A trolley or car jack is a vital piece of equipment when it comes to lifting cars and other heavy vehicles, which is an essential in correctly repairing a fault. Although trolley jacks have traditionally been used in the motor industry, many are looking to buy one for home usage to save that extra bit of money spent on minor repairs at the garage. This essential piece of equipment is usually considered as a low involvement purchase, as it is a pretty straight-forward appliance to use. However, this doesn’t mean you should go about buying a trolley jack in a blasé fashion. There are still several important factors to consider and securing a good quality jack is key as it is ultimately a piece of safety equipment too. Here is our handy guide which should help you on your trolley jack buying journey.
What kind of vehicle are you lifting?
If you are purchasing your trolley jack for home use, you may want to invest in a specialised trolly jack for your specific vehicle – for example, you could have a specialist racing car or on the other end of the spectrum, a heavy-duty Land rover. As you are buying for single use, you can get specific and opt for a trolley jack that matches your exact requirements. However, if you need your trolley jack for a garage, you will want to look at one which is versatile and a good “all-rounder” so that it can be used on multiple vehicles.
What lifting capacity jack do you require?
It is vital that you consider how much weight your trolly jack can bear. Usually, the type of vehicle you have will align with how much lifting capacity you opt for. For example, for a motorbike owner, a 1.5 tonne jack would most likely suffice, but if you require the lifting of heavy vehicles such as SUV’s you will have to invest in a jack which can lift at least 3 tonnes. SGS’s range of jacks range from 1.5 to 22 tonnes.
What is your required lifting height?
Another factor to consider is the maximum lifting height of the vehicle jack. To work on vehicle safely and correctly, it will need to be suspended to a sufficient height which will allow yourself or a mechanic to get under the car to see what’s going on. Again, the lifting height capacity will depend on the type and scope of vehicles you will need your jack for. Look for features such as “Long reach”. “High lift”, and “Rocket lift” when shopping around, as well as having an idea of how many millimetres you require your vehicle to be lifted by.
Once you have run the diagnostics and are aware of your trolley jack requirements, you can start to narrow down your search. This is where you can consider the style, colour, mobility, and cost effectiveness of your potential purchase. Happy shopping!