Need a new jack

[Pete]

Hi. My Europa original jack died on me last night the bearings all came out. I had been using it to jack the front of the car because of its low profile I can get it right under to the t section of the chassis.
So I’m looking for a modern replacement?
What jacks do you guys use?

[jbcollier]

They are for light occasional use only, as you found out.  Any tool, auto parts supplier will have inexpensive scissor jacks that will do the job and last longer.

DO NOT GO UNDER ANY CAR SUPPORTED BY A JACK ALONE.

Sorry for yelling but I have gotten fond of you and would rather not write your (undoubtedly very) moving obit just yet.

[EuropaTC]

I use hydraulic trolley jacks, you can get low reach ones which easily get under the Europa, even if it's lowered a touch.  I can't recall if I bought mine from Costco or not, but it's a plain simple steel one, not the racey alloy ones you see.

I've also got a couple of cheap 2T Machine mart ones (£30 ?) that I've had for ages. They're fine on normal cars but a bit high for the Europa - I ended up lowering the platform by an inch or so to make fitting easier.

A google search for "low profile trolley jack" should bring you loads. For example

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/tjl2-2-tonne-low-profile-trolley-jack?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvYSEBhDjARIsAJMn0lhZKeBQdmjjazCwIz5ymZAjanQZZF7iUUSECFyI_OhzaZ8Kz2N7884aAvaVEALw_wcB

Brian

[Dilkris]

Low profile trolley jacks are great in the workshop - but where do you keep it in the car in case you  have a puncture Brian....??   

[jbcollier]

I modified an aluminium jack from a Porsche, weights next to nothing.  I added a pin to fit the spigot in the sill that S1s came with.

[MRN I J]

Is that one out of a 944 John ?

[surfguitar58]

I love the Porsche jack, looks really well made. I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those.

As far as floor jacks go, the cheap aluminum Harbor Fright 1.5 ton has worked great for me, and hard to beat at $80. Like all Harbor Fright products it is designed to fail unexpectedly when you most need it, so I would take John's advice and never crawl under something it is supporting. And it's a RACING jack, so you know it's fast! 

Tom

[jbcollier]

Pretty sure it was out of the water cooled series: 944,96x series, etc.

[EuropaTC]

Low profile trolley jacks are great in the workshop - but where do you keep it in the car in case you  have a puncture Brian....??   

Heck, do you mean that my sooper-dooper Lotus would have something so common as a puncture ?  nah, surely that's something you only get with normal cars.....   

Brian

(tin of squirty goo, tyre plug kit  (like with the modern Elise) and if that fails, the OEM jack with a space saver wheel.....)

[BDA]

Even with a space saver spare, if you don't run the stock size wheels would you have room for the flat tire? I decided I didn't so I got a repair kit and compressor - though I have a lot of interest in tire goo!

[EuropaTC]

Even with a space saver spare, if you don't run the stock size wheels would you have room for the flat tire?

Isn't that why we have a passenger seat ?

seriously, you're right. My rear wheels won't fit in the front or rear of the car so the space saver is the last resort. But faced with either leaving the car or a wheel by the roadside, it'd be the wheel.   

Brian

[Pete]

Lol. I always use jack stands.

I’ve just ordered one of these
https://www.eliseparts.com/shop/accessories/lightweight-racing-trolley-jack/

Hopefully that will do the job.

Drove the car for the first time tonight. Just forward and back. About 200 yards in total. Think a belt could of been slipping a bit. Or something just didn’t sound right. All be it I had never heard it driving before. So not got much to compare it too. Lol.

[Clifton]

For what it's worth. Early Nissan Q45's used aluminum scissor jacks too. I believe the 300ZX's (Z32's) but not 100% on those.

I use the Harbor Freight floor jacks too. I stick the aluminum one under the swaybar mount on the shock to jack it up enough to get my other higher lift floor jack under the "T".

[EuropaTC]

I’ve just ordered one of these
https://www.eliseparts.com/shop/accessories/lightweight-racing-trolley-jack/

oohhh that's fancy. A very nice piece of kit.

And congratulations on getting Roger's old car moving under it's own steam again. Here's to the next 500,000 miles......   

Brian

[Dilkris]

Picking up on JB's comment, it would appear that some Audi models also use a form of aluminum scissor jack - see the below. 

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/AUDI-UR-QUATTRO-TURBO-COUPE-QUATTRO-COUPE-80-90-ALLOY-JACK-8D0011031C-/303891874517?hash=item46c15e02d5