jack for BJ7

[Roberte]

I am attempting to find a jack for use with an Austin Healey. The ones I've found available at auto parts stores have short handles. I think a scissors jack might be the type to use but with a long handle.

I would appreciate anyone having experience/ recommendations on NAME, TYPE OF JACK, and WHERE IT MIGHT BE PURCHASED informing me.

Thank you,

Robert

 

[Editor_Reid]

Robert,

You're on the right track. A scissor jack that collapses to a very low height is what you need. An especially long handle should not be necessary. The frame rails - where you will want to lift the car - are not that far from the sides of the car. That said, longer is better than shorter.

These should be available at most larger auto parts outlets. If you like the convenience of having things shipped right to your door, try amazon.com.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

If you can find one, I recommend getting the geared type of scissor jack. These used to be common but the one company making them apparently sold out and the new ones are hard to find (I got a second one on eBay). Without gearing, raising even a light car like a Healey is a real pain. I bought one of the ungeared type thinking it would work on my BJ8, but it was all but impossible to lift the car--if you want it come by my house and it's yours. The electric scissor jacks look intriguing, but I don't have the space in the boot and the reviews are mixed.

 

[CanberraBJ8]

I bought a very cheap scissor jack on Ebay from Asia. Its no gem but its quite low when collapsed - only 85mm. All the other ones I could find here were 110mm. I have read though that the aluminium jacks from 944 Porsches are good (but they have proved hard to find, and expensive when you do. Likewise the jack from a 996 porsche is great - but the same story as the 944 - pricey.

 

[pan]

A friend told me a few years ago that the thing to look for is the scissor jack from a Nissan 300ZX as they are aluminium.
I optimistically went to a breakers yard but couldn't find a 300ZX. I did find a 280ZX with a complete, unused toolkit in the boot (trunk). It included a steel jack, collapsible wheel chocks and a tube spanner. The tube spanner is no use as it is metric but the jack, which is 110mm high (about 4.5") and the chocks have been in my Healey toolkit ever since. I've had to use the jack so I can confirm that it will fit under the car with a flat tyre. The handle is short but quite long enough for the purpose & takes little room in the Healey 'luggage compartment'.

 

[andrea]

Tanks to your BCF forum discussion
I can acquire one Boxster jack (all Aluminium) for my 100/6
on e bay UK (nearest to me)for GBP40

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Nice one! Its the same as for the 996.

There are a couple more in the UK that I would bid on - but the postage they want to charge to Australia is twice the cost of the jack :nightmare:

 

[healeyblue]

We use the late Porsche 944 aluminum jack for our Porsche 356's. They are light and compact yet lift high enough for real use. Here is something I do to make them a little more user friendly. I take a used (or new) rubber hockey puck and mill out a rectangle which allows it to be pressed onto the center nub of the jack giving a non-marring surface that is also wider and more stable. I have offered this service for our 356 club members free of charge as long as they supply the hockey puck and pay all the shipping. If anyone here is wanting this also for their Porsche 944 jack, I am extending this offer here as well. PM me for details. I am enclosing some pictures of the jack and hockey puck.
JIM

 

[BigGreen]

Great idea, thanks for the pictures !

Hans

 

[steveg]

We use the late Porsche 944 aluminum jack for our Porsche 356's. They are light and compact yet lift high enough for real use. Here is something I do to make them a little more user friendly. I take a used (or new) rubber hockey puck and mill out a rectangle which allows it to be pressed onto the center nub of the jack giving a non-marring surface that is also wider and more stable. I have offered this service for our 356 club members free of charge as long as they supply the hockey puck and pay all the shipping. If anyone here is wanting this also for their Porsche 944 jack, I am extending this offer here as well. PM me for details. I am enclosing some pictures of the jack and hockey puck.
JIM

Here's the puck Jim (Healeyblue) machined for my Harbor Freight scissors jack - nice work!: