Powerbuilt 3-Ton All-in-One Jack Failure

[Country Campers]

This jack is nice but,,,,

I purchased 4 of these a couple years ago because well Rob , Cate&Rob has them . They are a nice jack and pretty well built. I have used them on the RV when I purchased new tires and did the brakes at the same time. I have used them for other projects around the shop and they are handy. However, I have one that seeps oil out the top under load. When I removed them after the tire/brake service there was an oil stain on the floor and the bottom plate on the jack was wet from oil. I purchased these off of Amazon and reached out to the Powerbuilt warranty number and have never received any info or return calls , emails to rectify the situation. I have tried to find the leak but with no luck. The jack functions fine and I use the jack stand part to lock in place for safety.
I recommend that anyone that purchases these use them quick so that if there is an issue you can return it to Amazon and let them deal with it.

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

Country Campers Yoda

Now you guys have me wondering . . . my trailer has been sitting on four of these jacks since last Fall. (I have used these same four combination jacks for several years) There are no visible oil leaks . . . but, I am now thinking that I may not get the trailer down off the jacks .

Rob

[Yoda]

Country Campers Yoda

Now you guys have me wondering . . . my trailer has been sitting on four of these jacks since last Fall. (I have used these same four combination jacks for several years) There are no visible oil leaks . . . but, I am now thinking that I may not get the trailer down off the jacks .

Rob

Don't worry - you will be fine. The stand has taken the load, so the jack is sitting idle. Mine is probably just a fluke and I was jacking against the frame - more load than the axle. Mine did not leak though so it is probably and internal o-ring. Some day Ill take it apart and see. I have several set of o-rings around here.

If not do you have a plasma cutter and a big hammer handy.

Actually if there is an issue all you need to do is get the jack stand to unlock and you can do that with another jack against it, or under the wheel - but you know that.

Let us know how it goes.
Keith

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda
Hi Keith,

This might just be some contamination on the release valve seat, preventing the valve from closing completely. Open the valve a full turn and compress the jack as quickly as possible (the intent being to flush the valve seat. Then, close the valve firmly. Might require a wrench rather than the straight jack handle.

My trailer has been sitting on four of these stands throughout the entire winter . . . so, you have me (moderately) concerned . . .

Rob

Update on my axle jacks . . . I (finally!) got the trailer down off its four storage jacks. (It has been on these stands since last October . . . 10 months . . . thanks to COVID restrictions and the ongoing US/Canada border closure.)

All four hydraulic jacks worked fine, even lowering them past the heavy rust on the exposed piston. (Note to self . . . put some grease on this exposed bare metal, next time.) Emery cloth and elbow grease working down from 200 to 400 to 600 grit seems to have restored smooth operation though the entire range. Jack on the right side had been cleaned up when the picture was taken.

Rob

[Jlawles2]

Cate&Rob Rob, when you know you are going to be doing long term storage, would it be possible to remove the allen bolt on top and retract the jack?

[Cate&Rob]

Cate&Rob Rob, when you know you are going to be doing long term storage, would it be possible to remove the allen bolt on top and retract the jack?

Hi Joseph,

We do tend to think alike. It also occured to me that the allen bolt could be replaced with a headless bolt which would locate the two parts of the jack when lifting (just as the bolt does), but allow the hydraulic side to be retracted once the pawls on the other side were engaged and holding the weight.

Rob

[Yoda]

Update on my axle jacks . . . I (finally!) got the trailer down off its four storage jacks. (It has been on these stands since last October . . . 10 months . . . thanks to COVID restrictions and the ongoing US/Canada border closure.)

All four hydraulic jacks worked fine, even lowering them past the heavy rust on the exposed piston. (Note to self . . . put some grease on this exposed bare metal, next time.) Emery cloth and elbow grease working down from 200 to 400 to 600 grit seems to have restored smooth operation though the entire range. Jack on the right side had been cleaned up when the picture was taken.

Rob

Glad to see it all worked out. And you know now that you did that they will closed the border again (hope not). I have had good luck with using rust converter, letting it cure and dry for a day, and then sanding. I use past wax on my saw table to prevent rusting, so once clean, maybe give them a wipe down with that.

I had a chance to use the faulty jack when my wheel bearings were repacked and it seemed to do fine, but I was jacking just the axle on the U-bolts this time (using a big wood block) and not the frame. Maybe I had it overloaded.

Keith