Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1927
Lidl Bottle jack to replace crappy scissor jack
A few weeks ago some helpful soul placed a post on the site about a lidl bottle jack, which was on sale. I missed the sale, but SWMBO picked one up anyway. It was £16 I think, for a 6T jack in a plastic formed case. Anyway, I've removed the scissor jack, played about with the plastic moulding (i.e. cutting it away in places) and now the lidl jack fits perfectly (very snug indeed, less than 1mm to spare as the metal of the body work is right up against the jack). I've posted a photo.
Click image to enlarge
Anyway, for anyone thinking of buying one of these...because I needed to put my Winter boots on the old girl today, I thought I'd try out the jack. Because I prefer to lift the wheel station rather than the whole side of the car, I placed the jack in the perfectly positioned little dimple on the wishbone. Fits superbly. Note that you can't jack the car with the Lidl jack unless the car is at least in normal height. I had it at the highest setting originally, although once you lift the car (even with the boot open) it will adjust the suspension (didn't have the keys in the ignition; it may have made a difference; so much nonsense talked about how to make the suspension move/not move, can't follow it all) and as a result you see that cool trick that some have posted about where the car actually appears to lift the wheel off the ground. But not quite enough, so it took a few more pumps on the jack. Anyway, I was very impressed with the jack. It took less pumping than my 3T clarke jack and had good control. Because the car effectively sinks, the jack was stuck in place after lowering it, but I just started the car again and it raised itself freeing the jack. I then just screwed in the top of the bottle jack completely and on the next 3 wheels it was fine. So, overall, very impressed for £16, and it fits nicely into the car boot where the old scissor jack was. I can recommend it. My thanks to whoever made the original post.
PAGODA
11th Dec 2011 8:59 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Looks good but is this ok? I mean LR specifically warn against using a bottle jack on an air equipped D3 and even went so far as issuing a safety recall when a number of air D3s left the factory with the bottle jacks intended for the coil D3s.
On the other hand I cannot imagine it being worse than the near-leathal LR scissor jack!
Looks pretty good too.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1927
A fair point you make. But I've read and re-read stuff about this and can't find anything that states you can damage the thing. And I don't follow the logic - if there is any - that raising the car by the rails rather than the wheel station represents a vast difference. No wishing to suggest that these cars aren't temperamental and quite quirky, but I do think that at times some treat them as if they're made of china. I think they're pretty robust. (Hope so).
Anyway, it's there for emergencies having tested it, and it works fine if anyone else is interested. Perhaps, though, just for emergencies. PAGODA
11th Dec 2011 9:52 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
I get where you are coming from and my hatred of the standard scissor jack has had me consider a bottle more than once. I've told the wife to call the AA in the event of a puncture, such is my concern (she is fiercely independent and can turn a spanner when needed). If I ever needed a change on the hard shoulder I would also give someone a call.
Oh how i love my trolley jack.
Have you tried rocking the car on the bottle (clearly with the wheels still on!) as I guess stability is the prime concern?Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
I'd be concerned that the EAS playing silly could upset a bottle jack whereas a normal trolley jack is much more stable. Having said that, I have lifted mine with an LR bottle jack without issue, but only to support it on a proper stand. Don't think I'd want to work on/under/near it just on a bottle jack though. 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
11th Dec 2011 10:16 pm
pagoda
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1927
I've worked on a lot of cars, and wouldn't normally touch a bottle jack used alone, although they are good for some suspension jobs such as compressing springs, etc. In this instance, I'm just talking about changing a wheel that is about 1" off the ground. Worst case if the jack did give way, the car won't fall over, though you may be in the market for new a disc cover. This jack has quite a wide base. It was very stable and surely has to be better than the scissor jack.
And I agree. Wife got a puncture, a mobile phone, and a signal? Use your recovery (but tell her about not letting them back on the compressor).PAGODA
Guys it was me that posted the original post, these bottle jacks are great and safe just for jacking one wheel exactly in the spot pagoda did, they are not meant as a replacement for a trolley jack and are 100% better than the jack the land rover supply, I still have my bottle jack in the plastic case and its stowed under the rear seats.. but good tip there bud for fitting it in the space for the scissor jack.
Flack
Last edited by Flack on 12th Dec 2011 12:23 am. Edited 1 time in total
11th Dec 2011 11:40 pm
pagoda
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1927
Thanks, Flack, for the original post. I'm very happy with it. It's a pretty robust piece of kit and I like the box, but with all the other crap in the car found that my under-seat space has already been taken! PAGODA
Probably fine when it's new but once it's been used a few times and the seal's worn a bit won't all the jacks lubricant slowly leak out with it stored upside down like that ? The End
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1927
Slimer wrote:
Probably fine when it's new but once it's been used a few times and the seal's worn a bit won't all the jacks lubricant slowly leak out with it stored upside down like that ?
A fair point. Hadn't crossed my mind. I'll keep an eye on it. That said, wouldn't the pressure it would be under when lifting not be greater, thus if it didn't leak then, would it normally leak if not under pressure?PAGODA
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could upset a bottle jack whereas a normal trolley jack is much more stable. Having said that, I have lifted mine with an LR bottle jack without issue, but only to support it on a proper stand. Don't think I'd want to work on/under/near it just on a bottle jack though. 
