When it comes to automobiles changing their wheel in case of emergency most people depend on a scissor jack or bottle jack. While the majority of the cars today come with a scissor jack and a spare tire, the safety of using a scissor jack is always debated.
Scissor jacks are also known by the name screw jack and as they could be collapsed and stored in the back along with the spare tire with ease. But, in terms of safety, scissor jacks are still a topic of ongoing debate.
While the design and structure of the scissor jack alone could make people doubt its integrity, no one could be blamed if they doubt the safety of using a scissor jack. However, scissor jacks are really safe to use?
As far as we know, all the jacks that are widely used around the world are safe to use. It is true even in the case of scissor jacks. It is very important to remember the fact that a jack could be dangerous because of two reasons, poor quality, and the user’s carelessness.
There is a diverse range of scissor jacks available on the market today, each of them could be the same or with different specifications. However, diversity is not always good, too much diversity could put a lot of substandard scissor jacks on the market. It is true, we personally know some models and brands that are too bad. Even if the design of the scissor jack is different from other jacks, they are safe for use if they are made of high-quality material.
At the same time, one of the reasons why scissor jack is considered to be unsafe by some people is just because of accidents that happen once in a while. Remember, if you consider the design of a scissor jack, there is a large difference in design. The surface area of the head that lifts the car is small, therefore, if the user does not use his/her brain to place a scissor jack properly and at the right spot, then, accidents are bound to happen. But, if you are careful and if you put your brain into it, scissor jacks are safe to use.
Apart from quality and user’s carelessness, some other factors commonly lead to accidents while using a scissor jack. While we are talking about the scissor jack, you need to follow the instructions listed below for maximum safety.
- Always block the automobile wheels before using the scissor jacks. One of the common accidents that happen while using a scissor jack is that the vehicle rolling away while trying to lift it. In most cases, such an issue could result in damage to the car and rare cases harm human lives. If you want to use the scissor jack most safely, you need to block the wheels first using a wooden block or a stone.
- Yet another thing that you need to do is to prevent parking the car on the slope. Even if you are planning on blocking the wheel of your car or automobile, you shouldn’t park the car at a slope while using a scissor jack or any type of jack.
- Do not try to use the scissor jack if the floor is not even. There are circumstances where some users try to use the scissor jack when the floor is either uneven or very rough. Remember, scissor jacks need to sit on the floor evenly while lifting the vehicle, if it is uneven, the jack could slip and the entire car might fall on your feet.
- Avoiding lifting the car maximum, it is true that a scissor jack could lift the car very high. However, for a wheel change, there is no need to lift the vehicle too much. If you lift the vehicle too much, the chances of an accident are more. Therefore, it always better to lift the vehicle based on the need. For a wheel change, too much height is not required.
Now, the most important thing that every scissor jack user should be aware of, there are different models of scissor jacks available, and each model might be designed to handle a specific weight only. This is why you mustn’t use the wrong scissor jack to lift your vehicle. Even while purchasing a scissor jack, check the maximum weight capacity and purchase accordingly.
If you follow the instruction and understand the facts listed above, then, it would be safe to use a scissor jack.