Three Tonne Jacks

Raising your Land Rover off the ground only takes a few strokes with the right jack

Raising a Landy off the ground only takes a few strokes with the right jack – LRM put five to the test

Raising a Land Rover to change a wheel or for servicing is a challenge for standard equipment due to the weights and ground clearances typically involved. Our test features three tonne trolley jacks, which due to their 30 kg plus weights, means it’s unlikely you’ll keep one on-board for emergencies, so they have been tested with workshop, showroom, home garage or driveway use in mind.

Although many older Land Rover derivatives weigh less than three tonnes, the added margin of comfort and capability is ideal for vehicles that might be fully laden or towing. Smaller trolley jacks are far less stable once a heavy vehicle is clear of the ground and typically, they don’t achieve the maximum heights required.

Height is worth bearing in mind if you also use a trolley jack for temporarily supporting a transmission or transfer box. The heights achieved by those on test will reduce or eliminate the need for supplementary blocks to increase the working height of smaller jacks required to reach elevated transmission components. For DIY use, a quick-lift mechanism is not essential but for professional, regular or prolonged use, they will be appreciated and preferred. All jacks tested feature twist-handle locking and releasing. Some feature heavy-duty universal joints, others have weaker but, arguably, inexpensive serviceable cog joint designs.

Where known, we have stated spares availability, allowing you to maintain and service the jack for optimum performance and safety. A good tip is to order new seals, if available, and keep them for when you least want the old ones to fail. The dimensions stated are based on the sizes of each unit should you need to store one under a bench or in a limited space in your home garage, for example.

And lastly, all the trolley jacks tested come with full warranties, in some cases up to three years, but check before purchasing.