Vent: The day my new floor jack decided to take a nap under my truck

So last Tuesday, I was finally swapping the summer tires off my old Ford. I had just gotten this shiny 3-ton floor jack, you know, the one with the low profile saddle. I got the front end up, put the stands under, and went to move the jack to the back. I gave it a good pump, heard that solid 'thunk' of it locking, and started to wheel it out. Next thing I know, there's this awful grinding sound and the whole truck shudders. I look over and the jack handle had somehow bumped the release valve just enough to let it down slow. The saddle dropped maybe two inches and just... stayed there, wedged. Took me a solid hour of careful wiggling with a pry bar and a second jack to get it free without dropping the truck. Has anyone else had a jack just decide to give up mid-job like that? I'm double-checking the release valve every single time now.

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jade2215mo ago

My old 2-ton jack never had that problem, so I figured all release valves were pretty solid. After reading your story and seeing what paige870 said about the zip tie trick, I went and checked my own new low-profile model. The valve is way more exposed and the handle does swing right past it. I'm adding a safety collar tomorrow. It's one of those things you don't think about until a jack tries to become a permanent part of your frame.

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paige8705mo ago

That release valve design is a known weak point on some of those low-profile jacks. I started using a zip tie as a safety collar around the valve after a similar scare.

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