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Jack for an Autotrail Dakota


martin h

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We only discover at the weekend (due to a nail in the tyre) that our 2006 Autotrail Dakota does not have a jack. We were assured at the handover that there was a spare tyre (there was I found out on yesterday), a jack and a wheel brace. I will be contacting the dealer but assuming they don’t want to know as handover was 10 months ago, please can anyone suggest the best jack to buy please? Thanks in advance.
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The original Fiat jack is hardly up to the task of hoisting the back end of a big van like yours so I would consider some sort of hydraulic jack with at least two tonnes capacity. If you have the space to carry it a trolley jack is ideal as it has a wide footprint and is less inclined to topple than others. However there are issues with lift range on a coachbuilt because in general lifting under the axle or suspension does not leave enough clearance to get the wheel out of the wheel arch and lifting onto the chassis jacking point can need more lift than the jack can provide. I alsocarry a couple of wooden blocks to chock the opposite wheel to the one being jacked as a three and a half tonne van on three wheels and a fully extended jack never seems all that stable to me!
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Have a look at your breakdown insurance, if you have any, and there might be a bit for punctures. With carrying a spare wheel the insurance will sometimes cover you for turning out a tyre company to change it for you. If you don't have a spare they may turn out the tyre firm with a spare tyre but you will have to pay for it. Or they may not provide cover for vehicles without a spare wheel.

 

I am of the opinion that it's safer to let them do it with their specialist equipment than have a go yourself anyway.

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I brought one of these air jacks from e bay

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-IT-RECOVERY-PRODUCTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

After my van nearly toppled off the scissor jack provided

It will lift the van easily (can lift up to 4 tones)

It can be inflated via the exhaust

I have tried it out by blowing it up with my tyre inflator takes about about 5 minutes as my exhaust has one of those deflectors on the end

 

The benefits are that it is relatively light to carry & can be blow up on almost any surface sand /grass /shingle etc (the chances are that you won’t always get a puncture on a flat concrete road normally you will be perched at the verge at an angle where the bag comes into its own and will inflate perfectly)

 

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Andrew&Jo - 2010-01-19 6:03 PM

 

I brought one of these air jacks from e bay

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-IT-RECOVERY-PRODUCTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

After my van nearly toppled off the scissor jack provided

It will lift the van easily (can lift up to 4 tones)

It can be inflated via the exhaust

I have tried it out by blowing it up with my tyre inflator takes about about 5 minutes as my exhaust has one of those deflectors on the end

 

The benefits are that it is relatively light to carry & can be blow up on almost any surface sand /grass /shingle etc (the chances are that you won’t always get a puncture on a flat concrete road normally you will be perched at the verge at an angle where the bag comes into its own and will inflate perfectly)

 

Thanks, is this what you mean please?

 

4 TON EXHAUST AIR JACK 4x4 off road land range rover ?

 

Thanks to all the replies.

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Andrew&Jo - 2010-01-19 6:03 PM

 

I brought one of these air jacks from e bay

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-IT-RECOVERY-PRODUCTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

After my van nearly toppled off the scissor jack provided

It will lift the van easily (can lift up to 4 tones)

It can be inflated via the exhaust

I have tried it out by blowing it up with my tyre inflator takes about about 5 minutes as my exhaust has one of those deflectors on the end

 

The benefits are that it is relatively light to carry & can be blow up on almost any surface sand /grass /shingle etc (the chances are that you won’t always get a puncture on a flat concrete road normally you will be perched at the verge at an angle where the bag comes into its own and will inflate perfectly)

Have you used it yet? I was going to buy one of them but found out that they are no longer available. Why?, could it be that someone has had the misfortune to have it suddenly deflate as it got punctured on a chassis protrusion. I wouldn't climb under a vehicle supported by a bag of wind now. So I bought a 10 Ton bottle jack and carry a piece of timber to put it on if the ground is soft.
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Andrew&Jo - 2010-01-19 6:03 PM

 

I brought one of these air jacks from e bay

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-IT-RECOVERY-PRODUCTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

After my van nearly toppled off the scissor jack provided

It will lift the van easily (can lift up to 4 tones)

It can be inflated via the exhaust

I have tried it out by blowing it up with my tyre inflator takes about about 5 minutes as my exhaust has one of those deflectors on the end

 

The benefits are that it is relatively light to carry & can be blow up on almost any surface sand /grass /shingle etc (the chances are that you won’t always get a puncture on a flat concrete road normally you will be perched at the verge at an angle where the bag comes into its own and will inflate perfectly)

 

I have had one for years always carry some old rubber car mats and 2 carpet squares 1 for under the air bag and 1 for over the air bag.

 

They work far better from the exhaust remember to put the air bag in a bin liner if you use it then leave outside for fumes to disperse.

 

 

Never go under any jacked up vehicle without stands or some form of support in place

 

Alf

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I use a Draper 6 ton bottle jack on my 4500kg tag axle; but you must also carry a couple of axle stands and wooden blocks because you may not be able to get enough height to line up the inflated spare with the studs, especially on the front wheels when the suspension arms drop.

 

Extend the jack to its full height, place axle stands under chassis or front suspension, lower jack, put wooden block under jack, then raise the van sufficiently to insert studs into spare. I changed a wheel in Spain last with this set up in 30 minutes. See here http://www.atsite.co.uk/p-11046-draper-6-tonne-hydraulic-bottle-jack.aspx?affiliateID=10050

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Andrew&Jo - 2010-01-19 6:03 PM

 

I brought one of these air jacks from e bay

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-IT-RECOVERY-PRODUCTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

After my van nearly toppled off the scissor jack provided

It will lift the van easily (can lift up to 4 tones)

It can be inflated via the exhaust

I have tried it out by blowing it up with my tyre inflator takes about about 5 minutes as my exhaust has one of those deflectors on the end

 

The benefits are that it is relatively light to carry & can be blow up on almost any surface sand /grass /shingle etc (the chances are that you won’t always get a puncture on a flat concrete road normally you will be perched at the verge at an angle where the bag comes into its own and will inflate perfectly)

 

 

Yes I have tried & tested it

As I stated I used the 12 volt car pump

When you want to let it down you just let the air out slowly via the non return valve on the bag

 

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Problem with the air bag jack is it is no use for those with coachbuilts with flimsy skirts all around the sides and rear. Might work fine for front wheels as placed under sills below door, but I cannot see it working for rear unless you have a van conversion Motorhome.

Jon.

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I keep an air bag jack in the motorhome.  We used to use the low pressure airbags in the Fire Service some years ago. They were replaced with high pressure airbags.....not such a high lift though.

The one thing we always did, when using the low pressure airbags on road accidents,  was always chocked the wheels. The vehicle can 'roll' off the airbag....I've seen it happen on the drillyard. I would never get underneath a vehicle only supported by an air jack.

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