Can I use a floor jack on gravel

Can I Use A Floor Jack On Gravel?

by


For you to successfully jack up a car, you have to use the right pieces of equipment, be in the right place, and jack in the appropriate area. It may appear difficult and hazardous if you don’t heed the instructions, however, in life, things change and you can find yourself stuck on a road made with gravel. Would you be able to jack your car on that gravel road? Can you use a floor jack on gravel?

Using a floor jack on gravel is not favorable. This is because it won’t let the car remain stable if you would be using a jack stand.

It can be very risky, in the sense that the car or the jack can budge when it has been uplifted.  In this case, it could cause the car to fall and if you are below it, you can get injured and the things in the car could get damaged. 

You could lose some important car components like nuts, clasps, or sockets in the gravel. However, all car manufacturers or technicians, or professionals would tell you to jack your car on flat ground or road due to safety. Nonetheless, if you have no other option than to jack up your car on the gravel, there are things you can do to successfully jack up your car.

Is it safe for you to use a floor jack on gravel? 

No, it is not safe to jack your car on gravel. This is because the floor jack was constructed to be utilized on flat ground or surfaces. There are problems you could encounter when you jack your car on gravel. The issues include slipping of the car, breaking of car metal ribs, and losing car bolts as stated earlier. However, if you do not have any other choice, you should use a brick or woody pad to retain the car balance. (Read Also: Are Tire Pressure Sensors Covered Under Warranty?)

As I said earlier, there are things you can do to jack up your car on gravel. I’m sure you know, we rise by helping others. So, in this article, I would be helping you by telling you those things. Let’s go into the details!

Tip 1

Look for a uniform space

It may be possible to see a uniform spot on the gravel road. Look for the spot and move your car to the area. This would make the rest of the procedure simpler and more secure.

Tip 2

Make use of metal chunks to keep the car wheels poised

You need these chunks to help your tire remain steady on the ground. You can search around for rigid stones and bricks — they would also help. Nb- you have to keep these things in your car trunk for other emergency days.

Tip 3

Put a piece of wood below the floor jack

Let’s assume you are without a jack stand, utilizing a slab of flat wood is a very good idea. You would put it below the jack, to make it firm. This wood is necessary if you use a scissor floor jack with one point of connection to the ground. It would also preserve any fallen bolts or nuts which could have gotten lost in the gravel.

Tip 4

Never go underneath the car

You might be able to risk changing a tire in this spot, but never go underneath the car to do some other repairs. It is not as safe. There is a huge possibility for the car to budge while you are working. The car could fall on you, and the pain would be very serious.

 However, if you have no alternative, seek assistance from the provincial garage. The pay for this would be more satisfying than the amount for a car part you might ruin.

 
Trending Searches

Can you jack up your car on a grass or delicate road?

No, you can not jack up your car on a grass or delicate road. This is because lifting your car on a delicate road induces a greater threat as the road could give space whilst the car is being jacked. This could build up to bigger damage. 

Wilted or smooth grounds are much more firm, so you tend to have less threat of any unexpected movement from the car. Although it might recede or sink at a crawling pace. 

Most times you can find yourself in a circumstance, whereby you have no option other than to jack up your car regardless of the surface type. So, here, I would offer you some safety tips on how you can jack up your car on a grass or delicate road. Let’s dive into the details;

Tip 1

Never try it on wet grass or road

Look for a dry and uniform space to lift the car. This space would be more strong and more suitable to lift the car. If the road is extremely wet, never attempt to jack up the car.

Tip 2

Make good use of metal chunks

You might have noticed how frequent these chunks are included in the safety tips I’ve been providing. This is because you need your car to be stationary as possible to prevent any road havoc from an uncontrollable moving car. So, look around for any metal chunks or woody pads to choke the car wheels at the end.

Tip 3

Put a piece of sheet or flat wood in the area you intend to work

This piece of the sheet would prevent you from being dirty. Plus, it would make it easier to see any nuts or bolts, while the piece of wood must be placed below the jack you intend to use. The wood must be flat and about 12mm thick. However, whatever kind of wood you find would do. 

Tip 4

Make use of a spindle stand if you have

If you are lucky to have a spindle jack in your trunk, it would be very useful to include additional stability to the car plus the jack. Not to forget, you would also need flat wood for this.

Tip 5

Never attempt to work beneath the car

Do not ever work beneath your car when it is jacked up in this area. It can be very hazardous. However, you could do other conventional repairs.

What are the ideal spots to safely jack up your car?

If your car develops any fault and you are privileged to push the car to a more stable place to have it lifted, then you have made a good choice. This is because the spot would make the lifting procedures simple, comfortable, and smooth. However, there are ideal spots to have your car jacked up. Below are those places;

Storage rooms

This room is a steady location to jack up your car. This is because the floor is made soft and flat. Plus, it is not on the road. I’m sure you are familiar with the safety measures regarding jacking up your car on soft and flat ground, which is what makes this room qualified. 

This flat ground and the wide space would allow the use of a trolley jack- it is also called a floor jack. You can check price on Amazon the BIG RED floor jack. This kind of jack is a very good one to use. It is very strong, durable, and effective.

Pavement

If your garage is made with gravel, you can move your car to a closer pavement. There is no statute regarding jacking up a car on the pavement, as long as you don’t disturb others from walking past the place.  Ensure the car is parked on one side of the pavement and you are good and free to jack up your car.

Pay for a driveway

This may sound a bit funny, but it is another stable place to jack your car. You might not have room to jack up your car around you or the road you find yourself in is very bad, you can pick up your phone and pay for a driveway. There are a lot of places that collect payment for your car to be packed and uplifted. Places like the parklet- https://www.parklet.co.uk/. 

Your buddy’s house

I am sure you have a lot of pals willing to assist you when you need help. So, you can pick your phone and contact one of them. You can make use of their garage or driveway, as long as the place is smoothly made, and also dry. Your friend could also support you while you jack up your car and be on the lookout for you while you work underneath the car. 

Can I Use A Floor Jack On Gravel – Conclusion

Can I use a floor jack on gravel? Having provided you with a negative answer, you should be able to look for a suitable space to jack up your car. You have to make sure the place is dry, smooth, uniform, and wide enough to jack up your car.

 Prevention is very much better than cure. Avoid places that are rough and wet for your safety. I hope your questions are all answered.

This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

Leave a Comment