ARB Jack First Review, Leaky Christmas

SonnyApril

New member
Christmas came a few days early this year when my new ARB Jack came in the mail. Since first reading about ARB’s new Jack and all of it’s benefits compared to the competition I could not wait to get my hands on it and put it to work. I thought about all different places I could mount it on the off-road truck and VW Syncro but till a final place had been determined the plan was to put the Jack in the bed of the truck and the roof storage box on the Syncro when on long road trips. The ARB Jack was going to be the prefect tool for both vehicles with the adjustable heights and in lite weight platform.

Time to open the good box and check this thing out, as I pull the ARB box out of the brown it was shipped in I notice a problem but think no big deal I can fix this. The box has a oil stain on one of the lower corners and appears the Jack leaked hydraulic oil during shipping, pull the Jack out of the plastic and its covered in oil. OK let’s read the owners manual before we jump to any conclusions, as I read through the manual I first realize unlike traditional hydraulic jacks the ARB does not have a port to add oil. Well that can be a problem considering this oil had to come from somewhere, the Jack is not serviceable and has to be sent back to ARB for any servicing. This is not the quick fix I was thinking might be. As some of you already know, I like my tools and serviceability is an important issue especially in a tool that will be put to use in remote places. Sometimes you don’t have the option of shipping the tool out and waiting for the repair, you want the to be able to service these high end tools if needed. As I continue to read the owner manual I notice something I have never heard or read about this product anywhere on there site or any press reviews, the Jack has to be stored in a vertical position. Wait, what? Is that why the Jack appears to be leaking and not only that just threw all of my vehicle mounting ideas out the window and I will have to find a new location on a already fully loaded rig. I can’t even toss the Jack in the back of truck without having to worry about oil leaking out of it? Well this isn’t quit the tool I thought it might be. I finish reading the manual, clean up the oil on the Jack put it back into the bag carry it out to the garage and leave it for the night, in the vertical position of course, who would want to put a medium weight, long cylinder shaped object on the it’s side, it’s much more fun to balance it on its end while in its carrying case and hope no one knocks it over. After letting it sit in the garage overnight I decide to take a 2nd look at the Jack the next morning, only to find it leaking again, I didn’t expect that because it was in the upright position almost the entire time since being wiped down. The only time it was horizontal was when I carried it the factory carrying case which has the handle in a position to carrying horizontally, I guess the case designers were not aware that is should not be in a horizontal position either. Since I had been wiped the Jack down the day before the oil was more centralized and I could actually see that oil was coming from the red pressure release switch and possibly the lower part of the cylinder.

I have not put the Jack to use and not sure if I will, I am so far disappointed with the product and ARB has not been too helpful. I’ll keep everyone posted and might get a video up a little later this week.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
I can assure you that a properly functioning Jack will not leak regardless of how it's stored. I've had my personal one bouncing all over the US/Mexico, zero leaks. Sucks you got a damaged unit, guessing the release valve seal/o-ring got buggered or something along those lines. Who did you buy it from? Won't they quickly resolve?
 

Wilbah

Adventurer
I would return it asap and if the retailer wont a list you go through your cc company to dispute the charge. If you used Amazon they are very easy to return through as well. Good luck. That's too bad. And too bad about the vertical storage only, I can see that being an issue. I have honestly never read anything on any of my bottle Jack's but routinely store them all sorts of ways and have never had a leak. Good luck!
 

SonnyApril

New member
I can assure you that a properly functioning Jack will not leak regardless of how it's stored. I've had my personal one bouncing all over the US/Mexico, zero leaks. Sucks you got a damaged unit, guessing the release valve seal/o-ring got buggered or something along those lines. Who did you buy it from? Won't they quickly resolve?

I bought the Jack new off of eBay and at first ARB said they would warranty it out, then they said I would have to contact the seller because they were concerned about the purchase price being too low. The seller will refund my money but I have to pay for shipping back, I might try ARB one more time before I go that route.
 

Bayou Boy

Adventurer
You already don't like the design now that you have it in hand. I'd send it back on your dime and not think twice. You'll always be worrying about whether or not the "fixed" jack will leak again.
 

67cj5

Man On a Mission
A few months ago I had words with ARB about these jacks, I never got any direct answers and all I got was what they wanted to talk about, I also had an Issue with a fridge, They kept me farting around doing tests for over 10 days then they wanted me to drive 400 miles to take the fridge back to the dealer so they could run the same tests that I had done, I went to ARB with a problem and they sent me a PDF of the user manual ?? In the end I worked out what the issue was, Although their fridges can work at an angle of 30* "JUST DON'T DO IT WITH IT TURNED OFF" because all the Gas/Fluid drains back towards the Compressor, And you should never do this with "ANY" Brand of Fridge, this was all because the delivery driver tipped it up to get it through a 3 foot 6 doorway,

Bottom line is I sent minute by minute details to ARB taking photos with times and temperatures along with doing their stupid tests and they did not have a clue what was wrong, I would return that Jack and buy a Hi-Lift, Yes they must be used with caution and respect but they are a cheap fix and easy to repair if you carry the kit with you for the cost of about 20 or 30 bucks, The ARB Jack is a One Trick Pony, The Hi-Lift has about 5 or 6 other uses.

Hope you get this resolved soon.
 

SonnyApril

New member
A few months ago I had words with ARB about these jacks, I never got any direct answers and all I got was what they wanted to talk about, I also had an Issue with a fridge, They kept me farting around doing tests for over 10 days then they wanted me to drive 400 miles to take the fridge back to the dealer so they could run the same tests that I had done, I went to ARB with a problem and they sent me a PDF of the user manual ?? In the end I worked out what the issue was, Although their fridges can work at an angle of 30* "JUST DON'T DO IT WITH IT TURNED OFF" because all the Gas/Fluid drains back towards the Compressor, And you should never do this with "ANY" Brand of Fridge, this was all because the delivery driver tipped it up to get it through a 3 foot 6 doorway,

Bottom line is I sent minute by minute details to ARB taking photos with times and temperatures along with doing their stupid tests and they did not have a clue what was wrong, I would return that Jack and buy a Hi-Lift, Yes they must be used with caution and respect but they are a cheap fix and easy to repair if you carry the kit with you for the cost of about 20 or 30 bucks, The ARB Jack is a One Trick Pony, The Hi-Lift has about 5 or 6 other uses.

Hope you get this resolved soon.
Thanks for the input, I am working on returning it now. ARB was no help warranting the issue or fixing the issue
 

67cj5

Man On a Mission
Thanks for the input, I am working on returning it now. ARB was no help warranting the issue or fixing the issue
WTG Sonny, If it was not for the company I bought my Fridge from I would of been stuffed, He has worked with me all the way, So hats off to all those companies who sell ARB products, This has not put me off their gear because they do make Tier 1 gear but now I know just how to deal with ARB HQ.

I'm sorry your Jack never worked out, I know how ya feel, I own a copy of a Hi-Lift but the fact that it was a copy bugged the heck out of me So I Drove 300 miles and bought the HL-485 All Cast Model that was about 16 years ago and it's still like new and when I bought my ARB 50QT fridge a couple of years ago I saw that they also sold Hi-Lift Jacks and they done me a MONSTER deal on the 60" Hi-Lift Extreme, Think they only charged me about 80 or 90 bucks, I couldn't believe that so I jumped at the chance,

Anyway Mate I hope it all pans out for ya. Good Luck.

J.
 

BigSwede

The Credible Hulk
ARB has always done right by me, on maybe half a dozen issues over the years, though nothing as expensive as a fridge or that jack.
 

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