What Makes a Jack a Hydraulic Jack?

It’s obvious that we know a thing or two about hydraulic jacks at Metro Hydraulic Jack Co.; they’re the basis of our business. Most people have an idea of what jacks are, but there is a lot that goes into these load bearing tools.

When people think of jacks, most often mechanical jacks would come to mind. This category of jacks most notably covers car jacks as well as house jacks. Hydraulic jacks like bottle jacks and floor jacks on the other hand, are used to lift loads that are even heavier.

Hydraulic jacks use multiple cylinders to create pressure by applying force. By putting force on one cylinder, it will create pressure in all connected cylinders. These jacks will have one cylinder larger than the other to produce a greater force, despite the fact that the same pressure is applied in both cylinders.

Using this method, oil is pushed into the two cylinders by pump plungers. This moves the oil through an external discharge check valve before it reaches the cylinder chamber. The valve on the chamber closes to build pressure in the cylinder.

There are several types hydraulic of jacks used for different applications. Bottle jacks are most popularly used for lifting cars for auto inspections, and floor jacks are used to lift items that need a larger lifting pad. Despite their differences, these, along with other varieties of hydraulic jacks all function with the same basic structure.