Idea for Floor Jack Saddle

[gerryvz]

For quite a long time now (many years), I have been using small squares of 2x4s on top of my floor jack saddles, to go between the lifting saddle of the jack, and the frame rail or rubber lifting point of the car.

The problem with this is that sooner or later, the square of 2x4 always cracks. It's frustrating (and potentially unsafe, if the 2x4 were to crack and break away from the jack or jack-stand while under the car).

Thinking more recently about what could be better than a 2x4, I came up with the idea of using a hockey puck (or two, stacked) on the jack saddle, rather than a piece of wood. I ordered a 3-pack of pucks from Amazon for $10.00, and will be testing them out in this capacity in the future.

Does anyone else have ideas about good cushion-y things to use on a jack saddle to help protect the bottom of the car?

Cheers,
Gerry

(not my car / jack)

 

[Glen]

Hockey pucks work very well. I've used them for years...

 

[JC220]

There are many fleabay vendors offering dedicated MB jack pads. Aka for larger 3 tonne Jacks. These sit inside the jack cup and have a square shoulder that locks into the later MB Jack points (NOT W124).



I havent got any of those yet maybe I will order a pair to see if they are any good.

I do use blocks of wood - I think that works AOK for me. Kind of like Miners use timber to support tunnels. One advantage is that if it is about to collapse the timber would be creaking and making noises. If the car wants to move or slide on the jack its likely you might hear the timber shifting VS a plastic material.

What I will say is be careful with a jack trying to slip and slide off the jack point. For this reason I use small wood blocks that sit inside the jack cup but the jack cup edges can still overlap the pad on the car. Using too thick of an intermediate packer could be dangerous if the jack doesn't have anything to stop it sliding too far.

 

[JC220]

This is what I mean - go to 5.50

 

[AMG5PT4]

Hockey pucks for me

 

[Bogeyman]

Uncle Kent to the rescue....

 

[luckymike]

I use 3/4" plywood pads. No splitting.

 

[alabbasi]

That's a great idea Gerry, you should patent it

 

[ace10]

Old hockey pucks usually available at ice rinks for a buck.

 

[vatc5637]

Old hockey pucks usually available at ice rinks for a buck.

Years ago I got a dozen used for $5 from a local used sports equipment store. They are practically indestructible, lost 2, using 2, still have 8 (somewhere).

 

[liviu165]

Hockey pucks are the best because they don't slip nor crack, but you got to be careful what kind of saddle you have on top of your jack. Based on your picture I would say that what you have is a cup-style and IMO that is not the best. I have been avoiding them since I bought the W/C126.

The jack I am using is this one: 3 Ton Long Reach Low Profile Professional Rapid Pump® Floor Jack - Orange . It has a flat surface with rubber pad. I bought this model because of the big raise height and the saddle type.

As you can see the puck fits right on and I have been using this setup for three years now with no incidents or any regrets. The puck holds up pretty well too.

 

[socal210]

I've been thinking about using a product like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Jack-Pads-Slotted-Standard-Size/dp/B07MJG4CBH/

Specifically made for jacking up cars. I need something that gives an inch or two between the jack and the car since my skirts hang low and have cracked before in the past by not using anything in between the jack and the car. I have considered stacking two hockey pucks but have concerns of them slipping. Has anyone had success with stacked hockey pucks?

 

[Jlaa]

For quite a long time now (many years), I have been using small squares of 2x4s on top of my floor jack saddles, to go between the lifting saddle of the jack, and the frame rail or rubber lifting point of the car.

The problem with this is that sooner or later, the square of 2x4 always cracks. It's frustrating (and potentially unsafe, if the 2x4 were to crack and break away from the jack or jack-stand while under the car).

I do use blocks of wood - I think that works AOK for me. Kind of like Miners use timber to support tunnels. One advantage is that if it is about to collapse the timber would be creaking and making noises. If the car wants to move or slide on the jack its likely you might hear the timber shifting VS a plastic material.

I usually have the opposite problem (not enough clearance for the jack). I used a hockey puck in years past when I was living in Chicago but that whole setup with the cup style jack that @liviu165 is unfond of was lost when I moved. Douglas Fir 2x4s have really coarse grain and are pretty soft and will therefore crack.. ... These days if I want something between the jack saddle and the car, I use scrap Ipe wood. Ipe is some tough-ass wood, and it ain’t ever gonna crack. It is called iron wood for a reason! You can’t even drive screws through a 1x4 with an impact! You gotta pre drill all holes. If you want free and tough, scrap ipe is the way to go.

 

[gerryvz]

Hockey pucks are the best because they don't slip nor crack, but you got to be careful what kind of saddle you have on top of your jack. Based on your picture I would say that what you have is a cup-style and IMO that is not the best. I have been avoiding them since I bought the W/C126.

The jack I am using is this one: 3 Ton Long Reach Low Profile Professional Rapid Pump® Floor Jack - Orange . It has a flat surface with rubber pad. I bought this model because of the big raise height and the saddle type.

As you can see the puck fits right on and I have been using this setup for three years now with no incidents or any regrets. The puck holds up pretty well too.

View attachment 114767View attachment 114768

As indicated in the original post, that is NOT my Jack. That is a photo illustration of a BMW to show conceptually what I was talking about.

My Jack has a large, flat, round saddle, NOT a cupped saddle. The large flat saddle provides a strong and stable base for a hockey puck.

 

[liviu165]

Sorry for not reading the fine print above the picture. I am used to have all the details mentioned in the text, not above a picture. I will be more careful from now on to read everything since this appears to have caused a problem.

 

[gerryvz]

No worries, I just wanted to clarify. Those "cup" jacks look very dangerous to me. I probably should just have posted a pic of a puck on my own jack.

 

[vatc5637]

I've been thinking about using a product like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Jack-Pads-Slotted-Standard-Size/dp/B07MJG4CBH/

Specifically made for jacking up cars. I need something that gives an inch or two between the jack and the car since my skirts hang low and have cracked before in the past by not using anything in between the jack and the car. I have considered stacking two hockey pucks but have concerns of them slipping. Has anyone had success with stacked hockey pucks?

View attachment 114769

I've got 2 of these which I use on my vehicles (Toyota and Acura) which have a pinch weld running through the jacking area as opposed to a flat surface. Their OE jacks have a slot in surface of the jack into which the pinch weld sits. I've never needed to double up on hockey pucks, but would only do so if I were lifting the vehicle straight up on a level surface with little probability of any lateral slippage or movement. And even if that were the case, I would never get underneath the vehicle.

 

[Allgonquin]

Have used hockey pucks for years also.