Yeah...another mystery floor jack

[k p]

I bought this floor jack at a garage sale down the street for $40. I was told it doesn't quite work right and is leaking fluid. It pumps up fine and will lift a load but I'm sure with frequent use it will show it's gremlins. The plan is to get a rebuild kit and get it back to reliable working condition.

I assume it's an offshore unit but hopefully someone can chime in and let me know.

The sticker on top is mostly worn off, anybody recognize it?

 

[Steven67fr]

Looks real similar to a Japanese made C-man that I have - it's 2 ton rated. That one you picked up is a bit dirrerent. The zerk fitting is in a different place on the main pivot and the release screw for the handle is a bit different, but the frame, wheels, and hydraylic unit are very similar. I believe mine is from the mid 80's or so... but I've never done research.

 

[k p]

Looks real similar to a Japanese made C-man that I have - it's 2 ton rated. That one you picked up is a bit dirrerent. The zerk fitting is in a different place on the main pivot and the release screw for the handle is a bit different, but the frame, wheels, and hydraylic unit are very similar. I believe mine is from the mid 80's or so... but I've never done research.

Thanks for the reply, anyone else have any idea?

 

[Hiball]

Thanks for the reply, anyone else have any idea?

Old import, sold in many flavors.

 

[k p]

Old import, sold in many flavors.

Thanks Hiball, can you give me some input on the general quality of this unit? I'd like to rebuild it but I'd rather buy a "better" older one if it means it'll be around longer.

Would you say this is a Chinese unit?

 

[Hiball]

Thanks Hiball, can you give me some input on the general quality of this unit? I'd like to rebuild it but I'd rather buy a "better" older one if it means it'll be around longer.

Would you say this is a Chinese unit?

Generally when you find one of these Older "Yasui" based jacks that utilize Wipers on Pump Pistons, Bigger Saddle etc they normally are worth rebuilding. Of course there are a lot of other factors that go into that equations, Such as overall condition which include Externally and Internally. That Unit More than likely will utilize a Ucup, which is more desirable than the Oring/Shell retainers seals that run rampant with todays imports.

Tear it down and see what your working with.

 

[k p]

Generally when you find one of these Older "Yasui" based jacks that utilize Wipers on Pump Pistons, Bigger Saddle etc they normally are worth rebuilding. Of course there are a lot of other factors that go into that equations, Such as overall condition which include Externally and Internally. That Unit More than likely will utilize a Ucup, which is more desirable than the Oring/Shell retainers seals that run rampant with todays imports.

Tear it down and see what your working with.

Thanks for the extra insight, very much appreciated.

 

[James_B]

That looks like one the neighbour wanted to get rid of a few months ago and I bought off him. I've been trying to identify it since then. No leaks, but I do need to take the casters apart and replace all the missing ball bearings. So much nicer to use than the cheap jack I had been using.

 

[k p]

Hiball,

Just an update on this jack...

I took it apart (to an extent) and discovered that it was leaking fluid from the fill hole on the jack case (know what I mean?). The fill hole bolt had some kind of cork gasket that had split and was letting fluid leak past it under compression. I replaced it with a thick rubber gasket I had laying around and tightened it enough to make a good seal. I imagine the fluid will eventually cause this gasket to leak again in the future but I can deal with it when it does.

But now I have another problem. Unfortunately for me, I didn't actually use the jack to lift anything prior to taking it apart so I can't say with any certainty what this jack was like before. I knew it leaked and I figured I would fix it before putting it to use. I went to test it yesterday (after fixing the leak) by lifting my little Honda Fit and it is very difficult to use, specifically the handle is very hard to push down. Is there any reason for this?

 

[k p]

Any ideas?

 

[AMCguy]

k p,

I have the same jack. I bought it in or around 1985. It's made in Japan. At the time I bought it, I was told it was basically a copy of a Blackhawk and all Blackhawk parts fit.

If I remember it was around $200. CDN. About half the price of the genuine article.

I've never had a problem with mine.

 

[k p]

k p,

I have the same jack. I bought it in or around 1985. It's made in Japan. At the time I bought it, I was told it was basically a copy of a Blackhawk and all Blackhawk parts fit.

If I remember it was around $200. CDN. About half the price of the genuine article.

I've never had a problem with mine.

Cool! Thanks for your reply. Any chance you can post some photos of yours? Any idea if there's a specific model number for ordering parts?

 

[AMCguy]

I've never seen any identifying marks on mine. I'll post a couple of pics though.

After reading more on this thread and following some of the links, it sure looks like Hiball is a great resource.

 

[TxJohn]

I have a pair of very similar jacks. Both are made in Japan and are good quality. The green Craftsman I bought new in 1977 and the silver NAPA I bought from an estate sale two weeks ago. The Craftsman is model # 328.12001 and the NAPA is model # 94-642 if it helps. The Craftsman finally failed me in September of 2012, damn thing only lasted 35 years! I found it had metric seals and hardware. I bought the main shaft seal which was the failure point from "The O Ring Store" on-line. It was a 40mmx20mmx12mm (if I remember right). I re-used all the other seals and it still works like new! Good luck with your jack!

 

[EDGAR]

For k_p

It is highly recommended that, if you are going to take apart the pump, that you replace all the o-rings in it. O-rings do not last forever and are quite cheap, so there is no sense in reusing them. The only thing that can come out from this is having to take apart the pump again at a later time to change those o-rings when they start leaking.

The red jack in the thread do use metric o-rings, but the o-rings for the big nut and the pump piston can be substituted for SAE o-rings which have similar sizes. I mention this because many local hydraulic repair shops do not carry an inventory of metric o-rings because these are more expensive than SAE o-rings and the owners think that they will never sell many of the metric sizes. So the best they can do is exchange the metrics for SAE sizes whenever possible.

You can always order the correct metric size from The O-ring Store, if you are going to order the u-cup. All you need is a caliper to measure the thickness (cross section) of the o-ring and the inside diameter of the o-ring. But this I D is measured on the metal part where the o-ring acts. For example, to find the ID of the o-ring in the big nut, measure the ram's diameter. Do not measure the o-ring thickness in the worn part of the o-ring, which is the inside of the o-ring.

There is also an o-ring inside the release assembly. Just remove the nut, the gear and push the gear shaft so that it comes out the other side and replace the o-ring. Other similar jacks, like the one shown in TxJohn post, have a welded gear so the whole release assembly has to be replaced when the o-ring in it leaks.

 

[k p]

For k_p

It is highly recommended that, if you are going to take apart the pump, that you replace all the o-rings in it. O-rings do not last forever and are quite cheap, so there is no sense in reusing them. The only thing that can come out from this is having to take apart the pump again at a later time to change those o-rings when they start leaking.

The red jack in the thread do use metric o-rings, but the o-rings for the big nut and the pump piston can be substituted for SAE o-rings which have similar sizes. I mention this because many local hydraulic repair shops do not carry an inventory of metric o-rings because these are more expensive than SAE o-rings and the owners think that they will never sell many of the metric sizes. So the best they can do is exchange the metrics for SAE sizes whenever possible.

You can always order the correct metric size from The O-ring Store, if you are going to order the u-cup. All you need is a caliper to measure the thickness (cross section) of the o-ring and the inside diameter of the o-ring. But this I D is measured on the metal part where the o-ring acts. For example, to find the ID of the o-ring in the big nut, measure the ram's diameter. Do not measure the o-ring thickness in the worn part of the o-ring, which is the inside of the o-ring.

There is also an o-ring inside the release assembly. Just remove the nut, the gear and push the gear shaft so that it comes out the other side and replace the o-ring. Other similar jacks, like the one shown in TxJohn post, have a welded gear so the whole release assembly has to be replaced when the o-ring in it leaks.

Thanks a lot for your input! I'd like to track down why it's acting the way it is. Lifting my little Honda feels like I'm jacking up a semi. Something wonky happening for sure.

 

[k p]

Any insight on why this thing is so hard to use?

 

[Magneto]

I bought this floor jack at a garage sale down the street for $40. I was told it doesn't quite work right and is leaking fluid. It pumps up fine and will lift a load but I'm sure with frequent use it will show it's gremlins. The plan is to get a rebuild kit and get it back to reliable working condition.

I assume it's an offshore unit but hopefully someone can chime in and let me know.

The sticker on top is mostly worn off, anybody recognize it?

Looks like an ole Pittsburgh floor jack.

 

[k p]

I'm replacing this jack with another one.

I took it apart and checked for debris, flushed it out with new fluid, bled it and put it back together... it's still a pain in the *** to use. As soon as it hits load it becomes very hard to push the handle.

I'm looking for an old jack that is serviceable, I'm not interested in a big-box store jack that will rust in a month.

 

[AMCguy]

k p,

I'm sorry for the delay. Here's the pictures of my jack. There are no identifying marks of any kind. But as I said earlier, at the time I bought it, I was told it was a BlackHawk copy and that the parts were interchangeable.

Ironically, after not using this jack for several months, when I went out to the shop to take the pictures, I discovered it was sitting in a small puddle of fluid. It appears to be coming from the plunger. It's never leaked a drop in the close to thirty years I've owned it.

 

[k p]

k p,

I'm sorry for the delay. Here's the pictures of my jack. There are no identifying marks of any kind. But as I said earlier, at the time I bought it, I was told it was a BlackHawk copy and that the parts were interchangeable.

Ironically, after not using this jack for several months, when I went out to the shop to take the pictures, I discovered it was sitting in a small puddle of fluid. It appears to be coming from the plunger. It's never leaked a drop in the close to thirty years I've owned it.

AMCguy, big thanks for those photos, sounds like we might be looking for a rebuild kit together. I think I found what model these things are. Blackhawk 67411? Google doesn't bring much up if you search for it but I did find some info.


You can see a GJ thread here(second post with photos):

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138557


And also a parts PDF here (starts on page 5):

http://www.hcrcnow.com/uploads/drawings/Blackhawk_B67411_Service_Jack_2.25_Ton.pdf

If HiBall is still reading this, can you give us some guidance on how to get a rebuild kit?

 

[k p]

I believe mine is from the mid 80's or so.

Do you have the same jack? Pics?

 

[Ashoka]

You can see a GJ thread here(second post with photos):

And also a parts PDF here (starts on page 5):

I know this is an old thread but thanks for posting the links! I too think I might have that same exact jack as well. Built like a tank!

 

[Flybye]

I know this is an old thread but thanks for posting the links! I too think I might have that same exact jack as well. Built like a tank!

Same! My jack looks exactly like his except it is rebranded by a company called Rally and is silver. I bought mine sometime in the early 90s. It still works great, and I was thinking about giving it a fresh coat of paint. It doesnt even leak.