stock jack for 2000 ranger regular cab, long bed

[need info]

hello, I have a question about the best jack to use for a on the road flat tire. My 2000 ranger did not come with a jack and I have a hydraulic bottle jack with a bunch of pieces of 2x6 lumber, in case i need to fix a flat.
Is the original jack wort me trying to find one. Was the original jack effective? I would have to hunt the junk yards in the buffalo area to find one. I called most of the yards already and they said sorry no.
I would think that other years would work, but the junk yards ask for the year of my truck only.
Should I stick with a bottle jack or is there the original stock scissors jack worth it?all of which in case of an emergency flat change only. thanks for any feedback on this.
The bottle jack is kind of always in the way for me, but its been sitting behind the seat with a bunch of other stuff. Thanks.

 

[ericbphoto]

Bottle jack should be fine. I’m not sure about your truck. But on my 93 standard cab, the OEM jack mounts behind the passenger seat. So I don’t know where else you would want to store it. The OEM jack works fine. But I personally wouldn’t put any extra effort into finding one if I didn’t have it. I like hydraulic jacks better anyway.

 

[Grumpaw]

I haven had to use the stock screw jack in my 2009, but I wouldn't use it if needed. I carry a bottle jack and a few pieces of 2 x 6 cut into squares (6" x 6")
Never have trusted the oe scissor jacks that come in vehicles, and carry bottle jacks in all of them, including a 20 ton model for my motor home.
Carry a 6 ton in the Ranger, only because it was only $4.00 more than a 4 ton.
I keep it, wood, breaker bar/socket, rags, in a tote secured in the bed. Gives me a little bit more storage behind the seat, not having to carry the oe jack there.
Grumpaw

 

[ericbphoto]

I didn’t realize they switched to scissor jacks in the newer trucks. Mine is a bottle style screw jack.

I don’t really like scissor jacks either

 

[don4331]

Both my girls & my son got a cheap 2 ton hydraulic floor jack, breaker bar & 3/4" socket with keys to their Rangers.

And they are well used changing summers to winters and back. They've also helped lots of others.

Space lost behind seat is small consolation for being able to fix flat.

 

[Dirtman]

You can have my factory mechanical bottle jack from my 09 if you want it. They work great but I switched to a 6 ton hydraulic bottle because it's a little more stable on uneven ground.

 

[Josh B]

I now use them almost exclusively, Here's where I was working on the transmission a couple weeks ago. The two in front are both from Explorers, one with the car and the other from the wrecking yard($2.50). The two in back are, on right the one from 93 Ranger and blue one on left is probly 50s or 60s something, at a sale ($2).
Please note, they are no replacement for a jackstand, but on this vehicle, in the front there is only one point for lifting/support, and no way to incorporate them together. In the back I could have put one each side on the axles, but was not doing any alterations underneath, just dropping the transmission pan etc., and it was on a flat surface, stable soil, and still had the wheels on it. For carrying with me I carry one jack and one jack stand, and some exterior grade 3/4" plywood squares for a pad.

I've been through so many floor and bottle jacks I can't count, most were decent, some were very good, but they always seem to eventually fail, and I'm not familiar with their repair, so they eventually get trashed or left in a corner somewhere.

Between the two I've come to rely more on the factory jacks, they're easy to tuck away, easy to use, and they don't leak oil

 

[Grumpaw]

I didn’t realize they switched to scissor jacks in the newer trucks. Mine is a bottle style screw jack.

I don’t really like scissor jacks either

I had a "bwain fart"...just remembered that the oe jack in my 2009 is the screw type, not a scissor. Still wouldn't use it as it's nothing but pressed sheet metal.
Bottle jack was one of the first things I started carrying in the truck.
Grumpaw

 

[Dirtman]

I never had a problem using the screw type jacks as long as you are on a nice flat driveway. They are surprisingly strong and takes no effort to lift the truck. Waaaaay better than a scizzor jack. I wouldn't trust one on any kind of sketchy ground however. The one thing I like is the little V part of the top that hooks nicely to the lift points on the control arms. I had to fab an adapter for my hydraulic jack to do that.

 

[Josh B]

Was the original jack effective? I would have to hunt the junk yards in the buffalo area to find one. I called most of the yards already and they said sorry no.
I would think that other years would work, but the junk yards ask for the year of my truck only.

I'm simply addressing the factory jacks pov, others can address the bottle jacks qualities.
I've found several at a pull-n-pay yard near me, spent most of this morning looking around at one.
When I go in they ask what I'm looking for, and put it into their current stock database, then print out a list of vehicles that may have that particular item, whether it's a transmission or a motor part, they may have several different vehicles which shared it.
I've generally found the factory jacks by accident while actually looking for other things.
I also greatly prefer the long solid handle, as opposed to the folding or snap together ones, it just works so much smoother, altho it could be a bit more difficult to stow away. It also takes a bit of practice getting used to one, specially if you get into hyper-spin mode and slap yourself silly with the handle, haha

 

[Grumpaw]

I have these, exclusively for bottle jacks. Orange one is for my 20 ton jack for the motorhome, silver is for the smaller 4/6/8/ ton jacks.
Never have to worry about supporting the truck with a 2 inch jack pad.
Expensive, and only available from Safe Jack.
Grumpaw

 

[Dirtman]

That's pretty much exactly what I made for mine lol. Took me 15 minutes. Mines painted neon green though cause I kept loosing it in the dirt.

 

[Grumpaw]

That's pretty much exactly what I made for mine lol. Took me 15 minutes. Mines painted neon green though cause I kept loosing it in the dirt.

If I had the skills welding, I would have made it. Welding shops wanted almost as much to make one as it cost me from Safe Jack.
Besides, it's lifting 16,000 lbs of motor home and I did not want to take chances.
Grumpaw.

 

[Dirtman]

I charge $200 an hour and a minimum of 1 hour no matter what. ?

People come to me with little stuff like that all the time and complain about my prices. I point to the AWS QC1 certification on my wall and say do you have one of these? No?... then I can charge what I want.

 

[Grumpaw]

I charge $200 an hour and a minimum of 1 hour no matter what. ?

People come to me with little stuff like that all the time and complain about my prices. I point to the AWS QC1 certification on my wall and say do you have one of these? No?... then I can charge what I want.

Out of all the non credit courses I took over the years, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, the one I never took was basic welding. Wish I had.
Grumpaw