Heh guys

Whats the min size trolley jack you would use for a XJS?

Is 1.5 tonne ok?

 

Hi Bro

Forget about 1.5 Ton, you need to get a 3 Ton Trolly Jack.

A 1.5 is no good at all on such a heavy Car and as such could be dangerous to use.

This is my 1.5 Ton and the only thing I use it for, is to give me a bit of a clearance to wheel my 3 Ton Trolly Jack underneath.



This is what you need 'Bro' a 3 Ton Trolly Jack, anything less will be a waste of time, also with this particular Jack, you can remove the 'Round Cup' where the 'Jacking Point Peg' will locate in the hole that it leaves, making it 'almost impossible' for the Jack to slip.

 

Paul I bought the el cheapo 3T SCA jack from supercrap, works fine when accessing the side jack points.

If I need to jack in the centre so I can put stands under I run josephine up on two home made ramps (made out of railway sleepers cut with a chainsaw) to get the clearence needed to get the jack under the front chin spoiler.

 

Same as above.

I use a 1850kg, same physical size as OB's, to get some clearance for the "Big Boy" SCA 2400kg, to get under the subframe to raise the whole front, thus leaving the jacking points clear for the "Grants special" jackstands to keep the beast up where it belongs.

 

I love the idea of the 'Sleepers' I'm going to make some of those.

 

Yes OB they work well. Heavy but then that doesn't bother me that much as they reside not far from the car and that weight stops them from sliding when driving up onto them.

 

Oh cheers guys

Thanks for the response. Just had a good offer on a 1.5 tonne today for $50 new but wasnt sure if it was big enough.

 

Paul
The lift height is also very important. In the absence of an actual hydraulic ramp, a jack with about half a metre or more of lift height makes all sorts of XJS under-car jobs far more doable. Something like the Oz equivalent of this is worth buying, even though dear, well worth considering.

WDK13HLQ

or this, being a bit less lift height, but still decent
3 Ton Heavy Duty Garage Trolley Jack | eBay

Greg

 

Forget it 'Bro' its just a waste of money.

 

Hi Greg

That one on ebay, is the same as my Red one, so I'm going to buy another one, so that I can have one each side.

 

I have a variety of jacks, big and small, including the smaller 1.5 ton style....which can be useful in tight quarters and which I've used on my Jags for years.

If you can have only one, go big! But the 1.5 ton type will get the job done perfectly well. Remember, you're not lifting the *entire* automobile at once! There seems to be some notion that these old Jags are unusually heavy. That might depend on what you're accustomed to seeing but here in the USA 4000 pound cars are commonplace.

The true advantage of the larger jacks, IMHO, is the larger 'footprint'....which is more stable.

Cautious use is the biggest safety factor, not the size of the jack. Heck, the puny factory-supplied jack will safely lift the car....but you have to be aware of the limitations, naturally. Same with any other jack.

If working against a budget I'd buyer a smaller jack and put the savings into very high quality jackstands. 'Tis the jackstands that are more likely to prevent your death (good ones) ...or kill you (bad ones). The jack just elevates the car so the jackstands can be put in place, after all.


Cheers
DD

 

Safety is foremost. I have a little HF trolley. Probably Hf. It will work, but takes work to get my critters up in the air. My much larger HF unit is well worth it. Not to mention a couple of bottle jacks and some ancient screw jacks. But, only to lift, not to support.


Good jack stands and/or cribbing. I've some ? jack stands. But, not used for supporting cars. and certainly not for one that I will be under!! " I've used them with success elsewhere.


My car is up in front. Big HF trolley in place. Best jack stands, one under each lower control arm. And blocks under the RF wheel. Oh, a block behind a rear wheel as a chock.


Son has volunteered to come over later and bolt in my big old tech ACDelco starter!!
I just can no longer hold it in place and start the bolts !!


By far my preference is my ramps. But, I did have a misadventure there as well. I safe, Jaguar door not so much.


Double check the safe thing.


PS. I've never used the jacking points on my Jaguar. I refer the front and rear cross members. Big and sturdy, not tin!!


Just a throw back to the days of jacking under the axles. Days of the awful bumper jacks forgotten.


Carl

 

While a 1.5 Ton Jack maybe Ok for something like changing a Wheel, what you have to factor in, is that this is Not a straight lift.

As once you start to jack up a Car on one corner, that will be the moment that Torsional Forces start to come into play, as the higher you go the more that the body will do its best to twist.

Where as such if you were able to 'Theoretically keep on Jacking it up' it would eventually try and lift all 3 wheels off the ground, which would increase the load on the Jack by an unknown factor (at least to you)

Which could then exceed its Safe Working Load.

While small Jacks are Ok for things like changing Wheels and other small jobs, where for instance access may be difficult.

If you want a Jack to do Maintenance work on an XJS, then bigger is always better, so you can lift the Front of the Car, under the Front Beam, in order to get both Front Wheels off the ground at once.

But put some wood the length of the Beam, under the Beam before you Jack it up, or you may find that your Front Beam gets dented.

So bear that in mind if you call in a Garage/Shop to have a puncture repaired or new Tyres put on.

 

A simple tire change is actually where the bigger jack would be of most benefit. After all, you won't be using jack stands.....and there's that nerve racking period of time where the wheel is off and the risk is greatest.

For doing actual repair and maintenance work (where you'll be under the car, usually with wheels off) the 'safety' aspect is really in how the car is supported, not how it is lifted. After all, nobody gets under a car while it is being lifted and the wheels are not removed until the car is elevated and safety supported. A 1.5 ton job will work fine (as I have proven to myself.... oh....a few hundred times!) for the lifting part....then a good strong support system to hold the car up.

A 1.5 ton jobby will lift the entire front end or enter rear end with no difficulty. But, yes, if you can go bigger then, by all means...go bigger ! Sometimes smaller is jut easier to use, that's all

Cheers
DD

 

I recently got his 3 ton unit from Harbor Freight. It was about $85 with a coupon. It is low enough to get under the front lip of my 95 V12 (just) and strong enough to lift and lower the whole front end smoothly. Read the reviews several XJS owners have posted about its suitability.

http://m.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/floor-jacks/3-ton-low-profile-steel-heavy-duty-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-61282.html

 

Thanks alot for the input guys.
Now... any special precautions for buying jack stands?

 

I really hate using Axle Stands 'Bro'

I much prefer a Great Big Block of Wood put under the Front Cross member, then I know for sure the Car cannot fall on me.

 

Yes, I wouldn't use axle stands on grass either!

 

OOOOOH, drought in full swing there! My yards are progressing to that state.
Brown is green is the new environmental thing.


Yeah, I can't think of a safe jack stand on grass or earth. Even black top is a tad iffy on hot days.


A big sheet of plywood is very useful. The spread the load concept really works. And a uniform surface is good.


My Jaguar s down off the jack and stands and timber. Just for the h... and better feeling I added enough under the front wheel of the side I was working under.


The old style stands made from tubing are at the bottom of the heap. Will the splayed legs splay out ? I have some. Relegated to very light duty, no cars involved.
Well, mebbe the derelict VW based dune buggy. It is very light. No body. Just pan and tubes.


The cast or forged units with the racheting action look good. Check the tooth bite.
And, of course, the material. Not sure about how to do that. I have a bunch of 'em.


But, when possible, I prefer my stamped steel ramps.


But, my days of working under are very limited..... As are over head. Waist level still fine.


Carl

 

The small blue jack in some of the pics is a 1600kg job, I used it from 1990 until about 4 months ago for lifting every vehicle I have owned.(we put your goose on stands with it the first time) Always did the job easily. Before that I managed with a really old 1 tonne bottle jack for about 7 years before I had the funds to buy a trolley jack(stopped spending it all on going out and jet ski's/motorcycles) I did borrow a 3 tonne once for dragging the tranny from under my Jeep because it could take a transmission bracket with safety chains.
I only bought my 2.5 tonne recently since old faithful sprung a leak. I still use it to get blocks under the wheels to get the car high enough for the big jack.

A good set of ramps and 4 stands is all will should ever need for most jobs. Checking the car is sitting solid on the stands before going under is the most important.
Like Doug said, you are not lifting the whole car with it. But if you have room to store a big one they are good to have. But a 1.5 is not a bad starting point. And when you have restricted work space like I had before reclaiming the other half of my garage the small jack is worth it's weight in gold with the short handle.