I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

Contact the manufacturer?

On Apr 8, 4:30 pm, wrote:
I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

It's a throwaway. Just check any box store for Chinese bottle jacks
and bring home the color you like best. Sometimes you will find a 1/4"
pipe plug or similar on the back closing the fill/check hole. Add
hydraulic fluid in the vertical position with a pressure oil can until
it dribbles out and replace the plug. If it works, use it. If not,
discard it. $15 bottle jacks aren't made to be serviced. When the
seals are shot they can be dangerous. HTH

Joe

On Apr 8, 5:57 pm, "Joe" wrote:
On Apr 8, 4:30 pm, wrote:

I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

It's a throwaway. Just check any box store for Chinese bottle jacks
and bring home the color you like best. Sometimes you will find a 1/4"
pipe plug or similar on the back closing the fill/check hole. Add
hydraulic fluid in the vertical position with a pressure oil can until
it dribbles out and replace the plug. If it works, use it. If not,
discard it. $15 bottle jacks aren't made to be serviced. When the
seals are shot they can be dangerous. HTH

Joe

You are talking about the common 1 1/2 or 2 ton jack, His is a 20 ton
and those do not come cheap and are not throwaways.

Harry K

On 8 Apr 2007 14:30:18 -0700, wrote:

I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

I'd say you clean it off now, and if it never gets oily again, you
know it hasn't lost any fluid. If it does lose substantial fluid,
there is probably a valve or plug you can unscrew and fill it with
hydraulic fluid to overflowing or maybe a quarter inch below that.
But I haven't seen it.

Please advise. Thanks.

On Apr 8, 4:30 pm, wrote:
I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Typically, if there's sufficient leakage that the fluid level is low,
the jack will need a new set of seals (and perhaps more) in order for
it to operate well (and most importantly safely) again. Here are some
useful sites...

http://www.hyjacks.com/contents.htm
http://blackhawkparts.bigstep.com/homepage.html

On 8 Apr 2007 14:30:18 -0700, wrote:

I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

What doesn't work well? Is it a bottle jack or does it have a separate
pump? Does it leak?

Typically these jacks us a hydraulic oil with a lot of paraffin in it.
Over time the paraffin settles out and leaves a waxy substance
on components that control the jack (check valves, spools ect.)
If it is a quality jack these control/pump components can be
accessed. Disassemble and clean. If the Jack is not made for
disassembly then chuck it.

Sometimes.......at your own risk......You can heat the jack to
melt any waxy deposits and rework the paraffin back into the
oil. I wouldn't go any higher than 200 degrees if you attempt
this.

On Apr 9, 12:53 pm, wrote:
On 8 Apr 2007 14:30:18 -0700, wrote:

I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

What doesn't work well? Is it a bottle jack or does it have a separate
pump? Does it leak?

Typically these jacks us a hydraulic oil with a lot of paraffin in it.
Over time the paraffin settles out and leaves a waxy substance
on components that control the jack (check valves, spools ect.)
If it is a quality jack these control/pump components can be
accessed. Disassemble and clean. If the Jack is not made for
disassembly then chuck it.

Sometimes.......at your own risk......You can heat the jack to
melt any waxy deposits and rework the paraffin back into the
oil. I wouldn't go any higher than 200 degrees if you attempt
this.

The previous poster, Joe was right on the money. I couldn't believe
it myself at first, but even a professional grade 1 1/2 ton Walker (US
made) was economically unrepairable due to high local labor costs
when compared with the new cost of Chinese imports at less than $100.
I assume the parts needed, probably some "O" rings were relatively
inexpensive. Now these jacks join the throw away catagory.
Joe G

On Apr 9, 12:26 pm, "GROVER" wrote:
On Apr 9, 12:53 pm, wrote:





On 8 Apr 2007 14:30:18 -0700, wrote:

I have a 20 ton jack that does work well. How do I troubleshoot these
type of jacks? How do you refill / check fluid levels?

Please advise. Thanks.

What doesn't work well? Is it a bottle jack or does it have a separate
pump? Does it leak?

Typically these jacks us a hydraulic oil with a lot of paraffin in it.
Over time the paraffin settles out and leaves a waxy substance
on components that control the jack (check valves, spools ect.)
If it is a quality jack these control/pump components can be
accessed. Disassemble and clean. If the Jack is not made for
disassembly then chuck it.

Sometimes.......at your own risk......You can heat the jack to
melt any waxy deposits and rework the paraffin back into the
oil. I wouldn't go any higher than 200 degrees if you attempt
this.

The previous poster, Joe was right on the money. I couldn't believe
it myself at first, but even a professional grade 1 1/2 ton Walker (US
made) was economically unrepairable due to high local labor costs
when compared with the new cost of Chinese imports at less than $100.
I assume the parts needed, probably some "O" rings were relatively
inexpensive. Now these jacks join the throw away catagory.
....

That's still a far cry from a 20T.

Nothing to prevent you from doing the rebuild yourself, however, is
there? The sites I provided above have repair kits for most Walker/
Blackhawk US-built at affordable prices. The key is some of them had
square o-rings that are hard to find from local gasket suppliers,
otherwise that is usually the simpler route--disassemble, take the o-
rings to the local guys and replace them. As long as other
mechanicals are ok, that usually will be the extent of mandatory
repair. The kits are kinda' like carb kits, though, in that they
include the ball valve(s), springs, replaceable seats if any, etc.,
etc., ...