AC Hydraulics floor jack

[chopper]

If anyone is in the market for a high-quality, low-profile floor jack to fit under the Cobra, I recently purchased an AC Hydraulics DK13HLQ unit and have found it to be a really nice floor jack:

http://www.ac-hydraulic.com/uk/index_ws.htm

Check under "Products" and then "Hydraulic Jacks"

The jack is manufactured by a Dutch/English company and they are relatively new to this country. This particular model is rated at 1.3 metric tons (2800 lbs) with a 3.2 inch saddle height and a 28-inch lift height. We have a local distributor here in Phoenix but they are available over the internet. The jack is low enough to fit under the car and there are some nice accessories which increase the utility. I find that this also fits under the wife's Miata with no problems. They are a little pricey but are well made, fit under the car and will lift up to something around 30 inches off the floor.

One word of caution: AC Hydraulics also makes a model DK20HLQ (2.0 metric ton or 4400 lb), which logic would imply is the same unit with a higher load rating. However, DK20HLQ is a completely different design and would not even fit under my big Saturn station wagon. The local distributor here was kind enough to exchange the unit for me.

[dalola]

Chopper,
Those look like really nice jacks. Your recommendation says a lot. Couple questions:
I'm assuming the cylinders are rebuildable?
And, if you don't mind, what was the price of the model you purchased? I didn't see pricing on their website.

My old Sears has seen better days, and, is not rebuildable , like most lower priced jacks.

Thanks,
Dave

[chopper]

I ordered mine from Ultimate Garage, an internet company in New Jersey. Prices are posted at this link:

http://www.ultimategarage.com/acjacks.html

My old Sears jack had blown the seal (like yours, apparently). I called Sears and they got a good chuckle out of my request for new seals for a 20-year old jack. Then I tried several hydraulic repair shops in town and they also expressed condolences. I looked at the aluminum racing jacks mentioned in earlier threads and decided that $900 was a bit much for my needs, so I wandered around the net and found these.

I had some difficulty due to the fact that Ultimate had just started carrying them and wasn't really familiar with the different models. The 2800 lb unit was listed, and during the few days that I was trying to decide whether to buy, the 4400 lb unit became available. Unfortunately, the literature on both AC Hydraulics' and Ultimate Garage's websites does not adequately differentiate between the physical dimensions of the two units, and so I ordered the 4400 lb unit, thinking it was the same physically. I also ordered the one of the cross-beam adapters and a rubber saddle pad; those arrived within five days of the order. The jack was shipped via UPS from a warehouse in Oregon; it took over three weeks to arrive, and when it did, the flimsy cardboard shipping box was destroyed, the jack was badly scratched and some small parts were missing. It also did not fit under the car. In fact, it didn't even fit under my 2000 Saturn LW300 station wagon. The local distributor told me that the 4400 lb unit is essentially designed for pickups and SUVs. I understand that one of the larger Corvette clubs had the same problem; they made a group order for a large number of the 4400 lb jacks and then found they wouldn't slide under the Vettes. Anyway, Ultimate Garage and I had several, shall I say,warm discussions about the situation, and they finally got hold of the AC Hydraulics US manager, who coincidentally happened to be coming out to Mesa AZ the following week to set up a local distributorship. That individual brought out a replacement 2800 lb jack, and we were able to work out the swap locally through the distributor. Although not the most pleasurable shopping experience I've ever had, it all worked out in the end.

WRT whether the unit is rebuildable, I was told by both the dealer and the local distributor that they are.

[chopper]

Just a word of update on these floor jacks. I ordered this thing last September and those details are chronicled in the earlier posts. I have had it about four months now and have used it about a dozen times, both on the Cobra and on my two other cars (wife's Miata and my Saturn L-series wagon). I have also used it to help the neighbor's kid change two right-side flat tires on his compact car. This is all in defense of my next statement, which is that I didn't overstress it by trying to lift Greyhound buses or anything like that. Overall, I like the jack and it is the only model I've seen to date which will slide under the gas tank from the rear and get to the rear frame member on the Snake so I can jack up the back end in one shot.

WELL... Saturday PM I had the car up on the stands doing some minor maintenance and when I jacked it up to remove the stands, the seal blew out in the actuator. The resulting leak was initally small enough to allow me to jack the car up enough to quickly remove the stands and get the car back on the ground before the jack crapped out completely. The rest of the weekend, the unit sat in my garage peeing fluid out on the floor in a slow stream.

The good news is that yesterday I called the local distributor, a company called Arizona Automotive Equipment here in Mesa, and told them my tale of woe. The owner, Joe Fogge, told me to bring it down and he exchanged it with a new one on the spot, no questions asked. So while it was a pain that the unit failed so soon, it was nice to have a business which cared enough to do the right thing and replace it without any hassle. I'm hoping, since the company has been around (in Europe, at least) for a reasonably long time, that this is a statistical aberration and not characteristic of the brand.

I just felt that, since I had posted the initial thread recommending them, that I should follow up and supply the above information for anyone considering purchase.

[wwissman]

Floor jack question. Having recently purchased a Cobra to be stored in my very long & wide 2 car garage. I need some advice on moving my Cobra side ways to be parked width ways in front of my two daily drivers. Ther is room for 7'x 14' sittin width wise. I thought I could pull front end in and jack up rear and swing it around. This of course would be a hassle, but only used for Winter storage. Any suggestions.

[shaps]

Car Dollies.
Like
Backyard Buddy
**search down to car dollies

or
Fisher Motorsports

Have seen something like the first link in use. No personal experience, though...