Bottle jack fluids

[Twayne]

Hi,

I got caught short with fluid in some bottle jacks. They had sat unused for mny years wthout so when I got them out, they were so low on fluid that none of them would rise by more then an inch or so. 2 12 tons and 2 3 tons.

I used leftover brake fluid in one 12 ton and trensmission fluid in one 3 ton jack because I had lttle time left. In a third 3-ton I used thread cutting oil. They worked fine, but so would water I imagine for theshort time I needed them.

QUESTION: will those oils used hurt the jacks or seals? Or can I wait til the weekend ro get the proper oil for them? I'm away from home and won't get back til this Monday, and I forgot to remove the fluids before leaving.

TIA Twayne`

[JIMMIE]

I have had a couple of jacks that the reccommended fluid was brake fluid. Not sure if that is true for all.

Jimmie

[Larry W]

Of the 3, transmission fluid is the most similar to hydraulic jack fluid and may even work satisfactorily indefinitely. THe cutting fluid, I'm just guessing, will probably do no permanent damage if you drain & flush the jack promptly. The brake fluid is the most likely to cause seal problems. DOT 3 Brake fluid is glycerin or glycol based rather than petroleum that is used in jack and hydraulic fluids.

[clare]

I wouldn't be mixing glycol based brake fluid with the original jack oil. ATF or PS fluid are fine. "white hydraulic oil" is standard in those jacks - cutting oil likely won't hurt anything - generally just a high sulphur petroleum oil any-way.

[Steve B]

I have had a couple of jacks that the reccommended fluid was brake fluid. Not sure if that is true for all.

Jimmie

Curious question. I wish my memory was better. I had a power steering pump that was leaking like a seive. Not having power steering fluid to run through it, I added what I had, which was either brake fluid or tranny fluid. The said power steering unit sealed up, and was operative until I sold the truck. I do wish my memory was better. It would be useful in future situations.

Steve

[clare]

All of mine, over the years, have specified white hydraulic oil (the same stuff used in tractor hydraulics)

[Ashton Crusher]

The 'old-timers' cure for leaking seals in automatic transmissions and PS was to add some brake fluid. It makes the seals swell up.