Cheap Hydraulic Jacks

[ShopShoe]

Over the years I've bought several hydraulic bottle jacks and floor jacks, used them heavily ----- then they start to leak and I get a little more use out of them by adding oil -- then I take them apart and see if anything can be done (Nothing - can't find the right o-rings) and I end up just buying replacements. As a scrounger I can't just throw them out, but store them "for future repair or use."

-- Has anyone successfully repaired these -- It looks like specialized O-rings and seals are needed and maybe something better than the "jack oil" for sale at auto parts stores and farm stores.

-- Are the parts and materials in these jacks useful for people like us? I really thought the heavy-duty wheels and casters in the floor jacks would be useful, but so far they've always been wrong for my movable shop projects. How does the steel machine?

--ShopShoe

 

[Jordan]

Make your own sized O-ring:

http://sealsales.com/o-rings/o-ringkits.shtml

Jordan

 

[Jon]

I've rebuilt my bottle jack a couple of times. I even put a page about it on my site. See the link below. I found o-rings on the plumbing aisle at Lowe's. They are probably not for use with oil but they work and they were cheaper than a new jack. Besides, I hate to have something broken sitting around.

As far as the materials, the cylinder is usually cast iron. That could be useful. The piston/ram is probably a brutally hard steel. That's just my $.02 worth.

http://www.jonsmachineshop.com/projects/hydraulic-jack-rebuild

Jon

 

[Wagon173]

Yea if you have a truly odd ball jack, bring that thing into a scuba shop that does regulator rebuilds. I borrowed a bottle jack from the Air Force mechanics a few years ago and wound up demolishing the o-rings in it cause I tried lifting a 30k truck with a 10k jack. Anyway I brought it to the dive shop to get the o-rings for it cause none of our metric or standard sets worked. Doug (the owner of the dive shop) was more than happy to help. He didn't have them right on hand, but looked through a few old boxes and produced several that fit the bill. I gave the jack back to the flyboys with a half grin and kept my mouth shut.

 

[n4zou]

Rebuild kits are available for larger bottle jacks and floor jacks. You'll spend more for a rebuild kit for a small bottle jack than just buying a new jack. It's like buying brake cylinders for cars and trucks. You can buy a new, ready to install brake cylinder for less than a rebuild kit and hone in an attempt to rebuild the old brake cylinder.

 

[ShopShoe]

Thank you Jordan, Jon, and Wagon173. Now I have something to do when I'm too bored with engines and cars.

--ShopShoe

 

[Meldonmech]

Hi Guys,
A very interesting thread. I have three bottle jacks, not working and have kept for parts. Never thought of a re furb. Now I have another job to do between projects. Thanks David