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Question about using a car jack to line up a flange on a 12-inch steam line | Boilermakers - Librear

Question about using a car jack to line up a flange on a 12-inch steam line

We were trying to bolt up a replacement flange on a steam line at the old paper mill in Everett, and the thing was just a hair off. The new guy, Dave, said he saw someone use a floor jack from their truck once. We laughed, but we were desperate, so we tried it with my little 2-ton jack. It actually worked to nudge the pipe maybe an eighth of an inch, just enough to get the bolts started. Has anyone else ever used a tool that way for a stubborn fit-up?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane8386mo ago

That's a great way to get someone killed or wreck a perfectly good pipe. Jacks are for lifting, not for sideways force. You put a side load on that little 2-ton jack and you're begging for it to fail, the pipe to slip, or the whole thing to kick out. The right way is to use a come-along, a port-a-power, or even a big hammer and a block of wood. You got lucky this time, but telling people to use a car jack like that is bad advice for a dangerous situation.