Club 80-90 Forums

Hi folks, I've been having this debate with myself and I'm curious how other T25 owners deal with it....

Obviously a trolley jack is the safest way to lift our vans. Great for the workshop but no one ones to carry those around on a camping trip! So what do you use, on the off chance that you get a flat and have to change the wheel?

Your thoughts and opinions are gratefully received
V

One would think an introduction would be apt for a first post. Welcome nonetheless.

Think we could let him/her off seeing as they have been members 2 years.....
The factory jack is good, as is a bottle jack. I have a bottle jack from a vw crafter, so it can handle the weight of the van

Never noticed that
Standard JACK came with the van.

Please accept my apologies for a lack of introduction, I didn't realise it was my first post here!! I've been to a few Club 80-90 events and found everyone to be most friendly.

We have a bottle jack but have never used it as I wasn't sure it fits the jacking points. Have been considering a farm/highlift - what height would you go for?

V

eiret25 wrote:Never noticed that
Standard JACK came with the van.

Lucky you! Unfortunately the standard/factory jack for mine is lost in the mists of time/multitude of previous owners

You can pick up factory jacks for dead cheap here and on ebay. Farm jacks are good, but are a big old thing to store in the van. I used to carry one bolted to the rear of the van, but got fed up with it.

Ive just got the standard VW jack, does what I need it to do when on the road and stores away tidily. See plenty of them knocking about at shows etc.
For home maintenance I use it to lift the van which is then propped by railway sleepers

We've got a 48" Hi-lift which I shortened by about six inches, by trimming the end of the upright standard, so that it fits under the bed in our van.

I've got a farm jack and a trolley jack in the garage, but I use an AA card for road trips.

Standard jack seems fine to me. Other things to consider are having an extending wheel wrench handle and possibly a hardened half inch square drive socket as I have known an ordinary one crack when undoing wheel nuts tightened very hard by garages. Last hardened one I bought was at Halfords and is a dull blackish colour not chrome.

getunder wrote: and possibly a hardened half inch square drive socket as I have known an ordinary one crack when undoing wheel nuts tightened very hard by garages. Last hardened one I bought was at Halfords and is a dull blackish colour not chrome.

Totally agree I have often suggested that folks occasionally "pretend" they have to change a wheel. Wheel nuts on T25's seem to be very very tight when it comes to undoing them and the last thing you want is to have a puncture in the middle of nowhere, usually in the dark and rain and not be able to undo the wheel nuts with the tools you have kept in the van, just for that job

I have one of those extra strong matt black sockets, plus a 3+ foot extension bar for the (strong, solid) 1/2" drive bar.

Try undoing your wheel nuts on a nice day folks, see how you get on.
But remember to tighten them up correctly, I don't want to be the result of you losing a wheel on the open road

Oh, and back to the OP, and "Hi" by the way, I use a bottle jack.

Trolley jack for me.

this old thing....
fits in the spare wheel

i use a two ton trolley jack but its not high enough so sit it on a piece of scaffold
plank. that doubles as leveler when camping on uneven surface really want a three ton hi lift jack
but the plank is a reminder of very first camping trip in van 5 years ago