Update: Trying to fix Craftsman floor jack--Done!

[BikeRider]

Have you checked AutoZone loaner tools if they have the socket or a tool that can fit it? Maybe a wrench for a fan clutch would work if they don't have a 47mm socket. It's free so you might as well just bring in the part and ask them if you can go through the loaner stuff to find something that fits.

Hmm, interesting. I checked and they do have a kit that includes a 48mm, and I think I measured the nut at 47.5mm, so it would be nearly perfect. These things have a crowfoot wrench design, so I'm not sure if an impact would work. What do you think? If I have to use a breaker, I have a 24" plus a cheater, but nothing as of yet to secure the jack itself.

...Actually, the 48mm is a spanner-style wrench, not a crowfoot, with the anvil cutout on the other end for a breaker bar. So it wouldn't work with an impact, but still might offer a better grip than a pipe wrench.

...So I found a Sunex 1/2" 48mm impact socket on Amazon in "Used-like new" condition for $17, so I ordered it. At that price I can justify it and if it doesn't work out I can just return it.

 

[BikeRider]

So I ordered that 48mm (actually 1-7/8") socket and was able to get the gland nut off with an impact wrench. I cleaned everything up and checked for bad o-rings and seals and the only part that seemed iffy was the ring seal that goes on the bottom of the "gland", on the opposite side of the nut. It seemed in bad shape.

I put everything back together and filled with jack oil, and when I tried to bleed the air out oil leaked out of that seal area, so I found the source of the leak. Does anyone know what kinds of seals these are and where to get them without getting an entire seal kit that costs as much as the jack cost me?

I wonder if the reason this seal failed was that when the jack was assembled in the factory they tightened the gland nut too much and compressed the seal beyond its limits, and while it didn't fail right away as the jack did work fine for several years, it did eventually fail as the jack was used and internal pressure gradually compromised its weak points.

It's the seal that's removed at the 6:00 min mark in this video. This is the exact same jack I have.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I bought a couple of these, 129$ light weight and new, will lift anything you're doing.

 

[Zewnten]

Take it to a hydraulic shop but plan on spending $20 for it. Buy a new jack, get one with a high lift adapter, about a $100 on amazon.

 

[BikeRider]

Take it to a hydraulic shop but plan on spending $20 for it. Buy a new jack, get one with a high lift adapter, about a $100 on amazon.

All I need is a $2 part, the problem is where to get it. I don't even know the part #. I'll probably get a better jack eventually but it's just not a priority right now.

 

[Zewnten]

All I need is a $2 part, the problem is where to get it. I don't even know the part #. I'll probably get a better jack eventually but it's just not a priority right now.

I'm saying I've only seen one place that would charge under $5 for a seal and you better know the part number and pay in cash. Otherwise yeah it's going to be $20. But the bigger question is why risk your health and life over this?

 

[paulsomlo]

Try Hydraulic Parts Supply at 620-594-2247

 

[BikeRider]

I'm saying I've only seen one place that would charge under $5 for a seal and you better know the part number and pay in cash. Otherwise yeah it's going to be $20. But the bigger question is why risk your health and life over this?

Cash is not a problem. Why would it be at this price level? But I'm not sure where the risk is. It's a floor jack. Either I fix it or I don't. If it fails, I'm not stupid enough to work under a car supported only by one. Like everyone who knows what they're doing I use jack stands, plus the jack, plus a tire if they're off. Safety 101. But fixing a car or tool, same thing, essentially. Both have parts, parts fail, replace parts, they work again.

Try Hydraulic Parts Supply at 620-594-2247

Thanks. Can't believe it's so hard to track down jack parts. I guess that very few people repair theirs and that generally only repair shops and businesses with their own repair shops do that and they buy in bulk from regular vendors. But I hate throwing perfectly decent things out just because they need a new part.

 

[geartow]

The jack you are trying to save is worth more as scrap metal than to repair. Trying to do just a $2 fix would never give future confidence in it being safe. The type of jack you posted are for simple tire change in an emergency. Not even home dig maintenance. My life is worth more than the cost of a suitable jack. Using the proper tool for the job is cheaper in the grand scheme of life. Please consider the proper tool.

 

[BikeRider]

The jack you are trying to save is worth more as scrap metal than to repair. Trying to do just a $2 fix would never give future confidence in it being safe. The type of jack you posted are for simple tire change in an emergency. Not even home dig maintenance. My life is worth more than the cost of a suitable jack. Using the proper tool for the job is cheaper in the grand scheme of life. Please consider the proper tool.

It's a jack. It's safe. It worked fine for several years before developing this leak. Used properly and just to get jack stands in place, all hydraulic jacks are safe, whether cheap or expensive.

The main difference between cheap and expensive ones is that the latter lift a car with far fewer strokes and are more reliable long-term, and have more lifting capacity which is irrelevant if you're lifting a car and not truck.

Scissor jacks such as come with most cars are for emergency use. No one keeps a 30lb hydraulic jack in the trunk of their car for emergencies. Truck, maybe, but not car.

And it's not a "$2 fix". It's a fix that happens to cost $2, or whatever a new gasket costs. By your logic we should trash every tool and device including cars whenever something breaks, because unsafe. That's just nuts.

It's a perfectly fine low-end jack that had a gasket go bad and needs replacing. Everything else appears to be in good working order. Not everyone can afford to blow $200 on a higher end floor jack.

 

[ajchien]

That seal you’re looking for is not going on a moving part, and isn’t going to need to withstand significant pressure. You can probably find some gasket material and make your own seal.

 

[vwpieces]

Craftsman (Sears) Drawings - HCRCnow.com | Lazzar's Floor Jack & Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Center

Lazzar's HCRC is a leading supplier of repair parts and seal kits for floor jacks, air hydraulic pumps, hand pumps and rams. We also sell Metric and Standard Seals.

www.hcrcnow.com

 

[qqzj]

Craftsman (Sears) Drawings - HCRCnow.com | Lazzar's Floor Jack & Hydraulic Cylinder Repair Center

Lazzar's HCRC is a leading supplier of repair parts and seal kits for floor jacks, air hydraulic pumps, hand pumps and rams. We also sell Metric and Standard Seals.

www.hcrcnow.com

That is the $50 kit OP does not want to look at.

 

[vwpieces]

That is the $50 kit OP does not want to look at.

Actually its a link to all the models and parts diagrams. The single seal he seeks will have a part number.
But good luck finding it individually.

 

[qqzj]

I found mine. It is about $50. So I just sold my jack. If I have the tools and all the setup, I might have bought it. Kind of sad to see my Cman aluminum jack go.

 

[BikeRider]

That seal you’re looking for is not going on a moving part, and isn’t going to need to withstand significant pressure. You can probably find some gasket material and make your own seal.

True, it seals the outer shell that holds the reserve oil that's drawn into the pump when lifting and returned to it when lowering. So it should be more or less at ambient air pressure, at times a bit higher since you have to bleed out air now and then, but not hugely so or else the rubber stopper would pop out, of course.

If so, I wonder why that would be the source of the leak. The good news though is that if that's the only part that's leaking then the jack should be able to hold its rated weight limit, provided that there's sufficient oil in reserve. Which explains why it works fine when I add oil but as it loses oil due to the leak it stops lifting.

In any case I took a look at the seal/gasket/o-ring. It's translucent plastic, polypropylene-like, flat on the outer circumference where the bottom of the outer jacket sits on it and it sits on the valve body, with a vertical section all around the inner circumference where it sits on the inner surface of the outer jacket (not sure if I'm using the right terms). Basically as if you took a flexible L-beam and bent it into a circle.

What I was thinking of doing was applying some RTV, probably grey to match the color, to the bottom and outer part of the seal, basically where it sits on the inner jacket and pump body surfaces, and seeing if that fixes it. Obviously I'd let it set first, same as with a trans, diff or oil pan. I'll also take a look at the mating surfaces to see if any minor dressing or milling is called for in case there are irregularities, burrs, dings, etc., that might be causing the leak.

I'll post here in a few days after I've tried this. Thanks.

 

[ajchien]

True, it seals the outer shell that holds the reserve oil that's drawn into the pump when lifting and returned to it when lowering. So it should be more or less at ambient air pressure, at times a bit higher since you have to bleed out air now and then, but not hugely so or else the rubber stopper would pop out, of course.

If so, I wonder why that would be the source of the leak. The good news though is that if that's the only part that's leaking then the jack should be able to hold its rated weight limit, provided that there's sufficient oil in reserve. Which explains why it works fine when I add oil but as it loses oil due to the leak it stops lifting.

I think your jack probably has a sealed reservoir rather than a vented reservoir.

In a sealed reservoir, the tank will build a vacuum as the oil gets pumped out and it may develop some pressure as the jack gets lowered. If you want to decrease the strain on your “RTV” seal you could consider substituting a vent instead of the rubber plug for the fill hole. Potential downsides of having a vent is that the oil can get dirty in dirty environments or you could spit out a small amount of oil when lowering the jack. IMHO, potential benefits may include a more controlled, smoother lowering of the jack and less strain on other seals.

 

[BikeRider]

I think your jack probably has a sealed reservoir rather than a vented reservoir.

In a sealed reservoir, the tank will build a vacuum as the oil gets pumped out and it may develop some pressure as the jack gets lowered. If you want to decrease the strain on your “RTV” seal you could consider substituting a vent instead of the rubber plug for the fill hole. Potential downsides of having a vent is that the oil can get dirty in dirty environments or you could spit out a small amount of oil when lowering the jack. IMHO, potential benefits may include a more controlled, smoother lowering of the jack and less strain on other seals.

Thanks, I'll consider it but first I'll see what I can do to seal the pump jacket (or whatever it's called).

 

[rust in the eye]

opens to 50mm

15 in. Adjustable Jumbo Wrench

Amazing deals on this 15In Adjustable Jumbo Wrench at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[rust in the eye]

I bought a couple of these, 129$ light weight and new, will lift anything you're doing.

Yeah these great on really smooth surface, ONLY. Those tiny little wheels get caught very easily and when they do instead of jack rolling under your work the lift arm slides out. I've twice damaged rocker panels using these. The second time would be shame on me having already done it before.
I gave the jack away to be sure it didn't happen again.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Yeah these great on really smooth surface, ONLY. Those tiny little wheels get caught very easily and when they do instead of jack rolling under your work the lift arm slides out. I've twice damaged rocker panels using these. The second time would be shame on me having already done it before.
I gave the jack away to be sure it didn't happen again.

Never had that problem, on questionable surfaces I always try to use a jacking board. What I do like is the weight, great to carry to point of use.

 

[rust in the eye]

Never had that problem, on questionable surfaces I always try to use a jacking board. What I do like is the weight, great to carry to point of use.

Like I said, shame on me. Agreed about the weight, I was able to fling mine around 20 feet after it slipped for the second time.

 

[BikeRider]

Never had that problem, on questionable surfaces I always try to use a jacking board. What I do like is the weight, great to carry to point of use.

Do you have the Pittsburgh 2-ton one? Whether or not I can fix this jack I'd eventually like to get a better jack, mainly so I don't have to pump so many times to reach height and maybe get a bit more height. I'm trying to decide between the Pittsburgh and Daytona 1.5 and 2 ton models and the Pittsburgh 2.5 ton model, 5 models in all. It'll come down to price vs. weight vs. max height vs. quality. I've heard that Daytona tends to bend less.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Do you have the Pittsburgh 2-ton one? Whether or not I can fix this jack I'd eventually like to get a better jack, mainly so I don't have to pump so many times to reach height and maybe get a bit more height. I'm trying to decide between the Pittsburgh and Daytona 1.5 and 2 ton models and the Pittsburgh 2.5 ton model, 5 models in all. It'll come down to price vs. weight vs. max height vs. quality. I've heard that Daytona tends to bend less.

Yes, the 2 ton, it’s a good mix of lift, weight and price.

 

[BikeRider]

I noticed some dings along the circumference of the lower part of the jack where the outer reservoir jacket sits on it, with a plastic seal between the two. So I tried my best to flatten and smooth them out with a small punch and hammer, cleaned everything with brakleen (red, the original), applied Ultra Black RTV, which is meant for use where there's oil, wiped off any extra where it didn't need to be, inserted the top and finger tightened the nut, waited an hour, then torqued it down with an impact. I'll wait 24 hours then put oil back in and see if this fixed the leak.

And FWIW, to those who think I should just junk this and get a "real" floor jack, I'm not just doing this to fix this jack or because I'm cheap. One, I hate throwing perfectly serviceable things out just because they need fixing, two, I like fixing things, and three, this is a learning experience I will use when a better jack I might own someday eventually stops working and needs to be fixed. Even the best jacks eventually leak and fail, and the techniques used here are very similar to those used in much more expensive jacks. Same with cars, even the junkiest low-end car has much the same parts working along much the same principles as high-end cars, and learning on one helps you work on the other. Plus, if you make any mistakes, which you inevitably will as you learn, better to make them on lower-end ones.

 

[Zewnten]

I noticed some dings along the circumference of the lower part of the jack where the outer reservoir jacket sits on it, with a plastic seal between the two. So I tried my best to flatten and smooth them out with a small punch and hammer, cleaned everything with brakleen (red, the original), applied Ultra Black RTV, which is meant for use where there's oil, wiped off any extra where it didn't need to be, inserted the top and finger tightened the nut, waited an hour, then torqued it down with an impact. I'll wait 24 hours then put oil back in and see if this fixed the leak.

And FWIW, to those who think I should just junk this and get a "real" floor jack, I'm not just doing this to fix this jack or because I'm cheap. One, I hate throwing perfectly serviceable things out just because they need fixing, two, I like fixing things, and three, this is a learning experience I will use when a better jack I might own someday eventually stops working and needs to be fixed. Even the best jacks eventually leak and fail, and the techniques used here are very similar to those used in much more expensive jacks. Same with cars, even the junkiest low-end car has much the same parts working along much the same principles as high-end cars, and learning on one helps you work on the other. Plus, if you make any mistakes, which you inevitably will as you learn, better to make them on lower-end ones.

You're not going to do much in the way of repairing a HF jack from the various threads on here due to the seals the manufacturer uses. They are good jacks though. I'm all for repairing rather than junking things, the disposable society is one of my pet peeves but because of how important of a task this tool has I don't see the risk vs reward being favorable. Cheap jacks are at best annoying and usually dangerous.

 

[BikeRider]

You're not going to do much in the way of repairing a HF jack from the various threads on here due to the seals the manufacturer uses. They are good jacks though. I'm all for repairing rather than junking things, the disposable society is one of my pet peeves but because of how important of a task this tool has I don't see the risk vs reward being favorable. Cheap jacks are at best annoying and usually dangerous.

Is this true of all or most HF jacks or just a select few? Don't they just slap their brands on mass-produced jacks that are sold under various other names? And you can't find replacement seals? Then what do people do when they inevitably leak and you didn't buy an extended warranty or it expired? You're SOL?

 

[paulsomlo]

Is this true of all or most HF jacks or just a select few? Don't they just slap their brands on mass-produced jacks that are sold under various other names? And you can't find replacement seals? Then what do people do when they inevitably leak and you didn't buy an extended warranty or it expired? You're SOL?

Pretty much - they sell based on the premise that we live in a throw away society. It's telling that the owners manuals generally don't have a breakdown of the hydraulic unit. Those can still be rebuilt, but you'll need calipers and some know how.

 

[paulsomlo]

By the way, I'd be interested in seeing a closeup of the two seals that you're trying to source - are they all rubber, or metal at the perimeter with rubber on the ID?

 

[BikeRider]

Pretty much - they sell based on the premise that we live in a throw away society. It's telling that the owners manuals generally don't have a breakdown of the hydraulic unit. Those can still be rebuilt, but you'll need calipers and some know how.

By the way, I'd be interested in seeing a closeup of the two seals that you're trying to source - are they all rubber, or metal at the perimeter with rubber on the ID?

I have digital calipers, good ones too, and a micrometer set if needed. Why would I need them though? Because they don't provide part #'s for the seals, rings and gaskets so I'd have to measure them myself to make sure I got the right replacements?

And, the seal in question is all plastic, some sort of polypropyline I'd guess. It was actually in fairly decent shape and isn't meant to hold pressure, so I applied Ultra Black RTV before putting the gland back together and tightening the nut, and hopefully that will fix it. See post # 42 to see which seal I mean.

 

[BikeRider]

So, after smoothing out a few small dents and burrs on the mating surfaces and applying some RTV and tightening the gland nut along with the nut that the pump piston goes into--I had to use an impact wrench for both as they need to be super tight, as I found out when they initially leaked after I thought I'd tightened both enough--I added fresh new oil, put the jack back together then put it to the test.

And what do you know, it worked! Lifted the front of my 3100lb car no problem, no leaks, no lowering. Stayed up a couple of minutes until I opened up the release valve to lower it back down. The true test will be after a few days of sitting as that's when it actually leaked, not during active use.

My main concern at this point is that I used Bar's Leaks Jack Oil With Stop Leak, and I've read that you shouldn't really use this because of the Stop Leak in it. Have I ruined the seals, o-rings and gaskets now, or will this degrade them prematurely? If so would replacing it with regular jack oil fix this or has the damage already been done?

 

[bubinga]

So, after smoothing out a few small dents and burrs on the mating surfaces and applying some RTV and tightening the gland nut along with the nut that the pump piston goes into--I had to use an impact wrench for both as they need to be super tight, as I found out when they initially leaked after I thought I'd tightened both enough--I added fresh new oil, put the jack back together then put it to the test.

And what do you know, it worked! Lifted the front of my 3100lb car no problem, no leaks, no lowering. Stayed up a couple of minutes until I opened up the release valve to lower it back down. The true test will be after a few days of sitting as that's when it actually leaked, not during active use.

My main concern at this point is that I used Bar's Leaks Jack Oil With Stop Leak, and I've read that you shouldn't really use this because of the Stop Leak in it. Have I ruined the seals, o-rings and gaskets now, or will this degrade them prematurely? If so would replacing it with regular jack oil fix this or has the damage already been done?

ls the stop leak still in there or did you drain it. If it is still in there, and it is bad, l don't know, l would say just drain and refill, it should be OK.

 

[BikeRider]

I spoke too soon. It's still leaking, very slowly, this time from the top just under the gland nut. I should have RTVed that as well, so I'll drain the oil and save it, take it apart again, RTV both sides, then put it back together. Hopefully that fixes this. Although for all I know the stop leak has already fixed it so maybe I'll wait a few days.

 

[Zewnten]

Is this true of all or most HF jacks or just a select few? Don't they just slap their brands on mass-produced jacks that are sold under various other names? And you can't find replacement seals? Then what do people do when they inevitably leak and you didn't buy an extended warranty or it expired? You're SOL?

If I remember @Hiball responses correctly its about the type of seal they use that makes it un-servicable, u-cup or some such.