13 Different Types of Car Jacks You Can Use To Lift Your Car

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If you have a car or any other type of vehicle, it’s very likely that you have a jack for it.

Car jacks are used basically for lifting vehicles up so you can change the tire or carry out any other types of maintenance or repair underneath the car.

Having a jack in your car at all times is very important. You never know when or where the car is going to break down. You never know when or where you’re going to have a flat tire and may need to replace it by yourself.

Having a jack will ensure that’s possible. Without a jack, you can’t lift up the car. Even the strongest man in the world can’t lift up most cars.

Even if you can lift up the car by yourself, why give yourself all that stress just to change a flat tire. So, having a car jack is super important.

Although most cars come with jacks which you can find in the trunk, you can still upgrade your jack, because there are different types of car jacks you can choose from, and I am going to use this article to talk about them.

Scissors Jack

scissors jack

The scissors jack is the most common type of jack you’ll find in most small cars, especially sedans. It’s a jack that uses a screw mechanism to raise and lower 2 connected scissors arms, which in turn raises or lowers the car.

Most scissors jacks have a weight capacity of about 2 to 3 tones, and a maximum lifting height that ranges from 15 to 18 Inches. They’re usually made of steel.

Scissors jacks are ideal for emergency situations. They’re small, very portable and lightweight. That means you can keep them in your car, and they’ll add very little weight and occupy a very small space in the trunk.

Most cars usually have compartments designed to store them in the trunk.

The main disadvantage of scissors jacks is that it takes a light of effort to turn the screw that raises the jack. It’s not a jack for everyone.

There are other types of car jacks that are much more easier to use, and require very little effort on your part to operate.

Floor Jack

floor jack

While scissors jack takes some time to raise the vehicle, floor jacks are designed to use hydraulic fluid power to raise your car more rapidly.

They also have higher load capacity and higher height capacity. Floor jacks are ideal for most types of cars like sedans, SUV, MPV, trailers and small buses, but they’re quite heavy compared to scissors jacks which are lighter.

That’s why they’re mostly used in workshops and garages. You don’t want to carry a floor jack along with you on the road. It will raise your car faster, but it’ll add more weight to the car.

One more advantage they have is that they’re very stable due to their wider base, and most come with wheels on them, making it easier to move them around in the workshop.

If you need a very solid and steady jack to use in your workshop, a floor jack is the ideal unit to go for.

Triple Lift Floor Jack

triple lift floor jack

A triple lift floor jack is basically a floor jack, but with additional features to allow you lift several other types of vehicles and motorcycles with it.

It’s just as shown above. You can use it to lift cars, SUVs, Trucks, ATVs, buses, and even any type of motocycle.

You can even use it as a jack stand after lifting the vehicle. There’s a safety pin you can slide through the middle, and it will lock the jack in the raised position, preventing it from falling in case of hydraulics failure.

Air Jack

air jack

Air jacks are exactly the way they sound. They’re pneumatic jacks powered with compressed air from an air compressor.

So, to use an air jack, you need an air compressor, which is quite of a downside if you don’t already have an air compressor.

Most mechanic workshops already have air compressors installed, so that will not be a huge problem for them.

For a simple car owner though, if you don’t have a compressor machine, then you should probably consider the other types of jacks listed here.

One huge advantage air jacks have over other types of car jacks is that they extend more rapidly. Most of them extend to their maximum heigh in less than 5 seconds. So, if you’re a car mechanic, this will save you a lot of time.

Another major advantage is that they require no effort to lift, unlike most other jacks. Just connect it to the air compressor, open the valve, and the jack will fully extend. You don’t have to crank lever to expend any energy to lift it.

A disadvantage they have is that they have to be fully extended to become stable. Also, ensure you keep a jack stand under the car for safety purposes if you’re using any type of jack, especially these air-powered ones.

You can use them for sedans, SUVs, trucks, and even buses.

Car Wheel Dolly Jack

car wheel dolly jack

A wheel dolly jack is a jack designed to lift and move vehicles. It usually consists of 4 small wheels mounted on a frame, with a hydraulic lifting mechanism to raise the car slightly off the ground, resting on top of the jack.

It’s often used to move cars around in tight spaces, such as in a garage or workshop, without having to start the vehicle or push it manually.

This comes in handy when a vehicle can’t start on it’s own.

Hydraulic Bottle Jack

bottle jack stand

The hydraulic bottle jack is one of the most common types of jacks, and it gets its name from its tall, cylindrical bottle-like design.

Hydraulic bottle jacks are typically used for lifting cars, trucks, and other heavy machinery for tire changes or maintenance tasks.

They are compact, portable, and able to handle significant weight (usually between 2 to 50 tons, depending on the model).

They usually don’t have a high lifting height capacity, but they have a very high weight capacity.

A hydraulic jack can lift up to 50 tons of weight and above. That’s why they’re used for lifting very heavy vehicles and machinery like trucks, trailers and engines.

Bottle Jack + Jack Stand

bottle jack and jack stand

The bottle jack + jack stand is a bottle jack and a jack-stand combined in one tool. As with most other jacks, the safe thing for you to do after lifting the vehicle is to use a jack stand to secure the load, in case the lifting jack fails.

But with the bottle jack/ stand combination, it already has a jack stand incorporated in it, so you don’t need an additional stand to secure the vehicle or load you’re lifting anymore.

It has a built-in ratcheting safety bar that falls in place as you lift, ensuring the jack stand stays locked as you lift the load.

It also has a high lifting height capacity which makes it ideal for a whole range of high vehicles like trucks, SUVs, buses, trailers and even lifted 4x4s.

Electric – Hydraulic Car Jack

electric jack

An electric hydraulic car jack is one of the easiest car jacks you can use to lift your car, especially if you don’t want to get your hands dirty.

Most are d.c 12 volts rated so you can easily connect it to your vehicle cigerate lighter or to the car battery directly, and it will start working.

When you switch it on, the motor inside drives a hydaulic pump which then moves fluid into the cylinder, raising the piston and lifting the car.

So all you need to do is connect the electric jack to your car batteries, and you’re good to go.

It’s a very reliable jack you can keep in your car, and it will serve you well in case of an emergency when you have a flat tire on the highway.

The one shown above also comes with an electric impact wrench you can use to loosen and remove the lug nuts so you can change the flat tire.

Hi-Lift Jack or Farm Jack

Car Lift

Hydraulic Car Ramp

Screw Jack

Electric Bottle Jack

1. Weight Capacity

The first thing you must consider is the weight capacity or rating of the jack. You want something that can easily lift your vehicle successfully without failure.

For most standard sedans and SUVs, a jack with a 2-ton weight capacity should just be enough. For trucks, large SUVs and buses, a jack with a 3-ton weight rating should get the job done.

Very large pickup trucks usually use bottle jacks with a weight rating of 20 tons and above.

Always choose a jack that exceeds your vehicle’s weight to ensure you can lift the car safely without the jack giving out.

2. Lifting Height Capacity

You need to check both the minimum and maximum height specifications before buying to ensure it works with your vehicle.

This is very important because if you don’t lift the vehicle high enough, the tires won’t leave the ground, hence you can’t replace them.

Also, ensure the jack can get as low as possible to go underneath the vehicle. If the minimum height is higher than the height beneath the vehicle, the jack can’t go underneath.

So, make sure you get a jack with the right height capacity for your vehicle. Choose a low profile jack if you have a sports car or a vehicle with low ground clearance.

Choose a high-lift if you drive a truck or an SUV, make sure the jack has a high enough lift range to reach the frame.

3. Application

What will you be using the jack for. If you just need one you keep in your car for emergency purposes only, then get something portable that can fit in your car.

You don’t need to splurge on it. For most people with sedan cars, a 2 to 3 ton scissors jack should get the job done.

If you have a truck, then a hydraulic bottleneck jack should get the job done.

On the other hand, if you’re a mechanic that need to use it every day, then you need to get a variety of them. Preferably something that works fast like a hydraulic floor jack and an air jack that works with your air compressor.

4. Build Quality & Durability – Invest in a Solid Jack

Jacks are meant for lifting and carrying heavy loads. Always consider the weight of your car, and buy something that can withstand it. Don’t go cheap with a jack.

5. Portability & Storage – Do You Need to Move It Often?

Like I already mentioned above, if you need a jack that you can take along with you for emergency tire changes on the road, it needs to be portable.

For most people a scissors or bottleneck jack should get the job done. Both are portable and can fit nicely in your trunk.

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s safe, durable, and capable of handling your vehicle.

Now, with that out of the way, here are the different types of jacks you can get for lifting your car.

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