A floor jack's STEEL WHEELS

Steel wheels aren't as robust as one might suppose. The 3.5-ton Michelin floor jack's steel wheels laid down a thin layer of a white, chalk-like substance which I can only suppose was ground steel extracted from the wheels by the heavy weight of the car as the jack rolled forward on the concrete ground while lifting the car.

The substance looked a little like chalk scrawled on a concrete street.

I think next time I'll lay a thin piece of wood or particle board down on the floor for the jack to roll forward on as it lifts the car.

Using a wooden runway probably isn't keeping with the rules of floor jack operation, but I want the steel wheels to last.

Reply to
Built_Well
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It's the portland cement in the concrete on the surface that is being damaged, not the steel wheels.

You can take a metal punch or chisel and scrape it on cement to observe the same on a smaller scale.

On a larger scale it does the same when you drive a dozer on concrete. The tracks scrape the surface quite badly leaving the white marks, especially when turning.

Your thought to protect it is a good plan. I don't have to do it often but I use sheets of particle board when working on tracked equipment rolling on a concrete floor that is six inches thick and reinforced. A couple of times can ruin the boards but the floor surface is saved for the most part. Even a small Cat dozer can weigh twelve tons.

Reply to
user

from the wheels

Reply to
idbwill

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That's great news! Better the parking garage's concrete floor than the Michelin's wheels :-)

I love this floor jack but it's a bear to lug around: 90 pounds to lift it in and out of the car's trunk. (My apartment building's contract doesn't allow working on the car in the building's parking lot :-(

It wouldn't be so bad lifting up the jack, but there isn't a good place to grip it near the casters. Plus during the summer, I usually stop weight-lifting and begin running, so my biceps and triceps aren't what they were 6 months ago when I last lifted the jack. It was easy to lift then, but much harder now.

If you need a good, reliable floor jack, Sam's Club is selling the Michelin for $65--best cheap one I've seen anywhere.

Reply to
Built_Well

Trying to protect the concrete is an unsafe idea. The reason why these jacks use steel wheels is so they will roll easily on concrete. When you jack up a car, the jack has to move to compensate for the shifting lift saddle. Placing a piece of wood under the jack's wheels will increase the friction to the point where it's moving, or trying to move, the car instead of the jack. You could end up with a very unstable lift that could damage the jack, the car or you. Although the powder is very noticeable, brush it away and try to feel any groove the wheels have cut in the concrete. You won't be able to find any, it really doesn't do any great amount of damage to the concrete.

Jack

Reply to
Retired VIP

from the wheels

Have you ever seen any figures on the amount of stress a hoofed animal places on concrete. Believe me when I say that a 1000 pound cow will stress a concrete floor more than a 4 ton tractor.

No one wants to put down a concrete floor more than once. So the mix isn't short on Portland cement on purpose. The amount of money saved is not very great and the durability of the finished floor is much reduced.

Your "barn yard mix" comes from the fact that most of these older concrete floors were mixed in a small batch mixer. You measured the amount of sand, gravel and cement by the shovel full, not weight. The amount of water is measured by eye and supplied by a garden hose. So the proportions are an estimate at best. Add that to the fact that these floors have been subjected to 75 to 100 years of acid leaching by animal urine and fecal matter and you have concrete that isn't at it's best.

Jack

Reply to
Retired VIP

Well, I guess if wood or particle board might hamper the forward movement of the jack, perhaps because of a warp in the board, how about just laying a piece of double-corrugated cardboard down?

Reply to
Built_Well

As several others have pointed out, the white marks are from the concrete, not the jack's wheels.

Concrete is the most stable surface for using a rolling floor jack, and putting anything under the jack would reduce the stability. I have been using a rolling jack for 40 years and still cannot see any permanent visible marks on any of my garage floors. Since you are not working in your own garage anyway, I'd skip the cardboard, particle board, steel plates, or anything else and just sweep the dust away when done.

Reply to
Ray O

Built_Well wrote in article ...

--best cheap one I've seen

Now, THERE's a classic oxymoron.......

Reply to
*

And I'm wondering if you leave the jack in the trunk all the time? If so what about the extra amount of gasoline used hauling a 90lb jack around in the trunk. The auto manufactures spend millions getting 90lb off the weight of a car.

Reply to
Moe

Good point!

Reply to
Ray O

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You're funny :-P

Of course I don't leave the 90-pound jack in the trunk all the time. A real comedian, you are, sweety :-)

Reply to
Built_Well

Buy a condo or membership here in Chicago's western suburbs where auto enthusiasts are welcomed:

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They are almost sold out so act now before it is too late!

Reply to
Ray O

I would suggest the ground up powder was cement.

The wheels will last longer than the hydraulics. Don't sewat the small shit.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

What you see is stone and concrete dust. Nothing to worry about, unless you start seeing big grooves or the concrete starts to crack, then you might want to find a better floor to work on...

DON'T use anything under the jack on concrete.

Unless your doing work that requires you to remove the tires/wheels why not buy a set of drive on ramps. Lighter, safer, easier to use and faster. Drop the ramps, drive(or back) onto them and chock or lock the brakes. DONE. Now you only have to drag the jack around when you need to pull the tires. For oil changes, greasing the joints, replacing the exhaust, even bigger projects like pulling a transmission. Unless you have a very heavy car the plastic Rhino ramps work pretty well. Or you can hunt down some steel ramps.

Reply to
Steve W.

Well put, Jack. The OP should lift with the jack as it was intended and place good jackstands under the car (WITHOUT WOOD under either)

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

Because drive ramps are extremely unsafe under ANY condition. A good floor jack and jackstands is the way to go. While I was in high schook, I attended the funeral of the father of a girl was dating at the time because of drive ramps. He thought that it was safe enough to drive up on them and not use jackstands. He was wrong.

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

"Gary L. Burnore" ...

What is the failure mechanism of using ramps when the brakes are locked and chocks are used? Tomes

- who uses both methods

Reply to
Tomes

Well if you feel that one failure you knew of means all ramps are bad then how about the numerous instances of jack stands failing? I know of at least 5 myself. 2 were mechanical failures of the locks, one was a failure of the welds on the legs and the other two were caused by the stands falling over when the vehicle shifted due to being in improper positions. I can also show you failures of lifts (single posts, twin posts and 4 posts) as well as MANY deaths from using service pits.

Good ramps rated to support your vehicle are safer than jack stands and a jack. Why? Because you need to go under the vehicle while your putting the stands in place. Can a ramp collapse? Yes, if it's a cheap POS. OR if it is used improperly. If you drive/back onto the ramp on a solid level area (concrete, pavement or even a good wood floor) then chock the wheels on the ground and lock the brakes it is about as stable and secure as it will ever be. Do this on a soft dirt area or on a angled area and you will have problems.

The point is that ALL means to lift a vehicle for service have failed at one time or another. Some were outright mechanical failures while others were operator error (far more of these). So do you decide that they are ALL bad to use. NOPE.

Reply to
Steve W.

Some cheaper ramps can twist and collapse. If your not on a level surface or if you overload them they can fail. These same problems can also be found with jacks, jack stands, and lifts. ALL mechanical devices can fail. Take a look at how many people have died using service pits. Almost makes you want to pay the dealer to do the work....

Reply to
Steve W.

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