Halfords 2 Tonne Low Profile Trolley Car Jack

[Jeff543]

Has anyone got one?

Are they really heavy? Heavy enough to do your suspension in if you keep one in the boot? Are there any better similar jacks on the market that would be safe (suspension-wise) to keep in the boot?

Cheers.

 

[Burnerman]

The weight won't upset your suspension but do keep it well strapped down! It will interfere with the boot capacity of course.
An aluminium jack is much lighter and much more expensive.
John

 

[DIYspanner]

From what you ask, I presume its a newish car that wasn't supplied with a car jack?

My uncle keeps a trolley jack in his car's boot. It has its own case so it doesn't roll around, like this one.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

If it's only for changing tyres, wouldn't a lightweight scissor or bottle jack be less to lug around?

 

[DIYspanner]

If it's only for changing tyres, wouldn't a lightweight scissor or bottle jack be less to lug around?

Scissor jack!

I tried using a small bottle jack to lift a Picanto recently. Very awkward to get jacking points so I ended up getting the new trolley jack which I've been going to do for months. This is the one I got but no use to OP as its rather heavy.

 

[Jeff543]

From what you ask, I presume its a newish car that wasn't supplied with a car jack?

My uncle keeps a trolley jack in his car's boot. It has its own case so it doesn't roll around, like this one.

Nice case.

No I don't like scissor jacks.

 

[Jeff543]

If it's only for changing tyres, wouldn't a lightweight scissor or bottle jack be less to lug around?

No they're crap imo.

 

[Keithmac]

Our Ford supplied scissor jack is perfectly fine for changing a tyre.

Wouldn't fancy carting my trolley jack or 10 ton bottle jack about.

 

[DIYspanner]

The VW car jacks are quite good so long as you have a strong sill seam for the saddle to hug.

Used the one for my Bora to lift a Fiesta TDCI to get the front wheel off a few months back.

 

[rsgaz]

No I don't like scissor jacks.

When trolley jacks go up, they need to move forward on their wheels, which is fine on a smooth garage floor or polished concrete workshop floor.

On lumpy tarmac in a lay-by however, or gravel, block paving lay-by, etc, i.e. exactly the type of place you'll need to change a flat, a trolley jack can't move forward as it rises and scissor jacks are the best. Keep a block of wood with it(say, an A5 sized piece of 12mm plywood) and you can even use them on very loose gravel or even mud. That won't work with a trolley jack.

Also, a Halfords trolley jack dropped my car once when the valve just gave out. I wasn't even raising or lowering at the time, I was just standing there! The sound of the brake disc hitting the floor is not a nice sound!! Lucky I wasn't under it I guess.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Exactly. Scissor and other type of lightweight jacks have been used for decades as emergency use jacks for tyre changing. As long as you always make sure you put a wheel under the sill, etc when car is jacked I don't see the problem. I've never had a scissor jack suddenly fail or slip, but had similar to above when a trollry jack gave out. Good thing about a scissor type jack is you can see when it's worn or defective.

 

[Jeff543]

Exactly. Scissor and other type of lightweight jacks have been used for decades as emergency use jacks for tyre changing. As long as you always make sure you put a wheel under the sill, etc when car is jacked I don't see the problem. I've never had a scissor jack suddenly fail or slip, but had similar to above when a trollry jack gave out. Good thing about a scissor type jack is you can see when it's worn or defective.

I tried a scissor jack once it was crap, getting them fixed under the groove is hard work and it kept slipping.

 

[festive]

2 ton halfords trolley jack is 'relatively' small but still a fair weight to lift out the car and a heavy object you really need to strap down. On top of the you have the extra weight you're carrying all the time, lifting points etc alot of cars don't have jacking points in the way you could just apply with a trolley, some you can with rubber pucks to lift along the seem area. Or pucks to fit in the existing lifting points.

I would stick with the factory option for jacking and add an axle stand for some extra security. (maybe pack a decent piece of 18mmply in the boot for a clean flat surface to jack on.

 

[DIYspanner]

I would stick with the factory option for jacking and add an axle stand for some extra security. (maybe pack a decent piece of 18mmply in the boot for a clean flat surface to jack on.

Are the newer cars supplied with jacks?

I thought it was a can of sealing foam and a compressor to get the flat tyre inflated and the car driven to the nearest garage?

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Are the newer cars supplied with jacks?


I thought it was a can of sealing foam and a compressor to get the flat tyre inflated and the car driven to the nearest garage?

Don't think many cars come with spares and jacks these days, unfortunately.

Would always bin the foam and get a spare, poss space-saver. Two problems with foam - first they won't repair a badly damaged tyre. Second, if it's a decent tyre that's repairable, using the foam means they can't put a repair plug in it.

But that's progress!