Hydraulic jacks are durable enough to lift your ride. But, this small to the almost invulnerable tool can suspend your humble abode with some damages. However, like all things, these hydraulic jacks are still prone to damages no matter how tough these things are.
As I said, it is almost invulnerable. Hence, it still has its weak points, primarily if your hydraulic jack has been serving you for more than ten years or so. So, to help you get things done, here are some of the common problems that most hydraulic jacks encounter along with quick tips to repair it.
Problem #1: Hydraulic Jack Won’t Lift
Diagnosis: There’s inadequate oil in the reservoir. This is one of the usual things one can experience when having a problem with a hydraulic jack. Because of this, air accumulates through the hydraulic jack, preventing it from lifting up.
Solution: Check the level of the hydraulic fluid. First, you need to fill hydraulic oil to the jack’s reservoir. You may do this if it needs to be drained up for replacement. Take note not to use other types of oil, such as motor oil, as it can damage the interior components of your hydraulic jack.
For one, these tools need a specific level of viscosity for the hydraulic jack to function correctly. And because motor oils contain high acidic levels of chemicals, these can swell or affect the quality of the seals.
So, after putting the oil into the hydraulic jack’s reservoir, you need to turn its release position and pump it a few times to eliminate the accumulated air out. Refill the hydraulic jack’s reservoir until it’s full then place the seal cap back. Wipe off the excess oil and test it.
Problem #2: Hydraulic Jack Has Oil Leakage
Diagnosis: The damages may range from having worn out O-rings and seals and dislodged on the internal or external parts. This happens due to overuse.
Solution: If you can’t see any signs of leakage, then there could have a damaged seal inside. When this is really the reason, you might need a lot of time and tools to fix this. You may not be able to notice this, but there are leaks inside of it. So, you need to disassemble the jack into parts to replace the O-rings, neoprene, nut, ram, fasteners, and other seals.
If you aren’t sure about doing this, you can ask for some assistance coming from a jack’s expert so you can dismantle the lift. You may also need some heavy-duty tools to disassemble and reassemble such as pliers, screwdrivers, shop press, and vise.
The next thing to do is to examine the seals and components of the jack if it has scratches, tears, cuts, and worn out surfaces. Replace these seals with a new set.
Problem #3: Overload Valve Was Turned Accidentally
Diagnosis: Most newbies get confused with this because they don’t know where the oil filler port is, despite the labeled warning that says, “Do Not Open.”
Solutions: When this happens, check your user manual if there are safety guidelines listed to it, or better yet, seek help from hydraulic jack experts.
Just to inform you, the purpose of the overload valve is to prevent your jack from reaching the PSI limit.
Because if it does, the hydraulic jack will stop lifting. When you turn this in a different direction, it will change promptly the tension of the spring connected to the jack. This will alter the pressure threshold. As a result, the hydraulic lift will improve the feel and its functionality.
Hydraulic jacks are some of the tools that are considered low-maintenance. When used and appropriately kept, it can be as severe as an old tree. However, it can also be useless and weak junk if you disregard taking care of it. The worse is that this might lead to unexpected repair expenses.
