Jack envy

User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9479
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Jack envy

Post by Jobbo »

It wasn’t until I used my new SGS jack that I realised the handle didn’t rotate. It’s also very long so would be a pain if lifting your car in a garage. That looks really useful.
User avatar
mik
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:15 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by mik »

My old Halfords 2T low-entry (with a suspiciously similar shape) does this too. It’s definitely a useful feature.
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6461
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Land Rover, Peugeot 406

Re: Jack envy

Post by Sundayjumper »

How's everybody's jacks doing ? My Costco/Arcan one has finally pissed me off enough that I want to replace it. The main cylinder leaks and the small one keeps sticking so I have to prise it back out with a screwdriver almost every time. Because all my cars are shit and broken all the time I seem to need a jack on a regular basis, and my fleet obviously includes high/low/big/small cars so it's going to be moon/stick finding something perfect for all of them.

In addition to a regular trolley jack I'm quite tempted to try a pneumatic one as well e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315256281496. Fairly small footprint and straight vertical lift sounds like it could be useful.
User avatar
mik
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:15 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by mik »

Never tried one, but the 150mm low-height would put me off (and the 400mm fully-raised height isn’t that impressive either).

My SGS jack is doing great. It’s performed duties on the Evora, my son’s Civic and Mrs mik’s weight-of-a-small-moon-eTron.
User avatar
Mito Man
Posts: 9997
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:27 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by Mito Man »

Same, I can’t tell if Arcan is a shit brand of if it’s a case of they all wear out eventually. Went to Costco last week to buy the Hilka Jack but they didn’t have it in store. They did have a low Arcan Jack for £135 so…
Image
Only thing is that it’s a steel construction rather than aluminium so it weighs a tonne even moving it across block paving. Another thing is it doesn’t have grab handles on the side. You don’t realise they’re actually useful until you’re lying on your side looking for the jacking points whilst blindly searching for a place to grab the jack and fine tune its positioning :lol:
How about not having a sig at all?
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6461
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Land Rover, Peugeot 406

Re: Jack envy

Post by Sundayjumper »

mik wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 11:59 am Never tried one, but the 150mm low-height would put me off (and the 400mm fully-raised height isn’t that impressive either).
I meant in addition to a regular jack, not instead of. Times where you need to jack something in the middle of the car and don't have room to crank a normal jack handle up & down.
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6461
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Land Rover, Peugeot 406

Re: Jack envy

Post by Sundayjumper »

User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9479
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Jack envy

Post by Jobbo »

That looks pretty decent and Facom are a good brand, aren’t they?
What’s the red pedal-type thing behind the lifting handle? Foot operated release?
User avatar
Beany
Posts: 6467
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:27 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by Beany »

Think it'll be a quick lift pedal - press it down and it lifts the arm faster, but with almost no pressure behind it, so it'll stop when it hits the bodywork.
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6461
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Land Rover, Peugeot 406

Re: Jack envy

Post by Sundayjumper »

Beany is correct.

Jobbo wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 1:26 pm That looks pretty decent and Facom are a good brand, aren’t they?
I think so. Rightly or wrongly I think of them as semi-professional, a step up from DIY grade. @V8Granite is my tool guru, I'd appreciate his opinion on this :)
User avatar
Mito Man
Posts: 9997
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:27 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by Mito Man »

I remember Facom sometimes having a stand at goodwood, seemed like a professional choice. I only remember because I wanted a torque wrench but Wera and Facom stands there were about 30% more than the same tool bought online - I thought the point of trade shows was that they’re cheaper 😂
How about not having a sig at all?
User avatar
Beany
Posts: 6467
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:27 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by Beany »

My dad was an engineer for knocking on 50 years. He used all sorts of high end pro stuff for work that I can't remember the name of.

He had Facom gear in the car and on the boat.

So "Good enough for a journeyman pro to use at home" seems like a reasonable recommendation for their mainline stuff - I'm assuming they aren't just slapping their brand on cheap shit for stuff outside their wheelhouse like some brands do.
User avatar
mik
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:15 pm

Re: Jack envy

Post by mik »

Sundayjumper wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 12:25 pm
mik wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 11:59 am Never tried one, but the 150mm low-height would put me off (and the 400mm fully-raised height isn’t that impressive either).
I meant in addition to a regular jack, not instead of. Times where you need to jack something in the middle of the car and don't have room to crank a normal jack handle up & down.
Fair point. Much better than a bottle jack. <shudders>

Trolley looks good - not the lowest entry but a good profile.
Last edited by mik on Sat May 11, 2024 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
V8Granite
Posts: 4059
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:57 am

Re: Jack envy

Post by V8Granite »

Sundayjumper wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 4:33 pm Beany is correct.

Jobbo wrote: Sat May 11, 2024 1:26 pm That looks pretty decent and Facom are a good brand, aren’t they?
I think so. Rightly or wrongly I think of them as semi-professional, a step up from DIY grade. @V8Granite is my tool guru, I'd appreciate his opinion on this :)
Facom are good, no issues with stuff at work.

Also you should be able to get seal kits forever.

Dave!
Post Reply