Thread: Oil for trolley jack?

I've always used ATF in my 30+ year old trolley jack when it needs topping up from time to time, seems to work ok.

Being a hydraulic jack it would use hydraulic oil. I am not sure what type but just use oil for hydraulics jacks. The supplier should know what type. If it leaks it needs new seals.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Being a hydraulic jack it would use hydraulic oil. I am not sure what type but just use oil for hydraulics jacks. The supplier should know what type. If it leaks it needs new seals.

Dean

ATF is only 40 grade hydraulic oil red dye and seal conditioner additive

my porta power copy uses 10 grade hydraulic oil.

Seems awfully light but its in the instructions. Also the Tos lathe uses 22 grade hydraulic oil in the headstock circulating lube system. It is like water; but I guess it is that thin for use in unheated factories winter in Europe.

Ken

Hydraulic Jack oil is readily available at Autobarn, Repco, Supercheap etc.

Hope you don't rely just on the jack holding it up while under the vehicle.

Nev.

Originally Posted by j.ashburn

ATF is only 40 grade hydraulic oil red dye and seal conditioner additive

ATF has been specified for motorcycle front suspension damping oil by Honda and others. Stated reasons was that it has anti-foaming and rust resisting properties - good for auto trans and bike forks.
Seal additive would be a good thing too, and red dye great for IDing leaks in a car.
I think the viscosity is less than 40?

Jordan

Originally Posted by nadroj

ATF has been specified for motorcycle front suspension damping oil by Honda and others. Stated reasons was that it has anti-foaming and rust resisting properties - good for auto trans and bike forks.
Seal additive would be a good thing too, and red dye great for IDing leaks in a car.
I think the viscosity is less than 40?

Jordan

ATF viscosity (Dexron 2 and 3) is about SAE 15. I use is in motorcycle forks as a substitute for fork oil (which can range from SAE 5 - 15) depending on size, type of M/cycle.

As stated it has an anti-foaming agent, and that's why you can also use it in air compressors.

I visited Lightburn factory on South Road quite a while back for some replacement seals for old Lightburn truck jacks. These use a compressed leather cup type seal.

The techo's there said DON'T use ATF with old jacks with leather seals as it will rot them out quickly (the high detergent component is the culprit). They recommended just to use a light grade of regular car engine oil - about SAE 30.

Regular jack oil is pretty light from my observation.

Cheers

Rob

Hi Timeless,
One reason I have found for hydraulic jacks leaking is the screw in the base for lowering the jack. This is usually a 3/8 UNFbolt (or M10) with the end flattened for the jack handle. What I have found is the thread is not concentric to the shaft where it passes through the rubber seal. So when the screw is tightened it cocks over and distorts the seal. I remake the screw in the lathe so that the thread IS concentric and slightly increase its diameter where it contacts the seal. This has usually fixed the problem. Another tip do not over fill the reservoir, when the jack is lowered it compresses air inside the jack body and forces the oil out of the rubber plug in the side of the body.
Hope this solves your problem.
Borriss

Thanks heaps for everyone's contribution - I had ATF on hand this morning, so just topped up with that, and it seemed to work fine.

There was only a minor fluid spot about 20 c size on the concrete, after I lowered the jack, so it seems to lose a tiny bit every time I use the jack - I'm lucky to use it a couple times a year. I also don't have a metal lathe so not likely to do anything with the thread on the lowering bolt.

I bought it back in...2005 or 6 from memory, so no idea if it has leather seals or some other kind of rubber maybe.

But the missus car is serviced now after being well overdue...so that one job ticked off the list.... even cleaned the windows where the dog puts his nose and leaves smears everywhere!

Another day in the shed, done and dusted. Even had a little lie-down and a snooze when I was done! (only 20 winks tho - I always sleep with one eye open, comes from a career as a hit man for the mob)

Originally Posted by nearnexus

I visited Lightburn factory on South Road quite a while back for some replacement seals for old Lightburn truck jacks. These use a compressed leather cup type seal.

The techo's there said DON'T use ATF with old jacks with leather seals as it will rot them out quickly (the high detergent component is the culprit). They recommended just to use a light grade of regular car engine oil - about SAE 30.

Regular jack oil is pretty light from my observation.

Cheers

Rob

That's useful to know. I have an old bike that uses leather seals in the forks. Leather is better than rubber when used on imperfect surfaces, and old bikes didn't always have chromed tubes.
Thanks Rob.

Jordan

Originally Posted by nadroj

That's useful to know. I have an old bike that uses leather seals in the forks. Leather is better than rubber when used on imperfect surfaces, and old bikes didn't always have chromed tubes.
Thanks Rob.

Jordan

What m/c have you got Jordan?

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

What m/c have you got Jordan?

Rob

AJS & Matchless used leather fork seals at one time, although they used rubber ones later. I have a 1950 AJS.

Jordan

Originally Posted by nadroj

AJS & Matchless used leather fork seals at one time, although they used rubber ones later. I have a 1950 AJS.

Jordan

Interesting.

The guy out the back (neighbour) has a 1950's AJS single, and an AJS (or Matchless, not sure) twin, and a Kwaka 4 cylinder of some sort.

I have a 1976 Ducati 860GT and a 1985 Ducati 750 F1.

Cheers

Rob