E30 Zone

The time has come to invest in a worthwhile trolly jack Smile

I have looked at several and am happy to spend upto £100

I also dislike the gear type that most seam to have now adays to let them down, prefering the hydrolic type (no gears)

The one I like the most of the ones I have looked at is this one at £92

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... olley-jack

Any thoughts and examples of what you have appreciated Smile

many thanx

Andy

I picked up one of those clarke jacks a week or two ago. Really pleased with it. Very well made.

i have a arcan 2 tonne aluminium trolley jack, came from costco best money i have ever spent, it was about £75 but that was a couple of years ago, same as this one but mine is all silver

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arcan-Aluminium-J ... 7C294%3A50

Unless you specifically need the ultra low minimum height and the light weight, then I wouldn't consider this one. It has an extremely limited maximum lift, not very great lifting capacity, and I expect would be easily damaged.
The semi professional 2 tonne or 3 tonne jacks will be a much better buy.

mine only just goes under my e30 and the 3 tonne steel version almost weights 3 tonne itself

That ally one would make a nice ornament if you don't intend using it much.
Otherwise as Brian said get yourself a decent heavier duty one preferably with a 'quick lift'

MachineMart are expensive!

What about this one

http://www.cromwell.co.uk/KEN5037100K

At work we use a lot of Kennedy tools and havn't had a problem yet!

Mine copes with 2 .5 TONS, but i have to drive onto a strip of wood to get it under the car.

Brianmoooore wrote:Unless you specifically need the ultra low minimum height and the light weight, then I wouldn't consider this one. It has an extremely limited maximum lift, not very great lifting capacity, and I expect would be easily damaged.
The semi professional 2 tonne or 3 tonne jacks will be a much better buy.

who needs to lift more than 1.25 ton unless they're working on commercial vehicles ?

even if you had a brand new 7 series you'd never need to lift more than a ton or so.

my halford jack has lasted me well for a few years now. does the job well for diy and home use.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... _langId_-1

fuzzy wrote:my halford jack has lasted me well for a few years now. does the job well for diy and home use.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... _langId_-1

It's the limited lift that's the problem with these cheap jacks. I've got three of these or similar jacks in the workshop, and they can barely lift an E30 wheel off of the ground.In reply to Bavarian_Autotech, you don't want to be operating anything as safety critical as a jack at anywhere near its maximum capacity! 300% safety margin is good!

In general trolley jacks with a lighter capcity tend to have a narrower and shorter wheel base and tend to be a lot less stable than ones designed to lift heavier weights.

Can you view this thread without having to register?

http://www.soarerworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26692

Perhaps I am old fashioned, but I don't really get underneath cars until its on axle stands...I then leave the jack tweeked up enough so that its not taking any weight, but so it should hold if something goes wrong.

I have a 2 ton clarke trolley jack had it years, has lifted many things including a 28ft steel container weighing in at 4/5 ton

would like a newer one that raises quicker

Well as you may know im too poor for a trolley jack or anythign expensive really so i have a ford scissor jack bm jack porsche scissor jack and a clarke 3tonne bottle jack as well as a 15 tonne bearing press

Brianmoooore wrote:

fuzzy wrote:my halford jack has lasted me well for a few years now. does the job well for diy and home use.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... _langId_-1

It's the limited lift that's the problem with these cheap jacks. I've got three of these or similar jacks in the workshop, and they can barely lift an E30 wheel off of the ground.In reply to Bavarian_Autotech, you don't want to be operating anything as safety critical as a jack at anywhere near its maximum capacity! 300% safety margin is good!

I've got a similar Argos jobbie. Your right, it takes a lot of effot to jack up a car.

My Pap has a 4 post lift so I would use that if I had an E30!

Brianmoooore wrote: you don't want to be operating anything as safety critical as a jack at anywhere near its maximum capacity! 300% safety margin is good!

I have always assumed the 'max weight' figure for the jack is the save working limit not the failure point but I use axle stands anyway.

this is a test from about 4 years ago but I don't suppose things have changed too much

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/p ... jacks.html


hope it helps

I use one of these, a little bit more than your £100 budget though. If you have a lowered car this is perfect, and it goes fairly high. I didnt pay as much as whats this website want, a friend of mine got it through his company.

http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct. ... de=094.516

I've got a clarke 3 ton and I've had it for about 5 years. It's brilliant. Very heavy though but an excellent jack. Agree with jules, quick lift for initially making contact would be useful.

I've used mine to the max and have had no complaints at all.


http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... sion-jacks

I know this will come under the jacks that are too light - but I thought it was a bargain and it fits in it's own box in my boot.
2 ton jack
two axle stands
2 wheel chocks
just under 32 quid

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/66742/Van ... -Combi-Kit

Ollie_bwoii wrote:My Pap has a 4 post lift so I would use that if I had an E30!

I have a four post lift - cost me £100. The cheap jacks are for use on the ramp.

I cant say that i agree with many posts in this thread, ive had one of these so called "cheap" ali jacks for about a year now and ive had no problems at all, infact its the best £100 i spent last year!

Lifts anything and its very strong, i dont see it breaking any time soon.

Lifts my E30 racer half a meter off the ground, and here is a pic of the E46 with both wheels off the ground and the jack is only about half way up.

I say but it you wont regret it! I also love the fact its only 20kg, ideal for track days and race trips.

Jack in the OP has a lift height of 376mm. That would hardly lift an E30 rear wheel off of the ground, if used under the beam bush bracket.

I have the same jack from Machine Mart (which if you buy on a VAT-free day is VFM...... )

However, I had to return the first one as one of the small wheels failed and all the bb's fell out! I was jacking a car up on a small slope though.

All changed with no fuss and its replacement is fine!

Brianmoooore wrote:Jack in the OP has a lift height of 376mm. That would hardly lift an E30 rear wheel off of the ground, if used under the beam bush bracket.

Ive got this jack;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arcan-Aluminium-J ... 7C294%3A50

wish I had one of these....

http://www.maxjaxusa.com/index.html

Jacks would be designed with a larger factor of safety and therefore could lift much heavier weights than its rating without reaching its safe working stress. Theoretically there should be no need for anything over a 1 tonne jack. However larger jacks are more stable and generally give a higher lift.
If it was my choice, I would get a 2 or 3 tonne with a high lift height. Very hard to work under a car when its too low.

I have the mother of all jack's. (as some zoner's have seen) 50 ton limit Will put a pic up later. Can't remember the make, but it is designed to lift lorry trailer's with full load's, when they need a tyre change at the road side. (or support your house whilest underpinning)

Unfortunatly it can't be slung in the back of the motor and hauled around easy.

Rodderz wrote:MachineMart are expensive!

What about this one

http://www.cromwell.co.uk/KEN5037100K

At work we use a lot of Kennedy tools and havn't had a problem yet!

Minimum height 145mm,
Thats not a very wise spend for somebody with an E30!

Demlotcrew wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:Jack in the OP has a lift height of 376mm. That would hardly lift an E30 rear wheel off of the ground, if used under the beam bush bracket.

Ive got this jack;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arcan-Aluminium-J ... 7C294%3A50

same as mine mine is the slightly older version being all silver, cant beat them for the money

zaust wrote:I have the mother of all jack's. (as some zoner's have seen) 50 ton limit Will put a pic up later. Can't remember the make, but it is designed to lift lorry trailer's with full load's, when they need a tyre change at the road side. (or support your house whilest underpinning)

Unfortunatly it can't be slung in the back of the motor and hauled around easy.

Not very good for lifting on a boggy surface though if i recall Marc

Demlotcrew wrote:I cant say that i agree with many posts in this thread, ive had one of these so called "cheap" ali jacks for about a year now and ive had no problems at all, infact its the best £100 i spent last year!

Lifts anything and its very strong, i dont see it breaking any time soon.

Lifts my E30 racer half a meter off the ground, and here is a pic of the E46 with both wheels off the ground and the jack is only about half way up.

I say but it you wont regret it! I also love the fact its only 20kg, ideal for track days and race trips.

The one in the original topic posters link says max saddle height 376mm so that won't lift your e30 half a metre off the ground.
They may be ok for occasional use or for track days etc...but not for heavier duty work where a cheaper sturdier alternative would be a better buy.