Bottle jack crank

[dfandrews]

While getting set up to check brakes and bearings on our Escape, I was reminded of a problem I have with our tow vehicle jack. And since a goodly number of similar vehicles have the same type jack, I thought I'd share my mod to remedy the problem.
Our tow, a Honda Pilot, came with a screw-type bottle jack that has a two-piece square-ended rod that is inserted into the jack, and then a lug wrench/handle combo handle with a square hole that receives the end of the rod, so you can crank the jack up.
The problem is that the handle is long, with the square hole near one end, and is a knuckle scraper if used out on the road. So, I scrounged in the garage junk drawer and came up with what ended up as a great solution: a two-handled crank with a square hole in the center, to engage the square-ended rod.

I had a steel bar with holes already drilled (part of a garage door mechanism), some 3/8" bolts, and some 1/2" PVC pipe, that was my no-cost start.

I drilled out the center hole to 7/16", then used a triangular file for about 25 minutes, to get my square hole in the center of the steel bar.
Then I added handles at each end using long 3/8" bolts, double-nutted to the bar, with PVC pieces sandwiched in between washers, so I had rotating handles at each end. Works like a dream, and my knuckles never touched the ground.
Edit: Photos added: 1st - shows the jack, the rods, and leaning against the jack is the Honda lug wrench/jack handle combo. It's quite long. Laying on top is my home-built crank with the square drive hole in the center, and handles at the ends.
2nd - shows the crank on the end of the drive rods.

[Ron in BC]

Good solution for your situation. On the F150 the handle is so long and rickety that I used it once. That was enough, back to a good old hydraulic jack for me.

Ron

[cpaharley2008]

I carry one of these with my full sized spare in the truck bed, when I found out I had a temporary spare I went out and bought the jack and full size matching spare wheel. Also carry one of those lug spinners. Also purchased a good sam road service policy for both Ram and Escape.