How to Fill Hydraulic Bottle Jacks
A hydraulic bottle jack gets its name from its unique upright shape. Bottle jacks come in many sizes and can lift loads anywhere from 2 to 20 tons. A bottle jack has many uses, but is primarily used for lifting vehicles to gain access to the undercarriage. A handle is inserted into the jack and pumped in an up-and-down motion causing the jack piston and saddle (or pad) to rise. The jack is lowered by opening the release valve. If your bottle jack has poor lifting performance or if the piston will not extend fully, the jack's hydraulic fluid may need topping off.
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Instructions
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1
Place the jack upright on a level surface.
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2
Turn the release valve located at the base of the jack in a counterclockwise direction using the end of the jack handle.
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3
Fully depress the jack saddle and piston assembly by pushing on the saddle with the heal of your hand.
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4
Remove the rubber oil-filler plug on the side of the jack cylinder by prying it out carefully with a flat-blade screwdriver.
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5
Fill the jack with a good grade of hydraulic fluid through the oil-filler hole until the fluid reaches the bottom of the hole.
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6
Push the oil-filler plug back into the oil-filler hole until the groove in the plug seats into place.
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7
Use a rag and wipe any spilled oil off of the jack cylinder.
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Tips & Warnings
For optimum performance replace the hydraulic fluid in your jack once a year.
Always add fluid to the jack while it is standing upright to avoid over filling.
Use a hydraulic jack to lift, but not sustain loads. Use jack stands to support the load after it has been lifted.
