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when I got my '86 2WD Pickup it came with the bottle Jack, but it's pretty grungy looking. not really rusted yet, but it's not good enough. I've seen a few threads of different sites restoring the old 70s FJ jacks, but the older models have bolts where mine is riveted together.
I'll be getting a powder coating set up in a few weeks, but won't actually have it set up until spring, so just trying to get an idea if anyone else has done these newer ones. I'm not against just drilling/ cutting the rivets out and seeing what happens but its nice to see other people's work before starting on a project.
I was thinking I could even replace the rivets with carriage bolts welded in, so the nuts are on the bottom, but we'll see.
from the looks of the jack, I am assuming the insides look the same as the older FJ ones. a few screws and a bearing.
and, yes, I know the bottle jacks aren't perfect, yes, I know I should always use a jackstand, yes i have several other floor jacks and they work better and are safer, I just want this jack because it's what came with the truck
Haha, actually, no to both. not building a show truck, but won't be satisfied until its perfect. right now, mechanically, its basically brand new, but with winter rapidly approaching I'll have to wait till next spring to make it actually look good. And the jack does work, I just hate that it looks like crap. I actually have used this jack exclusively (except for jack stands and ramps) while I've been rebuilding it. That is why I want to make it look good, and because, supposedly, its the original one that came with the truck. And I've had hydraulic jacks bust seals on me a few times and stop working, so a gear driven one seems bomb proof to me. and it also fits nicely behind the seat in the mount.
I'm not against just tearing things apart and seeing what happens, but this actual has some value to me so I don't want to cut all the rivets off and realize I ruined it.
Never really thought of restoring a bottle jack. If you disassemble it, I would be interested in seeing pictures of what it like inside.
I might wait till spring so I can powder coat it, but I will be tearing it apart at some point. I try and not do things totally blind, but most of the time I can't find good info on things so I just tear things apart and figure it out as I go
And since I can't find any info on these bottle jacks, just the older FJ ones, I'll try my best to do a full build on it. I'll probably just post it on here!