The Jeep Wrangler is known for its incredible off-road capabilities. But as an off-road beast, the jeep wrangler is vulnerable to several problems, including damaged silencer, damaged brake, damaged suspension, and tire puncture. All these problems can only be solved by lifting the vehicle off the ground and that is where the floor jack comes in.
A floor jack is a simple tool designed to lift vehicles off the ground for inspections, repair, and maintenance. This tool is highly recommended for people who own jeep wranglers because it is easy to use, reliable and portable. Unlike bottle jacks, floor jacks have a carter that allows easy movement both to and fro. Using this device will help speed up the process during maintenance of your jeep wrangler, suspension oil, and much more.
But the greatest challenge that most jeep wrangler owners face is knowing to use a floor jack properly. You can only get the best results from this device if you know how to use it correctly. If you are planning to purchase a floor jack for your jeep wrangler and want to know how to use it, then today you have come to the right place, In this article, we will give you proven steps on how to use a floor jack on a jeep wrangler.
How to Use a Floor Jack on a Jeep Wrangler: Step by Step guide
Step 1: Park Your Car On A Solid Surface And Apply Wheel Chocks
The first very important thing to do is to park your jeep wrangler on a flat solid surface that is free of debris. This will help ensure that the flow jack stays in place firmly. Please don’t attempt to jack up your car on a soft or even surface because it may result in an accident that could result in serious injuries. Once you have parked your vehicle, apply the parking brakes, then place wheel chocks on both sides of the tires that you are not working on. Wheel chock will ensure that your jeep wrangler does not roll when jacking up.
Step 2: Locate the jack points
Locate the strongest parts of your vehicle (jack points). The floor jack should only be placed on the strongest and most stable part of the car to help prevent sliding and damage. The jeep wrangler jack points are located on each side of the wheels, including in front of the back wheel and the back wheel and the back of the front wheels. Please also read your car manual to know the exact points where the lift points are located. Using the floor jack anywhere other than the chosen lift points may compromise your safety and also damage the car.
Step 3: Hoist Your Vehicle Using The Floor Jack
Place floor jacks under the recommended jack points on your jeep wrangler. Pump the handle to activate the piston which will, in turn, lift the car using the hydraulic fluid. Lift the car slowly until it is high enough to enable you to perform the necessary repair or maintenance. If you are using a scissor floor jack, spin the rotatable clasp in an anti-floor clockwise direction until the car is high enough. Should the floor jack feel unsteady while lifting, stop and replace it with another one that is strong to help prevent damaging yourself and your vehicle.
Step 4: Install The Jack Stands
Once you have lifted the car to the right height, the next process is to place the jack stands into position. Using a jack stand is highly recommended, especially if you are planning to work under your vehicle or you intend to leave the car suspended for a long period such as performing an oil change. Jack stands will help to enhance your safety. Take two jack stands, adjust them accordingly then fit them underneath the applicable jack points. Make sure they fit tightly. Their resting surface should also be flat, solid, and free of debris.
Step 5: Remove The Floor Jack
Once the jack stands are in place, then there is no point in keeping the floor jack. Gently release the floor jack to let jack stands take over. Before you go underneath to start working on your car, nudge it slightly just to be sure that jack stands have held your jeep wrangler firmly.
Once you are done fixing your jeep wrangler, place the floor jack in place once again, remove the jack stands then press a button on the floor jack to lower the car slowly
Things to do before you use a floor jack on our jeep wrangler
Before we discuss steps on how to use a floor jack on your jeep wrangler, let’s first point out important things to do before you use this device.
- To prevent any accident, apply hand breaks on your jeep wrangler before you start using this tool
- Make sure the jack floor you are using is strong enough to lift the weight of your jeep wrangler.
- Only use a floor jack on a flat surface to enhance its stability
- Read the floor jack owner’s manual
- Inspect your floor jack for any flows, cracks, or leaks
Where Do You Position the Floor Jack?
You should not place the floor jack under your Jeep, similar to what is done in most cars. It is recommended to place the jack from the back to front rather than in the cross members of both sides. Moreover, the floor jack should be placed straight under the front and rear axles.
You will find jacking points on the front and rear axles in the Jeep Wrangler. Here, the floor jack should be placed under the jacking points that look like a jack pad. (near the front and rear wheels).
Here, you can also check this video in order to position the floor jack.
Why Is My Floor Jack Not Lifting?
Multiple reasons can cause trouble for the floor jack not to lift when placed under the vehicle. Here is what you should check in that case:
Low Fluid Level
It is crucial to make sure there is enough fluid in the hydraulic fluid jack. If there is not enough fluid, the floor jack won’t get the power to lift the vehicle. So, you need to check the fluid level of the floor jack. Add hydraulic fluid to the floor jack reservoir if the fluid level drops.
Clogged Filter
Even if there is enough fluid in the floor jack reservoir, the floor jack won’t lift due to a clogged filter. Due to the clogged filter, the hydraulic fluid to create pressure to lift the vehicle can’t flow. So, you need to check the filter; if it is clogged, you need to clean the component.
Broken Parts
If any parts of the floor jack become damaged or broken, this can cause the tool not to lift. The screws of the floor jack can be damaged. The same thing can happen in the case of the seals, which are there to prevent the hydraulic fluid from flowing outside.
Therefore, it is essential to check all the parts of the floor jack, and if any of them become damaged, there is no alternative to replace it.
Overloading
All the floor jacks available in the market come with a particular load capacity. Now, it makes sense that when the load becomes excessive, the floor jack will find it hard to lift the vehicle.
Air in the Floor Jack System
Sometimes, air can be trapped in the floor jack system, and this causes the tool not to lift the vehicle. And this can happen if you don’t use the floor jack for a long time.
Here, the solution is to remove the air from the floor jack system with the help of the bleeder valve. You can check this video in order to remove it from the floor jack system.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I jack a jeep wrangler on the axle?
Yes. you can but you must be very careful when putting a floor jack under the axles. Avoid putting it under the axle tubes or the pumpkin.
2. What are the benefits of using a floor jack on a jeep wrangler?
The reason why floor jack in highly recommended for jeep wranglers is that it is incredibly easy to use. Anyone, including those with minimal experience, can use this device. Additionally, it also provides tremendous lifting force with minimal effort to the car off the ground. Unlike bottle jacks, floor jacks are portable thanks to the casters that allow easy rolling back and forth.
3. What are the different types of floor jacks?
Floor jacks are available in different types including:
- Scissor Jacks– are lightweight, portable, and ideal for roadside emergencies.
- Hydraulic Jacks– They are quite bulky and thus not ideal for roadside repairs. They are mostly used in auto repair shops. They are incredibly strong and can support large weights, making them suitable for heavier and larger vehicles.
- Piston Jacks– They contain concentric cylinders that make them look like an actual bottle. They are highly recommended for jeep wranglers because they can be used even on uneven ground and also support heavyweight.
Final Words
A floor jack is one of the most important car maintenance tools that a jeep wrangler owner needs to have. When you have a floor jack beside you, you don’t need to be scared of getting a tire puncture while enjoying your off-road ventures because this tool will make the repair process easy. However, in order to get the best results from a floor jack, then you need to know how to use a floor jack on your jeep wrangler. Fortunately, using a floor jack is incredibly easy, you only need to follow the simple step listed above.