Well if you're planning to work under the car, better to drive it up some ramps.
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Recommended jack, for home garage or trunk?
- Thread starter S-2000 Roadster
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- Roadster
Well if you're planning to work under the car, better to drive it up some ramps.
smorgasbord
Active Member
I'm planning on doing the DIY HID Headlight swap, which means removing a wheel. I guess I won't actually be under the car, but I need some way to support the car with one front wheel removed.
smorgasbord
Active Member
Well, Griot's doesn't carry this jack (or any other) any more. I did a little digging, and almost all jacks are made overseas now. Read through Amazon and there are varying percentages of people who have had failed jacks after light usage/storage - but none of the percentages so small that you feel you can overlook them. Two companies, Hein Warner & US Jack, makesjacks in the US, and they're pricey. Other good names, like OTC, Arcan, now appear to be resting on their name - at least in terms of affordable home use products. There's a company called Norco that supposedly uses good seals (actually replaceable, unlike most of the others), but I haven't been able to check them out.
I ordered a jack from Amazon for my headlight work this weekend. I'll post back with what I think of it afterwards.
jbadger
TR#506, MXP, ~3#1206~
Perfect timing, I also am looking to perform the HID upgrade and was about to search for this when I saw this thread popup. Let me know how it goes.
wiztecy
Active Member
The only time personally I've seen a jack fail was when I turned it upside down. This gave an air-pocket to the hydraulic system which I had to bleed out. By the way, always wear eye protection when doing that, I had a blast of oil shot straight into my eye which was scary. I pumped while the bleed screw was out by accident, and accidents do happen.
Never seen a jack fail when in use. But that's just me. I always place a spare tire or some other block that keeps the car suspended and clear of me in case the jack slips, which is what usually happens in the real world.
Never seen a jack fail when in use. But that's just me. I always place a spare tire or some other block that keeps the car suspended and clear of me in case the jack slips, which is what usually happens in the real world.
smorgasbord
Active Member
I posted some details on my new jack and stands here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8433-What-equipment-do-people-recommend-to-change-tires-at-home?p=302455&viewfull=1#post302455
At 3 tons of rated capacity, it's overkill for Roadster, but that's not a bad thing as long as you don't mind the jack itself weighing about 15lbs more. I think the jack should be capable of lifting Model S as well. The big question is how the seals will hold up over time - these imported jacks have a bad reputation. By jacking up at the rear and using jack stands at the front, I figure I'm pretty safe working on the front of the car. Note that the jack stands I got are not totally flat, so I carved out the bottom of hockey pucks since the Roadster's jacking points are flat. For my first usage today the jack didn't creep at all (I set the height such that the front jack stand just missed the frame and when I was done (about 45 minutes), the car hadn't lowered any.
There are cheaper jacks, and there are lighter jacks. I didn't want a "racing jack" since those take less pumps to go up, which means more force each pump. But, racing jacks are also lighter and a bit more compact, which is nice. Finally, consider other cars in your household, which are probably heavier than Roadster.
At 3 tons of rated capacity, it's overkill for Roadster, but that's not a bad thing as long as you don't mind the jack itself weighing about 15lbs more. I think the jack should be capable of lifting Model S as well. The big question is how the seals will hold up over time - these imported jacks have a bad reputation. By jacking up at the rear and using jack stands at the front, I figure I'm pretty safe working on the front of the car. Note that the jack stands I got are not totally flat, so I carved out the bottom of hockey pucks since the Roadster's jacking points are flat. For my first usage today the jack didn't creep at all (I set the height such that the front jack stand just missed the frame and when I was done (about 45 minutes), the car hadn't lowered any.
There are cheaper jacks, and there are lighter jacks. I didn't want a "racing jack" since those take less pumps to go up, which means more force each pump. But, racing jacks are also lighter and a bit more compact, which is nice. Finally, consider other cars in your household, which are probably heavier than Roadster.
smorgasbord
Active Member
Here's yet another option: http://www.powertank.com/products/sfID1/47/productID/417
It's really pricey, but it's also really light. Any idea if this would be safe to use at Roadster's "rear" jack point? That point lifts both tires. Yeah, you wouldn't want to get under the car with just this jack, and for on the road it requires an air source, but still...
It's really pricey, but it's also really light. Any idea if this would be safe to use at Roadster's "rear" jack point? That point lifts both tires. Yeah, you wouldn't want to get under the car with just this jack, and for on the road it requires an air source, but still...
wiztecy
Active Member
I'd be worried about it buckling the aluminum belly pan. Where it has support the bag will most likely bulge some and put pressure where you don't want it.
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