The most necessary things that every motorist should have are a jack, a cable and a balloon. Fortunately, now all this can be bought at any auto shop. We are not looking for simple ways and will talk about how to make a homemade jack for a car.
First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there are several actual designs of jacks. The most popular are hydraulic, rolling and mechanical. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Mechanical jacks are very reliable, but most models are not designed for heavy loads. Hydraulics lift large masses, but very often oil leaks from under the gaskets at the seals. As for pneumatic, this is one of the best options. Making a homemade car jack is not so difficult, let's see how exactly. Let's start with the simplest.
One of the most popular types of vehicle lifting devices is the roll-on type. It is called so not because it can be transported on wheels from one corner of the garage to another. The principle of operation is that while lifting the car, the jack moves under the car. This happens due to the displacement of the lever in relation to the fulcrum.
As a basis for the upper and lower arms, a channel can be taken, as well as a pair of corners. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the jack itself can be hydraulic or pneumatic. The first option is more lifting, the second is less problematic in terms of maintenance. The displacement of the rolling jack is possible if there are two pairs of wheels, and this is the main condition.
This drawing of a home-made rolling jack shows that in terms of the necessary tool and material, the design is quite expensive. Unless, of course, you have half the material in the garage that is there as junk.
From the material you will need a channel with 4.5 mm walls and 7.5 mm thick shelves. You also need a welding machine and an old hydraulic bottle or a regular one. Do not make the levers too long, 400-500 mm each. But if it was done that way, you should think about making an additional emphasis. The advantage of such a jack is that it is convenient to use. But at the same time, carrying it with you in the trunk is not the best solution. Best used as a stationary "garage" tool.
This is one of the simplest, but at the same time effective designs. For manufacturing, you will need a support platform. Its strength and rigidity should be as high as possible. This can be achieved with the help of additional stiffeners.
An important stage is the supporting structure, which is made of a profiled square tube. It is desirable that its thickness be at least 10 mm. We use the old hydraulic type as a basis. It is worth paying attention that even in this case, you will need a lot of metal profile, welding, as well as effort.
With a responsible approach to work, you will receive a high-quality and reliable design. Nevertheless, it is worth calculating the costs in advance. If the amount is more than 2,000 rubles, then it hardly makes sense to bother with this matter.
Of course, you can make a homemade car jack. But this is worth doing if this procedure is appropriate. Now there is a huge selection of jacks in stores at an affordable cost. For example, for 1,500 rubles you can get a solid diamond jack. It is reliable, stable and does not take up much space, which makes it easy to transport.
For 2,500-3,000 rubles, good quality rolling jacks are sold. They have good carrying capacity and are reliable, although they are extremely bulky and heavy. Rolling can be made. But this will require a lot of tools and material, which will ultimately result in serious costs.
A homemade car jack made by you personally will also have its advantages. If you approach the matter competently, then the output will be a reliable design, the resource of which will be clearly higher than the purchased device. But it's easy to make a mistake here. For example, some welds, especially on the bend of the lever, can burst, and this, in turn, will lead to sad consequences. In any case, it's up to you. The drawings presented in this article will help you in making a jack on your own. But it can take a whole day off and a lot of nerves and materials. But if there is a tool, and there is a lot of metal in the garage, then it is definitely worth a try. Especially since you know how to make a jack with your own hands.
A jack is a device that should be located both in the trunk of a car and in the garage of a car enthusiast. At the same time, it is better to choose the second option more massive with universal functionality and a high load capacity. These characteristics are 100% do-it-yourself, which will not be difficult to do.
There are three main criteria by which a homemade inflatable jack is evaluated:
Definitely, when choosing a jack and its manufacture, first of all, you need to focus on your car, the conditions for its operation and storage.
To build a jack with your own hands, you will not need much material and effort. You need to select the following items:
The structure is assembled from the presented elements. A bolt is screwed into the hole in the pillow. First you need to make a socket for the fitting from the camera.
A wheel bolt from a VAZ is used as a valve, in which a hole is drilled. At the next stage, the existing elements are connected after a ball is installed in the hole, which will serve as an air intake.
For the practical implementation of this device, a special pump is required. The inflatable jack is installed under the bottom of the vehicle. For safety, it is advisable to use a wooden stand that will interact directly with the machine.
This mechanism has one significant drawback. Since the cargo cushion has a decent size, a low-slung car will have to be raised beforehand to install the device in question. If you attach a cart with wheels to the bottom of such units, you will get home-made ones for cars.
The pneumatic version lifts the load due to the compression force of the air mass. Such modifications work from connection to additional equipment or from the exhaust of the machine. The air mass enters the chamber. Due to compression and increase in volume, the car rises. The advantage of the models is that you do not need to make special efforts, and in the presence of a compressor unit, the process takes a matter of seconds.
A mechanical jack for a car involves bringing it into operation by rotating or twisting a special handle. Such modifications have a low price and compact size.
The principle of hydraulics is similar to the mechanical version. The difference lies in facilitating the process of pumping out the working part of the jack, due to the presence of liquid in the working system. Such modifications have a long service life.
A mechanical jack with an electric drive is powered by mains power, all the main work of the device is performed by electricity. The advantages of the device are undeniable, but you need to connect it to the outlet.
Despite the fact that the inflatable jack is one of the most elementary in terms of operation, its use requires certain precautions.
To prevent the unit from flying out from under the car, it must be installed correctly. Before installing a new pneumatic device, it is advisable to deflate it once without load, after which it descends and fits itself accordingly. To protect the jack from damage, it is better to lay a rug on the floor.
For the manufacture of the working chamber of the device, materials based on PVC are suitable. At sub-zero temperatures, this design hardens and becomes rough. According to experts, the optimum operating temperature is up to -10 degrees.
It is quite possible to make a hydraulic jack with your own hands. It is based on a body, the main bearing function is performed by a retractable piston and a working fluid (oil). Variations of the fixture can be made with a shortened or elongated steel frame. The housing is a reservoir for oil and a guide cylinder for the piston.
A special adjusting screw with a lifting heel is screwed into the plunger, if necessary, you can increase the maximum lifting height. Such a device is equipped with a manual, foot or air type drive.
The working mechanism and the retractable cylinder are located in the holes of the frame. The unit is lowered by turning the T-handle. Some devices are equipped with polyamide wheels that provide maneuverability. Operational safety is ensured by safety valves.
Before you make a jack with your own hands, you should consider all its pros and cons. The advantages of a hydraulic device include the following indicators:
The disadvantages of using the hydraulic model include a high initial lifting height, the problem of the accuracy of lowering position control, a decent price and quite a lot of weight. Store and transport the device only vertically, otherwise the working fluid may leak out.
Making a jack with your own hands will not be a particular problem. Depending on the possibilities, the scope of use and other objective circumstances, you should choose the right model for the type of work. For use on the road, a compact device of a mechanical or hydraulic type is suitable, and in the garage an inexpensive and practical pneumatic device will work perfectly.
Motorists, and especially those who like to spend a couple of free hours in the garage, are people who, at the genetic level, develop a talent for getting practical benefits from improvised things. They don't have to be coaxed into new experiments or trying out a new way to fix, assemble, or remove something without owning a specialized tool.
Why invent something new when in three or four hours and practically for free you can assemble a jack with your own hands- a useful, practical and indispensable tool for every car owner.
In the photo - types of jacks and how to use them
A car jack is a universal device that can hold structures weighing up to two tons, and sometimes more, for days. It's like a third hand for a car mechanic: super strong, durable and one hundred percent efficient.
The simplicity of design and the abundance of varieties of functional tools allows you to make an exact analogy of any branded jack with your own hands.
How to make a screw jack
The classic and most common diamond-shaped jack is a screw jack. Make it like this do-it-yourself jack- a matter of two hours, especially if you have one and a half to two meters of channel and a basic set of fasteners. The compact tool will easily fit in the trunk, and in any emergency and unforeseen situation, you will praise yourself for your foresight and ingenuity.
Many people know how to assemble a jack from a channel, but have never tried it. Only five elements, and the tool is already 90% ready:
At the preparatory stage, drill holes at the junctions of the elements, and then begin assembly. Connect the shoulders, fasten them together and on the bases. Pass the threaded screw into the shaft and check the homemade jack for lifting force.
In the photo - screw jack assembly diagram
As you can see, a simple method that does not require welding and professional equipment (except for an electric drill) takes only an hour or two and does not damage the budget.
How to make an air bag jack
It is a completely different matter when a jack is needed for more serious work than, for example, changing a wheel on the road:
In cases where classic screw models cannot cope, home-made hydraulic jacks from an air cushion come to the rescue: they are relevant not only for a car, but also for other heavy loads - safes, workbenches, large-sized furniture.
To assemble a homemade air jack, you need a minimum of materials:
Details about how to make a jack with your own hands from an air bag, watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg8z68ObTEA .
In the same way, you can make a pit "lift" (for a viewing ditch), or rolling jack: The type of air bag is irrelevant.
In the photo - pneumatic (rolling) jacks
How to make a rack jack
He always comes to the rescue when other models are powerless, and human imagination and physical capabilities have been exhausted. A rack jack will help if you need:
There are no secrets in how to make a rack model, it will take only three points and about an hour of time:
If desired, fasteners can be additionally made to such a device, allowing you to lift the car by the wheel disks.
Simple manipulations and a little spatial imagination will allow you to save money and assemble a device with your own hands, without which not a single replacement of wheels and other parts of the suspension is complete. And with the right approach and proper use of resources, a homemade jack will help you out in many situational troubles.
The problem of lifting loads of large masses in front of mankind has been standing for a long time. In recent years, jacks have been increasingly used to solve it. The hydraulic jack stands apart in this row. He is able to lift really heavy loads with a minimum of effort. Hydraulics, since the advent of science, has come to the aid of man. There are situations when a lift of this kind is simply necessary, but there is no way to purchase it. How to make a homemade jack?
Of course, before starting work directly, it is imperative to learn more about the design of the hydraulic jack. In fact, it is not so complicated as it might seem at first glance. The main elements are the body, pump, plunger, screw with lifting heel. The hydraulic jack is most often made of hardened steel. In this case, a special oil with high viscosity indicators acts as a working fluid. Conventional motor oil will not work in this situation.
It is worth considering this when developing a device. Usually it is the body that is the main part of the hydraulic jack. It serves not only as a reservoir for the working fluid, but also as a real cylinder for the piston. The device of this design implies the presence of protective valves that ensure uninterrupted operation. It is equipped with a hand or foot pump.
The oil is drained using a special handle, which is part of the mechanism. At the same time, the lifting mechanism and a special retractable hydraulic cylinder are able to raise the working platform. A sufficiently high pressure is created, which allows you to lift loads of various masses. The body of such a device can be both short and elongated. The second option is most often used when carrying out repair work on heavy equipment. For example, it can be a bus or a heavy vehicle.
