When you’re working roadside, every minute matters. Faster vehicle lifting doesn’t just improve efficiency. It reduces exposure to traffic, shortens callout times, and helps technicians complete more jobs per shift.
For many roadside assistance providers and mobile tyre technicians, switching from traditional hydraulic jacks to air jacks has reduced vehicle lift times by 50% or more. Here’s how, and why…
Why Lift Time Matters in Roadside Work
Roadside environments are unpredictable, with technicians often having to navigate uneven ground, asphalt, gravel or sand. Things can get even trickier with poor weather and low visibility.
Traditional car jacks were designed primarily for workshop floors, not real-world roadside conditions. The longer a technician spends lifting a vehicle, the longer they’re exposed to the risks of being close to moving traffic.
That’s why reducing lift time is so important. It means faster job completion and less time working near traffic. This ultimately leads to improved safety for both technician and customer, as well as an increased daily job capacity.
Where Traditional Jacks Lose Time
Hydraulic trolley jacks and bottle jacks typically slow roadside work for three reasons:
- Multiple Pumping Actions
- Hydraulic jacks require repeated manual pumping to reach lift height, which adds physical effort as well as time
- Instability on Soft or Uneven Ground
- As the vehicle lifts, hydraulic jacks often roll, twist, or shift to follow the vehicles lifting arc, forcing technicians to either stop and reposition the jack, or work cautiously at slower speeds.
- Limited Lift Control
- Raising and lowering a hydraulic jack smoothly can be difficult, especially when the ground isn’t level
How Air Jacks Cut Lift Time by 50%
Air jacks remove many of the steps that slow down traditional lifting methods.
Real-World Impact: What 50% Faster Lifting Looks Like
Cutting lifting time in half can mean:
- One extra roadside job per shift
- Shorter customer wait times
- Reduced technician fatigue
- Lower exposure to roadside hazards
Over weeks and months, those time savings translate into improved productivity and safer working conditions.
Designed with roadside work in mind, Selson Air Jacks can be operated using vehicle-mounted compressors, onboard brake compressors, or compressed air cylinders. Once lifted, the air line can be disconnected so other tools can be used without affecting stability.
Speed. Safety. Savings.
That’s the Selson way.
Roadside Air Jack FAQs
Yes. Air jacks use compressed air rather than manual pumping, allowing vehicles to be lifted in seconds. In real roadside conditions, this can reduce lift time by 50% or more compared to traditional hydraulic jacks.
When used correctly, air jacks are very safe. Selson Air Jacks feature built-in pop-off valves to prevent over-inflation and are designed to remain stable on uneven or soft surfaces. As with any lifting device, vehicles should always be supported with axle stands before work is carried out.
Selson Air Jacks are designed to work at 100 psi. This pressure is commonly available from vehicle-mounted compressors or compressed air cylinders used in roadside service vehicles.
Yes. Selson Air Jacks use a wide base that spreads the load and helps prevent sinking into soft surfaces. Their ability to track the vehicle’s lifting arc also improves stability compared to traditional jacks.
No. Selson Air Jacks have very few moving parts. Basic maintenance typically involves occasional lubrication of the air valves and ensuring clean, dry air is used.