Hydraulic lifting jacks are now widely used in many industries such as the construction industry and the motor industry. Generally, there are two types of hydraulic jacks: floor and bottle jacks. Both of them work in a similar way but floor jack is assembled in a slightly different way. Usually there are six parts in lifting jacks-a reservoir that contains fluid, a valve that makes sure the fluid flows seamlessly into the chamber of the main cylinder, a pump that pumps the fluid, the ram piston and the release vale that allows fluid to return back to the reservoir.
They work by having the oil or fluid pumped into a special chamber built in the cylinder which then raises up, and lifts the object. All these hydraulic jacks are quite robust and can last for years provided you look after them properly. One important thing you should always look for is the weight of the item you want to lift. You can get them in different sizes and each of them is suitable for a specific job and for lifting weights you need, and is suitable for item you wish to lift.
It’s best to familarise yourself with you’re your lifting jack. Most of these machines come with detailed user manuals so that you can know ways to operate them safety before you actually use them. When you use them, you must ensure that it is secure on a leveled surface. This is very important because otherwise jack can also sink if the ground underneath is unlevel. This can be very dangerous if you’re standing right below the raised structure at the time. These days, motorists widely use bottle jacks for changing wheels or for carrying out maintenance under the vehicle. They are quite strong, and if they’re used correctly, they can safely lift your car or any other vehicle whilst repair work is being carried out.
As has been already discussed, there are so many different variations of jacks available on the market, each being developed for different purposes, it you should choose the best one for your needs. Avoid overloading the jack because if its internal parts get damaged, it will not function and may even lead to a disaster. Before using it, you should first check the fluid leakage as this is also an indication that its seal has been damaged. Throughout its life, you will never have to add any oil or fluid but on some occasions this might be necessary.
If there’s a need to add some fluid or oil, you should refer to owner’s manual for advice on how to correctly carry out this process. Usually, you will have to find a three screw heads, two of which are checking valves and the third one is for adding fluid or hydraulic oil. You should never open the two valves as this can compromise the integrity of hydraulic jack. When searching for the oil screw, it generally has oil written on it and is the best place to add some fluid. Always add the fuel slowly and then allow it to settle for some minutes. Once the reservoir is full, secure the screws firmly back in place.
Hydraulic lifting jacks have been there since decades and have made life much easier for millions who work in the industries or want to use it for their personal needs. Provided all safety precautions are observed, they’re very safe to use and very effective at all types of lifting heavy items. As with any other equipment, the proper training should be taken beforehand so that those using it can do so safely.