electric hydraulic lifts to change tires

[Rick1949]

I have a 98 Born Free rv and was wondering if there are any electric lifts that could help me change a tire, along with a 3/4 pneumatic wrench.

[LittleBill]

wow lot of couch experts here, i have the 40t AOH jack, it has been used by by 1 horse HF compressor, and it lifts it just fine, i think it will start working around 65 psi, i have literally lifted close to 15 tons with it already.

OP realize, these jacks are extremely heavy though and do use a bit of air to run

[subcamper]

I have an 8 gallon, 2hp (optimistic rating) HF air compressor. It will allow me to remove one tire (5 lugs) with a 1/2" impact wrench before the compressor starts up again. Then I have to wait about 2 minutes for it to pump up the tank again.

DO NOT buy a cheap impact wrench. I started with a HF cheapie and it does little more than use air and generate noise. A good brand like Ingersoll-Rand should work for you in a 1/2" size. A 3/4" impact wrench is pretty hefty and will use a lot more air.

Since you mentioned using a 4.0 generator (4KW I assume)and allude to changing a flat on the road, I would get the air jack and use an electric impact wrench (as someone previously suggested). Why lug around a generator and a big compressor? The genny can run the electric impact wrench and the small pancake compressor should run the air jack.

Still, I always take a long breaker bar and a 3' pipe that fits over the bar just in case a garage put the lugs on too tight and there is some corrosion (lug-to-wheel usually is the problem).

Steve

[Rick1949]

So a larger compressor works better. Thanks. Sure would be nice to not have to call and wait for help! I assume there is an optimum size air wrench and compressor. Anyone like to weigh in on that? Will deep cell batteries or a 4.0 generator power these tools?

[j-d]

^^^ pretty much what I was thinking ^^^

My guess is my 100-PSI "1-HP" HF pancake "would" lift a corner of our Class C with a 12-ton air jack. Just not a fast lift, and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't lift "12-tons" with only 100-PSI. No matter how long I waited. Still, 12-tons is a right at the weight of TWO Class C's and the jack has to lift only one corner of one.

Getting enough compressor to run a 3/4" air impact is another matter. THAT compressor would have to be SERIOUS. It'd handle the air jack with ease.

[subcamper]

The reason there is no CFM rating is that air jacks don't "use" air.

Air tools usually have some sort of turbine that air flowing spins. The used air is then exhausted out of the tool. If you don't have a minimum continuous CFM, the tool will operate for a short time and then slow down and eventually stop. You will then need to wait for the compressor to rebuild tank pressure.

Air jacks have a sealed chamber that traps the compressed air until you release it (when you lower the jack).

Any compressor that can reach the rated pressure of the jack will work. The question is how long will it take the compressor to reach the required pressure under load? The stronger compressors will raise the jack faster.

Steve

[j-d]

Wish I knew which compressors would run the jack. Looked for the air demand on the jack and all HF showed was pressure. No CFM. Looked at the 20-ton TrackRig linked and only a PSI again, no CFM...

Recently needed to do some air chisel work and tried my HF Pancake, the $59 one, and it got the job done handily. I've used a 3/8" "butterfly" impact with it and had good results, but I'm sure a 1/2" impact would fail. Also, it's only 100 PSI.

The impact I pictured is 120VAC Plug-In Electric. I have one and it works well on E450 lug nuts. Has to be used with a deep impact socket. Standard socket doesn't let the tool stay lined up with the studs because of the rear hubs. An extension dissipates some of the wrench's torque.

[Gdetrailer]

j-d wrote:
From Harbor Fright, you can get an air-over-hydraulic jack

that will run off your tire-inflating air compressor at 110-120 PSI.

While your campground pedestal or onboard genset is supplying the compressor, it can let you also use a 120 volt impact wrench


HF doesn't sell the 7/8" deep impact socket you need for E-Series wheels. I ordered mine from Amazon.

I doubt that EITHER items will be "usable" with a 12V powered compressor or even a small "pancake" 120V compressor with a small tank..

HF doesn't give CFMs for the jack but I suspect it will NEED more CFMs than most small compressors will be able to supply..

The air impact is a definite no way, not gonna happen at all with any small compressors.. It will need a compressor that can supply 110 psi- 120 psi at a min of 7 CFM, MORE CFM capacity is better..

I have a 4 cylinder Emglow compressor with a 5 HP electric motor which can deliver 20 CFM and a bit higher and using a 1/2" air impact makes it run a lot..

[j-d]

From Harbor Fright, you can get an air-over-hydraulic jack

that will run off your tire-inflating air compressor at 110-120 PSI.

While your campground pedestal or onboard genset is supplying the compressor, it can let you also use a 120 volt impact wrench


HF doesn't sell the 7/8" deep impact socket you need for E-Series wheels. I ordered mine from Amazon.

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

Born Free is built on the E-450 chassis last time that I saw one, and that is only 9/16" studs that take about 150 foot pounds of torque, not much for a modern electric battery powered impact wrench to handle, no need for anything larger!

I always use the stabilizer jacks to raise and level my RV when I needed to change a tire on the side of the interstate. I also used them when changing the brake pads and rotating the tires. Just use the jacks to do a normal 'level' and not to raise the axles. You are transferring about 2,000 pounds to each jack to make jacking up the axle easy. Then should a hydraulic line leak, or someone push the retract button, or something else go wrong, the full weight is still supported by my 4 ton bottle jack, not the leveling system.

I use a 4 ton jack because a 6 ton jack required to many strokes of the handle to lift the axle by 2". 3 ton takes to much pressure to move the handle, and is not really rated for my rear axle max weight of 6,000 pounds per side.

I still use the 18" long breaker bar, and 6" long extension required for the dual rear wheels. Make sure that you loosen the lug nuts about 1/2 turn before lifting the vehicle, or the tire might spin on you. Also my Ford has a emergency brake on the rear of the transmission, so once one rear tire is off the ground, it will no longer keep the RV still. Block the other tires! The leveling jacks will also help keep them still in my case, because mine do not fold up, like other brands to!



Good luck,

Fred.

[Trackrig]

If you're planning on having enough air around to operate a 3/4" impact wrench, then I'd go to a pneumatic jack also. I have a better one than the attachment that I use all of the time when working on my Nodwell.

Clicky

If you have to buy the 3/4" impact, spend the money and buy the best you can find. Just because it's a 3/4", a lot of them won't break loose frozen lug nuts.

Bill