Having a sleek 2-ton hydraulic floor jack in your garage is all fun and games till the machine stops operating smoothly. You now have a stubborn floor jack at hand that will not work, no matter what you do. Do not fret, the problem often seems too big, when in reality it is often due t a small part malfunctioning.
There is a long list of issues that can happen and things that can go wrong with your 2-ton hydraulic floor jack, but my priority is teaching you about the two most common ones. They include the pad not raising and the handle of the floor jack not working.
Once you can handle these two issues, you can successfully keep your floor jack around for a longer period. They seem like a nuisance, but both of these problems have very simple fixes. You will find them shared in detail in the article below.
How To Fix A 2 Ton Hydraulic Floor Jack
Fixing a 2-ton hydraulic floor jack is not a big issue. With the following steps, you will be able to fix the major problems that occur with hydraulic floor jacks.
Two Major Problems
When you are operating a 2-ton hydraulic floor jack on a regular basis, many things can go wrong. The machine often stops working mid-project, which leaves users flabbergasted. Even though, the list of issues can be quite long, the most common ones are two. The first is that when you pump the handle, the pad does not raise. The second is a stuck handle, which either does not move or keeps flopping downwards. I have shared the solutions to both problems below.
Pad Not Raising
When the pad of a 2-ton hydraulic floor jack stops moving, the machine can not lift even a leaf. There are two reasons behind this problem, either the hydraulic fluid of the floor jack has leaked, or air has entered the hydraulic system of the machine. Lucky for you, there is a very simple fix to this issue. First, you will need to place your floor jack on a work table in an upright position. Right above the main body of the machine, there will be two valves, with nuts tightening their opening.
One of the valves will have a label saying ‘do not touch’, we are going to leave that one alone. Move to the second one, and unscrew its lid. Once it is open, then take some hydraulic fluid and pour it into the valve. Start pumping the handle and you will notice a drop in the fluid level inside the valve. Repeat this procedure till the fluid level stop reducing. A key here is to strictly add hydraulic fluid to the valve only. Shut the valve and then pump the handle and the pad of your floor jack will resume its job.
Handle Flopping Downwards
The handle of your 2-ton hydraulic floor jack is a critical part because without it the machine does not work. So, when it keeps falling downwards instead of staying upright, it becomes a problem. Place the machine in front of you and start unscrewing the side bolts present on both sides. After that, flip the machine over and you will see the main body of the floor jack. It comes with two springs at the front. Your task is to swing this part outwards from the body. There will be two snap rings on both sides, remove them with the right tool. Then wiggle the main body from the floor jack till it comes out completely. The next steps revolve around this part so place it on your worktable. You will see a piston emerging from one of the ends of this part.
The piston comes with a spring on top with a spring retainer and a snap ring. When the user moves the handle the spring compresses and decompresses along with the piston which controls the movements of the handle. The handle not operating happens due to the piston getting stuck. There are two ways to fix it. But first, you need to make sure that you have drained all the hydraulic fluid from the main body. Now, for the first fix, you can push the spring along with the retainer on the piston. Then take your wrench, push it through the retainer and unscrew the stuck piston.
If this does not work, then we move to the second method. For the second fix, you will need to unscrew the piston body out of the main part of the floor jack. Then further proceed to remove the piston from its holder. There will be dirt and grime on both, the holder of the piston and the piston itself. Clean the parts properly, and then lubricate them once they are clean. Put the piston back in its holder, and screw the holder on the main body. Then take the spring, spring retainer and the snap ring and put them all back on the piston. Assemble the rest of the parts of your floor jack, and voila! In merely half an hour, you have fixed the floppy handle of your 2-ton hydraulic floor jack.
Conclusion
Malfunctioning of a 2-ton hydraulic floor jack is a pretty common occurrence if the machine is used regularly. However, a problem in the machine does not mean you should throw it out, or pay a ton of money to some professional. The article above will help you bring your precious 2-ton hydraulic floor jack to life without the assistance of any professional.
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