A trolley jack is largely considered as a low involvement purchase, in that, it’s a functional piece of equipment for most motor mechanics and hobbyists, and isn’t price the most important factor? Well, before you make your decision based purely on price, we have compiled some advice to help you make an informed decision about the right trolley jack for you. Choosing the right trolley jack should improve safety and productivity.

Here’s our advice for choosing the right trolley jack for your requirements:

What kind of vehicle are you lifting?

There are a wide range of different trolley jacks for specifically designed for the requirements certain vehicles, which are ideal for home use or hobbyist, heavy duty vehicles, motorbikes, mobile homes, racing cars etc. Or there are multipurpose trolley jacks which can cater to the requirements of a larger range of vehicles for ideal for car garages / MOT stations, which have a wider array of vehicles to consider. Firstly, understanding what you will be primarily lifting, will help you to limit down the options available to you.

The Bahco trolley jack range covers all vehicle requirements from lightweight 1 tonne versions, ideal for mobile usage, to multi-usage 3T trolley jacks, all the way up to a 10T heavy duty trolley jack for commercial vehicles, folk trucks, tractors etc.

What lifting capacity jack do you require?

One of the most important considerations when looking for the right trolley jack, is how much the jack can lift. Trolley jacks are rated to a certain weight and its important for your safety that you choose a jack which is fit for purpose. Again, the type of vehicle you are lifting will have an impact on which capacity jack you choose. If you are looking for a multipurpose jack its important to consider the extremities of what you lift. Traditionally car garages look for 2 Tonne jacks, but with the raise of SUVs and 4x4s a 3T version may be more appropriate for your needs.

The Bahco range starts at 1T and includes 1.5T, 2T, 3T, 5T and 10T versions, with various options within these capacities. In addition, they work on two cylinders, which improve safety as they only work for the right tonnage it is rated at.

What is your required entrance height?

This is more and more becoming an important decision when considering the right trolley jack for multipurpose use or specifically for low profile cars. For car garages, with a raise in the number of low profile cars, its important to have a jack with a low entrance height which can fit under a full range of car makes and models.

The Bahco range have various entrance heights starting at 70mm for the 1.5T jack, 90mm for the 3T jack up to 170mm for the 10T jack.

What is your required lifting height?

Also, something to consider it the maximum lifting height of the trolley jack, as this can vary from brand to brand. This may not seem as important but having a lifting height which enables you to easily and safely access the underneath of the car, specifically for those where multiple people are using the equipment, should be a consideration.

The Bahco trolley jacks range from a lifting height of 460mm-490mm up to 500mm-610mm depending upon the model.

Other considerations

Are you looking for a jack for mobile usage?

If you are looking for a trolley jack which will be transported and moved from location to location, you need to consider the weight of the trolley jack, and therefore the ability to use it in a mobile way. Trolley jacks made of aluminium provide a lighter alternative for mobile use.

In the Bahco range is a 1.5T and a 2T aluminium trolley jack perfect for mobile use.

Construction and attention to detail

It’s the little details sometimes that make the biggest differences, when using trolley jacks on a daily basis.

Considering details such as what material the jack wheels are made of, whilst this might not seem like a crucial decision, however, that’s not until you’ve bought a jack with limited protection on the wheels, which as you move it around the workshop it marks / scratches the workshop floor, or one which sends shivers down every technician in the garage as its screeches across the floor, you realise the importance of the material of the wheels.

The trolley jack range from Bahco are made from robust steel but are all covered with polyurethane, a protective rubber, which is silent when manovering and protects the workshop floor under extreme weight.

Not always detailed in product descriptions, however, a key feature to look for is the small details about the construction of trolley jacks specifically to prevent damage to the workshop floor or cars in the workshop. Specifically, the edges of the jack can be sharp or they can be curved.

The trolley jack range from Bahco have 6mm steel welded all around the frame with curved steel to prevent it cutting into the floor or scratching the underneath of a car.

The number of strokes it takes to reach the maximum lifting height is also a relatively minor decision, however it can make a big difference to technicians dealing with a high turnover of vehicles.

The Bahco BH13000QA is the newest 3T version of trolley jack from Bahco, which reaches a maximum lifting height in only 4-5 strokes.

Bahco Trolley Jack Range

Here are Straightset we have partnered with Bahco to bring their range of garage tools to the automotive market. As a helpful comparison guide to choosing the right Bahco trolley jack, below is an easy visual detailing the key differences between the Bahco trolley jacks.

You can view the full range here.

If you require any further help or advise on choosing the right trolley jack for you, you can contact our friendly sales teams on 01909 480055 or email us at info@straightset.co.uk. All the Bahco trolley jack product range can be bought online at www.straightset.co.uk/bahco, with free UK delivery.