Find the Right Trolley Jack
for Lifting Your Vehicle
Quickly and Safely

All the Help and Information You Need

We bring you all the guidance, advice and information you need for choosing a trolley jack - the ideal device for raising your car safely to change a tyre or other essential maintenance tasks. Learn about the various types, makes and sizes of heavy or light duty trolley jack and how to use one of these powerful mobile hydaulic vehicle lifting devices.

Types of Trolley Jack

TYPES OF TROLLEY JACK

The various makes, styles
and jack lifting capacity

Using a Trolley Jack

HOW A TROLLEY JACK WORKS

Operating a hydraulic jack
to raise your car safely 

Buying a Trolley Jack

CHOOSING A TROLLEY JACK

Tips and advice on buying
the jack that's right for you

Trolley Jack Benefits

TROLLEY JACK BENEFITS 

The many advantages of 
owning a trolley jack 

Bottle & Scissor Jacks

MORE  JACK OPTIONS

Info about vehicle bottle
jacks, scissor jacks etc

Introducing the Trolley Jack - Power at your Fingertips!

Hydraulic trolley jacks are mini marvels when it comes to raising cars and other heavy vehicles with ease - they are very solid and robust, simple and safe to operate, easy to maintain and can be wheeled around below a vehicle with minimal effort. 


Trolley jacks - also known as floor jacks - have been a vital piece of equipment in car repair garages for years but these days more and car owners have opted to buy a trolley jack for tyre changes and DIY maintenance on their vehicles at home.


If you want to have peace of mind when it comes to safety and need to raise you car with speed and efficiency, then it's probably time to consider treating yourself to a hydraulic trolley jack.


If you are thinking of buying a trolley jack, we provide all the information you need on the various types available - from cheap and simple light-duty low profile 1.5 or 2 tonne devices, for lifting a small to mid-size car, to deluxe heavy duty 3 or 4 tonne capacity jacks which are able to lift much heavier vehicles such as a pick-up truck, Land Rover, minibus, 4x4 or SUV. 


These two-piston hydraulic lifting devices operate by converting the downward force applied to the handle - the location of the first piston point - into upward force at the jack's second piston point.


Trolley jacks are filled with lubricating oil, which does not oxidize metal. This oil is extremely effective in creating an excellent hydraulic system which intensifies most of the downward force applied to the handle by the user and then transmits it to the second piston.


These innovative jacks work very impressively on solid flat surfaces made or concrete, asphalt, tarmac or a similarly robust material - however, they are unsafe to use on softer, uneven surfaces such as sand, gravel or grass.


They are widely used in car garages throughout the UK for working under vehicles and are also found in the pits and workshops at motor racing tracks where they are used for a range of tasks, including quickly changing tyres and oil changes.

 

Have a trolley jack to hand for tyre changes and other tasks

Whether you want to rotate your tyres, swap winter ones to summer ones, carry out an oil change, change your brake pads and discs or even replace your car exhaust - then a hydraulic trolley jack is the ideal tool for the job. Most of these devices are fitted with wheels, making them easy to move to any area under a vehicle. Low profile trolley jacks, for example, are ideal for for vehicles with a low chassis or reduced clearance.


It's worth bearing in mind that, due to their weight, many of the heaviest trolley jacks are not suitable for carrying in your car to change a tyre when a puncture occurs. Large trolley jacks are much too heavy and bulky to be accommodated in the boot of your vehicle and are also not suitable for using on a gravel or dirt road when a tyre needs to be changed.


Lower capacity trolley jacks, however, are generally lighter and many can be placed in a car boot recess, alongside the spare tyre and other motoring accessories. Just remember, you will need to carry at pair of axle stands in your car also as a hydraulic trolley jack is only meant to lift a vehicle, not to support its weight.


A compact standard scissor jack is the choice of jack used by many motorists when trouble strikes when out an about in their cars. A hydraulic bottle jack is another option for a quick change of tyre and they are well-equipped to lift very heavy cars and other vehicles.


Trolley jacks are easy to use but it's worth reading the operating instructions carefully first and familiarising yourself with the various parts of the device and how it works. This will prevent you from running the risk of damaging the jack by operating it safely and correctly.


When you first use your new trolley jack it's essential to identify the jacking point of your car before one starts using a new hydraulic jack to raise it. The jacking point is the specific place designed to bear the weight of the car without any danger. The jack saddle is the lifting device and requires exact placement for maximum benefit.


It's crucial to have your jack resting on solid and level ground. Some people place a wooden plank underneath the jack for extra stability. The process of using a trolley jacks starts with the user disengaging the locking mechanism so the device can be pumped.


We discuss the benefits of owning a trolley jack in detail on this site, but here's just a few of them at a glance.

  • Hydraulic action means little physical effort to operate 
  • Very mobile with wheels to move jack around
  • Raises vehicle much quicker than a scissor or bottle jack
  • More safe and stable than many other types of jack
  • Sturdy build - usually steel or aluminium
  • Long-lasting and not prone to sudden failure
  • Greater lifting height than some other types of jack
  • Very reasonably priced for the power they pack
It's important to remember that hydraulic jacks need to be locked as soon as the vehicles they are under have attained the desired height. The entire process is to be reversed when work underneath the vehicle is complete.

Trolley jacks really do save time and require minimal exertion on the part of the their operators. Their popularity is booming in the UK as these devices - once an expensive choice for those in the motor trade - become more affordable for every day motorists and car owners.

Sometimes you can have an issue where your trolley jack will not raise or extend. This means it's time to check the level of the hydraulic fluid in the unit. A low level of fluid can result in air entering the jack, meaning it will fail to operate correctly.The fluid level should be topped up fully to a point where small amount overspills from the jack. You should then close the release valve and proceed to pump the jack up.

After that you should open the release valve again. This should be carried out a few times to release any air that had been trapped inside the jack cylinder. It is important to bleed or purge air from your trolley jack if you think its efficient operation has been compromised.

Buy a jack that can safely bear the weight of your vehicle

If you ever need to buy a replacement part for your trolley jack, you should try to ensure they are approved by the manufacturer of your device, and not inferior parts made by another company.

Most trolley jacks are made of aluminium or cast steel which gives them immense strength. Years ago they were often made from cast iron. These jacks are available in various colours including black, red, silver, yellow, grey and blue.

These jacks are usually equipped with safety valves in order to reduce damage to them that can occur while lifting weight they are not designed for. This bypass prevention mechanism will prevent a small hydraulic floor jack from attempting to lift a car whose load it cannot bear.

Obviously, before buying trolley jack, you should confirm that its specifications mean it is capable of bearing the load of your particular vehicle. Some people who own smaller cars choose to buy a jack which can lift larger vehicles so they already have a suitable device to hand if they choose to upgrade to a larger vehicle in the future.

When choosing a trolley jack, it makes sense to look for one with as wide a base as possible to ensure good ground contact.You should also consider the amount of clearance you have below your vehicle - if this is limited you may need to considering buying a low profile jack. It's also worth opting for a jack with swivel back wheels or castors and a handle which rotates 360 degrees.

You should always try to buy a jack which had been manufactured by a company with a sound reputation and ideally one which comes with a decent warranty period. A trolley jack will quickly become an essential part of your vehicle maintenance tool kit and a purchase you certainly won't regret.

POPULAR TROLLEY JACKS AT AMAZON.CO.UK

Many jacks are rustproof and come with an integrated carrying handle - most people will be able to find a jack that suits their needs in the 1.5 to 3 tonne lifting capacity range, however there some real super-powerful automotive jacks available to buy which can cope with loads of up to 20 tonnes! 


A cheap and basic floor jack will cost around £20 to £40 but you can expect to pay up to £200 - or even more - for a deluxe heavy-duty device such as those in the impressive Wolf, Stag, Heyner and Motamec range of products.


You'll find plenty of information here about all the leading brand names here including Clarke, Sealey, Liftmaster, Silverline, Draper, Facom, Machine Mart, Pandamoto, Dirty Pro Tools, Arcan, Stag, Wolf, Torin, Nesco, Bahco, Hilka and Challenge Xtreme.  


Trolley jacks are are available to buy at most leading motoring accessory stores including Machine Mart, Rapid Online, Tooled Up, Argos, Halfords, Amazon, UK Tool Centre, eBay and Autosessive. We also feature some trolley jack kits which come with other useful accessories including axle stands, carrying case and a non-slip jack mat.


As you can see - a trolley jack really is an impressive bit of gear. Hopefully we can help you find the right device for your needs so you are well-equipped for changing tyres and any other work you need to carry out under your vehicle - just make sure you have some axle stands in place for safety reasons after you have used the jack. 


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