The Original TJ Bottle Jack

JEEPCJTJ

TJ Expert
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Joined
Aug 11, 2018
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5,412
Location
Half way between Pittsburgh and Cleveland
I've read several things on here (and maybe on other sites) about how great the original jacks are. I was happy to hear that after I noticed mine was still under the seat and maybe never used.

Of course I wanted to check how good it was and used it to lift (only one tire, I'm not crazy) while rotating my tires. I did lift considerably higher than my 31" tires needed and it worked perfectly.

Last month when off roading a XJ bent the hell out of it's tie rod. It was just a couple inches from the ground. Several attempts at straightening it out must have been tried and failed before I got there and offered use of my jack. It did a fair amount of straightening and held the tie rod "up" in place while someone else pulled the tie rod forward with their winch. The XJ was able to drive home. There were no bad snap, crackle, or pop like sounds during all that but for some reason my jack will only screw down a couple of turns. Sometimes it takes some effort to go back up and sometimes it won't go down at all.

I'm pretty sure the round shaft always went half way up and then was followed the rest of the way by the hex tube and that is what I saw while the XJ guy used it. Today that hex tube just floats around and I can move it from all the way down to all the way up most of the time.
IMG_20211108_105318_hdr.jpgIMG_20211108_105323_hdr.jpgIMG_20211108_105343_hdr.jpg

Those pictures are in order. The hex didn't completely disappear until I let go of it.

I have searched several times how to fix it or at least find a drawing or pictures of what the parts inside look like so I can figure it out myself. I've seen nothing so far.

Anyone ever have this happen? Was my jack raised to high to begin with? Does anyone know how to fix it?
 
It's a screw jack, not a hydraulic, so it's pretty simple inside. You don't have it extended all the way up though, it goes higher. This is mine...

35OnOEjack.jpg
 
Your picture shows what I think my jack looked like when in use that day. I could be wrong about that and I'm not even sure how it actually looked when I took those pictures yesterday. Maybe my pictures are at an angle that just makes it look not all the way up, of course maybe it really isn't. I'll have to go out tomorrow to double check if it looks like yours. I'm guessing that what I see in your picture is pretty much a good 1/3 being the jack and a little under 1/3 for each of the other parts.
 
Anybody know a good hack on how to raise the jack- my original lug wrench is gone-
 
Anybody know a good hack on how to raise the jack- my original lug wrench is gone-

You'd be there all day trying to use a lug wrench. They come with the fold over twisty thing that also takes all day and removes precisely half the skin on your hands.

I pack a cordless drill with a flat screwdriver (handle broken off so it fits in the chuck). I use it on low speed to control it better as well as not drain the battery as quickly.
 
You'd be there all day trying to use a lug wrench. They come with the fold over twisty thing that also takes all day and removes precisely half the skin on your hands.

I pack a cordless drill with a flat screwdriver (handle broken off so it fits in the chuck). I use it on low speed to control it better as well as not drain the battery as quickly.
Thank you that is exactly what I was trying to figure out
 
You'd be there all day trying to use a lug wrench. They come with the fold over twisty thing that also takes all day and removes precisely half the skin on your hands.

I pack a cordless drill with a flat screwdriver (handle broken off so it fits in the chuck). I use it on low speed to control it better as well as not drain the battery as quickly.

Also consider a bit for your ratchet. Could grind it out of an old 3/8 extension. I don't pack a drill but even if I did I'd want to be able to use the jack with a dead battery.
 
Stick a 2x4 under it. ;) That's a good hack. It will raise it 1.5" or 3.5", depending on which way you turn the 2x4. :)
Thanks I’m just trying to figure out how to get it to raise up since I don’t have the tool

It looks like a fitting that goes in an impact With a grip that allows the shaft to spend would be great-Maybe I can get something off of a cheap drain auger or something and modify
 
Thanks I’m just trying to figure out how to get it to raise up since I don’t have the tool

It looks like a fitting that goes in an impact With a grip that allows the shaft to spend would be great-Maybe I can get something off of a cheap drain auger or something and modify
This might actually work with a modified end, or socket to fit the jack slot...

s-l300.jpg
 
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I've read several things on here (and maybe on other sites) about how great the original jacks are. I was happy to hear that after I noticed mine was still under the seat and maybe never used.

Of course I wanted to check how good it was and used it to lift (only one tire, I'm not crazy) while rotating my tires. I did lift considerably higher than my 31" tires needed and it worked perfectly.

Last month when off roading a XJ bent the hell out of it's tie rod. It was just a couple inches from the ground. Several attempts at straightening it out must have been tried and failed before I got there and offered use of my jack. It did a fair amount of straightening and held the tie rod "up" in place while someone else pulled the tie rod forward with their winch. The XJ was able to drive home. There were no bad snap, crackle, or pop like sounds during all that but for some reason my jack will only screw down a couple of turns. Sometimes it takes some effort to go back up and sometimes it won't go down at all.

I'm pretty sure the round shaft always went half way up and then was followed the rest of the way by the hex tube and that is what I saw while the XJ guy used it. Today that hex tube just floats around and I can move it from all the way down to all the way up most of the time.
View attachment 289388View attachment 289389View attachment 289390

Those pictures are in order. The hex didn't completely disappear until I let go of it.

I have searched several times how to fix it or at least find a drawing or pictures of what the parts inside look like so I can figure it out myself. I've seen nothing so far.

Anyone ever have this happen? Was my jack raised to high to begin with? Does anyone know how to fix it?
I've seen this happen a few times now. @taylormade73 - did you get yours fixed after Moab?
 
This might actually work with a modified end, or socket to fit the jack slot...

View attachment 289647
Looks good in theory but imagine trying to get under your Jeep and use it. I would use the original handle before that. The ratchet idea isn't bad for a back up. I prefer the drill simply because it's quick, light, and doesn't take up a lot of space. I always make sure it's charged before heading out but also have a back up plan in case it fails.
 
The update on my stock TJ jack. After looking for mechanical details about these jacks and not finding any specific information other than various opinions about whether they are the best jack since sliced bread or not. I did what I needed to do, I broke out the torch, heated and bent "up" three of the four corners that hold the bottom of the base on.

Early on I was getting clouds of black smoke but figured WTH, it doesn't work anyway so I wasn't going to stop. After bending the 3rd corner the bottom fell off and something else fell to the floor and disappeared under the workbench. Luckily I was able to dig through too much crap under there and found a somewhat warm and greasy metal disk.

Here's a picture of the jack apart after I cleaned it up:
IMG_20211113_120017.jpg


If I had to remove the saddle from the top of the ram/shaft/whatever, I would have but it turns out I didn't need to go that far. The torch would have been used for that removal and crimping it back together probably wouldn't have turned out well.

Anyway for some (still unknown) reason the larger thread was not moving in its hex nut. I tried a couple different ways to get it to turn but it wouldn't budge. Before breaking out the torch again and causing other potential problems I grabbed that larger thread in my vice, slid the jack body down until I had enough of the hex showing through the top that I could get a wrench on it. I ended up needing my 15" J.H. Williams Superjustable wrench, which is at least as old as I am. Picture because why not?
IMG_20211114_110941.jpg


It took as much torque as I could give in both directions to get it moving at all and I almost needed to add a pipe to the vice handle to keep it all from spinning. If you look real close in the first picture on a fairly large monitor you can see some dings in the threads. Somehow there were more than that on the other side. These are all from my vice. I filed them out of the way and after cleaning it up, both threaded parts seem to be working fine exactly how you see it, un-lubricated and still apart.

I did put it back together but just held the jack down instead of heating and bending up the corners of the bottom of the base. While doing that I twisted the small bevel gear which worked but seemed to make a tic tic tic sound. I'm hoping that was just because it hasn't been greased yet.

At this point I'm still wondering if it's even possible to crank the jack up with the stock handle until it gets stuck. I'd say the XJ guy that used it was in his early 20s and wasn't in the greatest shape physically but maybe being shorter than me and well over my 240lb weight may have given him enough strength for that.

I will post a final update after actually finishing it up and testing it a couple times. Probably some time this week if/when the weather gets a little warmer.
 
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Yeah, I've seen them and they aren't expensive. I may buy another one even if this one ends up being OK. Extras can never hurt.

Initially I was just wondering why mine got stuck and how they really work inside so I started this thread. Of course that wondering and this thread may also have caused what looks like, or really is, my obsession with them.
 
Yeah, I've seen them and they aren't expensive. I may buy another one even if this one ends up being OK. Extras can never hurt.

Initially I was just wondering why mine got stuck and how they really work inside so I started this thread. Of course that wondering and this thread may also have caused what looks like, or really is, my obsession with them.
Don't succumb to the wasteful mantra of 'throw it away and buy a new one'. Looks like you are doing a good job of repairing what will hopefully be a pefectly usable jack once you have finished.