Easier to turn scissor jack for car?

[bwringer]

A few weeks ago one bone-chilling night, my wife called from the side of the road about 40 minutes away with a flat tire.

Long story short, it was easiest and fastest for me to just drive up there and deal with it. Fortunately, it was a simple puncture and I plugged and re-inflated the tire and all is well.

Anyway, I used the scissor jack that came with her car to jack it up, and although I am a full-size American galoot, it was VERY difficult. Holy hell, that thing was a bear to turn. There's absolutely no way a 5'3" lady could have managed to get that thing in the air.

So. Is there a good alternative out there that's easier to turn?

I Googled for about two minutes, and there's an electric scissor jack that's about $70-$80.

I could just stick a little hydraulic jack in the car. I'm not sure whether it would lift far enough (would have to test this) and most don't have the slot to engage properly with the correct area of the "pinch weld". Plus it's bulky and will be in the way; ideally, we could just replace the stock jack so it's nice and tucked away.

Is there a geared version, something from a different car, or next level product out there to solve this problem?

The car is a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport trucklet, if that matters.

 

[rlitman]

Could it be as simple as oiling the jack screw?

 

[bwringer]

Could it be as simple as oiling the jack screw?

That's definitely something I'll check, yes.

It had some lube on the screw, and seemed to turn easily enough once I muscled it into the higher-leverage part of its travel. But with a completely flat tire, the car was sitting lower, so once it started to take the weight it was at a disadvantage.

 

[Rc_Guy]

I like the hydraulic floor jacks you can get in a case at auto parts stores.

my wife would have changed the tire herself.

 

[dscheidt]

Make sure the screw or the nut aren't bent or otherwise causing binding. I had a jack where the screw bound in the nut, and that couple of turns required a whole lot more force than the rest of the travel. The dealer gave me a new one, which worked much better.

The other improvement you can do is get a longer lever. if your jack takes a wrench, you can install a long or extending breaker bar (and socket, which is probably the same as your lug nuts, so this is helpful for that, too) in the car. If it's got a hook, see if you can find a different handle.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Can you find a scissor jack with a hex drive like on camper trailers jacks? I keep an inexpensive battery operated impact and it makes quick work of them. Yeah not the cheapest option but by far the easiest.

Bonus is you use it for lug removal as well

 

[visionguru]

Something wrong with the scissor jack. With all the scissor jacks I've used, I think they should be turned easily by a 10 year old girl.

The easiest I've used is: Widowmaker jack supplied by Audi:
View media item 93008https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422576

 

[RonnieMac]

I use a scissor jack taken from a Toyota on my English MGB.

The jack normally operates with a crank hook that hooks onto a flange that is part of the jack screw.

To make the lift easier, I found a socket that was sized to go over the flange on which the crank hook normally engages the jack screw.

Then I bought an inexpensive drive ratchet to fit the socket with a long enough handle to make raising the car easier.

 

[charbar]

The easiest I've used is: Widowmaker jack supplied by Audi:
View media item 93008https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422576

OH HELL NO!!!! If I had to use one of those I would be using a long tree branch to put the tire on and a 3 ft extension to start the lugnuts!! That thing looks terrible.



I agree that something might be wrong with the jack. You could probably find a replacement at a salvage yard for a few bucks.

I hate stock jacks. The work truck always has a 3.5 ton floor jack on it, but the other two vehicles have cheapy bottle jacks in lieu of the stockers.

 

[mikegt4]

I have changed tires on my Audi's using those jacks, they are the easiest to use, crank almost without effort and being aluminum they are very light. I have junked 2 Audis at the end of their lives (200K and nearly 300K miles) and kept the jacks for general use around the shop holding things when I don't have enough hands.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I like a big heavy floor jack for the garage that lets vehicles get scooted around.

For portable use, a trolley jack that does the job of lifting for a tire change can be much lighter and more stable than a poor jack design.

I don't go out of my way to shop for OEM jacks at the salvage yard, but there are some that are just easy to use, and do the job for cheap, if your shopping takes you there.

in the case of your Hyundai jack, if the screw to nut thread is binding, maybe run it with anti-sieze a few runs back and forth, then clean that off and reapply a dab of light grease that won't run with heat on the threads ahead of the nut so it self-spreads.

If the drive can be rotated with an easier-to-use ratchet and socket, that's usually easier than the steel rod or tube handle some jacks include.

Thanks for the tip-off to look at the Kia jack in the household vehicle.

 

[dscheidt]

OH HELL NO!!!! If I had to use one of those I would be using a long tree branch to put the tire on and a 3 ft extension to start the lugnuts!! That thing looks terrible.

It looks scary, but it's no different than a normal scissor jack. The parts that are missing don't touch the ground or the car, and I trust VAG's engineers enough that I'm sure they got the strength right. That said, they're still scissors jacks, and they **** for cars. They do have very fine threads, which gives them good mechanical advantage, and so they're easy to lift and lower a car with. I kept the one out of the passat I junked, because they're handy for putting a little spreading or lifting force on something.

 

[BrandoJames]

I would only use a scissor jack in an emergency situation--there are better options out there. I keep in my trunk a Duralast floor jack/stands kit. It comes in a compact plastic case and is available at Autozone for $89. For garage use, I have a Dayton 3 ton floor jack.

https://www.autozone.com/engine-and...ralast-2-5-ton-jack-and-stands-kit/562996_0_0

 

[ndnchf]

Check out the little accessory I made that makes using a scissor jack much easier.

 

[Qualitytools]

Check out the little accessory I made that makes using a scissor jack much easier.

Great idea, thanks for sharing

 

[bwringer]

Check out the little accessory I made that makes using a scissor jack much easier.

Nice! Not too practical to carry a cordless drill in the car for emergency use, though.

But that scissor jack you're using with the gearbox looks like just the ticket. Where did that come from?

Even if it takes a lot longer, something that can be turned easily by a cordless drill would be low force enough for my wife to use if she had to.

 

[ndnchf]

Its an MVP PRO LIFT model T-9446. I don't recall where it came from or if they still make it. But a quick search found one on ebay.

 

[510ebl]

Dumb question... were you lifting under the control arm, or by the manufacturer designated lift point? Those jacks can be tough to raise until they get past “square”

 

[bwringer]

Dumb question... were you lifting under the control arm, or by the manufacturer designated lift point? Those jacks can be tough to raise until they get past “square”

We used the designated lift point.

The tire was completely flat, so yes, it was lower than normal and that certainly contributed to the difficulty until the jack got to a point where it had more leverage. It was also harder to crank the lever close to the ground.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

Something wrong with the scissor jack. With all the scissor jacks I've used, I think they should be turned easily by a 10 year old girl.

The easiest I've used is: Widowmaker jack supplied by Audi:
View media item 93008https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422576

Jacks like this are truly sketchy. My wife's old Land Rover came with one. It was in use for the only time in 50 years of wrenching, that I had a car fall off a jack. And that was in my garage on a clean and level concrete floor!

 

[Pistolero]

This is one of those most dangerous scissor jack, the foot needs to be on the perfect spot to lift the car, if its off by a little bit, the car will fall easily. it looks perfect, but flat tire situation doesn't choose a perfect floor for this kind of jack, the foot also loves to slip when your turning the handle

 

[jayemm]

Jacks like this are truly sketchy. My wife's old Land Rover came with one. It was in use for the only time in 50 years of wrenching, that I had a car fall off a jack. And that was in my garage on a clean and level concrete floor!

Amen to that. I bought a new VW Jetta in 1985 which had one of these poor excuses for a jack. After watching it start to slide under the car while cranking it on a smooth concrete floor , I went to Sears and bought a small trolley jack that fit in a 16" toolbox in the trunk. I couldn't fathom how that unsafe POS was even legal.

 

[justanengineer]

Inspect the threads closely if the jack is binding or just replace it. I had the female threads on one completely strip a few years ago mid-lift and drop my T/A, thankfully not on me. Posting that incident on FB got several similar stories from friends so don’t doubt that those jacks are cheaply made and not long-life items.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kscardsfan]

Could you just replace it with a cheap low profile bottle jack?

 

[CHRIII]

Google panel pinch weld floor jack adapter if you want to use a floor jack without damaging the pinch welds. There are styles that do no require the jack to have a removable saddle.

I use this style and have had no problems:

 

[whateg01]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004G5A7NU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DL21DK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[nes999]

I know you said you wanted a scissor jack. Maybe use a bottle jack instead? I prefer them to scissor's myself.

 

[Showkey]

The jack effort is step 1 for the 5’3” lady.........

Step 2. Lug nuts. 80-100 ftlbs is a real challenge with a standard lug wrench.
Step 4. Lifting a 50-90# tire off the axle
Step 5. Lift the spare, full size or temp out of the trunk or hatch well.
Step 6. Lift the spare on to the studs
Step 7. Tightening those lug nuts. Reloading all the stuff back in the vehicle.

Then there’s the risks of the side of the road.

Reality if a can of “fix a flat” can’t do the job.........service call or you( I ) make the drive.

 

[SeisMec]

service call or you( I ) make the drive.

What we all should have written. Adding towing/service call insurance to my car is about $15/year.

 

[whateg01]

That service call can be a real pain, tbh. I can certainly appreciate the savings over having an ad hoc tow bill, but not being able to change a tire and having to rely on the tow company who may be an hour or two out, especially when more flats are probably realized when returning to the car in the parking lot after shopping or after getting off of work or getting ready to leave for work sure makes being able to change the tire a lot more appealing. I have AAA and have used it for tows from 85 miles from home (the reason for the Plus was that 100 miles will get me to my house or my folks' house from anywhere on that trip). I've also used it for run-out-of-gas 2 miles from the gas station when I learned that when the light on my Caddy comes on, it means NOW, not 23 miles from now. So, I am not against having that available. But when we ran out of gas, we waited an hour-and-a-half for them to get there. Had I not had AAA, I would have called a friend or relative to bring me a gallon. But waiting that long versus changing the tire and getting on home? NO WAY!

 

[bonneyman]

I just upgraded the base on my $5 cheapie car scissor jack to make it easier to crank without having to drop to my knees. A speed handle, 20" extension with universal joint and I can raise it while remaining standing.

I use it as a 3rd hand helping jack. Though it says it'll hold 1330 pounds I'd never trust that much on it. Lifted an evap cooler two years ago no problem, though I did put grease on the screw.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I'd weld a bolt the same size as the lug nuts onto the scissor jack and throw an impact or long handle ratchet in the trunk with a long extension. This is what I kept in my RZR.

 

[bwringer]

What we all should have written. Adding towing/service call insurance to my car is about $15/year.

Already got roadside assistance. Geez, we're not barbarians...

But at 11:00 at night, they would have taken well over an hour to get there and install the donut spare.

If weren't available, that's what she would have done.

The jack effort is step 1 for the 5’3” lady.........

Step 2. Lug nuts. 80-100 ftlbs is a real challenge with a standard lug wrench.
Step 4. Lifting a 50-90# tire off the axle
Step 5. Lift the spare, full size or temp out of the trunk or hatch well.
Step 6. Lift the spare on to the studs
Step 7. Tightening those lug nuts. Reloading all the stuff back in the vehicle.

Then there’s the risks of the side of the road.

Reality if a can of “fix a flat” can’t do the job.........service call or you( I ) make the drive.

You do make several excellent points. I think she could certainly physically do it with a better jack and a decent lug wrench, but her interest in learning and practicing how to do a safe tire change at the side of the road is far less than zero...

 

[Kenstone1]

Check out the little accessory I made that makes using a scissor jack much easier.

Thanks for posting

Looks like that scissor jack has a useful gear reduction attached.
That's not a something that's on your average oem jack though.

 

[finn]

Battery impact or drill.

What you use depends on the design of the jack.

For my fifth wheel trailer I use my old Dewalt drill with a 3/8” rod with a 90 degree bend that Hooke into the screw.

Others have a hex end so a socket fits.

Also, a little grease on the acme thread works wonders.

 

[Sullivan]

1990s GM trucks have a gear reduction scissor jack. Ive kept several and use them for all kinds of projects. My 5 year old can spin the handle on them easy enough. And yes before the karens and nancys jump in Im right there he just likes to help.

 

[Rc_Guy]

1990s GM trucks have a gear reduction scissor jack. Ive kept several and use them for all kinds of projects. My 5 year old can spin the handle on them easy enough. And yes before the karens and nancys jump in Im right there he just likes to help.

What is a karen and nancy?

 

[welder4956]

What is a karen and nancy?

Internet expert naysayer.

 

[JJ13]

I think she could certainly physically do it with a better jack and a decent lug wrench, but her interest in learning and practicing how to do a safe tire change at the side of the road is far less than zero...

This sounds familiar. Friday I was delivering mail (USPS Letter Carrier) and I got a good laugh out of one pain in the **** customer. She had a flat and must have roadside assistance coverage, a tow truck operator was putting her spare tire on the car. This is the same customer that couldn't lift a shovel all winter to clear her stairs. After they got compacted and icy I held everything for 10 days before returning her mail and packages for the next 5-6 weeks. Maybe she couldn't do the job but she looks to be early 30s and healthy.

One thing I haven't seen anybody mention is getting a folding lug wrench for the trunk. I once had a bad experience with a small, OEM lug wrench nearly spearing it into my calf muscle trying to bounce on the short torque arm to remove a stuck lug nut. Another time I couldn't break them loose on a different car without a breaker bar. I angrily drove back to the tire shop and they refused to loosen them and allow me to tighten them with the OEM lug wrench or even if I had brought a torque wrench. The claimed liability but it wouldn't have been an issue if they hadn't hammered them on with an air wrench.

It's always worth a try to get better tools and to make sure our loved ones know how to use them even practicing a bit before they are needed. Then you have people like the customer above and my ex-girlfriend that was willing to wait almost two hours rather than attempt to put the spare on in a major metropolitan area where getting service should be fairly quick.

 

[georgiadave]

Maybe a thrust washer would fit in the drive mechanism. That would remove a lot of friction.