Craftsman Jack won't lift any weight?
04-02-2006, 07:29 AM
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Plainfield, CT
Posts: 10,520
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Craftsman Jack won't lift any weight? Did a set of headers for a friend yesterday. Using another friend's craftsman Jack, because it has more lift than my aluminum craftsman jack. We went to take the car off the jackstands and the jack would not lift the weight of the car. The jack goes up & down, will lift me on it, but will not lift the car? possibly need hydrolic oil or to be bled?
04-02-2006, 08:48 AM
#2
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Waco, TX
Posts: 6,449
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How high up is the car? Could it be at the travel limit of the jack? If so, put a piece of wood on the jack pad and try it again.
If not, then there's air in the jack. You need to (somehow) bleed the air from the jack, and/or add oil to it.
If not, then there's air in the jack. You need to (somehow) bleed the air from the jack, and/or add oil to it.
04-02-2006, 08:52 AM
#3
Moderator
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Plainfield, CT
Posts: 10,520
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It had nothing to do with the height. We used that jack to lift the car that high in the first place. Also would not lift the car when we tried later from ower height. I was thinking oil/bleed air. Just never done that before.
04-03-2006, 05:07 PM
#4
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Junction City, Kansas
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Craftsman has a bad set of jacks out there. There is another thread about this on here somewhere. I already returned one because it would go up one big pump and then stop. Good luck with it.
04-03-2006, 11:46 PM
#5
Teching In
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have had the same problem with my craftman jack, sometimes purging air from the system works, i never notice that it leaks hydraulic fluid, but does get air in there somehow. sorry about the problems, i hope this helps.
.
04-06-2006, 01:31 PM
#7
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: EL Monte Ca
Posts: 981
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If your going to use a craftsman jack..make sure you use the right one for our boats..4 ton or higher. Don't bother using a 2 or 3 ton crafsmans for our cars it will crap out fast. Or do the right thing and get a Matco jack "the beast"
Trending Topics
04-06-2006, 02:15 PM
#8
Copy & Paste Moderator
Originally Posted by LS1MONSTER
If your going to use a craftsman jack..make sure you use the right one for our boats..4 ton or higher. Don't bother using a 2 or 3 ton crafsmans for our cars it will crap out fast. Or do the right thing and get a Matco jack "the beast"
A 2 or 3 ton jack is plenty (thats 4000 to 6000 pounds).
Here is the math:
1 ton = 2000 lbs
2 ton = 4000 lbs
3 ton = 6000 lbs
4 ton = 8000 lbs
The typical 2.25 ton Craftsman jack is sufficient.
2.25 tons = 4500 lbs
(That rating 1000 lbs more than the average 4th gen f-body weight.)
BTW, these are SAE tons, not metric tons.
I have 2 Craftsman jacks that I have used without problems. They are both the cheaper steel versions. One (silver one) is about 20years old and the other (black one) is 1year old. I think they are both rated at 2.25 ton.
Last edited by VIP1; 04-06-2006 at 02:30 PM.
04-07-2006, 01:00 PM
#12
Teching In
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
perterlawl84... I bleed the air out by using the screw that if you turn it in it lets you jack it up, turn it out makes it go down... that one. let the jack down all the way put something heavy on it (a friend works just fine...), turn the screw i mentinoned earlier to a point where the jack is just about to start lifting, but don't let it actually lift your opbject. pump the jack several times tighten the screw just a little more in the direction for lifting, if it lifts you object with no problems, you should have gotten most of the air out. you might have to do this several times tightening the screw a little more every time
you might want to add a little fluid if possible before you do this. i always do this after i top off the fluid.
i hope this helps
you might want to add a little fluid if possible before you do this. i always do this after i top off the fluid.
i hope this helps
04-07-2006, 01:53 PM
#13
On The Tree
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just so you all know, about the jack thing... the 3 ton craftsman jacks that you pump once and they are supposed to be up to the height of the vehicle have a problem with the seals.... - X Sears employee 
04-07-2006, 04:41 PM
#14
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: EL Monte Ca
Posts: 981
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by VIP1
You dont need a 4ton jack, our cars dont weight 8000 pounds!
A 2 or 3 ton jack is plenty (thats 4000 to 6000 pounds).
Here is the math:
1 ton = 2000 lbs
2 ton = 4000 lbs
3 ton = 6000 lbs
4 ton = 8000 lbs
The typical 2.25 ton Craftsman jack is sufficient.
2.25 tons = 4500 lbs
(That rating 1000 lbs more than the average 4th gen f-body weight.)
BTW, these are SAE tons, not metric tons.
I have 2 Craftsman jacks that I have used without problems. They are both the cheaper steel versions. One (silver one) is about 20years old and the other (black one) is 1year old. I think they are both rated at 2.25 ton.
A 2 or 3 ton jack is plenty (thats 4000 to 6000 pounds).
Here is the math:
1 ton = 2000 lbs
2 ton = 4000 lbs
3 ton = 6000 lbs
4 ton = 8000 lbs
The typical 2.25 ton Craftsman jack is sufficient.
2.25 tons = 4500 lbs
(That rating 1000 lbs more than the average 4th gen f-body weight.)
BTW, these are SAE tons, not metric tons.
I have 2 Craftsman jacks that I have used without problems. They are both the cheaper steel versions. One (silver one) is about 20years old and the other (black one) is 1year old. I think they are both rated at 2.25 ton.
That chart is jibberish!!.. 4ton jack or nothing for our f-body boats! 
04-07-2006, 04:44 PM
#15
Moderator
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Plainfield, CT
Posts: 10,520
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It turns out there was nothing wrong with the jack. The car shifted when we put the weight on the jackstands. The A-arms moved the jackstands in and lifted the K member just slightly. Enough where the jack was fully extended and could not lift anymore. 
