I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Assuming that this is a hydraulic jack, if it isn't leaking and the fluid
level is where it is supposed to be, just keep it clean and dry. ALWAYS use
jack stands.

Don't fix what isn't broken.

DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.


They're really pretty simple. 'Bout the only thing that can go wrong are the
seals (usually just an O-ring) and that's easy to spot (the jack won't work
or leaks) and easy to fix. Even if it does leak, some automatic transmission
stop-leak usually gets a few more years of life out of it.

On Jul 18, 11:34*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...

On Jul 18, 4:00*pm, aemeijers wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...


Thanks guys, that's kind of what I thought. $40...well worth it

Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool or three
like that.

I still got my grandfather's favorite hammer. Between the 2 of us
we've replaced the handle 3 times and the head twice.

Best hammer we ever owned. g

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Jul 18, 4:00 pm, aemeijers wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...


Thanks guys, that's kind of what I thought. $40...well worth it

Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool or three
like that.

I still got my grandfather's favorite hammer. Between the 2 of us
we've replaced the handle 3 times and the head twice.

Best hammer we ever owned. g

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Jul 18, 4:00 pm, aemeijers wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...


Thanks guys, that's kind of what I thought. $40...well worth it

Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool or three
like that.

I still got my grandfather's favorite hammer. Between the 2 of us
we've replaced the handle 3 times and the head twice.

Best hammer we ever owned. g

Not to nit pick but if you replaced the handle AND head , how is it the same
hammer ????

benick wrote:

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Jul 18, 4:00 pm, aemeijers wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used, but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...


Thanks guys, that's kind of what I thought. $40...well worth it

Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool or three
like that.

I still got my grandfather's favorite hammer. Between the 2 of us
we've replaced the handle 3 times and the head twice.

Best hammer we ever owned. g

Not to nit pick but if you replaced the handle AND head , how is it the
same hammer ????

He's riffing on the old vaudeville joke about George Washington's
hatchet, of cherry tree fame. As in how a con man was selling it to
tourists as an antique, and when they noticed how new it looked, he told
them that the head and handle had been replaced multiple times, but that
it was the same hatchet, really.

Both for hatchets and hammers, I have seen replacement handles. I have
never seen replacement heads.

--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:

JIMMIE wrote:
-snip-
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

My favorite is a level my dad gave me a decade or so ago. It is a
nice little Stanley 1' level of about 1900 vintage-- it is a No. 237,
all metal.

He hadn't used it much but related that he had taken it to GE [where
he was a balance machine operator in their turbine division from
1950-1975 or so] and checked it against their best levels and it was
still dead on.

He said his dad had given it to him in the 40's and told him it was
something special & to take good care of it. Since it isn't a
particularly unusual level I suspect it must have either been a tool
my Gr-grandfather, or Gr-Gr-grandfather handed down to my grandfather.

Gr-grandfather was truck driver and might have had a good level. But
I like to think it belonged to Gr-Gr-grandfather, George Prier, who
was a house-builder of some repute on Staten Island. He died in 1911
when my grandfather, his grandson, would have been 15 and working for
him.

At any rate the level commands a spot amongst my genealogy records,
and it gets pulled out for use in the occasional tight spot- or when I
just need to summon the guidance of those who used it in past years.

Jim

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
aemeijers wrote:

JIMMIE wrote:
-snip-
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie
Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

My favorite is a level my dad gave me a decade or so ago. It is a
nice little Stanley 1' level of about 1900 vintage-- it is a No. 237,
all metal.

He hadn't used it much but related that he had taken it to GE [where
he was a balance machine operator in their turbine division from
1950-1975 or so] and checked it against their best levels and it was
still dead on.

He said his dad had given it to him in the 40's and told him it was
something special & to take good care of it. Since it isn't a
particularly unusual level I suspect it must have either been a tool
my Gr-grandfather, or Gr-Gr-grandfather handed down to my grandfather.

Gr-grandfather was truck driver and might have had a good level. But
I like to think it belonged to Gr-Gr-grandfather, George Prier, who
was a house-builder of some repute on Staten Island. He died in 1911
when my grandfather, his grandson, would have been 15 and working for
him.

At any rate the level commands a spot amongst my genealogy records,
and it gets pulled out for use in the occasional tight spot- or when I
just need to summon the guidance of those who used it in past years.

Jim

heck, the tools that I USE most often a

1. old S-K socket set that I inherited from my grandfather (SAE)
2. old Craftsman wrenches, same (SAE)
3. old S-K polished wrenches, friend bought them at yard sale or pawn
shop, and since he never used them (bought as part of a lot) I traded
him for new Craftsman (metric)
4. new Craftsman socket set (metric)

of all those, #4 is my least fave...

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
benick wrote:

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Jul 18, 4:00 pm, aemeijers wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Jul 18, 11:34 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I just bought a 4 ton floor jack at a garage sale. It's very used,
but
the seller said it works fine.

I jacked my car and it's been holding for 30 minutes.

Is there any maintenance I should perform on it or are these things
essentially maintenance free?

Yes, I know: Don't rely on the jack itself, use jack stands.

Thanks!

Check it for leaks, broken or cracked parts, change the hydraulic
fluid, clean it up.
I have one that is at least 45 years old that my father had when he
ran a service station 45 years ago and he got it from the previous
owner. About 15 years ago I had it overhauled because it oozed oil
around the pump and cylinder.It needed new o rings and rubber pads on
the swing arms. It cost about $75 to repair and may last another 40 or
50 years. Wife hates it because it takes up too much room in the
garage, I love it because I can jack up one whole side of the car at a
time to rotate tires.

Jimmie

Plus it is like your old man is there helping you. Yeah, we all get it,
we really do. Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool
or three like that.

--
aem sends...


Thanks guys, that's kind of what I thought. $40...well worth it

Most of us regulars and semi-regulars on here have a tool or three
like that.

I still got my grandfather's favorite hammer. Between the 2 of us
we've replaced the handle 3 times and the head twice.

Best hammer we ever owned. g

Not to nit pick but if you replaced the handle AND head , how is it the
same hammer ????

He's riffing on the old vaudeville joke about George Washington's hatchet,
of cherry tree fame. As in how a con man was selling it to tourists as an
antique, and when they noticed how new it looked, he told them that the
head and handle had been replaced multiple times, but that it was the same
hatchet, really.

Both for hatchets and hammers, I have seen replacement handles. I have
never seen replacement heads.

--
aem sends...

LOL should've caught that...LOL....