How many times have you pulled out your automotive floor jack to jack up your vehicle and realized that the crank handle is nowhere to be found? Oh, this is just great. The scissor jack isn’t worth fifteen cents without the handle for it. Finally, when you are finished ripping your vehicle apart trying to find it and you can’t, then you are officially mad.
Don’t let it completely ruin your day because there is an answer for this dilemma. What you need to do is find your automotive jack and look at the crank mechanism where the handle fits into it. You should be able to size a socket to fit over this part that will allow you to turn the jack mechanism with a ratchet and a few extensions. Then you are set to ratchet the vehicle right off the ground. Problem solved, unless you can’t find the socket and ratchet after the next flat tire.
That problem can also be solved with ease. You can find these plastic toolboxes around for between 20 and 30 dollars that should be big enough to house your automotive floor jack, socket, ratchet, and extensions all in one place. Keep this toolbox in your trunk and have no trouble at all finding everything the next time you need it.
There is one other possible item that would help your situation. That would be a piece of pipe to slide over your ratchet handle to use as a cheater bar. It makes a world of difference in the leverage you can gain when jacking the ratchet with the weight of the vehicle bearing down on the floor jack. I would advise using at least a ½” drive ratchet for this method. Do you know where your automotive jack is now? You need to check it and make sure you are good to go in case you need it.
