Buying guide for Best bottle jacks
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Written by
Michael
Updated September 2023
Bottle jacks are one of the most common types of jacks. They come in a wide variety of capacities and can be used for everything from lifting a car to changing a tire to straightening a door jamb to leveling a house. Some are air hydraulic, while others use a type of oil to drive the piston.
Unless they are driven by an air compressor, bottle jacks have a pump on the side with a long handle for manual pumping. When the release valve is closed, you can pump the handle to raise the piston. When the release valve is opened slowly, the piston will go down. If you’re getting a bottle jack to replace the jack in the trunk of your car, a 2 to 4-ton jack will be all you’ll need. If you’re a mechanic working in a shop, you’ll need something bigger.
Key considerations
Weight capacity
The capacity of bottle jacks is always given in tons. There are 2,000 pounds in a ton. Since many items are measured in pounds, you will need to know the equivalence. For example, if you need a bottle jack for a 40,000-pound dump truck, 40,000 divided by 2,000 equals 20 tons, so you will need a 20-ton bottle jack to lift that truck.
If you’re leveling a pier-and-beam house, you’ll need to get under the house with up to four bottle jacks for a small house, or more for a larger one. Since the weight of the house will be divided by all the bottle jacks, 12-ton jacks should be sufficient for most houses.
Air or pump
The two types of bottle jacks are powered either by an air compressor or with a manual pump.
Air hydraulic bottle jacks require an air compressor in order to work. These kinds of jacks are normally found in mechanic shops where they are used on a daily or hourly basis. If you have a heavy-duty air compressor, feel free to get an air-driven jack. They are typically easier to use than a pump jack.
Pump bottle jacks are more common for residential use. Most bottle jacks use hydraulics with a special type of oil in them and have to be manually pumped to raise the piston. They come with a long handle that is usually divided into two pieces. Connect the pieces together, place the jack under the object you’re going to lift, insert the handle into the pump, and start pumping.
Finding a level surface
Bottle jacks have a comparatively small top (called the saddle) to support their load. This makes it crucial that they are solidly positioned so they won’t tip over when you start lifting something with them. If you’re in a garage, there is probably a flat, concrete floor — an ideal location. A driveway, assuming it’s level, is also a good place to use a bottle jack.
If you’re lifting a house, you’re going to have to get up close and personal with dirt. The beneath the house could be anything from soft sand to ordinary dirt to hard clay. If the clay dried in any shape other than perfectly flat, you could spend a miserable number of hours on your stomach in a confined area chopping at the ground trying to level it prior to putting the jack in place. If the ground is sand or loam, you’ll need to lay some two-by-fours or some other support for the jack to sit on and stay upright.
Regardless of the composition of the ground under the house, it’s almost never level, which means you’ll have to do some prep work before you even put the bottle jack in place.
Features
Material
Bottle jacks have to lift and hold several tons, which requires them to be extremely strong. Forged steel is the main material used in the construction of these jacks. This, in turn, makes them heavy. Some bottle jacks have a carrying handle to make it easier to transport them. Iron and aluminum bottle jacks are also common but typically have lower weight capacities.
Horizontal work
Bottle jacks are the tool of choice when it comes to straightening a door jamb or metal bars that have been bent or damaged by a heavy impact. In most cases, a 4-ton jack is the strongest jack you will need for these tasks.
Color
Traditionally, bottle jacks are red, but black, yellow, and gray are also common colors.
Lift Range
Most bottle jack ranges have a lift range of 5 to 9 inches, but their heights will vary. When you are comparing models, take note of their starting height and maximum height, as this will play a major factor in what jobs you can use the jack for.
Bottle jack prices
Inexpensive
The low-priced bottle jacks cost between $15 and $25. These are small jacks in the 2- to 6-ton range. Despite the low price, these jacks are usually well constructed by necessity.
Mid-range
From $25 to $100 are bottle jacks that can lift up to 20 tons. They may also come with a floor stand for added stability during use.
Expensive
For $100 and more, you'll find high-capacity jacks for large vehicles, buildings, and other structures. These jacks are often air hydraulic jacks that require an air compressor.
Did you know?
Early bottle jacks used whiskey instead of water to prevent freezing during the winter, so they became known as whiskey jacks. Later, hydraulic oil was used and the name was changed to bottle jacks.
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Tips
Using a bottle jack properly and safely requires careful planning and caution. Here are the basics to get started:
Place the jack on a flat, smooth surface before you use it. Never use a bottle jack on a slanted or sloped surface.
Turn the piston ram counter-clockwise to raise the saddle to the desired height.
Ensure the release valve is closed, and then insert the pump handle into the shaft of the pump.
Slowly pump the handle up and down until the saddle rises high enough to make contact with the object you’re raising.
Once the saddle is firmly planted, continue pumping the handle until the object has been raised to the desired height.
Remove the handle from the pump shaft.
FAQ
Q. Can air get into the jack’s fluid reservoir?
A. It’s possible for this to happen over time. This is especially true if the jack’s seals aren’t tight or have become worn or warped. When that happens, the jack will feel spongy when you use it or it will gradually lower itself.
Q. How can I get rid of the air in the fluid reservoir?
A. Without anything on it, raise the piston all the way up then release the pressure valve and let the jack lower itself. Turn the jack on its side and open the filler plug (see your manual for the location on your jack). You should hear a hiss of escaping air. Put the filler plug back in and repeat the process until you no longer hear any hissing.
Q. How do I put more hydraulic fluid in the reservoir?
A. Consult the owner’s manual for your bottle jack to locate the filler plug. Make sure the pressure valve has been opened to allow all the pressure out of the jack. Turn the jack on its side and remove the filler plug. Add hydraulic fluid to the reservoir according to the directions in the owner’s manual, being careful to avoid overfilling it. When you are done, replace the filler plug.
