Can brake fluid be used in hydraulic jacks? I cant imagine that theres any big
differences in the rubbers or plastics used in jacks or brake cylinders.

An aqauntance gave me a floor jack that wouldn't stay up. He said someone
used brake fluid to top it up once. Every seal and o-ring was shot. I
rebuilt it and it works fine now. Go to the auto parts store and buy some
jack oil. It's cheap, a lot cheaper than new seals and o-rings.
Tom
"Wwj2110" wrote in message
...
Can brake fluid be used in hydraulic jacks? I cant imagine that theres
any big
differences in the rubbers or plastics used in jacks or brake cylinders.

"R. Zimmerman" wrote in message
. ca...

At work guys will steal a pair of latex rubber gloves to protect their
hands from petroleum based solvents and grease... the gloves last about
ten
minutes and then they fall apart.

Apparently someone hasn't been attending their sex-ed classes.....

Regards,

Robin

I am ROTF I have to use that comment when I see someone trying it. One of
the perpetrators is my foreman who suggested latex gloves from the first aid
station to spread grease on a track.
Randy

"Robin S." wrote in message
.. .

"R. Zimmerman" wrote in message
. ca...

At work guys will steal a pair of latex rubber gloves to protect their
hands from petroleum based solvents and grease... the gloves last about
ten
minutes and then they fall apart.

Apparently someone hasn't been attending their sex-ed classes.....

Regards,

Robin

You mean he could create more trouble than just owing a Citreon? No
really I am sort of fond of Citreons. Got my first ride and look see
of them while i the Army i Vietnam. That place was full of Citreons.
The next time I saw a Citreon was at a Citreon dealership in Germany,
and I sort of fellin love with that car. I looked pretty darn good,
and had lots of nice features, but don;t have a clue as to how the
hold up.

I hink a lot has to do with anti foaming when letting the jack back
down, and also viscosity for ease of flow . It may not have all the
additives etc that is normally found in motor oils, as they would not
be needed, so therefore it should be cheaper, which it is.

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 21:32:54 GMT, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:

x-I'll take this opportunity to ask a similar question that I have had for a
x-long time: Why do you need special "hydraulic"oil in a jack? In a pinch, a
x-couple of times, I used whatever was handy (chainbar oil, or motor oil) with
x-no apparent ill effects. I do understand about hydraulic fluid, which is
x-totally different stuff. I once knew a guy who put brake fluid into the
x-hydraulic/pneumatic suspension of a Citroen--talk about trouble!
x-

--
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Opinions are strictly those of my wife....I have had no input whatsoever.
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In article 3183eab.0309171833.24feba39
@posting.google.com, says...
I will stick my neck out and say that you don't need special hydraulic
oil in a jack. But I would not use chainbar oil or motor oil. What I
think you want is a low viscosity oil with some antirust additives.
So my choice would be ATF
( unless hydraulic jack oil is cheaper ).

I was about to make the same comments. The only downside to
ATF vs. hydraulic oil I can forsee would be the detergent
additives, but doubt that would be a big deal in a jack.

I would definitely avoid bar oil, way too heavy and
whatever is added for tackiness is a bad thing.

Ned Simmons

Hyd brake fluid is not a petrol based fluid. DOT3 and DOT4 are
alcohols (hence the propensity [I paid a full $0.25 for that word] to
absorb water) and DOT5 is a silicone oil base.

Hydraulic oil is a petrol base, generally with high pressure
additives, non-detergnt (detergents are corrosive, tend to keep
contamination in solution, and attract water), and often multigrade.

Oils like bar oil for a chainsaw have addatives to make them sticky-
bad news for hydraulics.

Most hydraulic oils are reasonably compatible with each other in
service, if they are similar grades (ex: John Deere multitrans, New
Holland/Ford general purpose multigrade (I don't remember the name),
Massey Furgusen multigrade, etc are all fine mixed. Non-multigrade are
ok mixed as well. If the system wants multigrade, don't mix in the non
with it, tho.

Auto trans fluid is a BIG no-no. Dexron types have seem to cause pump
problems (I'm not sure why) but, as anyone with a Ford knows, the Ford
types hae grit in them as a friction enhancer for the shifter bands.
Makes a mess in a hydraulic system.

Power steering fluid hasn't caused major problems in a pinch, but I
drain and bleed as soon as I can.

Hand/bottle jacks take a different weight oil than power hydraulics,
but otherwise similar, AFAIK. If you are lifting anthing you care
about, or are lifting where a failure could cause injury (what happens
if the jack drops and the car goes to ground while you're changing
that tire?) use the right oil.

e (who has had to drain and flush a 1968 Euclid articulated after some
idiot mistook the hydraulic fill for the fuel fill and pumped it full
of diesel oil, despite the big placard that said "HYDRAULIC FLUID
ONLY".... Bleeding it waas a bitch, and the hydraulic fluid is still
pink.)

"R. Zimmerman" wrote in message a...
I am ROTF I have to use that comment when I see someone trying it. One of
the perpetrators is my foreman who suggested latex gloves from the first aid
station to spread grease on a track.
Randy

"Robin S." wrote in message
.. .

"R. Zimmerman" wrote in message
. ca...

At work guys will steal a pair of latex rubber gloves to protect their
hands from petroleum based solvents and grease... the gloves last about
ten
minutes and then they fall apart.

Apparently someone hasn't been attending their sex-ed classes.....

Regards,

Robin