Disposable Jack

Jun 22, 2005 8 Replies
D

I'll call this a cautionary tale.



The jack for my 2002 Ram 1500 just broke while in use. It's second use. Get yourself a decent bottle jack and stash it in the cab somewhere. I will not replace this jack with another identical Dodge jack, it's a poor design, weak and hard to use.



Thankfully: I was on my driveway when it broke, not on the side of the road. It rolled very slowly forward - I was behind it. Still damn scary! It came to rest with the hub on the inside rim of the spare, and didn't bend anything. (don't have to buy a brake rotor!) My neighbor has a floor jack I can borrow. (I know, I need to get my own!)


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M

I hate factory supplied jacks... I bought 3 "compact" floor jacks at Walmart for a total of about $90 and keep one in the garage and one in each truck... The problem with a bottle jack is that you don't always have enough clearance to get it in place, especially with a flat lowering the truck.. YMMV

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

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R

And the other wheels were chalked with what ? When in own driveway I'd go as far as jack stands... ron

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T

I have had no problem with mine but have only had to use it twice. Then again, they may have changed it since 97.

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T

No matter what the color, I don't think chaulk (chalk?) would do much to hold a vehicle.

Wheel chocks, on the other hand, would be a very good idea :)

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M

I agree! Chock it up to experience..... sorry... couldn't help myself!

;^)

Mike

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T

Heh heh... I almost chaulked on my iced tea reading that! :)

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M

beats drawing a line in the sand, anyway...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

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D

hahaha - I had a bucket of my son's chalk handy at the time - is there a color that works better than the others?

(Bought myself a nice shiny scissor jack and I have plenty of rocks, lumber, etc to use for chalking, er, chocking.)

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