Practical and safe jack

[marc]

Hi everybody,
could you please give me an advice about the most practical jack that would fit somewhere around the spare wheel and also provide enough height? (by the way, how much height do we need?) I don't need an "authentic" look but anything safe and easy to use would be perfect, and if the cost is not crazy, even better.
Thanks a lot!
Marc (3.8 FHC)

[rossbraithwaite]

I have read elsewhere on this forum that a Porsche Boxster jack works well.

[Heuer]

The Porsche 944 jack works particularly well. It is very light in weight, strong and can be found on eBay for between £40 and £60. Being a scissor jack it folds flat allowing it to fit under the E-Type cill and yet able to raise it more than the 9.5" required to remove a wheel. It does require a small modification which involves taking a file to the locating knob to reduce it down on two sides to fit the socket on the E-Type cill, which takes about 3 minutes. The Porsche 993, 968 (Boxster) and 996 jacks will not work as they have insufficient lift height.

Porsche part number is 000.721.711.00; for the 944 between 1983 and 1991



Bottle jacks will not work so don't bother even thinking about it - amazes me how many owners have one but have never actually tried to get it under the car!

[marc]

Thank you David for the information,
i will look for the Porsche 944 one.
Otherwise, would anything like that one be too long to fit in the car (470mm when folded)? Maximum height (not very realistic) is said to be 435mm, anyway more than enough. http://tinyurl.com/y95r27xt

Next to that question, a friend of mine advised to jack when possible under the strongest points of the suspension rather than under the "official" E Type spots, with a thick piece of rubber....?
Best thanks

[Heuer]

Yes, that one would work however it does not have the location block to prevent it slipping unless you can cut it down to the correct square shape.

The stock jacking point should be strong enough to support the car for a wheel change providing the cills are not rotten. You can jack at the suspension points and that YAOBLUESEA would allow that but jacking at the cill is a lot easier and quicker at getting you back on the road.

[marc]

Thanks again,
i got it for the modification, but i am a bit puzzled as a few jacks for Porsche 944 on german eBay have a different top part, or the offers might be all wrong?
different shape:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/original-Porsche ... SwrhBZBsxV

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Porsche-924-944- ... SwxKtYBSm7

or close shape but hollow, so getting thin when filed:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Porsche-944-S-S2 ... SwA3dYOIcA

the cills (or is it "sills"???) are new, thank you for your good advice.
Marc (french mother language)

[Heuer]

The first two are from a Porsche 924. The third one is from the later 944 cars. This is the one you want, labelled 'Porsche 944' and '944 turbo'; note long handle with black plastic hub on hooked end:




12.87 = date of manufacture and will vary:


File this to a square shape; width is OK but it is a bit too long:


Here is one for sale in the UK: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-944-S ... SwKytZM9QM

A grand total 163,192 cars in the 944 family were produced between 1982 and 1991 so finding a jack should not be difficult. The jacks are works of art and you will not believe how light they are! Should be standard fit for all S1/2 cars that will be used.

[marc]

Thanks a lot David,
for this complete answer!
Best regards
Marc

[chrisfell]

I'm going to suggest something from experience. Forget light weight scissor jacks, ignore aluminium trolley jacks, seriously consider an electric scissor jack. They are a bit chunkier than the manual kind, often come in a nice carry case, and either clip onto the battery or use the cigar lighter. Being larger than a manual jack they are steadier, and being electric they are quick and easy to use. I used one on two occasions last year. It was perfect for on the road use.

[Heuer]

Photos, links, cost? Why are they better than something one of the world's greatest car makers, along with everyone else, uses? Does any major car manufacturer use an electric jack and if so, what is their reasoning?

[Mark Gordon]

I got this one for my son's Acura. There are other brands of similar design and cost. It works great and stows easily. There is plenty of room for one in the spare wheel well of an E.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Bully/684/Q-HY-15 ... AWELAID=17

[ralphr1780]

I have one from a XJ6 in my car, very sturdy and works well, similar to this:


But of course a Porsche one as David highlights looks very tempting, the one of 928 is very compact and sturdier than the one of the 944:

[chrisfell]

Photos, links, cost? Why are they better than something one of the world's greatest car makers, along with everyone else, uses? Does any major car manufacturer use an electric jack and if so, what is their reasoning?

An electric jack was very useful when away from my own garage with its nice firm concrete floor with my own trolley jacks and axle stands and plenty of time on my hands. A lightweight scissor jack may be a fine piece of engineering, it may have the name of one of the greatest car manufacturers in it, and it may be of a design copied by lots of others, but when you are on the side of the road (or the driveway of a French Chateau) struggling to change a wheel, or adjust overly loose front wheel bearings, the ability to call on an electric jack of sturdy proportions considerably aided the task. My own view is that it is worth the cost (see below) and weight penalty (also see below).

Photos, links, costs? eBay/Amazon/Maplin/your own local motor factor/........

Please feel free to ignore this experience, YMMV... etc.

[Heuer]

Ahh Chris, same type as Mark linked to, never knew they existed. Cute gadget although the inclusion of three fuses and a manual handle would give me cause for concern. It is bigger/heavier/more complex than the Porsche jack and as space is at a premium when touring (particularly in an OTS) I don't think I would bother buying despite the £29.95 price. With my luck it would not be used for years and when it was needed it will have gone faulty. I can see the attraction though.

Ralph - yes the 928 jack would work but they are quite rare and seem to command high prices