Bottle Jack vs Floor Jack - The Differences You Should Know
Vehicle jacks manufacturing companies are making different types of jacks for different uses. Every car owner must have this fantastic tool. From changing the wheel of your vehicle to moving it for repair, it is of great help. Bottle and floor jacks are the most common and popular ones right now. Understanding the bottle jack vs floor jack - the differences you should know can prove to be a great help. You will be able to buy the right one that fulfils your vehicle needs.
Bottle Jack vs Floor Jack - The Comparison
Here we will compare bottle jacks vs floor jack for you to easily purchase the right one.
Bottle Jack
A bottle jack is one kind of hydraulic jack with a vertical structure. The shape of this jack resembles its name, but do you know how we can make use of it? It is a hydraulic jack, but what does it do?
Well, by definition, the bottle jack is made for carrying heavy loads or vehicles. A hydraulic cylinder is the central part of this jack, so the bottle jack is also known as a hydraulic car jack. Now we will learn about its working principle, uses, and advantages/disadvantages.
Working Principle
The bottle jack consists of a piston-cylinder and an oil storage system. These are the two main parts of it based on which it operates. The pumping handle of the car bottle jack is of great use when you need to draw out the oil from the oil reservoir. This is done during the upstroke, while with a downstroke, this oil is taken into the piston cylinder.
Now, when the compression of oil is complete in the cylinder, its rod moves upwards. As the pumping handle keeps on moving, the piston rod also continuously moves in the upward direction. This rod should be present in the stable section of the vehicle. This is because when it moves in the upward direction, the top of will move as well.
How to use a bottle jack?
You must know the use of a bottle jack. It can prove to be a great option for you in many difficult situations. Due to its innovative working principle, and amazing design, it can carry heavy vehicles. We can easily move the heavy loads with it that are usually not possible to lift with other jacks.
Other than just lifting them, they can also hold them higher for people to work easily under them. This feature is mainly because it starts at a good height that gives a good margin to the jack to lift the vehicle even higher.
The bottle jack is a portable car jack that comes with lifting pads as well. Other than this, the structure of the bottle jack is composed and horizontal. Some people might think that it is a disadvantage, but it is rather an advantage. The bottle jack can fit easily into small corners and spaces due to this type of structure which is great. There is a mini bottle jack that is even easier to adjust in such places.
On the price spectrum of jacks, this one is at the lowest end. The price is so cheap that anyone can buy it with a small budget limit. It is, therefore, quite affordable for many consumers.
Pros
● Very compact device.
● Easily lifts heavy vehicles.
● Reliable and strong.
● Cost-effective and affordable.
Cons
● Not good for use under lower vehicles.
● There is always a chance of slippage.
Floor Jack
A floor jack is also another type of hydraulic jack. However, its construction is quite different from the bottle jack. It has a very low center of gravity in comparison to bottle jack. Also, unlike the bottle jack, its structure is horizontal rather than vertical.
Working Principle
While Understanding the bottle jack vs floor jack-the differences you should know, this information will be of great help. A floor jack is similar to a bottle jack in basic working. The only difference is that the position is parallel to the ground. Also, it has an external movement system. There is an innovative addition of linkages in it that throw the lifting handle in the forward direction.
This movement then allows the top section of this handle to push in the upward direction. This is done so that the saddle or lifting pad may also go in a similar direction. This is how simply such horizontal jacks work, but for those who are using it for the right thing. It is the better portable car jack in all aspects, so we recommend you to buy it
How to use a floor jack?
It is very important to understand the use of a floor jack. Their use is similar to bottle jack with the difference that they can slide under low vehicles. Unlike the bottle jacks, the use of floor jack is extremely easy. It has casters and wheels that make the movement of the vehicle quite comfortable. You can change flat tire with this jack easily.
Other than easily rolling around, they lock in the right position with great ease as well. The extra length of its handles gives a mechanical advantage to the user. This use is not found in bottle jacks. Lastly, the lifting pads are much larger than bottle jacks that allow stable contact between vehicle and jack. This is how it reduces the chances of slip. Also, the user is prevented from getting unnecessary injuries during work. Here are a few pros and cons that will further explain the comparison of floor jack vs bottle jack.
Pros
● Easy to handle and operate.
● Heavier than a bottle jack.
● No chances of slippage and lowering is hassle free.
● Unique and innovative construct.
Cons
● More expensive than a bottle jack.
● Do not lift the vehicle as high as the bottle jack.
Conclusion
The above explanation about bottle jack vs floor jack-the differences, must beneficial for you. It is quite clear that you should buy the bottle jack for an emergency. While for regular maintenance of the vehicle at home, a portable floor jack would do a great job for you. Both have their pros and cons in different situations. So, knowing the differences will help you choose between them wisely.
