Hydraulic Bottle Jacks

[nepoweshiekfarmalls]

I had to change a flat front tire on the 1206 during my shed organization yesterday.  The electric impact was handy (of course), but our meager collection of ancient jacks would barely lift the corner of the 1206.  I even topped them off with jack oil and that only helped marginally.  They are just worn out.

Any suggestions of Brands/models you have had good luck with?  TIA, Aaron

[just Dave]

I don’t see much difference between brands when it comes to bottle jacks. Those old urathane seals get hard and crack. They are very easy to rebuild. I have some  H F 10 ton ones that work fine . Some are over twenty years old now.

[stronger800]

I’d wait for a Holiday sale at Lowe’s or Home Depot.   I wouldn’t pay even a slightly higher price for one at Napa or anything.  These days they about all look like they came out of the same factory anyway.  I have a 25-30 year old HF one that will lift the whole rear end of a 1466 with loaded tires and hold it forever.  But would a new HF one?  I don’t know.  
I lift tractors like that when painting rims.  
The cheapest one you could  find would lift one corner of about any 1206 sized tractor 

the air actuated ones are so nice, but that doesn’t help you if you don’t always have air handy 

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

I went through a bunch of air over hydraulic jacks that were all terrible. I finally got one at Napa and it has held up far longer than the others. For a manual bottle jack, I would probably just get a cheap one and throw it away when it gives out. 

[iowaboy1965]

I dont know about bottle Jack's but I was pleasantly suprised by a Walmart brand 3 ton floor jack. A lot better so far than I thought it would be. Only about $100 last fall I believe. 

[acem]

I think they all come from a couple factories in China 

Probably different quality standards depending on the customer.

I've had good luck with harbor freight.

[jeeper61]

31 minutes ago, acem said:

I think they all come from a couple factories in China 

Probably different quality standards depending on the customer.

I've had good luck with harbor freight.

If it's coming to the US there are no quality standards it meets,  they want to sell more 

[Lazy WP]

I bought a HF air operated 12 ton bottle jack a couple years ago. Someone had returned it with the fill plug gone. Bought a pack of plugs on line for next to nothing. Filled it with hytrans and it is my go to Jack. It will easily pick up the back of a loaded trailer. 
I have found that if you can get a jack to extend even a little bit, take a sledgehammer and smack the jack pretty decent. Lots of times you can get a jack to come back to life. 

[Mark (EC,IN)]

Unfortunately,  I can't tell you the brand without looking,  but I can tell you how I came about the one I have had for 30 years, probably.

Years ago, I had a 50-ton I got at TSC or Farm & Fleet, (not sure where, but a farm store).  

After having a flat on the road with a wagon and 300 bushels of corn,  and finding out the 50-ton jack could not pick it up, I borrowed a 20-ton jack from the elevator I was headed to.

After first punching a hole in the pavement,  I got a 2"X12" board, and it lifted the wagon like it was nothing.

They bought theirs from a Hydraulic Repair Store,  so I went and got a 20-ton there, and it has not failed me yet.

I do remember the 20-ton cost about four times what I paid for the 50-ton at a farm store,  but it was worth it.

[Farmall1066]

Seems like the bottle jacks from northern tool have worked the best for us recently.  One is going on 4-5 years old.  Not very long like others, but I bought 1 from a local hardware store a few years ago, it was used 2-3 times and wouldn’t hold oil anymore.  I’m really getting tired of the junk we get to consume on the daily, doesn’t matter about name brand anymore, everything is cheaply build over priced junk! 

[Ian Beale]

14 hours ago, acem said:

I think they all come from a couple factories in China 

Story I heard was same factory, different door.

A friend who dealt with China said that you had to be there frequently and inspecting everything that might be sent your way

[Matt Kirsch]

Another vote for Harbor Freight here. Their current "red" bottle jacks seem as good as any, and if you wait for the coupons, they can be had cheap-cheap. I think it was $29.99 for a 12 or 20 ton here last summer. They also have black "Daytona" brand jacks which have a bit better fit and finish, with the requisite price increase.

[bcsmta]

I have rebuilt  40 year floor and bottle jacks have found the kits off ebay even for couple of my Snap on jacks.

[756puller]

I've had good luck with Norco, it's an import brand but the place I get them from has the parts on hand to rebuild them. Think my 20.tom air over hydraulic bottle jack was like 300 a few years ago but its always worked.

[iowaboy1965]

Anybody have a good source for reasonably priced rebuild kits? I looked a few years ago for kits to fix a couple I have and it seemd like the kits were nearly as much as a new jack. And there ain't crap in a kit. Few o rings and a gland and or a wiper seal. I haven't looked lately but I have to think somebody has em at a more wholesale price.

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

1 hour ago, iowaboy1965 said:

Anybody have a good source for reasonably priced rebuild kits? I looked a few years ago for kits to fix a couple I have and it seemd like the kits were nearly as much as a new jack. And there ain't crap in a kit. Few o rings and a gland and or a wiper seal. I haven't looked lately but I have to think somebody has em at a more wholesale price.

I got some stuff to rebuild a jack at the local hydraulic shop. It was an odd, long ram jack that I needed for a specific application. If it wasn’t special, it wouldn’t have been worth the time and effort. The shop here rebuilds a lot of those 10 ton floor jacks, which are pretty pricey new. I have a Walker 10 ton floor jack that I need to have them do. 

[Alan Dinan]

2 hours ago, iowaboy1965 said:

Anybody have a good source for reasonably priced rebuild kits? I looked a few years ago for kits to fix a couple I have and it seemd like the kits were nearly as much as a new jack. And there ain't crap in a kit. Few o rings and a gland and or a wiper seal. I haven't looked lately but I have to think somebody has em at a more wholesale price.

Not kits, but individual items. You have to get the sizes of each item you need, but any good hydraulic shop will have what you need. Valtec in St. Louis, MO has been the “Go to” place around here. I have taken several things apart and took the parts to them so they could match the new parts.

[acem]

I have several Jack's that need rebuilt. Never done one. 

Any tips?

[Alan Dinan]

10 hours ago, acem said:

I have several Jack's that need rebuilt. Never done one. 

Any tips?

Take pictures and don’t lose any parts!! Otherwise it’s like rebuilding a cylinder.