# Old Hein Werner Floor Jack Repair



## terry_g

I have an old Hein Werner 4 ton floor jack at work. It probably dates to the early sixties. I don't use
it a lot but it sure comes in handy on occasion.
The other day I had a bucket truck up on it's outriggers and when I tried to retract the outriggers
they would not move. So I slid the floor jack under the front axle and took some of the weight off the
front outriggers. When I pulled the outrigger lever the truck jerked as the outrigger lost it's grip on the concrete.
I knew right away that I put more than 4 tons on the jack. When I tried to lower the jack I could not turn
the knob to open the valve. I had to get bottle jack and lift the weight off the floor jack.
With the weight off I could open the valve but the jack would not go down.

Upon further inspection I discovered I had bent the rod that comes out of the hydraulic cylinder.
The rod below after straightening in the press so I could get it out.




The pin that holds the Hydraulic unit in place was bent badly too.
I had to cut one end off to get it out.
It was letting the Hydraulic unit move back against the gears that operate the valve causing them to bind.



The Jack with the Hydraulic unit removed.



The new rod and pin ready to install.


Cleaned up and ready to go back together.





The Hydraulic unit assembled and ready to be installed.



Getting it back together would have been easier with another pair of hands.



Back together and working again.


Good for another 50 years!


This jack was built to last forever I found that it had ten grease fittings on it. More than most of the trucks I work on.
I could have called my employer and requested a new jack and had one next week but I hate to see something like this go to the
salvage yard. Everything is disposable nowadays.

Terry


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## hq308

Great work Terry, nice to see old equipment being repaired instead of being discarded.


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## Old Iron

Nice job on the repair, But I mite have called for a new one and then fixed the old one for myself. I wonder if your boss appreciated how you saved him the money?

Paul


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## burnrider

Great work. Didn't know you could still get Heinz Warner parts.  

Most jacks today are built you-know-where. I bought one, it was fair. I cut shims for the casters, they were sloppy. The two piece handle was indeed quite a piece. It got several holes and spot welded for rigidity. The gear drive needed a guide washer on the base of the handle. 

Okay for home use, not comparable to the Heinz Warner pictured here.


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## 7HC

Nice job, I hope your boss values you.

The good thing is being able to get seals, which unfortunately can't be made on a lathe or mill.

I have a couple of early import jacks; heavy, strong, over engineered for their lifting capacity, but both are rendered scrap because the piston seals have failed.  

M


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## rafe

Just Great !! Now I have spent the last hour trying to see what kind of Jack I have...and where to get rebuild parts !! 
Looks like it may be an old walker greyhound or Big-boy from the 40's I picked it up 15 years ago ($15)and put in a leather plunger seal and it works but I'd rather do it proper...if I can get the seals ...the only markings I found is the W on the handle relief valve wheel any way i'll post a photo soon lol .....


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## 12bolts

Looks like you missed a bit when you were painting the shop floor:lmao:

Cheers Phil


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## Philco

7HC said:


> Nice job, I hope your boss values you.
> 
> The good thing is being able to get seals, which unfortunately can't be made on a lathe or mill.
> 
> I have a couple of early import jacks; heavy, strong, over engineered for their lifting capacity, but both are rendered scrap because the piston seals have failed.
> 
> M



Check around your area for an industrial rubber & gasket co. I know we have a couple of these type business in Nashville TN. that can make most any kind of Hydraulic type seals.
Phil


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## terry_g

rafe
A local hydraulic shop told me they could supply any of the seals that I might need for this old Hein Werner jack.
Just bring them in and match them up.

Terry


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## 7HC

Philco said:


> Check around your area for an industrial rubber & gasket co. I know we have a couple of these type business in Nashville TN. that can make most any kind of Hydraulic type seals.
> Phil



Even in the more densly populated areas here in FL, Tampa, Orlando, Miami etc., there is little industry compared to many other states.  
The biggest business here is tourism and catering to the elderly.

I have tried really hard to locate new seals, and you'd think that there'd be a huge market for them given that piston seal failure seems to be the #1 cause of import jack failure, but even though my detective skills are pretty good for that kind of thing I've had no luck.

Apparently there are so many variations, even on the same model jacks, and the profit on a seal is so small, that it's not worthwhile.

I've tried hydraulic repair specialists (I actually found a few) who all said that they wouldn't bother keeping the seals even if they could get them because who would pay $50 to have a jack repaired when they could buy a new one for $60?

It's a different story with US made because of (a) the much higher replacement cost, and (b) due to the higher quality, the seal is likely to last a lot longer.

Generally, people using US made jacks are making money with them and see the value in fixing them; people using cheaper imports are usually private individuals using them at home.

M


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## 7HC

terry_g said:


> rafe
> A local hydraulic shop told me they could supply any of the seals that I might need for this old Hein Werner jack.
> Just bring them in and match them up.
> 
> Terry



They all say that, but it's a different story when you show them the seal for an import!

M


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## burnrider

I looked for a US made jack. They started at $3-400 for the smaller 1-1/2 ton jacks. Not worth it for home use, but the harbor freight route was the bottom of the barrel. Called the jack stores locally and they said most jacks today are imports. They quit handling jacks leaving it to auto suppliers. The China jack I tried is a 'Ranger'. It's fair as I described. Looking at the schematic, they use 'o' rings for seals. Easy to replace, but not load capable for something heavy using a lipped type swell seal. 

They claimed several tons weight, but it still groans under weight from my '07 Tundra at 5100 lbs empty. That's one wheel. I still had to keep the spacer as it only extends 20" and the spacer needed is another 4". The ranger is short, so extension is an issue- plenty good for the garage guys.

Check it out- Wouldn't recommend anything without a couple years of actual service- unless it was a US built Heinz Warner

http://www.asedeals.com/Ranger_floor_jacks.html


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## rafe

terry_g said:


> rafe
> A local hydraulic shop told me they could supply any of the seals that I might need for this old Hein Werner jack.
> Just bring them in and match them up.
> 
> Terry



Nothing local here I may be able to find some online if I get lucky, I pulled it out of the corner of the garage and it's leaking when pumped .....been idle too long ...I measured it from front to handle tip just a tad under 8foot I've always called it the alligator ...but I'm pretty sure it's a greyhound the "Big-Boy" the body is 52 or so inches


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## Tony Wells

I've got a ~50 year old 2 ton floor jack that was my favorite for many years until I overloaded it and I believe flipped the main seal. I bought a newer Sears model with the rapid stroke option that I really despise. I've dreaded tearing the old one down. It's made for Sears, so I'm sure I can find some parts for it, but it's hard to put it high on the project list when I do have one that works. I can't make out the model number, so I'll probably just need to tear it down and go seal hunting. Funny thing, the shop I worked at back in the 70's where we did metalizing, the other end of the shop was a hydraulics shop where we did repairs on jacks, dump truck cylinders, you name it. And air tools of all sorts. The jack wasn't broken at the time, so it wasn't a concern, and that place is long out of business.

I wish my project list was shrinking.....instead, it's growing.


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## rafe

Tony Wells said:


> I wish my project list was shrinking.....instead, it's growing.



found the seals I need and I have removed the hydraulic unit...that meant taking off one side, so Ive decided to totally go over the darned thing....had to remove the front wheels looks like it had the original grease, more like tar ....20 1-5/8 long roller bearings in one side 19 in the other so I made another. Seal kit was pretty expensive so I figured I'd do it all up right including new blue paint after a complete cleaning and inspection...Once I finish it it will be nice and saleable if needed....that's a quarter on it for scale


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## Toolslinger

The go to place for info on these seems to be Garage Journal... There's a guy there that services floor jacks, and has for some time who not only can ID them fast, but in many cases he inventories the parts for them.  I seem to be lucky in finding unique things... Some of my woodworking gear is the only known example... I seem to have gotten just as lucky with my jack.  It's an Allstate from Sears.  As best as we've been able to tell it was made by Norco, long, long ago.  It leaks down now, so I'm going to have to go through this myself soon.  My first floor jack was a Craftsman.  I don't really use it that much, but even so, I managed to wear out the pump.  No, not just the ****ty O-Ring... First I found the push rod that carries the O-Ring was worn, so I replaced that with a piece of hardened drill rod.  Then I found out the pump bore was worn too.  The jack was only a couple years old, and was on the scrap heap.  I've got another China special from Allied that has done better, but I'm sure that will go too.  The Allstate is going to be the jack once I get off my butt and get the seals...


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## Uncle Buck

Toolslinger said:


> The go to place for info on these seems to be Garage Journal... *There's a guy there that services floor jacks, and has for some time who not only can ID them fast, but in many cases he inventories the parts for them.  *I seem to be lucky in finding unique things... Some of my woodworking gear is the only known example... I seem to have gotten just as lucky with my jack.  It's an Allstate from Sears.  As best as we've been able to tell it was made by Norco, long, long ago.  It leaks down now, so I'm going to have to go through this myself soon.  My first floor jack was a Craftsman.  I don't really use it that much, but even so, I managed to wear out the pump.  No, not just the ****ty O-Ring... First I found the push rod that carries the O-Ring was worn, so I replaced that with a piece of hardened drill rod.  Then I found out the pump bore was worn too.  The jack was only a couple years old, and was on the scrap heap.  I've got another China special from Allied that has done better, but I'm sure that will go too.  The Allstate is going to be the jack once I get off my butt and get the seals...




The guy you are talking about is Hiball, but he no longer hangs out at the GJ as they ticked him off, he now hangs out at "thegaragegazette.com" look him up, he will have the kit you need or can get one for you. Hiball is good folks.


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## Tony Wells

Thanks for the reference, Buck.

Good to see you back around.


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## chevyman77

:thumbzup:TERRY this is chevyman i have a heins-werner model m that i inherited from my dad he had a shop and has had this jack for many years and it always worked great. but from setting up to long the shaft on the piston started leaking do to pits and rust being on the shaft. i decided to install a new one. i noticed you had a new one in your pictures. i would like to find out where you got yours so i could get the parts to fix mine. it's to good of a jack just to get rid of compared to some of the jacks i have seen in the stores. i would be thankful for any information.
.


The pin that holds the Hydraulic unit in place was bent badly too.
I had to cut one end off to get it out.
It was letting the Hydraulic unit move back against the gears that operate the valve causing them to bind.


The Jack with the Hydraulic unit removed.


The new rod and pin ready to install.


Cleaned up and ready to go back together.



The Hydraulic unit assembled and ready to be installed.


Getting it back together would have been easier with another pair of hands.


Back together and working again.


Good for another 50 years!


This jack was built to last forever I found that it had ten grease fittings on it. More than most of the trucks I work on.
I could have called my employer and requested a new jack and had one next week but I hate to see something like this go to the
salvage yard. Everything is disposable nowadays.

Terry[/QUOTE]


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## terry_g

Chevyman
I had to make the new piston shaft. The original one the piston was pressed on and swaged.
I reused the old piston and leather packing. I used a bolt to hold the piston on the new shaft.
I don't remember the diameter but it was a standard size I used a length of turned and ground shaft 
and machined the ends as required.


Terry


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## Kevin45

burnrider said:


> Great work. Didn't know you could still get Heinz Warner parts.
> 
> Most jacks today are built you-know-where. I bought one, it was fair. I cut shims for the casters, they were sloppy. The two piece handle was indeed quite a piece. It got several holes and spot welded for rigidity. The gear drive needed a guide washer on the base of the handle.
> 
> Okay for home use, not comparable to the Heinz Warner pictured here.



Over at www.garagejournal.com there is a guy on there that carries the parts to rebuild them. I just can't remember his name right off. If anyone is interested, I can find out who it is, or go there to the General Tool Discussion and almost anyone there can point you out to him.


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## Kevin45

Sorry UB....I posted before I read the last few threads. I didn't know he was over at your site now. My apologies for toe stepping.


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## 7HC

Moparfever said:


> ...............................You can depend on an H-W or Blackhawk to lift more than the rating. Seals are still available.
> http://www.blackhawkparts.com/store/page9.html




On an *original*  Blackhawk maybe, but not the hydraulic equipment that bears the Blackhawk name these days.
Not the same company, not the same quality.  The only part that's original is the typeface of the Blackhawk sticker.

M


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## Uncle Buck

rafe said:


> found the seals I need and I have removed the hydraulic unit...that meant taking off one side, so Ive decided to totally go over the darned thing....had to remove the front wheels looks like it had the original grease, more like tar ....20 1-5/8 long roller bearings in one side 19 in the other so I made another. Seal kit was pretty expensive so I figured I'd do it all up right including new blue paint after a complete cleaning and inspection...Once I finish it it will be nice and saleable if needed....that's a quarter on it for scale



Did you ever finish this project? If so please post pics and update.


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## KBeitz

I got one that's so old that it does not have any hydraulics and it wont quit...


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## Silverbullet

KBeitz said:


> I got one that's so old that it does not have any hydraulics and it wont quit...
> 
> View attachment 271884
> View attachment 271885


That's a Jack , YUPP made to last .


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