Duralast Floor Jack Replacement Handle

November 01, 2022

The Most Common Hydraulic Jack Problems

Signs that signal the need for a hydraulic jack repair

Jack does not fully extend or is slow to release

Squeaky or damaged wheels

Damaged frame

Foamy or milky oil

The handle moves back

Leaks

Rams do not rise

Overload Jack Trips Safety Valves

Professional advice from hydraulic experts

Hydraulic cylinders make it easy to move large or heavy objects. The jack's hydraulic system multiplies a worker's effort, allowing one person to successfully lift and maneuver heavy loads with little physical effort. Although designed to be tough, hydraulic jacks can suffer damage from heavy use, improper maintenance, environmental elements, and other factors that compromise their ability to function. If your equipment exhibits these signs, it is important to coordinate jack repairs immediately. Hydraulic cylinders rely on hydraulic pressure to create motion. Once the seal has been replaced, the unit should work properly. If the load is too heavy, the jack safety valves will engage causing the jack to stop lifting.

It's frustrating when you need to lift something with your trusty jack, only to find that your previously reliable jack will only lift halfway, if at all. Other times the jack may be stuck in a raised position and will not lower. For those encountering a stuck jack for the first time, having your jack stuck in the up or down position can elicit the kind of choice language that usually bothers our mothers and ruins your plans to work on your car or truck. The good news is that this is usually a quick and easy fix, and our friends at Sunex have made a short, accessible jack maintenance video that should help you solve your trapped air problem and show you how to lubricate your floor jack properly to keep it in top condition for the next time you need it. (* - Sometimes the universe conspires against you, and neither we nor the knowledgeable tool experts at Sunex can help you if you're on the Cosmic Naughty list.) How to Bleed Air Trapped in a Hydraulic Jack

The most common reason a floor jack would get stuck in the up or down position would be because of air trapped in the hydraulic pump preventing the jack from having full range or lifting/lowering capabilities. You need to bleed or bleed air from the jack, which isn't difficult once you know how.