# how good is your jack



## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Its probally only when you have a blow out that you realise what a job it is to jack your van up with the factory suppied jack. I had a flat on the a14 last month and had to do a roadside change. the scissor jack was mann enough but the winding handle to raise the van was useless and involved lying half under the van and straining at full arms length to raise the vehicle.

I made a pact with the missus to obtain the necessary parts to make this job easier and now have a full set of ratchet extensions and the like to make the job much easier.

Likewise removing the wheel nuts. Sometimes you can scrape the bodywork as the wheel jack supplied doesnt take into account that a motorhome conversion will be added. 

So my advice is look at hown you will remove a tyre and how easy it is to do on the side of the road.

Phill


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Good advice, the fronts are usually a lot easier, but the rears are tucked back and awkward to get at.

You'd think the smart Rs's who design the things would look at all aspects in greater detail.

Kev.


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

You also want to try getting the spare out if you have not got breakdown insurance. If ours had a puncture on the rear it would be very difficult to get it out from under the van..
So I have moved it in to the garage against the wall and put in sme better tie down eyes.

Andy


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

My Jack is a very handy one, although I am not really sure if that is his real name. :lol: :lol: he works for the AA.

cabby


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## 119526 (Jan 15, 2009)

I agree with you! Most of the jack's supplied are pretty useless and the spare is tucked away where you can't get to it so I opted for Ultraseal!
Used it with great success on my motorcycle. It really does work, or at least, it has for me.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> My Jack is a very handy one, although I am not really sure if that is his real name. :lol: :lol: he works for the AA.
> 
> cabby


That used to be my answer to a flat tyre too in the good old days, two problems now thought, first is can you get a signal on the moby, second is will they actually find you in the middle of nowhere.

I think the best answer is

A, a trolley jack

B, one of those cordless nut guns they use these days.

Kev.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Ah !!! yes the good days, around 1974, I used to wear a uniform, salute drivers and have a yellow van full of tools.Always greeted with a smile.
But really some of you could tell whopping lies.like have you touched the vehicle since it broke down sir?, no was the answer.seeing as how the plug leads were in the wrong order how did he get that far from home one wishes to ask. :roll: :roll: but training prevails. :wink: :wink: 

cabby


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## twinky (Aug 11, 2008)

Ive just bought a secondhand spare wheel and tyre for my new Transit that came with just a squirty aerosol and compressor.

Didnt wish to rely on recovery when stuck out in the back of beyond.

Some extra weight to lug around mind you!


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## KeiththeBigUn (Oct 3, 2007)

Well I do have a little experience of changing a wheel as I had a flat tyre as I pulled into the campsite last Thursday evening. 8O It was just after 8pm so I decided to move the van (tyre already shot) the 100m or so to a level hard standing and open a beer. :wink: 

After checking all of the tools were in place (still in the plastic wrapping) and that the spare was in good order (brands new) I decided to do the only sensible thing....open another beer and sleep on it!  

First thing I attempted to dropped the spare wheel from under the van! Read the instructions where it said for me to undo the plastic wing nuts by hand before loosening the retaining nuts (spanner supplied). Now I am no shrinking violet but there was no way the wing nuts would move so I had to persuade them with an adjustable (that I carry in the van just in case). :? With the cage now in the release position I used the jack to prop it up enough for me to release cage and let it down softly. 

Time for the flat tyre.....

Now the wheel nuts were very tight although I managed all but one with the supplied wrench. The other I needed to use the jacking bar as an extension to the lever. With the wheel loose I started to jack the van, following the manual to make sure I was using the correct jacking point. The jack was one of the upright sort that work lie a trolley jack. I found it very efficient and easy to use.  

The campsite warden informed me of the best place to get the tyre fixed and off we went. They did not have one in stock so I had to return after 3:30pm so I left the flat tyre With them to fix when it was delivered. No problems when we returned all was ready for us and they fitted the new tyre and plus the spare back in the cage under the van. I drove off £89 lighter but safe on the road! :wink: 

One point to note was that whilst we were at the Global Rally I had a thought about the cage and my concerns were born out when I discovered that the garage had not tightened the retaining nuts back up so I did that before we drove home. 

So I guess the story behind these ramblings is that the tools supplied by Mercedes were fit for purpose this time...... :wink: 

Keith


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Jack*

Hi

My standard piece of equipment/jack is no good at all - as advised to me by the breakdown service that had to use bottle jacks to raise the vehicle.

Russell


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

drcotts said:


> now have a full set of ratchet extensions and the like to make the job much easier.


At least you know you won't get another punture - Sods Law :lol: 
Patrick


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## ChesterfieldHooligan (Oct 26, 2008)

:lol: Hi everyone 10 ton bottle jack, snapon inpact gun, 5 ton bottle jack and a 3 ton bottle just in case also a good solid board to stand the jack on. So if we are nearby or see anyone struggling we will always help if we can. :lol: 
yours Brian and Marion


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## ChesterfieldHooligan (Oct 26, 2008)

:lol: sorry we have bolted the spare wheel to the back door for easy access :lol:


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

My old Iveco Daily had 27mm nuts on the wheels that I just couldn't undo with the supplied kit

so I bought a 3/4 drive 27mm socket , a sliding T-Bar and a 16inch extension bar, & combined with a short length of sturdy tubing I could easily undo these nuts even those at the rear under the motorhome body

bought these items from :-

http://www.teng.co.uk/ratchets,-sockets-and-accessories_140_tools2.asp

both my Iveco & my current sprinter have very good bottle jacks far superior to those flimsy scissor jacks on my previous Fiat Ducatos


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

On our last M/H (Ford chassis) there simply wasn't enough clearance under the chassis when one of the rear tyres was flat to get the supplied jack in place. Neither was there sufficient clearance to get the spare wheel out of its carrier. The solution was simple, I bought one of <<THESE>> Take a look at your chassis, would you be able to get a normal jack under it with a tyre flat?

I tried it out and it's a doddle to use, only requires an inch or so of clearance between the ground and chassis and can be used on soft ground. The exhaust lifts the corner of the van a foot in the air within seconds with the engine ticking over with no effort (except for holding the pipe onto the exhaust). Once in the air you simply pop an axle stand or lump of wood in place to support the van and remove the wheel - simple. In fact I've also got a smaller one for the car.

For loosening wheel nuts I carry one of the (very cheap) extending wheel braces that Lidl or Aldi sell from time to time. I've never had a problem removing wheel nuts, just extend the brace and stand on it - works every time.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks for the link to the air jack gaspode. i toyed with the idea of an air jack too. Trouble is with my wentworth, much as we love it its a bit short on external storage space. In the end the kit of extensions and ratchets i have built up will be OK now. Luckily our spare is fairly easy to get at having its own locker slung under the rear with an access door to which the reg plate is bolted to so takingh the wheel out takes less than 2-3 mins.
Phill


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## mikeyv (May 23, 2007)

gaspode said:


> For loosening wheel nuts I carry one of the (very cheap) extending wheel braces that Lidl or Aldi sell from time to time. I've never had a problem removing wheel nuts, just extend the brace and stand on it - works every time.


 I carry one of those in the car, very good they are too, compared to the standard junk supplied by most manufacturers.

A word of warning though, mine is too small for the van wheel nuts (Peugeot Boxer base), so check before you set off  .


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