# Hydraulic floor jack problem



## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

I have a Sears 1 1/2 Ton floor jack I bought about 25 years ago, doesnt get used daily by any means but when I need it its always worked great. Until yesterday, went to raise it up and it went up almost to the top and started sinking down, then stopped about half way down and held it position. So I tried to raise it up and it would sink slowly while pumping it up, if I pumped fast enough it will go all the way up but then sink back down about half way again and then stop and hold there. Checked the oil, slightly low but now a lot, there is no oil stain on floor where I store it. Bleed the air out , no difference, acts the same way. Any suggestions to the problem and how to fix it ? Thanks.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)




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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Yes the hydraulics are wore out.

The rubber pistons are weak, and allowing the pressure to bleed off.

As Neal shows, a rebuild is in order.

Or junk it, go to Harbor Freight, and replace it. 


ED


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

And an old friend like that..... give him a decent and nice burial.....

May he RIP...


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> And an old friend like that..... give him a decent and nice burial.....
> 
> May he RIP...


Yup, I've repaired a lot of bottle jacks, easy to do but a pain with the internal springs, no difference here.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

de-nagorg said:


> Or junk it, go to Harbor Freight, and replace it.
> ED



I thought you were saying that Harbor Freight is junk, cause as far as jacks go I think they are. :biggrin2:
I bought one of their aluminum racing jacks about 6 years ago and used it the most, as I've also had an old Craftsman jack for about 25 years but its heavy and cumbersome. It never let me down though. The Harbor Freight jack failed last fall, and I found a video on YouTube showing how to take the pistons out. I did that with no problems but found out that Pittsburgh, the manufacturer of the jack, does not provide ANY support whatsoever and you cannot buy the rubber piston seals from them. I'm still planning on trying to find replacements before I dump it in the trash. My next jack will probably be a Northern Tool model.
I will never knowingly purchase a product that is meant to be tossed in the trash when it fails.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

Got two of those craftsman jacks, paid $99/ea at Sears in 1986. Looks exactly like the one in the video only blue. I've used them several times a week for 30+ years and I'd spend the money to rebuild those without a second thought, they are great jacks.

A friend bought a craftsman jack a few years later, it was a cheap chinese import made with stamped parts and a junk cylinder. I wouldn't spend the money to oil the wheels on it, what a piece of crap. I think he junked it a couple years ago when he moved.

Only time mine ever gave problems I topped off the hydraulic oil, loosened the valve and pumped the handle about a dozen times and it's worked great since.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

de-nagorg said:


> Yes the hydraulics are wore out.
> 
> The rubber pistons are weak, and allowing the pressure to bleed off.
> 
> ...


Harbor expletive freight? Seriously?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

DoomsDave said:


> Harbor expletive freight? Seriously?


I have one that I bought about 10 years ago, I use it twice a year to swap tires from Mud and Snows, to summer all season radials. 

Here I really need Studded tires in the Winter, when three feet of partly cloudy is the norm.

Mine works fine, and when it fails, a replacement will be bought. 

Sears rolled up their sidewalk, and shut down here last December, so I will have to shop elsewhere.


ED


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I bought a HF 2.25 ton floor jack back in the early 80s. It worked great for about 25 yrs at which time I rebuilt it. 2 yrs ago I replaced it with a 3 ton HF jack. The 1st one was junk out of the box but they replaced it and the replacement is still working fine.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

I've had HF jacks fail. If I was a pro, I wouldn't buy one. But for a DIYer they're fine.

Actually, if I was a pro, I'd probably have access to a lift and wouldn't need one. :vs_laugh:


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

I purchased this one about 7 years ago.
It works great.

And for 89.99 - 20% off and a free gift

Watch the video.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...iNzkuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk
IjoiMTI5ODAifQ==












I also use mine to change/sharpen the blades on the zero turn.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Have a 2 ton trolley jack I got at HF for 30 bucks 8 years ago. I have used it a lot, and it still works. I bought the 1 1/5 ton racing jack about 3 years ago. It lifted one corner of my Navigator (under the lower control arm) when I replaced a ball joint and UCA last year. It worked fine. Jack stands were used, of course, to support the SUV safely while I used the jack to slightly lower or raise the control arm while doing the repair.


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

I havent decided what to to yet, I may look at some to get an idea of cost etc. I hate to throw mine out though but its $ 52 for a rebuild kit at amazon. Oh well, we'll see. Thanks for all the input, comments and the video.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Often it's just bad o rings and that's only a dollar or two.


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## divyakfm (Mar 20, 2010)

Had the same problem; took jack apart; separated all O-rings, seal and cups. Took them to a shop that rebuilds hydraulic cylinders/motors...(Ronco Engineering). Told the counter guy I needed to rebuild a Craftsman floor jack; showed him the old parts . He went back and got the parts I needed. Cost was reasonable...See if you have similar services in your area.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

The 2 cent O ring is why you never get under a car supported by a jack. Is your life worth more than 2 cents? Yes.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I have pretty much the same jack, Sears 1.5 ton, only mine is green. I bought it in the late 1980s, I think and it still works. I don't use it much since I bought a Quickjack setup.

https://www.quickjack.com/review/product/list/id/33/category/11/


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

raylo32 said:


> I have pretty much the same jack, Sears 1.5 ton, only mine is green. I bought it in the late 1980s, I think and it still works. I don't use it much since I bought a Quickjack setup.
> 
> https://www.quickjack.com/review/product/list/id/33/category/11/


First, I am sure it works fine.
Second, there is no way I am getting under that.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

shirbon said:


> I havent decided what to to yet, I may look at some to get an idea of cost etc. I hate to throw mine out though but its $ 52 for a rebuild kit at amazon. Oh well, we'll see. Thanks for all the input, comments and the video.



You're better off buying the rebuild kit.
No point in spending more than that and then owning something worse than what you can have for 52 bucks.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Solid as a rock. Each unit has a steel locking bar. You can always place jack stands or wood blocks but totally unnecessary. Also I have the 7000 pound set and my heaviest vehicle is 4000 pounds which provides more safety margin.



Bigplanz said:


> First, I am sure it works fine.
> Second, there is no way I am getting under that.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Bigplanz said:


> First, I am sure it works fine.
> Second, there is no way I am getting under that.


It does look flimsy, and with the weight that your Navigator, or my Explorer has, I am cautious. 

Actually I had a few fall on me over the years, last was in 78, changed my life radically. 

So your caution is founded in solid evidence.

Always block those things from falling. 

ALWAYS!


ED


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

raylo32 said:


> Solid as a rock. Each unit has a steel locking bar. You can always place jack stands or wood blocks but totally unnecessary. Also I have the 7000 pound set and my heaviest vehicle is 4000 pounds which provides more safety margin.


I would have to see it in-person. Is it permanently attached to a concrete slab? If nothing moved with me pushing it as hard as I can on all four corners, it would work for me. I have a couple of 6-ton jack stands I'd probably use as well since, well, I have seen a car come down before. Nobody got hurt, but I won't forget it.

Only thing I could see me using that for is dropping a gas tank, but I am too old and arthritic to be crawling around under cars anymore.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Ouch. You had some fall on you and you lived to tell the tale? Very lucky man. The other thing with the Quickjack is even if they were to fall over like maybe in an earthquake they would still keep the vehicle off of you. And as for a collapse with the locking bar there is no way for them to articulate down. And if one pivot failed it would still not allow the vehicle to go down very far. Nothing flimsy or unstable about them. You can push on the vehicle and see for yourself. Way better than jack stands for sure. But maybe not as good as BP's concrete slab!

I remember once upon a time taking my TransAm to a small dealer in Idaho to replace the throwout bearing. The guy did the job with the front of the car just on a floor jack with no solid support. Just nuts.



de-nagorg said:


> It does look flimsy, and with the weight that your Navigator, or my Explorer has, I am cautious.
> 
> Actually I had a few fall on me over the years, last was in 78, changed my life radically.
> 
> ...


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

OK, I took it all apart just to see how it went, even if I dont get parts I'm not out anything as its no good the way it is. I cant seperate the cylinder housing / oil resivor part from the base though - it doesnt come off I have tried everything. Does anyone know if they all come apart like in the video and has a large O-ring on the bottom or is it possible some may be permanently attacked. I'm stuck till I can answer that question. Thanks.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Pics?


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

I will try to send a pic, hope it works. I might have to get help


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

Looks like it worked - yeah. Cant separate the upright cylinder ftom the base. It either doesn’t come off or its so stuck it won’t come off.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I think that is as far as it disassembles.

The O-rings, should be inside of it.



ED


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

No O-ring inside just a little hard bead / ring like you see around the outside, its not a weld. In the video that Nealtw posted the cylinder comes apart from the base as well. I am at a stand still, if it was meant to come off it would have by now with all that I tried but yet if there is some sort of a seal underneath I would hate to replace all the other parts and have it leak there. Any Ideas ?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

I would leave it be.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Look at Searspartsdirect.com, for a rebuild kit for that model of Craftsman jack.

See if they have a parts list and blow-up.

Print this out, and have a guide to it's disassembly.


ED


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## shirbon (Oct 2, 2014)

ok, ordered a repair kit online took a week or so to get it, $46 and $10 shipping, had a few parts I didnt need and didn't have a few parts I needed, as good as it gets I guess. put it all back together and seems to work ok. for now anyway. Thanks again for all the input.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Excellent. You now have a better jack than you could buy for the same money new.


(I hope)


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