Changing of oil in hydraulic jack may be problematic for beginners. Are you a beginner and have no idea how to change the hydraulic jack oil, then you are on the right place and this article is for you which will guide you step by step, how it did. Not only this, but we will also help you to inform why it is necessary and when you must change it.
Why It Is Necessary To Change Hydraulic Jack Oil?
The hydraulic jack is a wonderful instrument which the main objective is to lift heavy objects especially cars and other vehicles. A hydraulic jack cannot lift heavy objects until it has fluid in it which help to move the piston back and forth. In short, we can say that oil plays a vital role in the efficiency of the hydraulic jack and it is part and parcel for it. As we start using hydraulic jack, with the passage of time the oil level in the jack gets started to reduce gradually, which affect the performance of hydraulic jack. So, it becomes necessary to change the oil to work it smoothly.
Which Is Best Time To Change Your Jack Oil?
Best thing is that you observed the oil level on regular intervals, you know that if your usage of the jack is more than usual than changing time get reduced and if you use it off and on then this span will get increased automatically.
Second thing, the performance of hydraulic jack automatically will inform you that now it’s the time to change the oil. For instance, the ram of jack starts showing resistance to lift the objects. It will stop working efficiently. So, these are the indicators which will compel you to see and check the oil level in hydraulic jack and replace it immediately.
Which Type Of Oil Used For The Hydraulic Jack?
Ok, now when you have made your mind that it is the right time to change the oil of my hydraulic jack, the next problem will be in the selection of hydraulic jack. You need to understand that which type of oil is best for your hydraulic jack or not. There is some particular type of instruction which you need to keep in your mind while going for the shopping of jack oil. Its lubricant must have the following features:
• Low-temperature fluidity
• Hydrolytic stability/water tolerance
• Thermal and oxidative stability
• Cleanliness and filterability
• Corrosion control
• Anti-wear characteristics
Similarly, you need to understand that either you can use motor oil or brake oil for your hydraulic jack or not? Because I observed many people using these type of oil. The answer is a big NO. Because these oils don’t have such type of viscosity which a hydraulic jack needed. As we all know that hydraulic jack oil main function is medium of power transfer and control, like non-compressible, low volatility, fast air release and low foaming tendency and these are only possible when we use a proper oil that is specially designed for a hydraulic jack.
Best Oil for Hydraulic Jacks
On the basis of my last ten years’ experience and the knowledge about oil, I would like to suggest the following two items which are the best products at present.
• ISO 150
• AW32 Hydraulic jack oil
These two products have a 10W viscosity which is absolutely perfect for hydraulic jacks. And they have a very good ranking in ISO. The workable range of these hydraulic oils is -30°C (-22°F) to 140°C (284°F), which indicate that these can work in any circumstances. These are formulated in extreme pressure additives and specially designed to use in a hydraulic jack.
Which Necessary Tools are required to Change Oil?
After the selection of oil for your hydraulic jack, next step is to get familiar that how you can change the oil. In oil changing first, you need to know about the specific instrument that you needed to replace the oil from the hydraulic jack. It will be surprising for you that for the replacement of oil there is no need for a huge list of the instrument. You can perform all your procedure with just these three simple and easily available instruments.
1. Screwdriver
2. Drain Bucket
3. Oil Gun dispenser
You must have these three tools in your toolkit
Step for changing bottle jack oil:
Here is the detail of those steps that you need to follow step by step to change the bottle jack oil. Order of steps is necessary to follow.
1. Release valve opening
In the first step, you just have to open release valve from a bottle jack
2. Old oil Removal
In the second step, you have to remove old oil from it, which is not so far good now. For this, you need to remove oil plug carefully from bottle jack and then drain old oil to the bucket. As all bad useless oil drain into becket, your second step ended.
3. New Oil Injection
The third step is the injection of new oil. Only inject good oils like ISO 150 or 8w32 jack oil which are good for the performance and life of your jack. For the injection of new oil into bottle jack, we will need hydraulic oil dispenser. Hydraulic oil dispenser will help to pump new oil into the bottle jack. As we connect it with the bottle jack, it starts to inject gradually. This step will continue until all the required new oil gets injected. As it completed the third step ended.
4. Oil Plug Switching
As the third step get finalized you need to put oil plug on bottle jack.
5. Release Valve Closing
In the 5th step, you have to close the release valve that you have opened in your first step. As it closed 5th step will also end.
6. Check The Performance
In the last step when all steps get done, you need to pump jack as many time as you can at least 3 to 4 times, just to make it sure that new oil is pumping your hydraulic chamber smoothly or not. If the answer is yes. Congrats, you get succeeded to change your bottle jack oil.
Step for Changing Floor jack oil:
If you are using floor jack then you need to follow these steps for oil changing. The important thing is you must have to follow the order of steps, otherwise, it can be problematic.
1. Oil Plug Removal
The first step is to release the valve after you can remove the oil plug of the floor jack. Now the question is from where you can find the oil plug? For your convenience, you will always found the oil plug at the bottom of jack.
Easy and Quick Way to Access Oil Plug
Sometimes beginner faces difficulty to find the oil plug. Here I am sharing a tip which will really help to access oil plug. You just need to lower the handle of floor jack all way down. As you do it, this will give you an opportunity to reach the oil plug. After accessing you can remove oil plug easily.
2. Old bad oil Removal
In the second step, you need to remove all old bad oil from your floor jack which has reduced the efficiency of your jack. For the removal of bad oil, you just need a drain bucket and start to drain all the bad oil from jack by lifting it at an upper position and keep lifting until whole bad oil drained in the bucket. This practice really helps to get rid of from bad oil. Floor jack keeps more oil than bottle jack. So, you must need to use a larger bucket for drain and wiped down extra oil with a cloth.
3. New Oil Injection
The third step is the injection of new oil. Only inject good oils like ISO 150 or 8w32 jack oil which are good for the performance and life of your jack. For the injection of new oil into floor jack, we will need hydraulic oil dispenser. Hydraulic oil dispenser will help to pump new oil into the floor jack. As we connect it with a floor jack, it starts to inject gradually. This step will continue until all the required new oil gets injected. As it completed the third step ended.
4. Oil plug Closing
As the third step get finalized you need to put oil plug back on a floor jack. This is called your fourth step.
5. Release valve closing
In the 5th step, you have to close the release valve that you have opened in your first step. As it closed 5th step will also end and it will happen with the help of handle.
6. Performance Checking
In the last step, when all steps get done, you need to pump jack as many time as you can at least 3 to 4 times, just to make it sure that new oil is pumping your hydraulic chamber smoothly or not. If the answer is yes. Congrats, you get succeeded to change your bottle jack oil.