Haynes explains everything you need to know about the car jack or floor jack, which are essential for DIY mechanics. The trolley jack, bottle jack and scissor jack are under the microscope.

A car jack is vital whenever you need to raise your car to carry out a repair, or maintenance that requires you to get underneath the vehicle. But there are numerous types of jack available, so which should you choose? Haynes can explain.

What car jack do I need?

There are three main types of car jack: the trolley jack, bottle jack and scissor jack. They all do the same thing, but in a slightly different way, and some types are more stable than others.

How does a car jack work?

Make sure your car is on an even, level surface; it should also be on solid ground such as Tarmac or concrete, and not gravel or turf, which will cause stability issues.

Now locate the car's jacking points – your Haynes Manual shows you where these are within Roadside Repairs. Your owner manual will also tell you where it is safe to lift the car from.