You may be unsatisfied by the maximum height of your jack.
That doesn’t mean you should throw away your jack and purchase a new one. All you need is a jack extender.
A floor jack extender is a type of jack that allows the user to lift a part or parts of a vehicle so that the repairs can be done underneath.
Their core purpose is to raise or lower the vehicle part and not holding.
Jack extenders will help you attain a suitable repairing height.
How to Use a Floor Jack Extender
This is a simple process and should take you a few minutes if you follow the steps right. The steps include:
Materials
- Noting specific
Tools
- Floor Jack
- Floor Jack Extender
Instructions
- Find yourself a leveled ground
Ensure you find the right place with a leveled field, this increases the stability and lowers the chances of loosening a grip. A well-leveled ground fully supports both a manufactured and an improvised jack when working with an extender. - Ensure other tires are chocked
First, secure the tires which are not to be lifted. Once everything is in check, slip your floor jack below the vehicle you are working on. Make sure it touches the undercarriage firmly. Position the jack underneath and make sure that it is well-aligned. Now raise the jack steadily. - Align the pump and the jack
Stability is everything as much as safety is concerned, therefore position your extension in a stable position up to the desired height. Place the jack under the vehicle in that specified place that you want to be lifted. Pump the handle to raise the car to the height of your satisfaction. - Lower the vehicle
Once you are done working on your car, all that is left is lowering it back to the ground. To lower the vehicle, you need to reverse the same procedure you used to raise it. However, there are dangers underlying in this procedure, but careful execution and advanced planning make the process easier.
Things to keep in mind while using
In case a floor jack slips off, it can cause more harm to the user, more so if you were beneath the car. Ensuring that the jack extension is well and firmly positioned is the crucial initial step.
If you notice that the jack extension saddle is compromising your load, then it is essential you check the direction to which the jack is lifting your load.
Take precaution measures when lowering your load to prevent unnecessary dangers. Make it slow and remove your extender once the jack has fully surfaced the load.
Summary
Using an extender is a simple process once you follow the steps above keenly, everything will go as planned.
You can choose to use a homemade or a manufactured floor jack, and they all work the same. It never hurts to try both.