Vehicle Positioning Jack: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

This guide covers all the vital aspects about vehicle positioning jack such as parts, working principle, benefits, quality inspection and features amongst others.

So, before you import vehicle positioning jack from China, read this guide.

What is Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Figure 1 Vehicle positioning jack

Vehicle positioning jack is a tool used on tires to allow the vehicle to be maneuvered in any direction and it has 12 inches and 13inches roller for wider tyres

This enhances easy foot pedal lifting and smoothly raises the vehicle.

How does Vehicle Positioning Jack Compare to Hydraulic Jack?

The hydraulic jack gets its name from its lifting mechanism which is a hydraulic lift.

It uses hydraulic power to lift heavy equipment and machines.

The most commonly used hydraulic jack is the vehicle jack used in lifting vehicles so that maintenance can be performed.

On the other hand, a vehicle positioning jack is an equipment used to lift and move a vehicle.  It makes moving and positioning vehicles easy by supplementing wheel loads of a vehicle.

What is the Function of Vehicle Positioning Jack?

A vehicle positioning jack uses the power of hydraulics to raise part of a vehicle enabling the user to access to change a tire or perform repairs or maintenance.

Vehicle positioning jacks come in a variety of types and weight ratings.

What are the Benefits of using Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Some of the benefits of using vehicle positioning jack include:

• Smooth lift: this ensures your vehicle body is not damaged when it is being lifted.
• Rolling: this can be achieved easily in any direction
• Fast: smoothly raise the vehicle in just seconds
• Foot pedal: for simple and effective use in raising and lowering the vehicle.
• Simple: the lifting mechanism is easy and simple to use.
• Casters: the caster enable for smooth and easy relocation of the vehicle.
• They handle tires up to 300 mm wide and vehicle up to 1600kg weight
• They save space by making it easy to move a car and take advantage of any available space.

What are the Components of Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Figure 2 Parts of vehicle positioning jack

Figure 3 Fully assembled vehicle positining jack

A vehicle positioning jack can hold a weight capacity of about 680 kilograms or even more. Given that it holds the dead weight of a vehicle, it should come packed with heavy-duty parts and components.

Some of the major components of a vehicle positioning jack include:

1. The frame: consists of heavy-duty powered coated steel.
2. Castor: equipped with a set of 360° steel swivel castors.
3. Wheels: are supported by the swivel castors and can move in any direction.
4. A hydraulic cylinder which gives the lift mechanism of the jack.
5. Braking system to hold the vehicle positioning wheel jollies in position after lifting.

What are the Safety Precautions when using Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Before using vehicle positioning jack, it is essential to incorporate safety measures. There are several ways you can attain a safe working environment.

Some of the safety precautions that you should observe include:

• You should ensure that your work is free from safety hazards such as unnecessary tools and clutter. Untidy and dark workplaces are prone to accidents.
• Ensure that unnecessary traffic such as bystanders and children are at a safe distance before assembling and using vehicle positioning jack. Interruptions may lead to loss of concentration and avoidable accidents or incidents.
• Always scan your area of work for safety hazards. The safety hazards may include
• Mechanical tools lying around your work area.
• Power lines, electrical circuits and emergency power cuts.
• Trenches, pipelines and sewage lines.
• Follow all safety procedure in working in confirmed areas. Always have a helping hand just in case you need assistance.

Does Vehicle Positioning Jack Require Assembling?

The vehicle positioning jack does not require assembling as it comes fully assembled.

How does Vehicle Positioning Jack Work?

The following easy steps illustrate how vehicle positioning jack works.

• Place the vehicle positioning jack next to the wheel of the vehicle.
• Remove the pedal retaining clip
• Make sure that the rear locking casters are not locked in the off position
• Follow the pump release operation procedures and keep it unlocked and in an anticlockwise position.
• When laying down the jack arms, ensure that you adjust them to a fitting position. The wheels should be secured on the steel rollers.
• After securing the wheels, turn the pump release clockwise to a good tight.
• Using the foot pedal, pump to lift the vehicle off the ground.
• Ensure that the wheels of the vehicle are off the ground before locking the rear castors. Safety pins are ideal for ensuring the wheels are locked up safely.
• Free pressure from the RAM using the pump release valve, as a locking pin will hold the weight.
• Repeat the procedure for all the wheels as needed.
• Once the vehicle has been lifted off the ground, do a 360 degree check on the vehicle so as to ensure everything is safe and tightened. You can then relocate your vehicle as needed.
• After moving the vehicle, lock the vehicle positioning jack castors to secure the vehicle in position.
• To lower the vehicle and remove the vehicle positioning jack, follow the reverse of the above procedures.
• Once the vehicle is on the ground, remove the vehicle positioning jack. Always make you clean it and look for damages before storing or using it.

How do you Maintain Vehicle Positioning Jack?

The following maintenance procedures should be put in place when repairing or servicing vehicle positioning jacks:

• Always do a complete safety check of your vehicle positioning jack before each use. Look for broken parts, tear and wear and if the hydraulic cylinder is full or has leakages.
• After every use, repeat the safety check you did before use.
• Once in storage, once in a while check on your vehicle positioning jack for sings of erosion, rust and the hydraulic fluid.
• The hydraulic fluid should be emptied and refilled with new oil periodically. Follow manufacturer’s manual on how to go about it.
• All the moving part of your vehicle positioning jack should be lubricated to avoid corrosion.
• Use grease oil in greasing parts such as axles as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Ensure that the safety labels that come with your vehicle positioning jack are visible at all time and are followed while operating the jack.
• Ensure the vehicle positioning jack is repaired and serviced frequently for optimum use and durability.
• Any damaged vehicle positioning jack should be disposed of by following manufacturer’s disposal manual.

What is Vehicle Positioning Wheel Dolly?

Vehicle positioning wheel dolly is the complete set of a vehicle positioning jack attached to one tire of a vehicle.

Figure 4 Wheel dolly

To work effectively, you will need to use a set of two-vehicle positioning dollies on a vehicle.

The vehicle positioning wheel dollies are helpful especially in moving vehicles with a complete engine or mechanical failure.

Using them, you can move your vehicle backward, sideways, or even rotate it 360 degrees.

Some of the various wheel dollies available include:

• Standard wheel dolly: mainly include a standard frame/plate with attached wheels underneath it.
• Hydraulic wheel dolly: they have a pair of rollers connected to a foot-operated hydraulic unit. They make it easy to lift and move a vehicle without using any other extra equipment.

The hydraulic wheel dolly is the most widely used and a bit more expensive than the other vehicle positioning wheel dollies in the market.

How do you Inspect the Quality of Vehicle Positioning Jack?

To inspect the quality of a vehicle positioning jack, check for the following:

• Loose hardware or housing majorly the steel frame and plate. Any damages may cause major accidents and also destroy the vehicle’s body.
• Misalignment or binding of moving parts such as wheels and the axles. Ensure that the wheels are secure firmly and are of the highest quality.
• Cracked or broken parts such as the hydraulic cylinder or the brakes. Any cracks will compromise the integrity of the vehicle positioning jack.

How can you Change Oil in Vehicle Positioning Jack?

You can change oil for your vehicle positioning jack by following these easy steps:

• Drain oil by removing the oil plug using a suitable alley key.
• Turn the jack on its side in such a way that the oil plug hole is facing down, the start to slowly pump the foot pedal by hand to push oil from the cylinder. Darin all the oil into a suitable container.
• Once all the oil is drained, rotate the vehicle positioning jack in such a way that the oil plug hole is facing up.
• Using a funnel, add oil to the cylinder by use of the oil plug hole until the oil reaches the plug hole.
• Reinstall the oil drain plug then purge air from the system.

What is the Weight Capacity of Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Different vehicle positioning jacks come equipped with different weight capacities.

It also depends on the weight of the vehicle the positioning jack will be used on.

Vehicle positioning jacks are manufactured to handle immense weights. Four-wheel dollies can lift a vehicle weighing more than 600kgs.

They work by distributing the dead weight of the vehicle on the jack’s structure.

What Affects the Lifting Efficiency of Vehicle Positioning Jack?

The efficiency or performance of a vehicle positioning jack may be affected during transportation, after adding the oil or long time not been used.

Air may get into the system and affect the performance of the jack.

You will be required to perform a systematic air purge procedure as follows:

• You will first depress the foot pedal rapidly several times.
• Then carefully and gently remove the oil plug a little bit to release the trapped air.
• You will replace the oil plug and check for proper pump action.
• The vehicle positioning jack will now be set to make use of it.

What are the Features of Vehicle Positioning Jacks?

Some of the common features of a vehicle positioning jack include

• Heavy-duty steel frame: vehicle positioning jacks are made to hold the dead weight of an immobile vehicle. The frame needs to be strong enough to hold that weight.
• Tires/rollers: most vehicle positioning jacks come equipped with a set of four wheels that are designed to accept the weight loads of the vehicle. The wheels can rotate 360 degrees thus making vehicle maneuverability easy.
• Hydraulic jack: this is used to lift the vehicle after the jack as been secured on the tires of the vehicle.
• Safety locking pin: they lock the wheels in place so that they do not slide in the process of moving a vehicle.
• Safety hook: this is used to suppress the hydraulic foot pedal to avoid accidental release and cause accidents.

Which Fluid do you use in Hydraulic Vehicle Positioning Jack?

Hydraulic vehicle positioning jack uses hydraulic power.

This power comes as a result of compressing the hydraulic fluid inside the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic fluid is hydraulic oil.

How much does Vehicle Positioning Jack Cost?

It is pretty hard to get the correct price tag of vehicle position jacks because they come in different shapes and sizes.

Also, the jacks come in a set of single wheel dolly, double, or a set of four-wheel dollies.

A conservative price range is from as low as $50 to around $200 per set of wheel dolly.

How do you choose Vehicle Positioning Jack Stand?

Vehicle positioning jack stands are designed to lift the vehicle to enable mechanics to work underneath the vehicle.

The vehicle positioning stand complements the vehicle positioning jacks.

A good mechanic should have both the vehicle positioning jack and stand because after moving the vehicle, you will need to raise it to access beneath.

Which Material is Vehicle Positioning Jack made of?

Because of the weight, they have to support, vehicle positioning jacks need to be tough and sturdy.

The manufacturer has to make them from the toughest and durable material in the market.

Different parts of the positioning jack are manufactured from different materials.  Some of the common materials used are:

1. Steel plate and frame:  due to its strength and durability It is used in the construction of the vehicle positioning jack’s frame.
2. Dual radial ball bearing axles:  these make pushing the vehicle easy and smooth. They are specially designed to support the dead weight of a vehicle.
3. Wheels: are usually made from tough rubber and are tubeless to prevent tire bursts. They are also attached to a strong axle enabling them to move in both directions or even make a 360 degrees movement.

In short, before purchasing vehicle positioning jacks, you should consider everything mentioned in this guide.

In case you have inquiries, or you need vehicle positioning jacks – contact us now.