Should you carry any tire jack(s) in your car? If so which one(s)?

Dear V-8 Buick "dreading a flat" tire types, . . .

The time finally came for me clean out the spare tire well of my trusty 1965 Buick Special wagon and while I was doing that I came across the replacement tire jack that the car got in 1986. That year the car was stolen by some drug addicts and when we got her back she had been stripped of most of everything including the Buick mechanical jack. The jack I've got definitely doesn't look like it will grab on the bumper properly, so if I really need to use that jack I'll need to find a Buick factory one.

I'm a bit tempted to try to locate one because when my Dad and I did work on a wheel we would use the factory jack to raise the car a bit so we could get a bottle jack into place to lift the wheel. Of course a modern floor jack would be a better choice, but I don't have a lot of space in the spare tire well. This is a case when having a wagon is a liability. There is this 2 year old V-8 Buick thread with some suggestions:

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?275464-Jack-to-carry-in-trunk-of-car&highlight=tire+jack

There is another issue I'm wondering about. I finally knuckled under and have Hagerty's insurance with classic car roadside assistance. Since I'm paying for that, does it make any sense to carry anything more than the correctly sized spare? If I can call to have a tow truck come to my rescue, doesn't it make more sense to do that than put myself at some danger (nevermind the car) trying to change the tire myself out in the middle of nowhere?

Opinions solicited!

Cheers, Edouard

 

I agree. Some of our cars have spares and jacks, a few do not. All have Hagerty towing. That's what I'll use.

 

Like Walt's scheme of more modern jack (Re: Should you carry jack(s) in your car?)

Dear Larry, Jerrry, and V-8 Buick do-it-yourself mechanics . . .

. . . So why didn't you tell my Dad that back then! . . . (more years ago than I care to admit!!) . . .

I think it is a good idea to have one of those and yes I found the one we bought back in the 1970s still in the tire well. Sadly it looks a little too beaten up to continue using it. Still, I'll probably buy a replacement because of its versatility.

However, it is tricky to get into position. I like the idea that Walt proposed on that 2013 thread. The more modern car jacks are much safer and they are compact enough to fit in the spare tire well. I made a search for a universal model that would fall into the pitfalls of expecting receiver points on the car. I didn't find anything, but I didn't have much time to look, I'll keep looking.

I agree that if the situation looks at all dangerous I would punt and ask for help. These days being stuck on the road is potentially extremely dangerous, so one should be really cautious to attempt to change a tire. On the other hand, you might manage to reach a really safe spot. If you could do that, I'm sure you would feel extremely stupid waiting for the tow truck when you could have done it yourself.

Thanks for the advice! :TU:

Cheers, Edouard :beer

 

I carry a bottle jack in case of a mechanical repair need. The factory jacks are always with the cars as well but I would never put one on the bumper of any of the show cars plus I would not put the unused spares on the road. - AAA

 

I would definitely keep some sort of jack in the car even with AAA or Hagerty. You could get into a place that doesn't have cell phone coverage and can't contact tow service. I like the idea of a floor jack in a case that was mentioned. The ones I have seen are pretty compact. I realize it is easier to carry in a trunk than a spare tire well in a wagon, but a jack is a must!

 

I have the factory jack and lug wrench in the Riv. I've never had to use it and would pad the contact points very well if I ever had to. Only had a flat once and that was when I blew out a rear tire on the chassis dyno. In that incident they had a floor jack and we put my spare on.

 

I carry the small floor jack when I go on big trips anywhere, no matter which car. I also carry a jack stand too since it's a hydraulic jack. You could easily get away with using a modern scissor or bottle jack from a newer vehicle. Since they are mechanical and not hydraulic, less need for a jack stand. I recommend one from an SUV or truck as the new jacks seem limited on height and new cars just seem to sit lower.

I do still carry the bumper jack for my Skylark and test it out bi-annually. I don't like it much but it certainly would work in a pinch if my floor jack quit. My Skylark though has the giant, heavy duty, late-1970's bumpers that are of much more substantial construction than anything in the 1960's, so I'm not concerned about tweaking it. The rubber inserts on the jack are still in good condition too.

 

Here's a thought--I presume you want whatever you carry to be out of sight? Why not build or buy a box that will hold a bottle or floor jack, a stand, and a few other 'road tools' and then paint, upholster, or carpet the box so it looks like a factory accessory? Or use something vintage like a suitcase, cooler, or small trunk?
Patrick

 

Thansk guys! Pondering mix. (Re: Should you carry any tire jack(s) in your car?)

Dear My3Buicks, Michael, Briz, Randal, Patricks, and V-8 Buick "take all reasonable precautions" types,

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'm trying to decide on the best mix to be reasonably safe.

I was wondering if there is an "off-road" floor jack produced specifically to cope with uneven surfaces that you might find in the outdoors. I would expect that a lot of guys would have the same instincts you have, so there would be a market for such a jack if it was well-designed and compact. I didn't find it yesterday, but I didn't have much time to look.

I'm still wondering if I shouldn't try to find an original 1965 Buick jack in decent condition. The way the spare tire well is organized I can carry this jack without losing any space. When my Dad and I used that jack we could very carefully wrap the bumper with some heavy-duty cloth and we never damaged the bumper. Even if I never use it, it seems like something worth having for that unexpected need.

Actually there is no need for that and it would defeat the purpose of having a wagon. There is a lot more space in the spare tire well than you would expect. I was looking forward to cleaning it out because I expected to find a treasure trove of old memories. Instead it was empty because we never restocked it after the car was stolen. In the old days there were spark plugs, tools, belts, spare oil, etc., etc., etc.!

Thanks again guys!

Cheers, Edouard :beer

 

Those old bumper jack (especially prior to the ones with the slot cut in the bumper) are dangerous to use along the road, you have to jack the car up to about heaven to get the wheel off the ground, by then the jack is leaning because you are on an uneven berm. Also, it's not just the marking of the bumper that can happen, if you watch when you jack a car up with an original type jack, the bumper tends to push closer to the body and can cause damage, especially with bumpers with tight clearance. If you ever do need to use one along the road, put the spare under the car until you have the wheel off and then switch, it will at least give you a little safety if it falls. I would have to be very desperate to use the original jack in a car prior to the slot in the bumper type, and even they are not as safe as the later type that lifts the frame/unibody.

 

I've got a factory GM scissors jack in the trunk of my '71 Riv. It's from a later model (1990-2005) half-ton Chev PU. A 3/4 PU jack is even stouter. Got it from a local salvage yard for peanuts. Take a walk among the lines of vehicles, many to choose from; mine appears to have never been used. Compact, sturdy, easy to operate, larger ground contact area than a bottle jack, and came with a matching, handy-dandy factory tool kit in a case. Perfect.

 

Excellent idea

 

Lulling your enemy into da' trap!! (Re: Tire jack(s) in your car?)

Dear My3Buicks, Steve, and V-8 Buick "military tacticians against Murphy's law!" :laugh:

Yes using those jacks by themselves was dangerous. My Dad realized this immediately so we had a small bottle jack that would do the final lifting of the wheel. Unfortunately, it was impossible to get the bottle jack under the wheel without first raising the car a little. That's why I have a bit of temptation to get my hands on an original Buick jack. There is also the sentimental value. My trusty wagon hasn't had a factory jack since 1986. At 51+ years, perhaps she deserves getting one back - especially since it won't cost me (or her) any space.

I was hoping to find something "mor' bettr'" in an aftermarket jack. However, as you point out, perhaps the market is so glutted with jacks like this that no one will paid for a manufactured jack. Unfortunately, the yuppies have chased the salvage yards hundreds of miles from where I live. I just might have to make such a pilgrimage to grab one of these jacks.

I definitely don't want to be with just one jack. So the question is what sort of combination would be satisfactory.

Thanks for your feedback!

Cheers, Edouard