Emergency roadside jack?

[tm3]

i found a fair amount of topics discussing garage jacks, but nothing about jacks to carry in the car for emergency use.

is there a better option than the jacks that come as part of the car kit, such as a bottle jack or maybe a heavier duty scissors jack?

thanks

 

[PoorOwner]

The one that came with the car should be good, they are securely mounted in one spot, designed to support the car's weight, and light weight.

But, I prefer to just call AAA (gold membership) and have it towed instead of working on the side of the road.

 

[tm3]

i agree getting the vehicle away from the roadside sounds like a good plan, but do you then pay for the tow? i looked up towing at the AAA site and for all membership classes it says, "Free installation of spare tire. Towing provision applies if spare not available."

 

[PoorOwner]

The regular membership is worthless because it only tows 7 miles then you have to pay the going rate of maybe $8 a mile it's going to be costly.

The gold will tow up to 100 miles 3-4 times a year? and I heard even 200 if you request it.. we have 4 cars, although not needed to use it recently it's kind of like insurance (I don't carry spare tires in some cars to save weight, one car has upgraded brakes that won't clear a spare tire anyway)

 

[dcjredline]

x2 for jack that came with the car. Its an emergency situation so I look at it like I will use what I have instead of putting more **** in my car "incase"

 

[rsanter]

I dropped AAA a long time ago
I have roadside through my car insurance.
I have used them several times and they get there faster and they dong have the little BS limit about towing distance

oh yea, it only costs me $10 a year per car ($20 total) for better service

bob

 

[64merc]

I dropped AAA a long time ago
I have roadside through my car insurance.
I have used them several times and they get there faster and they dong have the little BS limit about towing distance

oh yea, it only costs me $10 a year per car ($20 total) for better service

bob

I did the same thing a while back. I'm not sure how much Geico charges me off hand, but I know it was cheaper and better than AAA.

 

[russlaferrera]

The one that came with the car should be good, they are securely mounted in one spot, designed to support the car's weight, and light weight.

But, I prefer to just call AAA (gold membership) and have it towed instead of working on the side of the road.

Why have it towed? Why can't they change the tire?

 

[Mike83]

Why have it towed? Why can't they change the tire?

Changing the tire don't fix a clogged fuel pump or crapped out alternator

That is, if a flat tire is not your problem Otherwise, yeah, just have them fix the flat.

 

[T56 Impala]

BMW roadside assist FTW!!!! I call them if I need to blow my nose! Except for my old 79 GP, the jacks have never been out of any of my cars. Now with the sting of BMW's or with Geico's road side coverage I see no need.

 

[wilbilt]

I have basic AAA, but live more than 7 miles from anywhere. Insurance-supplied tow coverage is not available because the drivers are all too old.

So, a Hi-Lift jack is the answer to the question. It's a jack, a winch, a press, etc...

 

[ImportTuner]

I usually use the stupid jack that comes with the car; I have AAA but don't feel like waiting an hour for them to show up ... here's a cool jack that I wouldn't mine having in the trunk, but at $370 ... I'll have to pass ...

 

[bchee]

at $370 ... I'll have to pass ...

Do you have a link to that jack? where did you find it?

 

[ImportTuner]

Do you have a link to that jack? where did you find it?

Yep .... here it is ...
http://www.calcarcover.com/product.aspx?id=231&cid=

 

[TxDoc]

I bought my parents one of these. Easy to use.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95851

Get fast lifting power using your car battery.

* Plugs into cigarette lighter socket or clips to 12V battery
* Lifts from 4-3/4" to 13-1/2"
* Two ton capacity
* Compact for easy storage
* Manual backup crank
* Handy storage case

Lift Height @ 6-3/4" : 1400 lbs; Lift Height @ 7-1/2" : 2000 lbs; Lift Height @ 10" -13-1/2": 4000 lbs; 9-1/2 ft. power cord; 3 spare fuses; 2-1/2" diameter lift saddle; Overall dimensions: 15-1/2" L x 6-1/4" W x 4" H (folded); Shipping weight: 50.6 lbs.

ITEM 95851-1VGA

$59.99

 

[mulepackin]

I keep a hydraulic bottle jack in my truck year round. I also have a hi-lift that get tossed in when I'm more in the "boonies" (a relative statement around here).

 

[wilbilt]

A Hi-Lift will flip your car over if need be.

Whatever.

 

[SCguy]

Factory jack! Some cars need to be lifted in a certain way or have a special design that you need to lift the car.

RD

 

[CatfishXpress]

I keep a cheap floor jack and an assortment of wood blocks in the toolbox of my truck. It actually gets used a good bit usually to help somebody else out of a jam.

 

[eschoendorff]

The one that came with the car should be good, they are securely mounted in one spot, designed to support the car's weight, and light weight.

But, I prefer to just call AAA (gold membership) and have it towed instead of working on the side of the road.

Roger that.

 

[tm3]

thanks for all the replies!

i've seen the hi lift jack, but doesn't it need to hook onto a bumper? my cars would need something placed under the frame -- can the hi lift do that? maybe there is some kind of attachment?

that low profile jack is pricey, and it is rated at 1000 pounds. which brings to mind another question -- if i do add a supplementary jack (bottle or otherwise) what pound rating does it need to have?

mulepackin, i obviously don't know a lot about jacks -- what is it about your bottle jack that you prefer over a scissors jack?

i thought about a small floor jack, but they are pretty heavy and take up a fair amount of room.

thanks again, everyone. i'm going to check my state farm coverage and see about the roadside assistance. however AAA probably pays for itself with the motel discounts i get.

 

[chappys4life]

I usually use the stupid jack that comes with the car; I have AAA but don't feel like waiting an hour for them to show up ... here's a cool jack that I wouldn't mine having in the trunk, but at $370 ... I'll have to pass ...

I need a jack like that since my car sits low but wow I don't want to pay that. Hmm I guess factory jack then.

 

[ImportTuner]

I need a jack like that since my car sits low but wow I don't want to pay that. Hmm I guess factory jack then.

Would be nice if you can find a place that is cheaper; ideal for low cars like Corvette, Porsche, etc ... and easy to store ...

 

[Mr. Welsh]

Factory jack! Some cars need to be lifted in a certain way or have a special design that you need to lift the car.

RD

What? Rubbish.

 

[grillmasterp]

Here is another option
http://www.airjackusa.com/

 

[Hip2u77]

Here is another option
http://www.airjackusa.com/

Exactly what I was thinking. It would sure be one of the easier options.

ARB bushranger Jack

 

[Uncle Buck]

I dropped AAA a long time ago
I have roadside through my car insurance.
I have used them several times and they get there faster and they dong have the little BS limit about towing distance

oh yea, it only costs me $10 a year per car ($20 total) for better service

bob

I did the same thing a while back. I'm not sure how much Geico charges me off hand, but I know it was cheaper and better than AAA.

I hear that, I never understood how AAA makes it when the car insurance company can do the same thing faster for a pittance compared to AAA! I have always had tow in on my cars too.

 

[tm3]

that air jack looks pretty slick!

 

[tite681]

My best emergency roadside jacking experience was with a 86 BMW 5 series. The jack it comes with is light, compact, with the crank attached. A couple cranks and the car was already off the ground. I think it was made by Bilstein.

 

[eschoendorff]

What? Rubbish.

Why?????

 

[mulepackin]

[QUOTE

mulepackin, i obviously don't know a lot about jacks -- what is it about your bottle jack that you prefer over a scissors jack?

[/QUOTE]

Obviously everyones' own situation is different and unique to them. I think for your average flat tire on flat paved ground the OE jack that comes with your particular veh. is just fine. It is specifically designed to raise the veh. at specific points, a specific way, generally under somewhat ideal conditions. For me, I find a bottle jack is more versatile, more stable, has higher lift, and raises more quickly. Mind you, it resides in my 3/4T pickup and may get called upon to raise any variety of trailers I might pull, in addition to the truck. I've used it to set and level livestock feeders and as an emerg. porta-power at times. A hi-lift jack is also as much of a tool to me as it is a jack. They can be used in a variety of configurations, including flipping a car over, if that is something that needs doing

 

[wilbilt]

Why?????

I recall Porsches and VWs and BMWs with the jack sockets in the rockers. Covered by a plastic plug, it was "the only way" to jack these vehicles.

We had an adaptor for the floor jacks that had a stub to fit the "jacking point".

I remember that jacking those cars using the factory jack point created all kinds of creaking and bending sounds, and often as not, the jack socket would yield and start distorting the exterior bodywork.

Floor jack, factory jack, it made no difference.