Air Floor Jack: What You Need To Know About?
As you all know, an air floor jack is a handy tool that makes life much easier if you own a car.
The mechanical tool safely lifts your car off the ground. And this makes it possible for you to access its underneath and conduct your routine maintenance or repairs.
The air floor jack is one of the many types of floor jacks available on the market today.
This jack is unlike the other models in that it’s operated using compressed air.
For more details about the floor jack, read the following post…
What is Air Floor Jack?
As I have hinted you above, an air floor jack (btw, it’s also known as a pneumatic jack) refers to a hydraulic jack that uses compressed air- say from the compressor- to carry out its intended functions. This is unlike the standard jack that is manually operated.
The simple fact that no human work is involved in this jack saves you a lot of effort while potentially increasing the speed at which the lift works.
It’s also worth noting that these jacks are extremely easy to operate and are economical since they use the ordinary air which is readily available. Not to forget that it requires very little or no maintenance.
In case a compressed air source isn’t available, you don’t have to worry as you can also operate the pneumatic jack manually (using the hydraulic system).
How Does it Work?
The pneumatic system simply comprises of an air cylinder, control unit, compressor, and the jack itself.
The jack’s working process is pretty simple as it involves using the compressed air to turn electric power into a mechanical form which can then be used to lift your vehicle.
For the air to perform at its best, you first need to remove some of the vapor and add some atomized oil in small amounts.
The compressor turns the air into compressed form and then transfers it to the pneumatic cylinder (fitted with a piston), where the transformation of electric power into mechanical form takes place.
Just in case you’re wondering where the electric power comes from, it is supplied and controlled by the control unit using a solenoid valve.
Check the following video to have a visual idea of how a typical air floor jack operates…
How To Buy The Best Air Floor jack
Now that you’ve learned what exactly this jack looks like, how it works, and some of the top factors contributing to its popularity, you’d definitely want to invest in one for your vehicle.
But the problem comes when you have to decide on which model to pick for your needs. Just like all the other types of jacks, there are multiple pneumatic jacks on the market today. And this makes the selection process quite tricky.
Below, I’ll show you how to pick the ideal air jack for your needs by following 5 easy steps…
1. What type of vehicle do you wish to lift?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is how much the vehicle you wish to lift weighs. This helps you pick a jack that comes with the ideal lifting capacity for your vehicle.
If you plan to lift a light vehicle, e.g., a sedan, SUV, or pickup truck, then you should look for an air jack with a lifting capacity of around 2-3 tons.
For heavier vehicles, however, you’d want to look for something with higher lifting capacity- from 30 tons to 100 tons.
In addition to that, there are some essential things you need to know about an air jack…first, keep in mind that its lifting capacity tends to carry with each lifting step. Second, the jack doesn’t lift 100% of your car weight; in other words, it lifts your car partially to allow you to work on specific sections.
2. Ensure the jack you pick suits your height requirements
Most vehicles will agree to the fact that the free working space below vehicle is becoming compromised every day. That said, it’s important to look for a jack that lifts your car high enough to allow you to access your vehicle underneath without struggling.
Be sure to check the lifting range of the air jack you plan to buy and ensure it’s sufficient for your car. If you’ve low profile car, pick a jack labeled low profile for your own convenience.
3. Don’t forget to check the amount of air pressure available.
Ensure that your airline setup will easily meet the air pressure requirements of the air jack you’re buying. The air pressure information is usually provided by the manufacturer on the user manual.
In most cases, the 30, 50, 80 Tons models require 116-174 PSI / 8 – 12 bars air pressure while the 100 tons model requires 130 – 174 PSI / 9 – 12 bars.
4. How and where do you plan to be using your new jack?
If you’re a mobile worker, then it means you’ll be going with your jack to all places.
For this reason, you’ll need to pick a compact, lightweight, and easy to transport air floor jack. Additional convenient features like a carry handle will make the jack easy to move.
5. Check the jack quality
The quality and durability of a floor jack go a long way in determining if it’ll deliver the much-needed safety when using it.
If you want to ensure you get the best quality, we’d recommend you to buy your jack from reputable brands. Likewise, look for certifications such as CE and ASME in the product you’re buying.
See Also: Best Truck Bed Mats For The Money – Reviews
Conclusion
An air floor jack is unlike the other jacks in that it’s operated using compressed air. The jack is slowly becoming a popular choice among vehicle owners due to its ease of use, economical nature, faster working mechanism, and the fact that it requires little/no maintenance.
As long as you pock the perfect jack for your vehicle (follow the 5 steps we’ve disused above to get the best one for you), you’ll be able to enjoy all the above benefits.
Remember to observe all the safety rules required of a floor jack when using your new air jack.
