How to Use a Jack Lift Safely

How to use a jack lift safely starts before the lift moves at all: pick a lift rated above the load, set it on flat solid ground, raise the vehicle at the lift points in the owner’s manual, and set rated jack stands before any part of you goes under the car. A jack lift raises the vehicle; the stands or locks, the ground and the lift points are what hold it while you work. The steps below cover a scissor jack, a portable lift and a mid-rise scissor lift, because the order of work stays the same even when the machine changes.

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Below: the kinds of jack lift, the capacities and lift ranges the makers list, the step-by-step order, and the answers to the questions that come up in the garage.

How to use a jack lift: the kinds you will meet

A jack lift raises a vehicle off the ground so you can reach the wheels or the underside. In a home garage you will meet a scissor jack, a portable lift and a mid-rise scissor lift. A scissor jack is a small screw-driven jack that lifts a corner of the car, usually for a tire change. A portable lift is a low frame that slides under the car and raises it on columns. A mid-rise scissor lift is a powered platform that lifts the whole car.

The table below uses the figures the listings state, so check the rating plate before you buy or borrow a lift.

The listings do not always agree, so read the rating plate on the lift you hold. DNA MOTORING lists 3,306 lbs for a 1.5 ton scissor jack while TSIEBRV lists 3307 lbs for the same rating, and Orion Motor Tech lists a 27 in maximum height while the bullets list 10.2 to 26.8 in.

A scissor jack suits a tire change while the car stays low. A portable lift suits longer jobs where you sit under the car, and Orion Motor Tech lists rubber blocks that give 6.5 to 20 inches of lift. A mid-rise lift suits a garage with room for one; the KATOOL X90E lists a minimum height of 4.3 inches and a maximum of 47.2 inches.

The electric mid-rise lifts in the listings list 110V; Motool also lists 220V. Orion Motor Tech lists a 1 hp motor with a 1.1 gallon oil tank on its portable lift. Have a licensed electrician check the circuit before you plug it in.

How to use a jack lift step by step

The order below works for each shape: stands for a scissor jack and locks for a lift that has them.

1. Park on flat solid ground. Set the parking brake and chock the wheels that stay on the ground, since a lift on soft ground, a slope or a cracked slab can shift while the car is in the air.
2. Check the rating. Read the rating plate on the lift and the load rating in the vehicle owner’s manual. The lift must be rated above the load it will carry.
3. Find the lift points. The vehicle owner’s manual shows the points the maker designed for lifting; never lift on a floor pan, a plastic cover or a suspension arm the manual does not list.
4. Set the lift in place. Slide the lift under the car so the saddle or the pads meet the lift points squarely.
5. Raise the car slowly. Turn the handle, work the pump or press the control, and watch the lift points as the car rises. Stop at the height the job needs.
6. Set the mechanical locks. Rueekfil lists mechanical safety locks and Orion Motor Tech lists automatic mechanical locks. Engage them before you reach under the car; never rely on hydraulic pressure alone to hold the load.
7. Set rated jack stands (scissor jack). Put rated stands under the stand points in the owner’s manual and lower the car onto the stands until the stands carry the load.
8. Do the work, then lower in reverse. Raise the car to take the load off the stands, remove the stands, or release the locks, then lower it slowly until the tires carry it again.

Jack lift safety rules that are not optional

These are the rules to keep:

• Stands every time, on a scissor jack. Any work under the car means rated stands under the car, on solid level ground, at the manual’s points.
• Lift points from the manual. The owner’s manual shows where your car can be lifted.
• Flat ground, always. Soft ground lets a jack sink and tilt; a slope lets the car roll.
• Check the lift maker’s requirements. Read the manual before you use the lift.
• Keep clear of the mechanism. Hands, hoses, cords and tools stay clear of the scissor arms and the columns while the lift moves.
• Lower slowly. A car that drops fast can bounce off a pad or a stand. Ease it down and watch the pads until the tires carry the load.

Scissor jack or portable lift: which fits the job

For a flat tire at the roadside, a scissor jack is the tool that is already in the car. DNA MOTORING lists a lifting range of 4 to 15.2 inches with a working height of 10 to 15 inches, and KPFILEH lists 4.33 to 15.5 inches, so a scissor jack with that range lifts a corner high enough for a tire change. The companion guide to how to use a scissor lift walks through the screw jack on its own.

For longer jobs in the garage, a portable lift gives more room. Orion Motor Tech lists a 7,000 lbs capacity with a 27 in maximum height and an adjustment range of 10.2 to 26.8 in, plus 11 in extension plates for long-wheelbase cars. Rueekfil lists the same 7,000 lbs capacity with a 28 in maximum height.

For a home garage, a mid-rise lift is the step up. KATOOL lists 8,000 lbs capacity on its X90E mid-rise lift, and AUTOKATO lists 8,000 lbs with a 39.37 in maximum and a 4.33 in minimum. The guide to car lifts for low ceilings covers garages where height is tight, and car lift vs scissor lift lays out the trade-offs between shapes.

FAQ: garage tools

Can I work under a car held up by a jack lift with no stands?

No. A jack lift raises the car; it does not hold it for work underneath. Set rated stands under the stand points in the owner’s manual and lower the car onto the stands before you reach under the car.

Where do I put the jack lift on my car?

At the lift points in the vehicle owner’s manual, and nowhere else. The manual shows the reinforced points for your car; a sill, a floor pan or a plastic cover can bend or break under the load.

Can I use a scissor jack on soft ground?

No. Use flat solid ground: a scissor jack has a small base, and soft ground lets it sink and tilt as the car rises. TSIEBRV lists a widened base, but that helps on a firm surface only.

What size jack lift do I need?

Match the rating to the load. The scissor jacks in the listings run from 1.5 ton (3,306 lbs) to 2 ton (4,409 lbs), the portable lifts list 7,000 lbs, and the mid-rise lifts in the table list 8,000 lbs.

Can a scissor jack lift an SUV or a truck?

Check the maker, because the listings disagree. TSIEBRV states its 1.5 ton jack is for small cars only, not SUVs or trucks, while KPFILEH lists its 2 ton jack for hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers and trucks.

Do I need a licensed electrician for an electric lift?

Yes, have a licensed electrician check the circuit. The electric mid-rise lifts in the listings list 110V; Motool also lists 220V.

Related: how to use a scissor lift, automotive scissor lifts, how many jack stands you need and car ramps and lifts.