Often Mistaken, Here's How to Safely Lift a Car
How to jack up a car is usually not discussed in detail for the reason: what's important is that the car is lifted. However, this is wrong, my friend. Jacking up a car also has safe techniques so as not to endanger the condition of the car.
So, what is the proper way to jack up a car? Well, you can follow the explanation below to know how to jack up a car. This knowledge is very important to use in emergencies, for example, when suddenly the car tire goes flat or bursts on the road and needs to be replaced with a new one.
Let's directly check out the important explanation below!
Check the Condition of the Jack
The first step before jacking up the car is to check the condition of the jack. You also need to know the type of jack you have so that you understand how to use it.
Checking the condition of the jack will let you know whether the jack is still usable or not. If the jack has several problems, such as leaking oil or missing components, it means that the jack does not qualify for use.
If you insist on using a problematic jack, it will certainly endanger the car. The jack could malfunction when used, and the car that is lifted high could suddenly fall and damage the car's condition. Wow, you wouldn't want to regret experiencing such a situation, right?
Find a Flat Road Surface
You might find yourself in a situation like this: while on a long journey, suddenly the car tire goes flat or even bursts and you are far from a workshop. Well, if that's the case, you have no choice but to replace it yourself, right?
The first thing you need to do is pull over and find a flat road surface. This is because an inclined road surface can be dangerous due to its unbalanced condition.
Find the Right Support for the Car
Just like the condition of a flat or inclined road, the surface of the car that will be the support for the car jack must also be considered. This is because not all surfaces of the car can be used as a support when jacking up the car.
You need to be smart in choosing the right support for the jacking process. The parts of the car that can be used as support during the jacking process are the monocoque body and the separate frame body.
These two parts will be the support for the jack because the monocoque body has a frame structure that is integrated with other car bodies, thus being supported by the lower arm suspension area at the front and rear of the car.
How to Properly Jack Up a Car
After the car is parked on a flat road and you know where the jack can rest to lift the car, the most important thing is that we understand how to jack up properly.
There are three types of jacks that are usually owned by private vehicle owners, namely bottle jacks, scissor jacks, and crocodile jacks. These three jacks have different shapes and load-bearing capacities.
Whichever jack you have, you need to pump the lever slowly until the car is lifted. Remember, do not lift the car too high, just about 10 to 15 cm so that the car remains balanced.
If your goal in jacking up is to replace a flat or burst tire, before the jack is pressed, you should loosen all the bolts on the car tire to make it easier and quicker to remove the tire later. So, the lifted position of the car won't take too long.
That is the proper way to jack up a car so that the car remains in good condition. This method will also make it easier for us to replace the car tire because the car is lifted properly.
The condition of the car also remains good and the jack does not experience excessive pressure, so it does not easily get damaged.
Author: Nisa Maulan Shofa
