Hi, just after some advice I bought a new trolley jack recently and the the makers say it works fine whereas I don’t think it does. Basically it pumps up fine with no load on, but under load each pump only moves up a small amount. I have topped up the oil and gone through bleeding the jack procedure many times but it makes no difference.
The manufacturer are being really unhelpful and are taking many days to get back to me each time I call them to ask for an update. I sent them this video to describe what the problem was and they say it’s normal. But my old jack didn’t take ages to lift the car with each stroke and it was smaller than this one.
What do people think?
Mines is the same, so it looks ok to me.
The difference is that when the jack is under the car, you’re using shorter strokes because of the bumper being in the way…
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Looks normal to me but I will check my 3 jacks out to confirm and report back.
I have to concur with the others, I’m afraid. Admittedly, I have a reasonably priced (read: ‘cheap’) Draper jack but it’s very much the same movement-wise. I had my car up on stands the other day and it felt like it was taking forever and a day to lift. Just seems to be the way of it. At least the trolley is lifting the car and only personally-speaking of course, I always feel a bit safer lifting in small increments as I feel I have better control over how much height I want but as I say, that might just be my own false sense of security 
My ALDI bought Jack is exactly the same, under the car the jacking action is in little movements, as mentioned earlier by bobsyeruncle, due to not being able to get full action because of the bumper. Used at the side of the car on a jacking point I get full movement and it goes up quickly. I use a Jack puck with a slot to go over the seams.
Looks normal to me, you have to pump it a lot to raise the car.
Looks normal to me too
It’s pointless comparing Jack’s as they’re all slightly different. Even two the same make may not work exactly the same. You’re fretting needlessly.
The difference may be to do with the load. When you are not lifting any weight, there is no “back pressure” on the jack but when it is lifting a weight, it will be under a lot more pressure, which may affect the “gearing”.
I fully realise that it does not work exactly like that (before I get a response from a hydraulics engineer!!), but I think the principle is valid…
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Ok thanks for the feedback, although I did think it was strange that it was delivered short of oil
The amount of scissor and bottle jacks i have pulled out of skips i couldn’t count, i have two scissor jacks, a 10 ton and a 20 ton bottle jack i my garage all because people don’t store them correctly.
Try this.
First check the oil level and if necessary top with ‘engine oil’ then pump the jack to full lift height then lower off AND leave the lowering valve/screw unwound a few turns, now with the valve unscrewed pump the handle 10/20 times using the full stroke of the handle.
Now screw the lowering valve/screw closed and try it under load, you may have to try this a couple of times.
It cures 95% of ‘faulty’ jacks.
Then store the jack flat, a lot of jacks come in a carry case which doesn’t allow ‘flat’ storage.
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Agreed. I have an older less snazzy SGS jack, but alas stored on its side in its case because of a lack of space.
Fortunately I know about getting the air out as explained by Safetymatch, and most times I prime it again, just in case. But I forgot two weeks ago and wasted a few minutes cursing it until I remembered. My senility quotient is rising…
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Thanks, I have tried that air bleeding procedure a few times but will try it again for good measure 
You need to look at the “gearing” in your words, of the cams in relation to the pumping pistons whe the handle is at a low angle. When it is vertical you get a much greater initial movement on the pistons than when the handle is nearer to the vertical.
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Looks normal-ish to me: you were getting 90° lever travel out in free air, but more like 30° when under the car.
Think it’s because you are not getting the full movement of the Jack handle as it’s hitting the car preventing you getting the handle full up try putting your Jack in from the side allowing full movement up and down.
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As others.
Fine to me the bumper restricting access.
Place it on a sill jacking point (as Cloven states) and you will find it works as normal due to the fact the handle will do the full stroke.
Trouble is that when used on the normal jacking point it does the same thing
Oh I see, perhaps something not quite right then. 
Both mine do this it’s normal.
If it raised at the same rate unloaded as lifting weight it would take ages to contact the weight.