[James1750]

Hi there -

well I definitely don't seem to know my Alfa jacks....
Does anyone know what model jack the below pic might be from?
My other GTV jacks are round in most manners whereby this one is pretty square.....

thanks in advance

James

 

[rogerspeed]

Hmm, never saw this style, the hole in the flange indicates it mounted on the car with a stud and wing nut, maybe for a spider? Not for a GTV with the two clips, also I note the shaft is square where all the ALFA jacks I've seen are round, maybe this is FIAT, easier and cheaper to make. Most of the 105/115 jacks had a circular foot with "teeth"; early cars had a circular foot that had "faceted" bottom face like a finished diamond. This base looks cheaper. SUD?

 

[Zunige]

That is definitely a Spider jack. It is secured to the car with a stud and wing nut. It was used for the series 3a Spiders, up to and including 1985. Then in 1986 Alfa went back to scissors jack...

Best regards,

 

[Zunige]

The small shaft is pulled out (horizontally), and the circled end (in red) inserts into the rectangular hollow jacking point of the Spider... As the handle on the top side of the jack (left side in the pic) is rotated in full circular motion, the shaft rises...



Best regards,

 

[GVVGTV6]

Same jack as for the GTV6 too.

GV

 

[James1750]

Thanks a heap for the prompt replies gents....

Learn something everyday thanks to the BB

 

[elite38868]

Identical jack that my 1750 spider has.

 

[Zunige]

Identical jack that my 1750 spider has.

Sean,
Where is this jack attached to in your '71? The reason I'm asking is because my '74 (all original) has a small scissors jack in the right rear fender area. I thought that when Alfa moved the battery from the engine compartment to the right rear fender area, that's when they moved the jack to the wall between the trunk and interior cabin... And that's when they started to use this long style jack...

Best regards,

 

[Pat Braden]

I Don't Know Jack

Sean,
Where is this jack attached to in your '71? The reason I'm asking is because my '74 (all original) has a small scissors jack in the right rear fender area. I thought that when Alfa moved the battery from the engine compartment to the right rear fender area, that's when they moved the jack to the wall between the trunk and interior cabin... And that's when they started to use this long style jack...

Best regards,

Alright, stupid question #1, do you guys actually use these jacks other than in an extreme, out in the middle of nowhere, emergency? We never used them, we used floor jacks to change tires, including on the road. Pat would not use scissor jacks, period. We carried a smaller portable floor jack in the trunk. Safer and not near the frustration. There's a huge difference between using authentic Alfa equipment just because you can and have the time and surviving the experience while your wife/girlfriend/so is swearing at you.

 

[elite38868]

Sean,
Where is this jack attached to in your '71? The reason I'm asking is because my '74 (all original) has a small scissors jack in the right rear fender area. I thought that when Alfa moved the battery from the engine compartment to the right rear fender area, that's when they moved the jack to the wall between the trunk and interior cabin... And that's when they started to use this long style jack...

Best regards,

Where is it right now or where is it supposed to be? Well, right now it loosely floats around the trunk, but in my car, I found it attached to the trunk wall that separates the trunk and rear of passenger area. My 71 also has the battery in the engine compartment.

Alright, stupid question #1, do you guys actually use these jacks other than in an extreme, out in the middle of nowhere, emergency? We never used them, we used floor jacks to change tires, including on the road. Pat would not use scissor jacks, period. We carried a smaller portable floor jack in the trunk. Safer and not near the frustration. There's a huge difference between using authentic Alfa equipment just because you can and have the time and surviving the experience while your wife/girlfriend/so is swearing at you.

Hi Cheryl,

Absolutely! In fact, this is the easiest jack i've ever used and it makes changing the tire effortless. You simply slide it into the jack point and you start cranking. It takes effort from as low as a finger or two to raise the car up. Due to the curvature of the bottom of the jack, it is very stable provided you are on a flat surface. I find that scissor jacks are dangerous and weak. Floor jacks just aren't practical to carry around as the hydraulics aren't up to constant banging and being turned over. In fact, it is not good to turn a hydraulic jack upside down for any period of time.

I suppose if the girlfriend was yelling at me, I would give her the tire iron and go sit in the car

 

[italiansedanman]

Hmm, never saw this style, the hole in the flange indicates it mounted on the car with a stud and wing nut, maybe for a spider? Not for a GTV with the two clips, also I note the shaft is square where all the ALFA jacks I've seen are round, maybe this is FIAT, easier and cheaper to make. Most of the 105/115 jacks had a circular foot with "teeth"; early cars had a circular foot that had "faceted" bottom face like a finished diamond. This base looks cheaper. SUD?

The Alfasud has a phenomenally bad scissor jack that comes equipped with a driver for the wheel brace. There isn't sufficient room to rotate the wheel brace without hitting the ground...

...are you getting an image in your head yet?!?

 

[bshorey]

Absolutely! In fact, this is the easiest jack i've ever used and it makes changing the tire effortless. You simply slide it into the jack point and you start cranking. It takes effort from as low as a finger or two to raise the car up. Due to the curvature of the bottom of the jack, it is very stable provided you are on a flat surface. I find that scissor jacks are dangerous and weak. Floor jacks just aren't practical to carry around as the hydraulics aren't up to constant banging and being turned over. In fact, it is not good to turn a hydraulic jack upside down for any period of time.

This jack, stable? you're kidding, right? I would *strongly* recommend never using this jack. They're incredibly unstable, especially if you're on any kind of an incline. The curvature of the bottom only adds to the tendency to twist the jack. If you have to use it, block the tires, front and rear. Finally, if there is a tiny amount of flex in the jacking point, the jack will embed itself into your fender.

Sorry for the strong words, but I wouldn't want anybody thinking that using these jacks is a good idea.

The only thing these jacks are good for is the concours judges. If you drive your car, keep a small scissors jack or floor jack in the trunk, and don't forget to block the wheels!

bs

 

[silverspider]

Same as on my 74 Spider.

 

[Zunige]

...The only thing these jacks are good for is the concours judges. ...

That is exactly what I use mine for!

I must admit however, I have used this jack to change flats, but bshorey's warnings should be taken seriously. When you use this jack, you are truly balancing the car on a vertical tube. It's strong enough, but it has a tiny base. You would never use a jack stand with a tiny base. For this jack to work properly, you are counting on it sliding properly into the hollow jacking point, and creating a strong assembly. The curved base is designed to dig into whatever surface your on, and stay vertical, but this can be tricky. I also think that if you are going to use this jack, it's wise to place the car on a level surface and use wheel chocks.

Best regards,

 

[TCL]

....

The only thing these jacks are good for is the concours judges. If you drive your car, keep a small scissors jack or floor jack in the trunk, and don't forget to block the wheels!

bs

How do you avoid deforming the hollow jacking point when using a scissors jack on the bottom of it? I was thinking about cutting a piece of wood the size of the hole in the jacking point and inserting it prior to jacking to avoid this. What have others done? I have a GTV-6 but it uses the same jack.

 

[Zunige]

How do you avoid deforming the hollow jacking point when using a scissors jack on the bottom of it? I was thinking about cutting a piece of wood the size of the hole in the jacking point and inserting it prior to jacking to avoid this. What have others done? I have a GTV-6 but it uses the same jack.

I've been using a floor jack to change from the street wheels to the race wheels, and it has never deformed the hollow jacking points on my '84 Spider. (This car has always been rust free and solid.) Nonetheless, inserting a well sized piece of wood does sound like an excellent idea...

Best regards,

 

[bshorey]

Sean,
Where is this jack attached to in your '71? The reason I'm asking is because my '74 (all original) has a small scissors jack in the right rear fender area. I thought that when Alfa moved the battery from the engine compartment to the right rear fender area, that's when they moved the jack to the wall between the trunk and interior cabin... And that's when they started to use this long style jack...

Best regards,

Hi Enrique,

I've never heard of a scissors jack in a 70's Spider. Every late 60's through early 80's Spider, GTV, Berlina, Alfetta, etc I've seen has had this kind of jack, either rounded or boxed, as in this picture. Are you sure your scissors jack is original? Perhaps dealer issued?

bs

 

[Zunige]

Hi Enrique,

I've never heard of a scissors jack in a 70's Spider. Every late 60's through early 80's Spider, GTV, Berlina, Alfetta, etc I've seen has had this kind of jack, either rounded or boxed, as in this picture. Are you sure your scissors jack is original? Perhaps dealer issued?

bs

Hi Brian,
No, I am definitely not sure about the jack in my '74, since I didn't buy this car new... I do know the original owner: an MD who didn't modify the car. There was also another owner after that. I also knew (and still know) him. Both have told me that that's always been the jack, and the car does have the set-up to secure it in the right rear fender, but it could very well be a custom set-up that was very well done. My jack and set-up look very close to the ones that came in the FIAT Spiders of the seventies, which were housed in the rear fender. (I had a '72, and currently have a '75). I wish I could find out more about this...

Best regards,

 

[Del]

I've used this style jack for years with my GTV6's, and I found it to work rather well as long as you keep it greased. Remember, when you are jacking one side of a car up, the two tires on the other side of the car will easily react any sideways motion, even on minor inclines, thus the jack remains stable. Of course you do have to set the handbrake, and I always chock the front tire of the opposite side if on said incline. I'm trying to remember, but I think there was a clip and a bolt hole on the inside (engine compartment side) of the right front fender of either our old Alfetta or the GTV6's which would hold the jack. Don't remember now which, probably the Alfettas.

 

[Del]

I've used this style jack for years with my Alfettas and GTV6s (I think), and I found it to work rather well as long as you keep it greased. Remember, when you are jacking one side of a car up, the two tires on the other side of the car will easily react any sideways motion, even on minor inclines, thus the jack remains stable. Of course you do have to set the handbrake, and I always chock the front tire of the opposite side if on said incline.