1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Yelp...Floor jack is too short...fix?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by cyberpriusII, Oct 14, 2023.

  1. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,139
    1,611
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I got a smoking deal on a lightweight floor jack.

    Never used, $25.

    Problem...I have an Outback...12.5 inches of ground clearance, so the jack really doesn't get the wheels off the ground.

    When I swaped out snow tires last spring I had a couple of concrete pavers stacked. They were hardly long enough and one corner cracked, but they did the job. Time to put the snows on again. Leery about using the cracked pavers again. Would longer pavers distribute weight better? Big wood pieces?

    Any cheap but safe suggestions? Yeah, I know $200 plus for a new jack, but the doggies need new collars...
    kris
     
    #1 cyberpriusII, Oct 14, 2023
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    7,427
    6,913
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    That's how I've always solved it.

    Mind the grain pattern relative to the bit you're lifting, especially if you are lifting from or near the stock jack points below the rocker panels. You never want them aligned as it could split the wood.
     
    #2 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Oct 14, 2023
    cyberpriusII, Trollbait and Mendel Leisk like this.
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    7,427
    6,913
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    ....
     
    #3 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Oct 14, 2023
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,671
    39,221
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I’ve done wood under the jack, plus shims in the cradle. Do be careful with both, especially the latter.

    In the attachment I’ll usually have the hockey puck atop the wood bits. The double layer of wood has the grain at right angles, and they’re doweled together.
     

    Attached Files:

    #4 Mendel Leisk, Oct 14, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2023
    cyberpriusII likes this.
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    22,447
    11,760
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    I always just grabbed a bit of scrap lumber to put in the cradle. Do that to just protect the rail seem on the sides. No problem with a 4x4 piece at the rear diff of the Outback, though I use jack stands before taking off the wheels at that end.
     
    #5 Trollbait, Oct 14, 2023
    cyberpriusII and Leadfoot J. McCoalroller like this.
  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,330
    4,614
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    duplicate (bad server)
     
    #6 PriusCamper, Oct 14, 2023
  7. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,330
    4,614
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Oh Geez a hockey puck... That's so Canadian, ya' know...
     
    #7 PriusCamper, Oct 14, 2023
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,661
    15,662
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    upload_2023-10-15_7-17-11.png

    Bob Wilson
     
    #8 bwilson4web, Oct 15, 2023
    cyberpriusII likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)