New QuickJack TL Review , A major DISASTER happened! I'm lucky to be alive!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 20 авг 2024
- My fellow Automotive Fanatics, for years, I have been thoroughly impressed with the QuickJack. They recently improved their models and introduced the TL series which lifts the QuickJack 3” higher than the old setup.
Was the upgrade worth it??? Spoiler alert!!!! I had a MAJOR DISASTER!
Watch and see what happens; what caused the issue, and how it was resolved.
As always, I appreciate every view and second you guys spend on my channel. It encourages me to create more content for you’ll to use and follow.
Cheers!
Music provided by: Mixkit.com, “Hooligans” by Michael Ramir
Don’t waste your time watching this way too long video just to find out he didn’t let one side lock. Simple operator error. He could’ve just summed it up with a “Hey, be sure to verify that both mechanical locks are engaged” in a 2 minute video, but instead he drags you along on his dead end hydraulics theory. I’m not even sure he clearly states what actually happened?
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your input.
Thank you 😂
thanks for saving me the time lol.
You probably should not be posting so much on the use of lift equipment that you do not know how to operate properly. You obviously lowered the lift with only one side locked. Stop posting on RUclips telling people on how to use the product a read the damn instructions yourself, or better yet take it the shop as you are NOT mechanically inclined to handle the simplest of instructions. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!
I knew it was that as soon as I saw the intro.
Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m glad you’re safe and in one piece. I strongly agree that this was user error and you didn’t allow for both locking bars to engage properly. Plus having two rubber blocks stacked on top of each other just amplified the problem. I really appreciate your honestly about the product and about yourself and after many years you have convinced me to buy a set of quick jacks. Thank you for much for you videos and again please be safe! 👍👍
pixels2polygonss thanks for watching and the input. This was definitely a good learning experience with the QuickJack. Hopefully they'll see this and implement a safety valve into the hydraulic system to prevent the pistons from decompressing, UNLESS one uses the controller.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic they wont ever implement that bc then ppl will rely on that check valve which can fail instead of just using the physical lockouts which is the proper way. It doesn't matter if one is locked as the unlocked one will allow fluid to be forced back into the res
@@duygukayhanisaskank4915 I 100% agree.
Video could have been helpful/honest if was illustrated what the user did wrong (not ensure both cams in locked position/reset if you caused an imbalanced in the hydraulics/not double stack blocks which compounded the issue). This was easily avoidable and obvious as to what went wrong. The fact the dude still has not figured this out tells me this will not be the last sel-imposed cluster fk he will be posting on his channel!
You didn't wait for the second click. The driver side clicked and the passenger side was about to click, but before it did you started to lower the jack. Very clear in your video. I always go a little higher before I start to lower the frames so they lock in.
Ernie, my main concern wasn't that I did not lock the driver's side, it was WHY the piston started to decompress. Through trial and error, I ended up determining why it did that and how to avoid such a dangerous mistake.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic not to beat a dead horse, but having ordered a 5000TL model last night during the 22% off on 2/22/22 special, just to clarify - isn’t Ernie correct here though? You stopped when one side locked and not the driver side and thus that is what caused the problem, rather than an issue with the QJ? Appreciate the informative video
@The Automotive Fanatic did you check after if you have some air inside and the air compressed cylinder is full on both sides? That could be reason.
@@benjaminwiener9942 yes, I triple checked the cylinders and both were even @ 45psi +/-5psi. The main reason why the one side decompressed, the fluid was being pushed back into the reservoir.
@@patricksiebert1047 I appreciate the question and input...Yes, Ernie is correct to say that BOTH sides were not locked in. I was fully aware of that. My main concern which I expressed with QuickJack, was WHY...did the cylinder decompress? My thinking was, the only time it should decompress, is when I click on the down button. I found through trial and error, that the reservoir DOES NOT have a safety check valve that locks in the fluid to avoid situations like this. Under normal conditions, a user would lock both sides in and you're 100% safe. However, under the rare situations like mine, fluid will still be pushed back into the reservoir if one side is locked in and the other is not.
Got my TL last week, used the liquid sealant and let it set up for 48 hours. Zero leaks, zero problems so far. Hopefully it continues to work flawlessly.
@300 BLKOUT yes
I also got my TL7000 last week and let the sealant cure 5 days and zero leaks. I will point out that I squeezed some sealer out and 3 days later it was still liquid and looked the same as it did initially. Not sure if it should harden or what but it did work. I made a video if anyone is interested.
i'm going to let it set for 2 weeks!.... nahhhh i'm going to use old school tet tape hehe
Thanks for your time and help with this lift. I especially like your complete transparency on the "user error" portion of the initial lift fail. Great vid
Thank you for watching and the support.
While it is suggested that blocks can be stacked, the movement of the QJ (as you've seen) makes it unstable. Likewise, the rubber blocks crack and are penetrated by the pinch welds, so use extreme caution in stacking. Just don't do it.
Best option is to use the SUV adapters if you want that final max height.
So, NEVER stack blocks.
Also, rock the vehicle once elevated and locked to ensure stability.
QJ weakness is at the hinge and lateral forces (side to side motion).
Lastly, any major repairs that require a lot of rocking... Best to add additional safety supports like jack stands or floor jack.
I 100% agree with you. Now, I NEVER get under the QuickJack without having an additional 4 adjustable jackstands underneath.
Wow bro glad you’re okay. This is why you always double check and make sure they are locked in. You didn’t have much time but you could have disconnected one side and pushed the other side till it locked. My brother accidentally ripped out a hose we had a hell of a time getting everything set back up and safely lower it. We did it one side at a time till it evened up.
Thanks for watching and the feedback. I figured out how to avoid this dangerous mistake again.
I literally got chills from watching this. Its my biggest fear having a jack fail on me while im under a car. Glad you are ok Peter!!
Hey Jon, great to hear from ya! We still need to do a video of your beautiful M2!
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Let's be clear, this was an owner failure, not a jack failure.
@@peterthomas5792 I stated in the video AFTER I figured out what was going on with the QJ, that it was USER ERROR. The main issue though, is why would QJ design a system that bleeds hydraulic fluid back into the reservoir when the DOWN button is not engaged. That's the issue I am trying to get corrected. There needs to be a check valve or something to that matter.
ALWAYS stick a little jackstand or 2 under the car with you and a back up.
@@danialhowe9814 I do this religious now once the QuickJack is locked into place. Each corner has a jack-stand underneath.
You have to align each side of the quickjack to make sure they click and lock at the same time.
I rarely post anything, but I want to compliment you on your responses to so many “smarter than the rest of us” people. Not once do you come off as a jerk. Novice users need safety features for well…….novice users errors. The situation you described is a common error. You think you hear two clicks (posts falling over the first lock) and then you lower to lock in. But, to your surprise, only one lock engaged. It is that easy to have the problem. But all the geniuses out there lose that point in their genius. The whole point of DIY is that the experts build in safety a DIYer would not think of. A check value to prohibit the resulting imbalance just makes DIY sense. If you can tell me the model number of the new “valved” system (perhaps someone from QJ can do so, we know they are reading), guys like me would simply order a new unit to go with their system. We will pay for safety. Thanks for your video and patient reply’s.
FINALLY....someone understands the point I was conveying. Thank you for your input and feedback. In all honesty, I do not know if QJ revised their hydraulic setup to include a check valve. Some viewers said that QJ did. I cannot confirm this as they never commented on this video or addressed any of my concerns.
First off great videos. Second, I just use sections of 2x8 too drive onto to give me enough clearance height for my Porsche. Third I used gas line teflon tape. It's tougher, thicker and resistant to oil and gas. It's pink in colour and you can get from Home Depot or Lowes. Keep up the very informative videos because I don't have the time and I'm to lazy to do any.
White is for water
Pink is for hydraulic
Yellow is for gas- so I have been told??
When I first used mine, I would have had this same exact issue happen. I bled the system beforehand, checked the pressure, etc.. all was good going in. That said, I was extremely particular about double checking the contact points multiple times before having it lift the car. I'm so glad I did. The passengers side was nice and snug (just contacting, not yet really lifting), go to check the driver's side and it's halfway back to the ground from the lift points. I was able to push it the rest of the way just with my hand. I brought it all the way back down and tried again, same thing, once it contacted the car, the driver's side lost tension and could just get pressed down and the passenger's side stayed up.
I also did that standing test after and had the same seesaw results. Quickjack told me the seesaw part is "normal" because it requires equal load on both sides.
For me, I did have to bleed the driver's side again, and then it seemed fine afterwards. I raised it slightly with no load and measured the height multiple times over time - stayed even. Then I had it contact the car and lift only about 1" (tires not even off the ground) and waited to ensure it didn't backflow again.
Knowing what I experienced and seeing yours as well, I'm definitely going to make that 1" test part of my normal routine.
Thanks Russ for sharing and providing your input. I repeated the entire setup process once my vehicle had returned to the ground but still experienced the same issues as before hand. I personally believe that QJ needs to deploy some type of check valve which "locks" fluid in place the moment you release the "up" or "down" buttons. Glad you're ok though and nothing serious was damaged.
My pistons don't decompress even when the locks aren't engaged, I've also had a moment with 2 blocks as well so I'll only ever use one now.
Just began reading the QuickJack setup manual. On page 7:
“As an added precaution, you must ALWAYS use auxiliary safety stands under the vehicle while elevated on both QuickJack Frames.”
I remember you saying that you do that. Others might like to know it’s required, for safety.
Just Bill, because of this incident, I ALWAYS have four corners with adjustable jack stands.
Nice video! Always make sure both sides are locked before stepping away from the controls. Hydraulic systems will often try to equalize, so if only one side is locked, the unlocked side will rapidly decrease in height. Safety first 👌
Thanks for watching and providing some rationale behind the decompression.
I I haven't set up my lift in a while, moved it over to another car and made the mistake of getting two of the hydraulic lines pinched under the frame of the two assemblies. I didn't realize it until I went to let the jack down, wouldn't go down because the lines were pinched. I had to use a floor jack to get the weight off to pull the lines free. Because one side was pinched more than the other, the jacks did not come down evenly, like in your video. Once I realized what happened and rerouted the lines, never had the problem again.
There really is a front and a back but I don't think they tell you. The "sign" on the lift goes towards the front of the vehicle, shouldn't really matter though but it had to do with the routing of the lines.
Thanks for sharing. Jim
Thank you for sharing your experience.
You must hear BOTH locks engage before releasing the lift button. The driver side lock was not set when you released the lift button
You're 100 percent correct Roger. However, did you see how the lift lowered even though I did not press the release button?
Cool video.
As I watched the first lift of the Audi, I was waiting for the driver's side lock to engage. Because you were on the passenger side, you could not see the driver's side. You had stopped lifting after the passenger side lock had engaged. It seemed you anticipated that the driver's side was engaged as well when it wasn't.
When you came around to inspect the driver's side, it was too late as that driver's side dropped and kept going.
So based on that, I would say that ensuring both side locks are engaged before relieving the pressure from the system.
You only needed a couple more seconds on 'up button', and you would have had it without issue!
Thanks to you, I'm really interested in the set up. Probably the 7000TLX as I have SUVs.
So, thank you.
Sorry, I didn't read through all of the comments. Someone else had said the same thing.
@@shadowtheguarddog No worries and thank you for the input!
Very honest and useful video, thanks.
Thanks for watching and your input.
I have them and i love it. Safety first. Always take time and make sure safety latches catch.
The position of the tri angles on safety catch.
Aiding in consistency, I've labeled the hose and connections two different colors to ensure the same connections are made when reattached after storage disassembled.
That's a great idea! Being as OCD as I am, I am surprised I haven't adopted something like this.
I like the jack stands in support of this system. Thats the way to go, cheers and chapeau
Quickjack should have been more helpful, maybe send a representative out to troubleshoot with you. If one side has locked and the other side has not quite made it to lock it should still hold the weight unless you are pushing the down button, then the unlocked side will come down while the locked side stays up. I would have used the truck adapters instead of two rubber blocks together. Seems to me that would be unstable.
Even though this was considered "user error," I find myself a bit unsettled that it doesn't have a safety feature to disallow this. The closed loop design has some advantages, but prone to failure without modification. This could also present itself it there were a hydraulic failure in one side or the other. Some feature to prevent uneven movement of the two sides seems called for.
That said, my biggest impediment to purchase isn't even that, but the fairly small lift. Even once all is done, one only gets just enough space to crawl under on a creeper. Especially claustrophobic if a guy has a big chest. I'd be a lot more inclined if it had at least 30" of clearance.
I'd be inclined to look at options like a MaxJax if they weren't currently around $4000.
Thank you for your input. Since suffering this issue, I always use four adjustable RV stands to secure four points for safety.
If the dude didn’t ensure that BOTH safety bars were engaged and lock, there is not much QJ can do about this. If you watch the video you can see he did this twice! Darwin Award!
@@georgefish4552 But there still could be ways to idiot-proof against this particular issue, I would think.
dude i have one of these and my quick jacks have never lowered prior to the car being lifted, even before the first locking mechanism. ive literally been under my quick jacks installing a exhaust system on my chevelle and the only thing i add is a couple jack stands underneath the axles in case something should happen. you have either a major leak in your system or you didnt add air to the jacks to bleed them properly. no complaints with my set. had them 10 years
I am glad that someone sees the issue at hand. Like you, I have used the QJ a minimum of 300-400 times and NEVER once, did the QJ lower down on me when not locked into place.
1. Do not raise unit without load.
2. Do not stack more than one rubber block. Use proper adapters always.
3. Always confirm lock tabs click into place or else the unlocked tab may lower as seen in this video.
Thank you for your input.
I watched your video because I did almost exactly the same thing. My Quick Jack worked well for the first dozen or so uses, but one time, I tried to lower it while one side was still locked in, and from then onwards it started the seesaw issue. If I raised it, both sides would go up, the moment I stopped, one side would go down, which it had never done before. The hydraulics used to hold evenly without the safety arms locked in place. Once it started seesawing, it nearly fell off the lift, but I managed to get it down and have not used it since. I'm going to try re-taping the connections with Teflon tape and get some better safety supports.
Mark, thanks for sharing your experience. It's slowing coming out of the wood works that other users are experiencing the same thing! QuickJack needs to create some type of safety valve that keeps the fluid in the lines.
Had the exact same experience. Worked fine for the 1st ten or more times I used it, then one side would lower faster than the other. I fully raised car back up and double checked position of locks, and kept getting the same tilt while trying to lower. After several attempts the Jack's were beginning to walk the car side ways. Wound up placing the car on stacks of wood blocks to remove Quick Jack then lower car using floor jacks removing wood blocks from alternate sides a few inches at a time. This took an hour to complete. Multiple calls and emails to QJ were a complete waste of time, they basically refused to answer questions and kept referring me to the trouble shooting page of the user manual.
Peter, you are more forgiving of QuickJack than I’d be. If a very experienced user could so easily make an error with that outcome, it is a big black eye for the user interface imho. Very glad that you and vehicles were unharmed.
Bill, nice to hear from you and yes, it was a scary situation. Believe me, off record, I had some choice words with QuickJack.
Thanks for posting this detailed video review. I recently had a scary experience where my car partially fell from its lift/stands, and it scared the crap out of me, so I decided to get a Quick Jack.
I just unboxed my 5000 TL today and assembled the hoses. QJ instruction manual recommends using the liquid thread seal rather than thread tape, which is what I ended up doing. Did you have a problem using the liquid thread sealer, or is your “old school” relying more on thread tape from another experience?
Also, i found it ironic that the instruction manual didn’t say anything about how much hydraulic fluid is needed. I didn’t have enough, so I need to run to the store and get more. How much did your system need? Two quarts or three?
Hello and thanks for watching the video. Prior to upgrading to the TL, I watched other videos where users used the liquid thread sealer with horrible results. I deferred against it and used Teflon tape instead (my TL has yet to leak a drop of ATF).
Regarding the fluid, QJ states that you need to fill the reservoir to roughly 1" from the cap opening. This equates to roughly 2-2 1/2quarts of ATF. Hope this helps but you're right, it's a total guessing game.
I just got my QJ 7000TL. You must have a release valve issue. Mine doesn't drop even when the jack is not at either of the lock position. The liquid sealant worked really well for me. Just make sure you apply on the first few threads and tighten.
Thanks for the input. Yes, I probably had an issue with the system. At the time, QJ was "quick" to dismiss the issues on my end.
Helpful video in many respects, thanks. I especially like this coverage as I have a 2024 911T and will leverage the ramps as a preliminary step.
Congrats on the 911T, it's a beautiful ride. If you do decide to go the QJ route, you will need to use the low rise ramps. The QJ simply cannot lift a vehicle from a complete horizontal position. It needs a some pre-lift to fully operate.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Thank you for commenting on this, much appreciated. On your 911, did you use any "pucks" under the lift 'points' or just the Quickjack blocks that come with?
@@geterdunn2733 I used 911 specific pucks in combination with the lowest QJ block.
Thank yo for sharing. What I do with my 911 (996) is to place the blocks inside the QUICKJACK before placed them bellow the car
Martin, I generally do that as well. Sometimes it's a tight fit, but it does work.
I could be confused but it appears to me that when you lowered the Quickjack the one side was locked in and the other side not locked in. Why didn’t you recognize the right side to have the rail still locked in. I certainly could be wrong but when lowering the Quickjack should you not be assured that both locks are flipped to allow the Quickjack movement down. Also I was advised by Quickjack CS that the truck lifts should not be utilized on my Mustang. I for one don’t understand why Quickjack customer support could not offer a explanation as tot what you experienced. I did purchase the Steeda Jackrails for my 2008 BULLITT Mustang which when installed allow me to lift the side and I can rotate my tires and then do the same lift on the other side. I feel that the Quickjack system has some safety issues that people have experienced . I will certainly work with my Quickjack system and hopefully won’t have issues with the systems being safe and reliable.
If something doesn't pass the sniff test when lifting a car, let it down as quickly as safely possible. It is never a good idea to lift higher. That being said, air compresses much easier than fluid, and it is very possible you had an air pocket in either the line or the cylinder that found its way back to the reservoir, which explains why it didn't happen the second time you used it.
Your guess is as good as mine. I can happily say, it hasn't failed me once that dreaded day.
So awesome you finally have a few extra inches to work on those two jalopies.
I am a journeyman pipe fitter since 1975, we use Teflon Tape on pipe threaded joints and it is designed as a thread lubricant, the threads do the sealing the teflon lubricate the threads. This is a misunderstood fact about Teflon Tape.
Thanks James for the explanation.
You keep saying decompressing.. that is not a correct term. The system should have holding valves that prevent the cylinder from lowering when you release the up botton. The down button should open the holding valves and gravity lowers the unit. My own 7000tl seemed to be acting strange in the same way, even with no weight. For now it worked itself out.
At the time bluedog373, that was what I seemed to be experiencing, thus my remarks about the decompression. I'm sorry to hear that yours acted the same way and do wish that QJ would make check valves to do exactly what both you and I state.
Happy new year Peter to you and your wife. Great video as always. Wholly cow did that scare me when the SQ5 fell 😳. I hope no damage was done and am pleased you were not injured.
How is the wife liking her new SQ5? Are you ready to do any power modification, have that itch or are you good with factory power, which is absolutely adequate and rapid. Also great to see the 911 back on a video, what a beautiful car. My wife is absolutely still loving her Q5 Sportback, I had full PPF and ceramic coating done, wow I did not think the paint could look any better than it did sitting on the showroom floor however, after the PPF and ceramic coating, it has taken the paint, color, gloss, depth to a whole new level. My 911 issues are resolved and I am now worry free enjoying it, absolutely love these cars. I think I am always going to have to have a 911 in my life, what amazing cars.
Anyway, I am rambling, lol.
Great video as always, a happy new year, hope all is well and I hope 2022 is a great year for you my friend 🥂
Hey my friend, happy to hear from you! You need to post a video of both your cars. BTW, we're planning this years Monterey Car Week and I would love for you and the wife to meet us in Monterey.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic absolutely going to be talking with my wife. See if we can make it.
@@bladejames8208 hope you guys can join us!
Great video on the Quick Jack TL. I’ve always wanted a similar product
If used properly with the correct safety systems in place, the QuickJack is a good automotive tool.
This happened to me on my wife's Cx5, but I had an extra issue, no tires were on the vehicle. Everything went wrong when I decided to stack their stupid blocks, I followed their recommendation. I was lucky the car shifted slowly and I had the time to lower it until driver's side touch the ground. Luckily I was able to put tires on one side then lift with the old 2 tons jacks I have. I've been swamped with work to call QuickJack. Good to hear they dont have much advice. That day I bled the system and worked much more smoother.
Thanks for sharing your story. It amazes me that QuickJack approves stacking the blocks, yet I have seen others who have had safety issues using them. Stay safe!
I never rely on a hydraulic, screw or ratchet lift to keep the vehicle up. I always use additional jack stands as a redundant safety system.
I've learned my lesson and have a set of four adjustable jack-stands I use for redundancy.
i'd love to see a video of your garage/tools
Thanks for the great suggestion! I just may do that!
Excellent and in depth details. Thank you.
I'm so happy you posted this. It is nice to see the errors and hear from someone who has had an older unit to compare. I just bought one a few hours ago online. Nice cars too. 👍
Thanks for the comment and support. You will enjoy the QJ. Just make sure BOTH sides engage in the safety latch and use jack-stands underneath for added safety.
I've used my bros many times at his place (we help each other often) and consider them quite handy for home gamers with smaller vehicles. Their portability is very nice if you need that, for example if you currently rent your home. I don't own one because I've a Bend Pak-style pantograph lift (much harder to move but not hard to weld on scaffolding caster tube which I'll do before moving it again) but the only reason I have that is it was in new condition for 500 bucks from a shop that never used it and wanted the space for a two-post lift. If you rent either is very nice. If you own, get a two or four post lift possible because they do so much more.
If I could do the entire system again, I would use either a 2-post lift, or a 4 post, finances permitting.
There is a fault there in the valving, it looked to me like it corrected itself eventually. Watching the video again the down button was not being pressed when you went to the driver's side rear yet the actuator was going down. As soon as you stop pressing the down button up it should stop not continue to go down. I would keep an eye on that to make sure that side will stay up until you can lock it
FINALLY someone sees that there is a fault in the design.
Hey Peter, I stopped my F150 many times while raising and lowering it and the hydraulics held it without ever dropping unless I held the down button. Did you ever sort this out?
That's exactly how the system is suppose to work. If you lower your truck and stop it without the locks engage, it should hold just like you mentioned.
Here is the problem that I experienced in this mishap. If one said is locked in, the weight of the vehicle will continue to push fluid out of the side that is not locked in place. I believe QJ releasized after seeing this video, that it was a safety flaw. They redesigned the hydraulic unit to have a safety check valve to avoid this issue. How long ago did you buy yours?
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic This makes sense. I bought mine about 2 weeks ago and seems to be working well so far.
@@fattysgarage1754 Thanks a ton for sharing your experiences though. It's great to see newer uses like you having success with the QJ.
Mine is doing the same thing, leaking down then “see-sawing” . The hydraulic system on my other QJ would hold if I had to stop before being on the safety locks. Making me afraid to use the system.
@@GHarris218 exactly! My old system did not have these issues. I hear that the new systems have a better internal valve setup.
Thanks for the unedited version that showed the problem and the resolution. I’m doing a little research on Quick Jack and considering buying one.... BUT just watching the videos I’m still unsure of the stability. Especially when you’re shaking a transmission out from the underside. Is it really stable for that kind of work?
Rick, thank you for watching and the research prior to your decisions. Here is my take on the new QuickJack TL series...they provide a much needed lift height over the older SLX series. The draw back though, there seems to be less stability because the tracks are much taller as is your center of balance. You CAN shake it a little, but it's still very stable. As an added level of safety, I purchased four height adjustable jackstands and place them either under the QuickJack or safety points on the vehicle. This provides an exceptional level of safety and stability. Hope this helps!
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic that's not a bad idea.
@@StreetDrivenDaily my life is worth too much to be unsafe.
Not the equipment at fault. It is your incompetence with the product that caused the problem.
Thanks for your input Jason. I have used a QuickJack lift now for over 7 years, lifted at least 400+ times so I'm pretty familiar within the ins/outs of this setup. It amazes that just when you think you know a product, you really do not. I will leave it at that.
I just bought a 5000TL and on my very first use, had same issue when I went to lower my car to the ground. I experimented with it further and see that the safety arm release cam on my drivers side jack actually slightly hops when it hits the lower safety stop on descent, and that jolt sometimes turns the cam upward which causes the safety arm to lock in the stop when it shouldn't. The other jack's cam and arm properly passes over the lock so that side will go down while the drivers side stays up. The drivers side jack then will likely kick out if not caught in time, like in the video. I don't believe there is anything wrong with the hydraulics, but rather with the safety arm/release cam assembly not always functioning properly. The jacks can descend on their own when not in the lock position and with one locked and not the other, the one not locked will drop even quicker with the vehicle's weight being shifted to that side. I have contacted QJ and am awaiting a response. In the meantime, I will manually move the release cam in the proper position when lowering a vehicle so this potential tragedy doesn't repeat.
Thanks for your input and sharing your story. With my older QuickJack, I experienced the same issue where the locking cam would "pop" up and not lock in. I found that lightly greasing that part solved the problem as it no longer "caught" on the edge of the lock.
Regarding your QuickJack descending when not in the locked position, if you have equal load on both lifts, it SHOULD NOT descend. Over this past weekend, I had a F430 on my lift and can verify, it should not descend. I'm curious to hear what QJ tells you.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic I did try grease on the cam but no improvement. The operators manual states to repeat the up/down process if not working correctly, and if condition persists, go to the troubleshooting page, but it doesn't address this. My guess is that the curvature of that cam isn't quite right, causing it to hop and bounce to the upward position when it contacts the stop. Instead the cam should stay down and glide smoothly over the stop to keep the safety arm from re-engaging the lock when descending a vehicle to the floor. When I hear from QJ I'll pass on what they tell me. I imagine they have heard from several customers about this dangerous issue.
@@johnmcmullen456 I agree with you. The cam should slide easily over the edge of the lock.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Follow up: Finally got response back from QJ regarding my issue. Advised me to always visually check that the cams are in the down position before lowering a vehicle to the ground, and turn by hand if not, as you can't trust the cams to automatically be in the proper position. Disappointed.
@@johnmcmullen456 I am glad that QJ was able to give you an answer. Unfortunately, it's not the answer we wanted to hear. I've had the same issue as you on my prior QJ. Just be careful and watch the cam.
Hi, great review. Just wanted to confirm. This specific model you have is the QUICK JACK 5000TL correct?
It is only rated for 5,000lbs maximum capacity. But I noticed in your video, you are lifting an Audi SUV. What model is your SUV? I am curious because I have a 2019 VW Atlas which curb weight is approx. 4,500lbs (which is just shy of the max limit). Do you have any issues or CONCERNS with lifting SUV?
Thank you for watching and the support. The model that I used here, was indeed the QJ 5000TL. Yes, it's rated at 5K lbs and the Audi in question was a 4410lb SQ5. Your Atlas should not be an issue. I would though, recommend having jack stand underneath just as an additional layer for protection.
it would be nice if the quick jack had more lock positions as well. it is quite a stretch between the 2
I totally agree. For a little while, I thought about taking the lift to a muffler shop to have them weld 1 additional stop.
Yes, that's the problem. The basic same pump is used in the max jack but they have a ratcheting (if it's like a full size lift) and if something drops the multiple catches will prevent a disaster.
@@keithwiebe1787 I agree. on a typical full size lift even if 1 side dropped uneven, it wouldn't drop nearly as far as the quickjack between locks. 99% of the time you'd still be able to re-lift and correct the issue. poor design on the quickjack imo
@@keithwiebe1787 I wish QJ would implement multiple stops.
So glad that I saw this video. The bottom line, there is not enough built-in failure protection. It should be able to detect any anomalies during lifting and lower the car to avoid any potential accident like the one in the video. It also should be able to detect any potential failures after lifting and sound the alarm to let people get away. Furthermore, the system is too "brittle", i.e. it can fail based on many weak points such as a hydraulic fluid leak. Too "brittle" for me to trust my life to it.
I 100% agree with you. Having used this product over 400 times, I couldn't believe it took me this long to see the problem.
It also looks like he didn't bleed the system properly, hence one side coming up faster than the other. Should have kept going up until he hears the second click.
Also, I have learned this system doesn't like holding the weight for too long while not locked. What I mean is, when you are bringing the car down, you should never pause in between locks for too long.
Thanks for your insight, the system was bled multiple times based on Quickjack guidelines. To take your input that the system does not like holding the weight of the vehicle, you're 100% correct.
Thanks for sharing! Could you make a video on how to properly make sure the locks are secure and actually locked. heard sometimes it can give a sense of a “false lock?”
Thanks for the suggestion. The next time I have a vehicle up on the lift, I will try and capture a quick video of the locks engaging.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic thanks so much! I bought a Quickjack but haven’t used it yet. If you could also show where you put your jackstands next to your QJ in that video it’ll be helpful too unless you already have one that covers that 🙂
@@lostnchinatown if I can remember this the next time I have a car on the lift, I will link a photo of the supporting jackstands.
vey useful no bs video. Thank you sir.
Thanks for watching and stopping by!
By the video title and watched the 1st 30-seconds of your video, What a drama King you are "I'm lucky to be alive" !
I am glad you had admit that it was an user error; need to ready your instruction more precisely to "Raise the QuickJack FrameS ..... Engage the QuickJack on Locking Position" (meaning both-sides) sides... Plus, I am not sure why you positioned the Control Unit on one side of the jack (perhaps being organized or limited front/aft space in your garage) where you have zero visibility to what is going-on on the other side while raising the vehicle (Best to locate the control unit in front of the jack where you have clear visibility to both side ... I am glad your toes were not hurt.
Thank you for your input.
Thank you very much for the detailed video. I was on the fence about buying the quickjack for my Macan and 4 series gran coupe but I think you convinced me that this is a must for DIY car enthusiasts. Just out of curiosity which model do you have, the 5000tl or the 7000tl? Once again, thank you for the video and glad you are ok!
Jose, I have the 5000TL. If I could buy it again, I would have bought the 7000TLX.
Is your QJ the 5000? Very informative video!
Yes Mario, it is the 5000TL.
I think you may have had some temporary issue with the pressure release valve, so that it didn't shut properly and allowed the pressure to escape. Given one side was locked, only one of the sides began falling. It could have been some dirt in the valve, which then later got out.
In either case, this should have not happened, regardless if one side was locked or not - so it was 100% some sort of failure, not user error.
With regards to plastic reservoir - it doesn't hold any pressure, so in theory it should not matter that it is plastic.
I appreciate your input and feedback. It seems as though you're one of the few people who actually understand how the system works. Yes, the error was on me in not locking both sides. However, it's also a big design flaw on the valves.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic It is pretty common to use single hydraulic circuit for two cylinders for car lifts, but other lifts have usually somekind of synchronising mechanism, so that the two ramps cannot move separately even in case of hydraulic failure. Given here these are two separate units, it is not really possible. They could still use hydraulic synchronization, similar like Nussbaum is using - but that would increase price and introduce even more hoses.
@@AlfisGarage Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I (with my luck) had a lock on a REAL lift break on me. I thought i was absolutely fucked because one side just stopped going up and i had somehow broke it (having used plenty of lifts).... to my surprise they had tied back a lift release latch and it broke so one side was locked in while the other kept going up... i tried to go down and ofc the lock broke so it went sideways about 3-4ft in the air....
I have to agree that this is a dangerous system without the safety valve... but i was just about to buy a set... think I'll just get a concrete floor and use a jack and ramps to put the car up instead.
I don't agree with putting the jack stands under the quick jack though... that looked like an accident waiting to happen. Always support directly under the vehicle, if the qj somehow didn't lock and you were under the vehicle the car still could have slid to the side.
I watched another video before this that had some better pads as well to prevent sliding... i really don't like the look of the blocks qj supplies honestly... and those truck adapters look the same as what's used on a real lift, except not fully supported under the arms, creating yet another sway/ failure point.
I wonder if they have upgraded this so it doesn't happen....
I agree, I feel more comfortable with my floorjack lifting the side of the car to rotate or change to another set of tires and the doing the same to the Other side. I just don’t trust the Quickjack system and too many people are experiencing problems.
Your fault. Must have not read all the instructions. You didn't bring it up enough to lock. It doesn't work and is not ment to be up in the air not in 1 of the lock positions
I had the same thing happen to me only I had the back wheel completely off the passenger side and the lug nuts off the front wheel on that same side. I can't remember why I adjusted the height of the lift, probably to raise it to allow the front wheel to be removed but that side lowered causing the front wheel to be pinched in the wheel well and the rear side to almost touch the ground. The car stayed on the lift but I had to get a hydraulic floor jack under the rear of the car and lift it up several inches before I could use the jack to raise that side to lock it into place. I don't think I had both sides locked in the lowest position when I was removing the wheels thinking the lift would hold it in whatever position it had stopped at. Needless to say once I got the cat off the lift I've not used it since. I really think it was an issue of not having both sides locked before raising or lowering the car. I almost didn't use the lift that day because it was almost impossible to push the hoses onto the pump and lock them in. I've since seen in a video to press the down button while pushing them on as it releases pressure in the pump unit and makes it easy to install the hoses.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope QJ sees your comment and adds it to the many owners, who feel there needs to be more safety included with these lifts. As far as the coupling go, yes, it's difficult to insert them together due to the pressure. I took recommend that you push the DOWN button to allow easier insertion of the couplers.
Thank you for sharing! Stay safe!
Thanks for watching and stay safe as well.
Thanks for the good review, just an quick question, have you ever works on G80/82 with the quickjack? how do you set it up? it seems way too far for that jacking point
RJ, the only QuickJack that will work on the newer G80/82, would be the 6000ELX. It has a spread of up to 76" and will within the G80/82 spread.
I have a 10 yr old model that has a check valve which protects against side-to-side pressure difference and does not allow bleed back when letting off the lift button. Your unit may be defective.
I had the original QJ and it worked flawlessly. It wasn't until I used the TL where I ran into this problem. Perhaps you're correct.
However, this situation happened during Covid lockdown so when I reached out to QJ for help, they were delayed beyond belief. Once I was able to get in touch with someone, she informed me that what happened, was normal for the TL. Unbelievable!
That's the first design oversite I noted in my first assessment of this set up. It could fail like that and roll over or just drop your vehicle on you. I'm.a custom fab shop and build anything. Also 80 yrs old with 70 years experience from small shop projects to light steel bridges towers and ocean going barges. Offshore drilling platforms and pipelines like the AlCan. I took one look at this and just laughed. If a unit like that failed that way just once the manufacturer should do a compensated recall and remove it from the market poor engineering. I noted several additional potential fail points. I suggest you get your money back
Thank your luck. Then install a proper 4 colum lift. You obviously can afford it. Sincerely Dandahermit --- Dan-Co Fab
I greatly appreciate your opinion and input. Yes, there are flaws in the design from a safety standpoint. I do hope that QJ has revised or improved their setup.
I have the 7000-SLX and my cars are lowered. I use the block/puck that starts touching the jacking point when fully lowered and the 7000 has the power to pick up the car from the start.
That's great information. I have compared the two in size and have always wondered if the 7000 had stronger lifting capabilities.
31 minutes to tell us OPERATOR ERROR. READ the manual!
You may need taller Jack stands.
To hope that they catch a falling car with that space is a 2nd failure opportunity.
I believe the jack stands should be rested on at its contact point before I would be under any car.
Be safe under there.
Thanks Chris for your input. I do have four jack stands which offer complete height adjustability. These jacks will act as a secondary support.
Can you please post a link to the blue tire ramp to raise your 911, having trouble finding it
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2628X2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Good video! Long but essential knowledge of what could go wrong if the lift technique is not quite right. As a long time QJ user I have the 5000sl, with rails and the DC power unit with plastic tank, I have cracks in the rubber blocks and they are expensive to replace so for longevity sake always use a slotted puck on pinch welds. The DC power unit makes the kit ultra portable for those who want to take it to the track or run it outside without having to run a power cord :) +1 on the teflon tape, there was no need to switch to sealant. Benefit of the plastic tank is it collapses if you forget to loosen the cap during lifting, good visual cue lol
Thanks for your input as you shared some pointers I did not convey to viewers.
Everyone wants an extra 3 inches... :D
Love my 7000TLX QuickJack.. gets my ZL1 up in the air with tons of room to work under it in "comfort". My car has actually been sitting on the QuickJack for the past week (locked in on the highest lock setting) while I do some work on the car. You are correct regarding setting up a new QuickJack isn't a 15 minute process... I did a pretty in-depth install video (ruclips.net/video/F3_UhQpJNBE/видео.html) and even my edited install video is over an hour long, so, it takes a few hours of real world time to get put together easily! Lol.
As with anything.. def need to TRIPLE check everything as you lift and lock in. I've seen some wild stuff with people having the frames flipped 180 degrees and lifting their cars and other issues and often bad things happen :-/
Anyways, thanks for the video... sub'd :)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't you wait until both locks apply before letting up on the pressure? I'm pretty sure it was never meant to actually hold the weight up on the hydraulic pressure alone without the physical locks... I mean, I'm no expert, I've literally only watched one other video of this product, but from that one video what I gathered was that those locks on each side are there for a specific reason and to me it looks like they are actually meant to hold the weight of the car, not the hydraulic system. I used to work as a mechanic and on the lifts you see us use in the shops, it lifts with hydraulics, but it doesn't hold the car using that. There are physical locks that actuate as it goes up. Unless you old the release down while it's lifting, you'll hear it click like every few seconds as the car goes up. Watch any video of a shop lifting a car and you should hear the clicks. Again, unless the operator is holding the release lever down as he/she lifts the car, some people do that because they don't like the sound of the clicks. But once you get it to the desired height, you then release the hydraulic pressure and let the arms lower down to the physical locking position you just passed. You don't leave the weight of the car on the hydraulic pressure...
Edit: And before someone replies with "But with floor jacks it holds the car up on just hydraulic pressure!" Actually no, you're never meant to actually go under the car if it's only held up by a hydraulic car jack, you're supposed to lower the car onto jack stands before you actually crawl underneath it, so even though those jacks don't have incremental physical locks on them, you're still not supposed to rest the weight of the vehicle on hydraulics alone...
Talking Hands, you are correct. The lift is not designed to "hold" the vehicle up using the hydraulic pressure; the locks are. However, having used these over 500 times now, I never had any issue where one side did not hold pressure like what you saw here.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Hopefully it doesn't continue to be an issue with you in the future.
@@TalkingHands308 I hope not!
It’s a good idea to always use jackstands no matter what
I agree.
This happened to me today. I checked on the air cylinder of the one that lowers down on its own and it’s full of transmission fluid. I checked on the other air cylinder and just air. No transmission fluid. I’m waiting for quickjack’s answer/solution to the problem.
WOW! You had fluid inside the air cylinders? That's terrible! FYI, it might take QJ a few days to reach back out to you. When I had this problem, they took 2-3 days to reply to me.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic I tried calling QJ but their automated system wants me to create a ticket. Now just have to wait. I had the QJ for 3-4 years and never had issues until now. I will post an update here so you and your followers will know what to do when the time comes.
@@gpatotoy4733 Please keep us posted!
Update:Quick jack got back to me and first they said it’s “hydro locking” and I was told to clean the check valve. I think they didn’t read my email well. So I asked if that was the cause of the fluid in the air cylinder, and they replied “oh you need to replace the cylinder”. $381 for the part. Ordered Tuesday and was told it will ship that day or the next day. It’s Friday and hasn’t shipped. Frustrating.
@@gpatotoy4733 I'm sorry Guilter that you're having so much difficulty dealing with QJ. When I had this big issue, I went through the same thing. They took days to reply to my email and never fully understood the issues I had. I ended up having to troubleshoot things myself to determine the problems.
Glad you Ok! but i did noticed that the dirver side one was going up slower than the passenger side. Might be factory defective
I heard that QuickJack revised the pump to be safer. Hopefully it addressed this issue as well.
You should use Race Ramps blocks once the car is up.
The race ramp blocks are great products, unfortunately, you can't perform suspension work using them.
Are you running a 5000tl with the extended rails for the SQ5? Why did you not go for the 5000tlx?
Edward, I am running the standard 5000TL. The main reason why I decided against the TLX, was size. The overall length of the TLX is 6" longer than the TL. Because of this, the lifting points would not fit properly under my 911.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Got it. I'm looking at getting a set of the Quickjacks for my 2018 SQ5 but it also has to be able to service my lady's Audi A3 convertible. I'm assuming the 5000TL is just right for the SQ5.
@@St3rmTig3r the 5000TL will have no issues with your SQ or the A3. If I were you, jump on their special, like RIGHT NOW! It's 22% off and cheaper than even Costco's best deals. I unfortunately paid full price for mine.
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic on order thanks to your review. Someday I hope to have a 911 in the garage and reach true Gearhead nirvana.
@@St3rmTig3r good luck with your setup! Post up if you need any help.
"I'm lucky to be alive!" LMAO
what TL did you buy for your Audi and Porsche? I think you are describing the 5000 TL, but I am not sure; Please confirm which one you purchased.
thanks
Venice,FL
You guessed correctly, I own the 5000TL version.
Hey Pete great videos and thank you for them! Have you had anymore problems with your new 5000tl Quickjacks and are you totally happy with them now? Did you do your rollerball hack on them also?
Thanks for watching and the support.
With the new QuickJack TL series, it performs well. Aside from the piston coming down on its own once in a blue moon, it's been fairly reliable. The one BIG caveat, because it lifts your vehicle higher, there doesn't seem to be as much stability as with the older SLX series. To remedy this, I purchased 4 height adjustable jackstands and use them religiously underneath the QJ for support and safety. It's rock solid once they're under. As far as the roller hack, I did do this and love it!
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic Thanks for the quick reply and the great info!
@@bryans8193 Thank you for watching and the support!
Could you also show where you place your jackstands underneath the QJ? Thanks!
I disagree with your analysis. The pump has two ports, one for each ram. They both should have check valves that prevent exactly what happened to you. Neither ram should collapse unless you press the down button on the controller. I would try connecting only one ram at a time, raise it up with some weight on it without locking it in and see if it holds. Then try the other side.
My QuickJack experienced a similar failure except one port would not pump at all. One ram would work properly but the other would not lift at all. I switched lines and the problem stayed with the lower port. I even tried switching the fittings but it made no difference. I had to buy a whole new pump assembly. What really sucked is that I had only used it two times prior so I didn't get much life out of it.
I also have a 4 post lift so I only use the QuickJack if I need to pull the wheels off a car to work on brakes or suspension. I never crawl under it.
Thank you for your input. I too, believe there should have been a check valve inside but it's evident, something was not working correctly.
I can tell when I first saw your video one side locked and you started to lower to lock in place, the driver side wasn't completely locked so driver side continue to go down.
Hi. I think he many espressed views are correct [only one side lock engaged], but the big learning point [should be in instructions] is that it can happen if you only JUST reach the locking height. Quickly followed by fluid return to tank [maybe the pump is the only 'valve'] thus the vehicle slants with little to prevent sideways motion. I use quickjacks every week so big THANK YOU.
Thank you for sharing your input.
it only takes one instance for me to completely distrust a product like that. imagine being under the vehicle while it happens
I totally get it Robert, trust is easily lost when your life is on the line. Let me reiterate, once the QJ is locked into position, it functions exceptionally well.
You absolutely should not go under the car until it's locked in place , if you were under the car in this instance , you are completely using the product wrong . Anything can be dangerous when used improperly .
This doesn't make sense. Quickjack literally created a video where they cut the lock bars and the jacks didn't decompress. This is dangerous.
The quickjack video you're referring to, they had it on the locking bars and cut the shaft of the hydraulic ram. It's physically impossible for it to come down when it's securely locked on the mechanical locking bars, as it no longer relies on the hydraulics at that point.
The failure in this video was of the hydraulic system before the driver's side was up on the mechanical locking bar.
Just explaining the difference between the failure here and what QuickJack demonstrated. I still agree that this was quite dangerous, and ideally the ram shouldn't have been able to just decompress on its own.
Did you use the new pump unit?
I've tried to use the quickjack transversally with uneven load on each frame, and I had also one frame going down while the other was going up. I have reached quickjack about this fluid transfer between the two frames and this seems to be a normal behavior from the fluid divider when the pump is off.
But they told me, that the new upgraded pump unit coming with the TL version will close the communication between the frames! It does not seem to be the case in your video!
Julien, thanks for your input. My unit is the original one that was sent with the TL version. I am not for sure if QJ revised it after so many complaints, but mine is still the original TL version.
Glad to see someone else doesn't fully trust them either. I bought a set of four 6-ton jack stands just in case...
I do the same and place four jack stands underneath each corner. Call me paranoid, but my life is just too valuable.
Great video! Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks for watching and the support!
It looked to me that the drivers side never locked out. The passenger side lifted higher. My guess is that you didn’t get all the air out of the lines. 2 times is not enough for getting all the air out.
Thanks for your input. Yes, you're correct. The driver's side did not lock out. However, it should have NEVER come down. I've used the prior version over 400 times without any issues whatsoever.
I had the exact same issue with my quickjack last year. Car was up in the air for a week as one of my tires was being repaired. Mistake I made was trying to lower the care without the tires on it. When I got close to the ground to put the wheels/tires back on I let go of the down switch and the exact same thing happened. The care went all the way down unevenly. Drivers side just like yours went down, passenger side stopped when I released the button. Quick Jack just said I should not have lowered car without wheels/tires on it. I actually had to get scissor lifts manual jacks to raise my car because even an alternate power unit would not raise the car. Once I had the jack raise high enough, the alternate power system raised the car. My power system is still a pos. And quick jack only blames me - junk junk junk
I've worked on cars all of my life and have never had a jack system fail that allowed the car to continue coming down. My only saving grace was it did not fall off the jack like your car did.
Thanks for your input and experience Gary. As you can tell, I was in 100% disbelief and wonder if QJ will ever developed a check valve which can "lock" fluid in.
I don't think you latched it properly.
Watch your video, (zoom in if you can), on the passenger side you see and hear the ride over it's stop and then set itself in the safety position. The same is not true of the drivers side.
Look at the difference in latch positions at 07:01.
I couldn't tell by looking but we're you using multiple blocks on each of point? Only supposed to use one. Still doesn't explain why the fluid lost issue. Anyway I would love to see how the pinch weld blocks work.
Yes, I did have the smaller block on top of the larger block. QuickJack says that it's ok to use it in this manner. You're correct though, there is still no explanation as to why fluid was being pushed back in.
OPERATOR ERROR!!!!! Don’t blame the tool. I love mine.
Then can you explain to me how one side was coming down when the toggle down button wasn't being pushed?
@@TheAutomotiveFanatic the hydraulics are not meant to hold the car at any specific height. The hydraulics only lift the car while the pump is on. You need to lift the car high enough that both the bracket arms go over the stops. Only then do you stop the pump (up button). If only one bracket is engaged when you lift off the up button all the weight of the car will be put on the other bracket and the car will tilt/fall.
Would like to know if your older version did the same thing? Don't trust that...
I NEVER had this issue with my old one. As an early adopter to QuickJack, I also had the bigger, heavier hydraulic pump so that was built differently.
Where can you put additional jack stands for safety since all jack points are blocked by Quickjack?
I place them under the frames of the car. Good locations light be suspension locations, subframes, etc.
Glad this dude was ok and not really hurt thankfully. I know people like the latest and greatest toys. I think its good maybe to take for track days but know when in sam haites im a climbing under made in china steel and parts. I trust my jack stands and floor jack, as long as you know how to recognize lift points on a car its easy and much safer. Your talking about your life when crawling under a 2+ tons of steel.
You're correct...I wanted the newest technology QuickJack had to offer. Little did I know that during pandemic times, so much quality went down hill.
Did you ever call QJ to see what they have to say? Are you still experiencing the car lowering when not locked in position?
I did Peter, multiple times when this happened. At the time, it was during the Pandemic so their response time was slow. They did tell me however, that fluid WOULD flow back as there was no safety check valve. Since then, I believe they redesigned their setup to be more safe.
I have the TL and I'd say it's ok, but only if you're lucky and get one without a defective air cylinder. If you do get one of those you're screwed - the company will 100% not stand behind their product. They'll claim the air-assist down isn't "necessary to the function of the lift". Really? So if one side has air assist down and the other doesn't, and they drop unevenly, that's safe? And then when the vehicle drops to the ground ground and one side of the lift goes straight to the full down position while the other... doesn't. You need to wait... and wait... and wait for it to drop with no weight on it. Quickjack will claim this "is normal operation" and that "it will get better over time". If you invest a massive amount of time trying to get them to stand behind their product they will, eventually, after burning through every once of customer goodwill, send out a new cylinder. Yay! Until you get the replacement and the freakin' air side is literally capped off. Like intentionally made unusable. That's not a fix guys. Then they'll claim that the engineers decided the down-assist wasn't necessary and that they've changed the design on future models. But I didn't buy a future model with less functionality. I bought the current model with exactly the functionality I wanted, was promised, and paid for. Whatever. Too much time wasted on it already - I've written off the entire company as another skanky marketing hack with no integrity.
I still have it in my shop, but the company worked very hard to make me regret my purchase and it low-key pisses me off every time I look at it. And honestly the setup is inconvenient enough that even when I do pull it out - warts and all - it happens very rarely. Only when I have a longer term project where I know the vehicle will be on the lift for a week or two. Definitely not for things like oil or tire changes. It's just way quicker to use a floor jack.
FE, I get it, their service before the pandemic was great...now, it's just not the same.