Hello, I’ve got a mark 3 and im looking for trolley jack to lift both wheels up together, but when I put it under the front or back of the car, the handle or lever keeps hitting the front splitter or back diffuser. When I shorten the handle, there is not enough leverage to lift the car up. Can anybody reccommend any make of trolley jack which would work? thanks for any suggestions, Simon
Hi Simon - try driving the end you want to raise onto something that will give the extra clearance e.g. a couple of wooden blocks . Make sure they are put back in place before you lower the car !
Dont recall were or when I saw it but there is alowentry jack available which has a pump handle that can work side ways aswell as up and down may be google it
Not used one, but I have heard that these seem ok.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-ctj1250ab-1-25-tonne-aluminium-racing-j
Thanks, I did already think about doing that but there must be a jack out which could do the job instead of raising the car up first . I cant jack my car from the side because my garage is a little narrow
Buy a low profile trolley jack. Loads on the net. Even screwfix sell them
Hi Simon, I can recommend the Clarke CTJ2250LP from Machinemart. Cost is just under £50, it’s low profile and can lift 2.25 tonnes so suitable for most other cars as well.
Not used mine on the MX5 yet but have used on another car and the reviews are good, including one review that says “it could get under the back diff on my MX-5 just fine”
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-ctj2250lp-2-25-tonne-low-profile-trolle
Phil
Hi Simon,
I have the Clarke CTJ1250AB 1.25 tonne Aluminium Racing Jack. It fits under my lowered Mk3 no trouble.
I happen to know that Roadster Robbie has one as well - what better recommendation could you need.
Guys please do not reply with suggestions that just do not answer the question including this will do but I have not tried it on an MX5!!!
Read the posters original question.
The original poster wants a trolley jack that can reach the recomended Mazda trolly jack positions and still have enough free length to be able to stroke the handle through it’s pumping arc without the handle getting caught on bodywork. The front one is the main problem but even the rear one does not let you do what he wants with most trolley jacks and sorry putting bits of wood under that you must remember to replace!!!
The answer is that there are very few jacks that can do that and I cannot find an aluminium one that does that at a reasonable weight and price with the ability to get under an MX5 that has been lowered or even standard height.
In the end, I bought this but it is a “garage” jack only due to it’s weight, 42kg and it is not a one man job to put it in the back of a hatchback to take it to a breakdown etc.
Not far short of £200 when you put on postage.
There are longer jacks that do not have the low saddle height of this jack.
Also the price of some of these jacks can be a lot higher at around £500.
This jack is over 800mm long and is nice and wide to improve stability.
It is just far too heavy but I can advise it does that job requested by the first poster that loads of other jacks do not do.
SGS do something similar but again not a light weight unit.
It’s the 2nd best thing in my garage!!!
The Clarke CTJ1250AB exactly fits that description - as previously stated.
The Clarke and Sealey ones are the same, usually just different colours. There is one you can also get from B@Q and many other places.
They all fit a standard height MX-5, you can get the diff, the wish bone mountings and of course the standard points on the sills.
If you have a lowered MX-5 it depends how low but you should always be able to get on the standard points, for the rest you just need to be inventive.
The problem I have found however is that they can be of very variable quality. The two I have at the moment have worked well for over 2 years, the several I have had before all failed after short periods due to the pistons being too small for the bore of the cylinder and allowing the O rings to extrude.
I got the SGS 2 tonne one, but found there was too much play on the mechanism connecting the handle to the piston. I had to bodge the moving socket-bracket and pivot, but cannot recommend it because I think the bodge will soon become as sloppy as before if it sees any great use. This was used on my standard height NC, with a modified handle as well.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Profile-Trolley-Jack-Case-Stands/dp/B00GLUPDQE/
Thanks for all the replies, ive just measured the gap between the gound and the front bumper and ive got 5 inches, so if Robbie and Mister H thinks that the clarks CTJ1250AB jack would work and do the job could you please let me know because i would like to know for sure before i buy one, thanks again
Oh No It Does Not
</pantomime mode off>
Read the poster original request again, specifically
He cannot get in from the side of the car as his garage is narrow and he does not want the pump handle to hit the under bodywork during pumping operations.
The problem is getting the jack to the front crossmeber from the front. The back is less of a problem.
The heavy steel jack I bought is 880mm long and in reality could do with being say 40mm longer as it only just reaches the front cross member without the handle making contact with the front apron under the bumper on my MK2 and I mean with about 3mm to spare.
The CTJ1250AB is 580mm long so the pump handle starts at 300 mm behind the front of the apron which is well behind the front of the bumper.
The jack I have is 150mm high at the pump end and it will not get under my standard Mk2 which has a low point some 150 mm in from the front apron that is nearer the front cross member.
The jack you mentioned at the tail part that holds the pump is 210mm high and that part of my jack that is 150mm high jack sticks there.
So the ops annoyance about the pump handle hitting the bodywork during operation is only just and I again say just sorted with an 880mm long jack and you recommend a jack 300mm shorter, Further he says he has 150mm of clearance and the high point on that jack is at 210mm.
That jack does not meet the ops original specification.
It will hit the front apron while he tries to operates the jack.
If it had worked, I would have bought it.
To the original poster get a tape measure out and work out if it meets your specification.
I think not.
This is a picture of my 880mm long jack with the saddle under the front crossmember of a standard ride height MK2 and the bottom of the pump handle just and no more missing the bodywork during its operation.
Should have cleared the leaves!!!
I really hate being called a liar, even in pantomime fashion.
So by way of proof …
… our lowered Mk3
And the Clarke CTJ1250AB trolley jack with the saddle under the front cross member
As you can see there is just enough room for a few short strokes of the handle and as the car starts to lift the strokes can get progressively longer
It is easier at the rear because the rear splitter is a little higher.
The Clarke jack works equally well with standard height and lowered Mk1’s and Mk2’s. For “ultra” lowered cars it is necessary to put the standard scissor jack under the sill jacking point to lift the body a few millimetres to get the Clarke jack under the front splitter, then it works just the same.
I know all this because I have done it with our Mk3 and seen it done with Mk1’s and Mk2’s many times at ER Tech Days.
Now do you believe me?
Our lowered MK3 on 17" wheels seems to be a little over 5 inches (but not much), so it could be tight. I know you are fairly local so you are welcome to come over and try my jack under your car if you wish.
There is always the option of using the scissor jack at the sill jacking position to lift the body the 1/2 inch or so if necessary and then using the trolley jack.
Not calling you a liar at all.
If you cannot take some argument on a technical forum you should not be here end of story!!!
You are on using your jack on a Mk3.
I was refering it to a Mk2 and that car has a front cross member further in at the front.
I have just checked it with a similar lenght low profile jack to yours but one differenace it is only 150mm high at its high point.
Your jack is 4 in or 100mm higher at that point.
In the end with my short jack you can get a small pump arc with it but there is no pumping happening as that is the free paly on the pump.
On you jack on a Mk2 you would not get any pump arc at all.
Therefore if the original poster has a Mk2 and I assume it is the same for a Mk1 the jack you mentioned is not suitable.
As your pictures show if it is a MK3 then your jack works justs as my own longer jact just works on a Mk2
Some picture in the garage.
Loking down at the jacks.
Lookig from the front of the car with the jack saddle under the Mk2 front cross member
Underneath the car with the jack saddles underneath the Mk2 front cross member
