Trolley Jacks - Recomendations?

[Macpherson]

Plus 1 for the 3 ton Sealy/ Yankee

[htb]

18 hours ago, Macpherson said:

Plus 1 for the 3 ton Sealy/ Yankee

Plus 2, on my second one, 1st one lasted 30+ yrs

[youngsbury]

Got a draper expert  3tonner had it 3-4 years no issues lifts mi disco 2 and 3ton dumper plenty high enough. 

[scbk]

For years I had the cheapo DIY grade trolleys jacks, circa £20 a go, and they are ok, still keep one in the van for emergency use.

Just before covid, was after something better though, the local motor factors have a few on display, the cheapest was a 3ton "national machinery" one at about £120. Looks like this : https://www.amazon.co.uk/NA3010-3010-Trolley-chassis-133-515mm/dp/B00AZJY94Y

 

 

Much nicer to use, stronger, lifts higher etc

[doobin]

I spent years with shitty trolley jacks like the blue one. Then I bought the black one, I can’t remember what it cost but it’s worth every penny. 
 

Now I actually reach for a jack rather than a forklift. 

[john87]

Can i just say one thing about jacks... We all know not to go under things supported on a jack, BUT, we have ALL done things where if the jack was suddenly to collapse, we would have been hurt.

 

NEVER EVER take any risks at all, here is why..

 

A few years ago i was moving something that weighed 1.25 tons with a pallet truck that was rated for 2 tons so no problem. The load was raised by a few inches and i was nowhere near the thing, then WHAM, the thing dropped like a stone, no warning, nothing, just INSTANT collapse..

 

I thought WTF???? When i took the hydraulics apart, the seal and its backup had just shattered, literally all broken up. When i went to the hydraulic place to get new ones, i asked them about this. They said it was common, the seal goes hard with age and then, when under pressure, just falls to bits..

 

Please be careful..

 

john..

[Paul in the woods]

That's why I bought a Sealey trolley jack which has 3 self-locking positions. It's a bit of a pain to remember to lift and unlock, but for the times when you forget to use an axle stand...

 

Mines a Sealey 2000LJ, they used to do a 3 tonne one but they seem hard to come by now.

[Rob_the_Sparky]

As per doobin - the small trolley jacks are something I would not buy unless I needed to transport it having used both types.  The only down side with a full sized one is the weight and that is not a problem as long as it is on the floor (!).

 

Do make sure though that the jack has the required height (lift) you need as well as the weight.  Not a problem when lifting cars but if you are lifting stuff with high ground clearance you may need much greater lift and it is not to easy to put a trolley jack on a block of wood like a bottle jack.

 

I got my latest one from Costco (a few years ago now) and it was <£70 that I thought was reasonable.  I don't use it much though so although it certainly works well I do not know about durability.

[john87]

8 hours ago, Paul in the woods said:

That's why I bought a Sealey trolley jack which has 3 self-locking positions. It's a bit of a pain to remember to lift and unlock, but for the times when you forget to use an axle stand...

 

Mines a Sealey 2000LJ, they used to do a 3 tonne one but they seem hard to come by now.

Never knew you could get a jack like that!! Good idea though!

 

john..

[Spruce Pirate]

Thanks for all the replies so far, I'm leaning towards just getting the Halfords.  Reviews are as good as the likes of the Sealeys cost is a good bit less, lift is more or less the same.

 

 

John, I'm pretty good at making sure something is properly supported before going underneath it, but I know what you mean about always being the odd time you do.  I'll try and be better all the time.