I bought my 1997 Crown Vic used, and it has no jack nor tire tool. Repacement OEM stuff is often a ripoff. Anyone out there know of a source for generic jacks that will work on this car? Right now, I get along with a wheelnut wrench and a bottle-type axle jack, but want the original ratchet type jack, as I think it will lock more securely with the jack points on the chassis. Thanks
Check with any auto recyclers in your area. I prefer the u-picks myself, but they're disappearing fast around here.
Matt
Just an idea, whenever I need a jack I go to the local bone yard and get a jack from an 80s GM fullsize car. They ratchet like a bumper jack but slide under the frame sort of like a floor jack with no wheels. you can usually find one in its vinyl storage bag if you look around. They are steadier than a bumper jack and easier to use then the screw jack found in most newer cars. I know a lot of guys with collector cars that carry them instead of scratching up their restored OEM jack in case of a flat tire. Be sure to get a handle with the correct size head for your lug nuts. Tom
Why mess with one of those? The original equipment is invariably crap. Buy a hydraulic jack and one of the X-type universal lug wrenches instead. When you're changing a tire out in the cold, you'll be glad you did.
While you're at it, consider ditching the baby tire for a real one. I've done that for the last two cars I've owned and although the cover doesn't sit quite flat in the trunk, I figure the utility of a full sized wheel will make up for it. Having driven across the state in the middle of the night on a doughnut, I don't want to repeat the experience.
Thanks for the advice. Currently, using my leftover tool from re-levelling a deck, I have a 6-ton generic hydraulic bottle jack in the trunk, but is it stable enough to routinely lift the car by the flat frame members just ahead of the rear wheels, and just behind the front wheels? The top of the jack, the part that contacts the frame, is only about 1 1/2 inches across, and the base is perhaps 3x5 inches, is all.. Re the spare, I've had the stock 60-pound baby spare for some time, and have used it twice. For me, with a bad back, I can manhandle it a lot easier than having to juggle two full size tires with every flat. I also carry a pump.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.