JACKING BEAM

▶ If you have an inspection pit or ramp, then a jacking beam is a useful piece of equipment to be able to raise a vehicle when working on the brakes and suspension, or for removing a road wheel. Most jacking beams sit on the top edges of the walls of an inspection pit, or on the inside edges of a ramp, so having one with wheels helps to move it along – jacking beams without those wheels are often a little tougher to move back and forth, so it helps to lubricate the edges, which means they get greasy and dirty. Entry-level jacking beams are operated manually to raise them, whereas the more expensive ones may use compressed air. In all cases, look for one with a mechanical lockout mechanism, which reduces the risk of injury should the raised beam accidentally drop. However, we recommend supporting a vehicle with at least one axle stand and not relying solely on the jacking beam. Check the minimum and maximum width of a jacking beam before buying one, just in case the width of the inspection pit or ramp is unsuitable. And check how wide its arms will extend to ensure it can be positioned underneath suitable floorpan jacking points, such as the edges of the sills. Don’t forget accessories, such as aluminium blocks and pads to help with raising a vehicle. Find out the weight of the jacking beam to ensure you can lift it into position or at least call upon friends and family to help. This type of equipment is often very heavy and can be difficult to manoeuvre over an inspection pit.

We’ve been using this jacking beam from Scope Engineers for five years. Its wheels provide smooth movement across the tops of the inspection pit wall (there’s a steel plate on top of the breeze blocks), which lock down when raising a vehicle.

Sealey’s two ton jacking beam extends out to 1.6m wide and incorporates spring rollers to move smoothly across the edges of a ramp or pit wall. Accessories include aluminium blocks and height adjustable rubber pads.