J&S Jack not going up/coming down properly - any suggestions?

[cenzo989]

Hi all,
Before I can begin to explain my issue...

I hope you are all OK and your families are safe and healthy during these troubling times.

OK... so I jacked up my bike to change the oil and engine filters.
With J&S Jacks, as you pump the piston, and the metal bars fall into the different notches to lock in place.

Those who have J&S Jack's may understand me a little better - you have to jack up the bike a few centimeters to release the locks in order to lower the bike.

For my issue...
I jacked up, finished my work and now time to lower the bike... when I go to pump up the piston to raise the metal bars a few centimeters - to release for the notches... the piston won't pump any further. :shocked:

I have to try to tighten the release valve, but nothing happens.
Then I try to loosen the release valve to release pressure - and now the piston won't go down any further. :shocked:

The jack is 5 years old and only been used 2 times...
I have not MAXED out the height limit, b/c there are 3 more lock notches, and in the past, I have gone MUCH higher

Any suggestions?

Here is the photo of my bike in its current position... :banghead:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well it appears you MAXED out the height limit ..... I don't have personal knowledge about that specific lift and I won't guess how to fix it ..... hopfully some one who has will chime in ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Chasinsparks]

Have you checked the fluid in the jack? I do have a newer J&S Jack but I always check the fluid before using just in case. Maybe tough to do now that the jack is extended. Not sure how to get it down but if it was me maybe some jack stands sunder the front and another jack near the rear to lift just enough to release the safety locks. It also looks as if the front wheels are nearly touching the ground maybe lift on the rear while someone tries to jack it up enough to release those locks, I think you just need a little pressure off the jack.

Once down I would service the bottle jack or replace it.

 

[GOZFST]

Do you have access to another jack, be it floor or bottle or scissor. If so put jack stands under the bike and use the other jack to raise it high enough to take the pressure off.

 

[trikermutha]

Since it already on the stops, lower the bottle jack until there is a gap between the jack piston and J&S bar. Then turn the bottle jack screw at the top of the piston upward. THat should give you a bit more extension on the shaft if it is maxed out. Then try to raise it up again and should get the stops to raise up and move so you can lower the bike.

See if that works ?

Please use safety jacks too just in case.

That does not look raised all the way IMO.

 

[Peter Aawen]

........ The jack is 5 years old and only been used 2 times...
I have not MAXED out the hieght limit b/c there are 3 more lock notche and in the past I have gone MUCH higher

any suggestions?......

I reckon you've either got air into the hydraulic cylinder &/or you've had a bit of an oil leak; and while you may not have maxxed the jack out on how high it can go when in proper working condition, you have actually maxxed it out for the way it works now with depleted fluid &/or compressible air in the hydraulics! :shocked: In fact, I reckon it probably may've lifted the Spyder touch further when you first put it up there, but by leaving all the weight on the JACK itself instead of lowering it onto the next safety stop down (not the best of ideas) or maybe taking the load on axle stands or ramps etc (much better/safer idea!) the jack has actually slooowwwly lowered itself under load until the next safety chock down stopped it lowering any further (as they are designed to do in order to safely carry a load and hold it up there while you get out from under!) only now there's not enough lift left in the hydraulics to take the weight for long enough for you to release the safety & lower the Spyder!! :gaah:

So, because the hydraulic jack has collapsed onto the safety chocks and there's now too much air/not enough fluid in the cylinder to raise it any higher under load you're now stuck!! :banghead: However, as trikermutha suggested (& taking the precautions he suggested too!!) it should be able to continue to carry the load on the safety chocks for a while, & since it's already resting on them, you should be able to undo the bleed screw and lower the jack away from the lifting bar as per his post. Once the jack piston head's clear of the lifting bar, follow the manufacturer's instructions for bleeding the hydraulic jack itself &/or add sufficient fluid; or you could even just try extending the adjusting screw cap on the top of the piston as he suggested, or maybe you could just insert a small spacer for now, something like a block of hardwood or better yet, a lump of thickish steel bar in there and try lifting the Spyder again. That should at least let you get the Spyder up high enough to release the safety chocks & then get it on the ground, and then you can do that 'service & re-fill the hydraulic jack with sufficient fluid' thing before you put it away!

But I'd also suggest that after doing that service, you should always store the jack as per the manufacturer's instructions, which I'd guess at being with the jack fully depressed and not under load, albeit with the bleed screw in the 'lock' or ready for pumping position - altho some hydraulic jacks have different cylinder arrangements & may have different instructions, so make sure you follow YOUR particular jack's instructions. And then before you use it again, check very carefully for any leaked fluid and operate it thru its full lift/release process before loading it up again; and also, NEVER leave the load/weight sitting on the jack - always raise it above where you need it to be, then carefully lower it onto axle stands or ramps etc! :lecturef_smilie: The safety chocks are there to protect you if the jack fails while you're underneath, not really to carry loads, despite them generally being able to do that OK - but as you've found out, if you use them to carry the load as a matter of course & the hydraulics fail, as they invariably do eventually, you're pretty much stuck! :lecturef_smilie:

Over to you! Good Luck! :cheers:

 

[trikermutha]

If going thru the bleeding process. I would replace the bottle jack and be done with it. IMO

 

[UtahPete]

Hi all,
Before I can begin to explain my issue.......

I hope you are all OK and your families are safe and healthy during these troubling times.

OK...so I jacked up my bike to change the oil and engine filters.
With J&S Jacks, as you pump the piston and the metal bars fall into the different notches to lock in place.

Those who have J&S Jack's may understand me alittle better - you have to jack up the bike a few centimeters to release the locks in order to lower the bike.

For my issue.....
I jacked up, finished my work and now time to lower the bike..... when i go to pump up the piston to raise the metal bars a few centimeters - to release for the notches.....the piston wont pump no more..:shocked:

I have to try to tighten the release valve, but nothing happens.
Then I try to loosen the release valve to release pressure - and now the piston won't go down no more.:shocked:

The jack is 5 years old and only been used 2 times...
I have not MAXED out the hieght limit b/c there are 3 more lock notche and in the past I have gone MUCH higher

any suggestions?

here is the photo of my bike in its current position....:banghead:
View attachment 180783

The piston won't go down until you release the safety bar from the notches. But, I think you probably know that...is the top of the bottle Jack piston physically attached to the lift frame?

 

[cenzo989]

The piston won't go down until you release the safety bar from the notches. But, I think you probably know that...is the top of the bottle Jack piston physically attached to the lift frame?

No, it is not attached.

I ended up unscrewing the pressure valve; lowering the piston; unscrewing the bottle jack; and taking it to my local mechanic.
He did his checks and bled the bottle; and it still would not hold any pressure!
He said it is time for a new bottle jack...

Thanks for all the help, guys. I really appreciate it.
Stay safe out there!!