Car jacks: unsung weightlifters explained

As much as gym buffs like to admire themselves in the mirror, all sinewy and veiny, they would be promptly put to shame by a car jack. It's all show and no trousers unfortunately, sometimes literally if bodybuilders have been too keen on the supplements.

A car jack is an absolute must irrespective of whether you are an amateur mechanic or not. If you get caught with a flat tyre out and about and you don't have a jack, you'll have to wait an age for roadside assistance in order to get going again. If you wish to perform basic car care tasks at home, a jack is also very handy to have for removing wheels to touch up, or to access the underside to change an oil filter, for example.

However, the two home and away scenarios demand different types of jacks and it's this issue that we address here. Fear not, car jacks are all very easy to use even if you haven't used one before.

What are the different types of car jacks?

Scissor jacks

These have been around for a long time. Noah used them when working on the Ark. Maybe. Scissor jacks are by no means antiquated though, they are small and inexpensive – you'll find they are the type of jack that hides under the boot floor in cars because they are light too.

Scissor jacks don’t have terribly high weight ratings (explained below) and are good for emergency use when away from home, such as when changing a punctured tyre. They have a basic screw mechanism that you twist with an attachable lever. You should never use these to work underneath a car.

If a car jack for emergencies is all you want, see our top picks below.

Trolley jacks

For use at home, trolley jacks are the best option. They are stable and heavy-duty but still very easy to use in their intended environment. Trolley jacks use hydraulic pressure in a cylinder to lift a load via a piston, and you achieve this by simply pumping the jack with a handle.

Trolley jacks have wheels, which makes them easy to move but is indicative of the fact they are rather heavy and not very portable. Trolley jacks come in quite a range of shapes and sizes in order to cater for all the different vehicle types out there. For example, some offer extra height for tall vehicles, some are extra low in order to cater for sporty cars.

These are our recommended trolley jacks.

Bottle jacks

Like trolley jacks, bottle jacks use hydraulic pressure to lift a car and have good weight limits. Unlike the trolley jacks, they are small, light, relatively portable, and therefore good for emergency use. The trade-off is that bottle jacks are not as stable as trolley jacks. In light of this, they need to be used on flat ground in order to be as safe as possible.

The other consideration to make with bottle jacks is that because they have an upright stance, they aren’t so suited to lower vehicles.

These are our recommended bottle jacks.

Jack weight ratings

In everyday life, there is often no reason to know how much your car actually weighs. But when it comes to car jacks, it’s vital.

The rules of the game are very simple: find out what your car weighs and buy a jack that is capable of taking the weight. You will find your vehicle’s weight on a sticker inside the car’s door jambs, or in its manual. Below are a selection of vehicles to give you a rough idea of car weights.

Toyota Aygo: Circa 900kg

Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost (non-hybrid): Circa 1300kg

BMW 330d xDrive Touring : Circa 1700kg

Jaguar F-Pace P250: Circa 1900kg

Audi A6 Allroad: Circa 1900kg

Jack height ranges

This is important in choosing the right jack for you. In fairness, most normal cars will be able to be used with a standard jack without going for extra low or extra height. But check your car’s manual for specific information on your car and pair it to the correct jack.

Jack Stands

If you are doing anything more than changing a wheel, such as changing an oil filter, jack stands – or axle stands – are what you will want for when your car is raised for extended periods of time, or if you want access beneath the car. You should use four of them if you want to lift your car off the ground completely.

Unlike jacks, jack stands do not have hydraulic or mechanical parts that wear or could fail. They have stable bases and are designed specifically for supporting vehicles.

Like jacks, jack stands have weight limits that differ from product to product. It’s therefore equally important that you choose the appropriate ones for you. The sticker inside your car’s door jambs should say how much weight is at the front and rear axles – and your car’s manual will explain this too.

Here are some of the best car jack stands:

Where to position car jacks

Knowing the jacking points on your car is as important as getting the right jack. Trying to lift a car by its exhaust or from beneath the radiator is not going to go well. Once again, delve into your owner's manual and find where the jacking points are. Notwithstanding jack stands sometimes being called axle stands, axles are not a good place for jack stands to be used.

Ramps

Ramps are an alternative to jacks for home use. You simply position your car onto them, place chocks behind the opposite wheels and away you go. There are limitations here. One, you only get access to the underside of a car – not useful for changing a tyre. Another factor is the fact that ramps take up a lot of room.

But if they suit your needs, it makes life rather easy. Halfords' car ramps are our pick:

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