For those of us that have been driving for more than a couple of years, flat tires are an unpleasant part of it and always will be. If the car you are currently driving is less than 10 years old then you most likely have an automotive scissor jack in your trunk.

Manufacturers these days include a scissors jack in your car that employees a worm gear drive to give all drivers (even small women) the ability to easily lift a vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds in order to change its tire.

A car jack is a good tool to have when presented with a car that has a flat tire and is parked right up against a curb or sidewalk. The 5″ x 9″ footprint this jack has allows it to be placed where larger conventional vertical post jacks would never work.

Modern jacks have been constantly improved by engineers and designers over the years and have become one of the most efficient and cost effective methods of lifting your car, truck, or R.V. Consumers today can buy a 2-ton car scissor jack at most auto or hardware stores for under $20.00. For more lifting capacity you can get a 2.5-ton hydraulic jack called Big Red from Home Depot for $48.00. This unit uses a small hydraulic cylinder that offers greater lifting ability while still maintaining a small package.

If you have a large vehicle such as an R.V. or tandem wheel pick up with a fifth wheel connector you are probably going to need an electric jack; these jacks have a heavy duty 12 volt electric motor that plugs into any standard car lighter or power take off plug, which are fitted in some newer trucks and SUVs. The Gorilla Lifts Company makes a nice lift that has a capacity of 4000 lbs and costs around $125.00. The unit comes with its own weatherproof hard case, has a 12-foot Power Cord that lets you raise and lower your vehicle from 10 to 12 feet away. This lift has a 5″ minimum closed height and total lifting height of 14″.

For those folks who own RVs and love to go camping you know eventually you are going to need to park your camper on uneven ground. If that happens to you we suggest you get a pair of RV scissor jacks from a company called Camco. The Camco 57421 RV Olympian jack comes in packs of 2 and costs around $78.00. These jacks can lift up to three tons and have a total lifting height of 24″. These RV jacks are normally bolted or welded to your vehicles frame and are used to level your RV when camped on rough terrain.

For two wheel enthusiasts J & S Jacks makes a motorcycle scissor jack called the Big Wheel that sells for $340.00. It is a very stable state of the art, powder coated hydraulic scissors jack that is perfect for larger bikes and has a 2000-pound capacity.

The jacks available on the market today use the increased safety features and mechanical advantages that a worm gear drive offers over the older style vertical post jack. All of these features make purchasing them a great option for whatever need you have for them.

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Filed under: Types of Car Jacks

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