Hi guys...

I've got a craftsman 2.5 ton floor jack... yesterday I noticed a puddle under it... more later... and now it won't lift a load full height.. I'm thinking blown seal... can this be rebuilt ?? kits available ?? easy for a rookie to do ???

help ???

thanks

john

 

If it is a Craftsman, take it back!


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If the pressure relief valve (don't know how it works on your unnamed model) to let the jack down is turned out too much, fluid can leak out. Especially if you pick it up and tilt it. My quick fix has been to refill my cheapo Larin with tool oil and tighten the valve before I pick it up next time.

 

Stay away from the Craftsman jacks!!!

My 3 ton Craftsman jack still works. However, after using the jack for a couple years on occasion for my own vehicles at home a few things have going bad:

1. The bolt holding the handle together wore out and broke.

2. The end of the handle that locks into the jack broke.

3. There is a grease fitting on the jack; The first time I tried to grease it, the fitting broke.

4. The spring that holds the handle up broke.

The handle can be fixed, and the spring looks just like current large jack models (incase anyone has had one break and needs a replacement)


It still works though and hasn't leaked any hydraulic fluid so I continue to use it until I can afford a high-quality mechanics jack.
Then I can attach my transmission jack adapter permanently to the Craftsman jack.

 

a lot of the craftsman jacks,the floor type use metric seals,that are kind of diffucult to get.i use to work part time for a jack repair service here in PA.we tried to get the seals for the japanese,chinese and taiwan jacks,but there seals are metic,and our supplier for seals told us it is not feasable to try and stock all the seals for them.they use there own style of metric measurment for them,sort of made for them seals.

take it back to sears and let them rebuild it for you,this way they accept the liability for it should it fail miserably.

if the puddle is under the front of the piston then the main cylinder seal is weak,it involves tearing the resevoir off the end,and some are welded on,some are screwed on,or put on with a cap to hold the resevoir on.either way a diffucult job to do for the backyard mechanic.

there is check *****,springs and other small parts inside under the pump,and the relief valve,sometimes a piece of dirt can mar the seat where the ball rides and will leak down that way.the pump seal if weak will cause a leak and not pump like it should,or lift the rated load.

ive seen 2 ton jacks that will lift 3 ton in our press stand,they under rate them for liability,or do double duty as the hydraulic section will mate into a diffrent chassis.norco jacks,walker,and dayton are all good brand names,snapon jacks and i think mac tools 2 ton jacks are made by norco and walker.

do a websearch for hydraulic jacks and see if there is a local company that can rebuild it if sears dont feel like it,or wont,or too much money,as all shops do carry liability insurance against failurs,and some offer warrantys on them.