Understanding hydraulic jacks

Ever since the invention of jacks, their applications extensively serve a

great purpose in different fields for lifting great forces or lift heavy
loads. There are different types of jacks out there, although they perform
the same operation. The most commonly used and available ones are
mechanical jack and hydraulic jacks. Mechanical jack work with screw
thread for lifting heavy equipment, while hydraulic jack uses hydraulic
power. This jack is often used in the automotive industry.

Today you’ll get to know the definition, applications, components,

diagram, types, working, advantages, and disadvantages of hydraulic
jacks.
What is a hydraulic jack?
Hydraulic jacks are mechanical devices used to lift heavyweight. They
are commonly used in automobile industries to lift vehicles from the
ground, which is why they are known as a kind of hydraulic car jack.
Normally, jacks are rated for a maximum lifting capacity, for example,
1.5 tons or 3 tons. Industrial jacks can be rated for many tons of load.
The force of hydraulic jacks can be calculated with pascal’s law.
Hydraulic jacks consist of two pistons inside the cylinder that is
responsible for lifting the heavyweight. The bigger and smaller cylinder
are connected together. The small piston forces the fluid to lift the big
piston. There are two ball valves that work as a check valve, allowing
flow and stop the flow while pumping.
Pressure = Force X Area
A bar is inserted into the handle socket of the jack, when pumped, the
hydraulic fluid forces by a piston and go through a one-way valve. The
fluid force acts at the bottom of the bigger cylinder, allowing the ram to
go upwards. The other valve is blocked so pressurized fluid can’t back
until it is unscrewed. This is how the hydraulic jack works.

Applications of hydraulic jacks

Jacks as a whole have wide applications in different industries and are
used to lift and transport heavy loads, relieve vertical forces from
weight-bearing members to create space for repairs. Hydraulic jacks or
other kinds are also equipment used in construction work, shipbuilding,
automotive repair, and other specialized industries. Below are the
applications of all types of jacks including hydraulic jacks.

Aircraft
 Automotive
Bridges
Cable tensioning
House moving
Construction
General industrial
Laboratory
Locomotive
Marine
Mobile home
Railroad
Shipbuilding
Shoring and stabilizing such as for tunnels and mines
Tractors & trailers

In essence, the applications of hydraulic jacks include;

Lifting industrial heavy loads.

Lifting cars and vehicles for clamping.
Finally, clamping machinery equipment.

Components of hydraulic jacks

To illustrate and understand the components of hydraulic jacks, a typical
manually operated hydraulic jack will be considered since it’s
commonly used. Below are the major components of hydraulic jacks.

Reservoir or buffer tank

Pump with piston or plunger
Pump lever or handle
Check valve
Main cylinder or ram
Release valve
Handle
A reservoir or buffer tank – is a vessel that holds the hydraulic fluid or
pumps oil which will be used to transfer applied pressure from the pump
to the ram.

Piston pump – is a part that is mechanically activated by moving the

pump lever or handle up and down.

Pump lever or handle – the movement of the pump lever builds up

pressure in the hydraulic fluid which transfers that pressurized fluid
through a check valve and into the main cylinder.

The main cylinder – is also referred to as ram, when drive upwards, it

extends out of the hydraulic jack body by the pressure of the hydraulic
fluid, creating the required lifting force and lifting the load.
Release valve – is a part that helps to release the pressure so that the ram
can retract and the load can be lowered.

Below is the diagram of hydraulic jacks,

including the small components:

Inner Handle
Outer Handle
Alligator Clip
Pins
Pump Connector Rod
Link Connector Screw
Pump Handle Housing
Pump Rod
Pump O-Ring
Pump Plastic Ring
Pump Housing
Pump Housing Washer
Valve Screw
Valve Screw O-Ring
Valve Ball Bearing
Base
Plastic Bumper
Plastic Fluid Filter
Base Plastic Washer
Ramrod Rubber O-Ring
Ramrod Plastic O-Ring Retainer
Ramrod Base
Ramrod Shell
Extender Screw
Inner Chamber
Outer Cylinder
Rubber Plug
 Large Plastic Cap Ring
Outer Cylinder Screw Cap
English Warnings
Alternate Language Warnings

Types of hydraulic jacks

The two types of hydraulic jacks include bottle jacks and floor jacks.

Bottle jacks:
Bottle jacks are also known as hand jacks, they became popular in the
early 1900s when the automobile industry began to take off. They are
portable and they serve a great purpose for individuals to lift a vehicle
for roadside inspection or service. It is named bottle jack because it’s
designed in the shape of a milk bottle. Today’s bottle jacks have the
capability of lifting from one hundred pounds to several tons, although
they range in size.

Diagram of bottle jack:

Floor jacks:
Unlike bottle jack shafts which are operated vertically, floor jacks are
horizontally operated. The shaft pushes on a crank that connects to a
lifting pad, which is then lifted vertically. These types of hydraulic jacks
provide a greater range of vertical lift than bottle jacks and are available
in two sizes. The conventional size is about four feet long, a foot wide,
and weighs around 200 pounds. They can lift about 4 – 10 tons. A more
compact model was later made, it can lift 11/12 tons, it’s about three feet
in length. Also, there are mini-jacks but are not recognized as standard
types of a floor jack. Note: hydraulic jacks are designed to be operated
by hand power air (compressed), electric, or gas.
Other types of jacks include
Toe lift hydraulic jacks:
The toe lift hydraulic jacks are special types used to lift machinery and
other loads that have low clearance between the ground and the bottom
surface of the load. This special jack works in situations where the bottle
jack or floor jack can’t work due to the low ground clearance of the load.

Leveling jacks:
These types of jacks make use of mechanical screw mechanisms. They
are portable and often used to level trailers, RVs, etc.

Scissor jacks:
Scissor jacks are compact jacks that use a mechanical screw. The screw
rotation results in the raising and lowering of a set of scissoring arms
that extend or retract depending on the position of the screw mechanism.
Screw jacks:
Screw jacks are mechanical jacks that use a vertical screw mechanism to
lift and lower the load. Some are designed to be wrench adjustable while
others make use of a level inserted through a hole in the jack. This
allows additional mechanical advantage to using when turning the screw
lift the load.

Ratchet jacks:
These types of jacks make use of a pawl and ratchet mechanism for
raising or lifting a load. At a point in time, ratchet jacks were the
standard types of jack automobile manufacturers include with their
vehicles for owners to use for changing flat tires.

Working principle of hydraulic jack

The working of hydraulic jacks is less complex and can be easily
understood. The above explain type of jack was the bottle type. Watch
the video below to learn how other types of hydraulic jack works:
Hydraulic Jack Working is based on Pascal's principle. That is, the
pressure applied to a fluid stored in a container will be distributed
equally in all directions.

How to use hydraulic jack?

1) Before use, it is necessary to check whether all parts are normal.
Mainly check the piston, joint, high-pressure hose, etc. for oil leakage.

2) Strictly abide by the regulations in the main parameters during use,

and avoid super high overload. Otherwise, when the lifting height or
lifting tonnage exceeds the specified value, serious oil leakage will occur
at the top of the hydraulic cylinder.

3) If the amount of oil in the manual hydraulic pump is insufficient, it is

necessary to add fully filtered hydraulic oil to the pump before it can
work.

4) The choice of the center of gravity of the heavy object should be

moderate. Reasonably choose the focus point of the jack, the bottom
surface should be flat, and at the same time, the soft and hard conditions
of the ground should be considered, whether it is necessary to pad tough
wood, and whether the placement is stable, so as to avoid the load
sinking or tilting.
5) After the jack lifts the heavy object, the support should be used to
support the heavy object in time.

6) If several jacks need to be lifted at the same time, in addition to the

correct placement of the jacks, it should also be noted that the load of
each jack should be balanced. Pay attention to keeping the lifting speed
synchronized to prevent the weighted object from tilting and causing
danger.

7) When using the jack, first place the hydraulic cylinder, and then
tighten the oil drain screw on the hydraulic pump to work. To make the
piston rod descend, loosen the handwheel of the manual hydraulic pump
slightly counterclockwise, the hydraulic cylinder is unloaded, and the
piston rod gradually descends. Otherwise, it will be dangerous to
descend too fast.

8) The detachable jack adopts a spring return structure, which can be

quickly taken out after lifting, but the jack cannot be pulled by the
connected hose.

9) Due to the small lifting stroke of the jack, the rated stroke should not
be exceeded during use to avoid damage to the jack.

10) During the use process, the violent vibration of the jack should be
avoided (for example, when the jack is loaded, hit the workpiece with a
hammer)

Precautions for hydraulic jacks

1) If there is a runaway phenomenon during use, you can first loosen the
oil drain screw on the pump body, hit the vertical head of the pump body
down a few times, and then tighten the oil drain screw, you can continue
to use.

2) When using, do not add partial load or overload, so as to avoid the

danger of jack damage. When there is a load, do not remove the quick
connector to avoid accidents and damage to the parts.

3) Hydraulic jacks use oil as the medium, and maintenance of the oil and
equipment must be done well to avoid blockage or oil leakage, which
will affect the use effect.

4) For a new or long-established hydraulic jack, because there is more

air in the hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod may jump slightly when it is
first used. The hydraulic jack can be reciprocated 2 to 3 times with no
load to remove the air in the cavity. Hydraulic jacks that have been idle
for a long time will harden due to the long-term non-working of the
seals, thus affecting the service life of the hydraulic jacks. Therefore,
when the hydraulic jacks are not in use, they should be reciprocated with
no load 2 to 3 times a month.

Maintenance of hydraulic jacks

(1) When the hydraulic jack is used, a flat, tough and oil-free wooden
board should be placed at the bottom to expand the bearing surface and
ensure safety. Do not use iron plates instead of wooden boards to
prevent slippage.
(2) It is required to be stable when lifting. After the weight is lifted a
little, check whether there is any abnormal situation. If there is no
abnormal situation, the lifting operation can be continued. Do not
lengthen the handle arbitrarily or operate it too hard.

(3) Do not overload, do not exceed the rated height. When a red line
appears on the sleeve, it indicates that the rated height has been reached
and the jacking should be stopped.

(4) When several hydraulic jacks are working at the same time, they
should be directed by a special person to make the lifting or lowering
synchronously. Wooden blocks should be supported between two
adjacent hydraulic jacks to ensure the interval prevent sliding.

(5) When using the hydraulic jack, always pay attention to the sealing
part and the pipe joint part, and they must be safe and reliable.

(6) Hydraulic jacks are not suitable for places with acid, alkali, or
corrosive gas.

Advantages and disadvantages of hydraulic jacks

Advantages:
Below are the benefits of hydraulic jacks in their various applications.

Most designs occupy less space.

 Less likely to jam due to rust in the screw thread.
Highly effective with heavy loads.
It is easier to use.
Loads are lifted with minimum effort.
It is lighter than screw jacks.

Disadvantages:
Despite the good advantages of hydraulic jacks, some limitations still
occur. Below are the disadvantages of hydraulic jacks in their various
applications.

It has a relatively low speed.

Susceptible to failure if oil seals are worn out.
The device can emit an unpleasant odor due to the overuse of warm
oil.
Overheat can quickly occur.
The leakage of hydraulic oil can cause soil and water pollution.

Conclusion
Hydraulic jacks are mechanical devices used to lift heavyweight. They
are commonly used in automobile industries to lift vehicles from the
ground, which is why they are known as a kind of hydraulic car jack.
The force of hydraulic jacks can be calculated with pascal’s law. That is
all for this article, where the definition, applications, components,
diagram, types, working, advantages, and disadvantages of hydraulic
jack are being discussed.

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students. thanks for reading, see you next time.