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Bottle jack safety.

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atikovi

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I know never to get under a car supported only by a regular floor jack, but what about a bottle jack? Say you raise one side of the vehicle just enough to remove a wheel, than lower it until the jack bottoms out. There is no hydraulics supporting the vehicle, just the steel jack housing, same as a jack stand. Is this a correct assumption?
 
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rlitman

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So you want to use a bottle jack as a jack stand? Jack stands have a much wider stance, and are less likely to tip.
 
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jacked_72

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Bottle jacks have the same potential faults as a floor jack. The can fail resulting on something big and heavy falling on you. Harbor Freight jack stands are cheap. There was a time that I was invincible, but not any longer. Buy the jack stands.
 
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joe_padavano

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Any jack uses sliding surfaces and seals. The rubber seal is the only thing holding the load. If the seal leaks or blows out, the load is no longer supported. A jack stand is a solid steel support.
 
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rlitman

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atikovi said:
Did you see where I mentioned the jack is fully down so no hydraulics involved?
Click to expand...

I did. And I'm not sure what the cylinder rating would even be without hydraulic pressure. It MIGHT hold up the vehicle, but then again, it might not.

Anyway, a bottle jack makes for a rather crappy jack stand.
 
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Sevenhills1952

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I use 6 to 8 jack stands scattered around on flat level concrete floor. Two people I knew died under cars years ago trying different things.

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APEowner

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If it passes the push - pull stability test I'd be comfortable with that. In fact it's probably less likely to collapse than a Harbor Freight jack stand. Even cheap bottle jacks are pretty substantial chunks of steel.
 
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Bogie1632

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atikovi said:
This is a big 12 ton model with a 6 inch diameter base. The only way it could tip is if the vehicle rolled.
Click to expand...

I'd also be thinking about the bottlejack's top. What keeping it from slipping under the right conditions (raising, lowering, vehicle movement whether intended or not, base and lift point not staying aligned during lift or lowering). At least stands have cradles, that if used under a vehicle properly, will minimize slipping/movement. IMHO a proper set of stands is cheap insurance for personal injury/death or vehicle damage should sh!t hit the fan.

Just something to think about anyway.

V/R
Bogie
 
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mrvm

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Something is better than nothing but bottle jacks don’t make good safety devices. Not dependable against any movement. Buy some good jack stands or throw the spare down there with you.
 
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atikovi

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I have jack stands but you can't put the stand where the jack is lifting, and I'm lifting under the control arm of an RV. Suppose I can find a place nearby to put one as a backup.
 
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RacerX

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Also as an extra precaution, slide the tire and wheel under the car when working on it.

Or let Murphy intervene and let us know how that works out [emoji38]

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joecon

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If you are happy with it that's all that matters. I use to go under vehicles with out jack stands all the time but then I got older and decided a few minuets putting stands under the vehicles is well worth it. If you don't like jack stands make some blocks out of wood and use them.
 
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Hiball

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atikovi said:
I know never to get under a car supported only by a regular floor jack, but what about a bottle jack? Say you raise one side of the vehicle just enough to remove a wheel, than lower it until the jack bottoms out. There is no hydraulics supporting the vehicle, just the steel jack housing, same as a jack stand. Is this a correct assumption?
Click to expand...

Why are you worried about how the Vehicle is supported if you aren’t working under the vehicle? If you are just replacing a tire, leave it up till the task is completed. IMO putting yourself in harms way to lower the vehicle down without a tire and then back up simply to reinstall the tire seems silly to me. If it’s going to be a extended period of time till the tire can be replaced, invest in some jack stands.
 
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Aquamoose

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atikovi said:
I have jack stands but you can't put the stand where the jack is lifting, and I'm lifting under the control arm of an RV. Suppose I can find a place nearby to put one as a backup.
Click to expand...


ONE way... Jack it up, put some wood 2 x 6’s under the tire, lower the vehicle, put the jack stand in place of the jack, let the air out of the tire. Volia!

Would I do this? No but if the lifting point was the ONLY spot available but I can’t imagine it to be so.


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Jagmandave

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I understand where the OP is going with his question, once the vehicle is up there is no place to put a jack stand.

If the vehicle is chocked properly that it won't move and you're only just taking the wheel off say to work on brakes or wheel bearings I see no issue. I think a bottle jack all the way down is at least as strong as a HF jack stand.

But.....if it were me, I'd find a way to add the safety of a jack stand too, just in case.
 
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Citation

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Honestly, it might be OK. There are two reasons to not get under a car on a bottle jack. The first is a leak of hydraulic pressure and the second is stability. If the bottle is already down then the hydraulic question goes away. That still leaves stability. If you aren't getting under the car and if the jack toppled no one would get hurt then fine. But given the small base of a bottle jack I wouldn't do it.
 
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Showkey

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Ok.........what’s better (or worse) a tippy bottle jack or brittle cinder block ? YES, direction of the block matters...... too.:lol_hitti
 
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atikovi

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Here is what I ended up doing.

large.jpg
 
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atikovi

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The off-center lifting point must put a lot of stress on it. Plus the height makes it unusable for most passenger cars. I do have a pair of these Safe Jack stands for those.

large.jpg
 
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Sevenhills1952

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atikovi said:
Here is what I ended up doing.



large.jpg
Click to expand...
Looks ok to me. I wouldn't want to be under it without another jack stand thought.
I say this stuff yet I'm 68 and done my share of crazy things. So lucky still having my limbs, fingers, eyes, etc.[emoji16]

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M635_Guy

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atikovi said:
The off-center lifting point must put a lot of stress on it. Plus the height makes it unusable for most passenger cars. I do have a pair of these Safe Jack stands for those.

large.jpg
Click to expand...

That's pretty interesting...

$500 for a set of four is...
9TjUWb.gif
 
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G1GRANDEUR

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atikovi said:
I know never to get under a car supported only by a regular floor jack, but what about a bottle jack? Say you raise one side of the vehicle just enough to remove a wheel, than lower it until the jack bottoms out. There is no hydraulics supporting the vehicle, just the steel jack housing, same as a jack stand. Is this a correct assumption?
Click to expand...

:lol_hitti i mean yes it will work, but people with these strange ideas.
 
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M635_Guy

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atikovi said:
I only have a pair but three is all you really need.

large.jpg
Click to expand...

Hmmm...

I have a QuickJack, and I'm probably not a player on these in any case, but I'd want four. That's just how I'm wired.

At $350, I might be able to talk myself into a set, but...
 
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Copymutt

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I’ve tipped a bottle of Jack many times, just not that way. Solid support for my loved one every time.
 
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