

It is worth noting that rolling jacks have a pedal, which ensures faster lifting of the car. There are also various additional functions that we talked about above:

• accelerated rise;

• rotary handle;

• high lifting height;

• possibility of using a jack for car with minimal ground clearance.

But the more the jack is equipped with them, the more expensive it will be. Also, the cost of the product will be influenced by the thickness of the metal from which it is made, thus ensuring its longer service life. Car jacks are a necessary and useful accessory for drivers to change a wheel.