How to Lift Your Vehicle With A Trolley Jack and Axle Stands

Having the ability to safely and securely lift a vehicle using a trolley jack and axle stands is a valuable skill to have. It has you covered for the changing of any potential flat tyres, and it means you can work freely and more effectively under your car, for example, if you're changing or fitting a sump guard, changing an oil filter, or replacing a rusty floor pan. However, there are a large number of us who still aren’t sure how to do this.

You don’t need to worry, though, because SGS Engineering has you covered! In this post, you’ll find information about our trolley jacks, which particular model suits you, and a simple video guide showing you how you can safely lift your car.

Choosing the Right Trolley Jack

2 Tonne Car Trolley Jack

• 2 tonnes of maximum capacity
• 130mm to 345mm lifting range
• The best value-for-money jack on the web
• Short-wheel base chassis
• Integrated carry handle
• Industrial hydraulic pump with relief valve
• Heavy-duty, one-piece hydraulic pump

2.5 Tonne Aluminium Racing Trolley Jack

• 2.5 tonne max capacity
• 100mm to 460mm lifting range
• Ultra-lightweight aluminium chassis
• Includes a rubber pad to protect the underside of your vehicle.
• Ideal for sports car enthusiasts or vehicles with a low chassis
• Quick lift with dual pumps extends to full saddle height in just nine strokes.

It’s really important to get the most suitable jack and stands for your vehicle, which can cope with lifting your vehicle into a position for you to do work. You must never use a jack, stands, or any lifting equipment that isn't strong enough to support your vehicle.

What you will need to do first is consult your vehicle manual to find out what its weight is. If you don’t have a manual to hand, you can normally find the gross kerb weight of the vehicle on what’s called a ‘data plate’ inside your vehicle's engine bay. Some data plates even have what the weight is on the front end of the vehicle and what the weight is on the rear of the vehicle. If you can’t find a manual or data plate, consult your authorised vehicle dealership, where they will assist you with determining what the weight of the vehicle is.

Most vehicles will rate their weight in kilogrammes, or ‘KG’, and most trolley jacks will rate their lifting capabilities in tonnes. It’s hard to be confused by the conversion of this, so just remember that one tonne is 1000 kg. 1 tonne = 1000 kg.

Jack Capacity

Would a 2-tonne trolley jack, for example, be capable of lifting a car that weighs, say, 2.5 tonnes?

Yes, a 2-tonne trolley jack would be suitable, as you are not lifting the full weight at once due to the two wheels remaining on the ground. We have a massive range of trolley jacks, from one tonne of lifting capacity to ten tonnes, all with different levels of lifting height.

Also remember, before purchasing a trolley jack for the job, make sure it can get under your vehicle in order to lift. You may need a specialist ‘low profile’ one, especially for those that have lowered sports cars, etc. You must make sure that the jack you choose can lift high enough for what you need to do, too.

Choosing the Right Axle Stand

Again, as with choosing a trolley jack, it’s also important that the axle stands can take the weight load. As above, find out what your vehicle’s weight is and purchase the right axle stand for the job.

Using Wheel Chocks

It’s strongly advised to put wheel chocks at the back of the wheels that are on the ground while working under the vehicle. This is to safeguard against the possibility that the vehicle could ‘roll’ off the jacking equipment and crush any worker underneath.

For many of these jobs, you may have to jack up the front or back of your vehicle. However, when working with vehicles, there’s always the danger of the vehicle crushing the worker underneath, so this guide and video will show you how to put your vehicle on axle stands safely.

Staying Safe

It’s strongly recommended to put a vehicle fall arrest under your jacking points, such as railway sleepers or breeze blocks. This is to stop any worker from being crushed in the eventuality of axle stand or trolley jack failure. Always take care when placing or removing axle stands; don’t make erratic movements near the trolley jack lifting the vehicle.

Pre-lift Checks

Along with ensuring you have the right capacity for your vehicle, before you begin jacking, there are some pre-lift checks to carry out, such as:

1. Look for and locate the jacking points on your car. (See your owner’s manual if you can’t find them, and this will direct you.)
2. Ensure your car is on an even and solid surface, be it a concrete driveway or your garage floor.
3. Have a set of axle stands ready that are also able to support the weight of your car (as you should never leave the car lifted on the jack).
4. For added safety, have a set of wheel chocks at the ready too; these will be placed behind the rear wheels to stop your car from rolling back when you’re jacking it up.

It really is as simple as that! So if you’re ever unsure or if you need to safely jack your car with one of our trolley jacks, follow this guide, and your job will be done in no time at all.