SCISSOR JACK

The Canadian Joseph LaFrance patented this simple device in 1920. If your vehicle has fixed axles in the front and back, this kind of jack will work for you. Place it underneath the axle near the wheel with the flat tyre, hoist it up, and voilà. The scissor jack is tops if you need to raise your vehicle just enough to get a wheel slightly off the ground. It’s also a relatively safe device because it lifts only one wheel off the ground and the chances of it tottering and your vehicle landing on its chassis are quite slim, provided the surface it’s on is even and stable. It’s small, easy to use and dependable. There is no reason not to keep it underneath your seat. Its Achilles heel is that it struggles to lift heavy vehicles. So, don’t ever use a scissor jack from a Chevy Spark to lift a Land Cruiser 200 because it will snap. There are next-level versions made of thick steel and that have gear ratios, but these devices are often big, heavy and expensive. Rather consider one of the following jacks.