Tank jacks

[Roy Beukeveld]

Hi guys,

Maybe a strange question, but I'm wondering how were jacks actually used with tanks?
I see lots of WW2 tanks driving around with a jack on top.
But how were they actually used? What and how would you lift with them? Ten tons, twenty tons, on a single small foot.

Does anybody have any photos of a ww2 tank with such a jack in place?

[Marco Peter]

I do not have the answer, but some very interesting photos come to mind - google 'maus tank jack' .

[Steve Norris]

Hi Roy
Most tanks (German at least) carried a jacking block, this was basically a large wooden block as the name suggests, used to spread the load of the jack. It’s worth noting that the jack would not normally be used to lift the whole tank, just a corner.
Hope this is helpful
Regards
Steve

[Stephen White]

The main use for a jack is to lift a road wheel axle in order to change the wheel. It also has a role in track maintenance.

[Manny Leung]

d70cd4485dff3a535f4eb25769379877.jpg (48.2 KiB) Viewed 1611 times

A photo I found

[Adrian Harris]

Then he realises that that's the wheel he has to take off

Adrian.

[Roy Beukeveld]

Hi Roy
Most tanks (German at least) carried a jacking block, this was basically a large wooden block as the name suggests, used to spread the load of the jack. It’s worth noting that the jack would not normally be used to lift the whole tank, just a corner.
Hope this is helpful
Regards
Steve

Hi Steve, I see, lifting a corner seems do-able considering the capacity of some jacks. But when doing so was there a surtain provision on the hull for the jack to engage with? I mean, tanks have a small floor clearance, these jacks don't fit underneath so there must be something for it?

The main use for a jack is to lift a road wheel axle in order to change the wheel. It also has a role in track maintenance.

Hi Stephan, lifting a road wheel axle makes sense to me, but it must have been used fairly flat orientated then? Any ideas how they managed practically speaking?

d70cd4485dff3a535f4eb25769379877.jpg
A photo I found

Hi Manny, nice picture! Thx! but like Adrian noticed, either he doesn't know what he is doing or he is trying to achieve something other than exchanging a road wheel... Any information on the photo's context?

I do not have the answer, but some very interesting photos come to mind - google 'maus tank jack' .

Hi Marco, interesting photos indeed, one of them seems to show some kind of bracket on the hull onto which the jack adapts.

[Kees van Rijswijk]

Hi Roy,
Not easy to find foto,s on using the Jack. Believe the where used to lift the road wheels for maintenance. As you can see in the foto. The front road wheel is lifted to its up position to the bumpstop. To release the sprocket.

[Kees van Rijswijk]

Another interesting foto of using a jack on a tiger !

[Manny Leung]

133c8251c5b85402f783397ba66b6858.jpg (182.06 KiB) Viewed 1561 times

Here's another

[Manny Leung]

I think anyone with a copy of Tigerfibel
Can show us how to properly deploy the jack,

[Roy Beukeveld]

Another interesting foto of using a jack on a tiger !

Hi Kees, that's an interesting picture indeed. Seems to be a surprising position to place a jack. At first glance it looks like its pushing against the mudguard but it's the superstructure on that point already...

133c8251c5b85402f783397ba66b6858.jpg
Here's another

Hi Manny, that's a good photo too, looks like they used the towing eye to attach the jack...

I think anyone with a copy of Tigerfibel
Can show us how to properly deploy the jack,

Yes indeed, a good case of RTFM

[Kent Wiik]

Hi all,

Here are some nice ”jack in action” pics, enjoy.

Kind regards
Kent

[John Clarke]

Excellent pictures Kent, especially like the one in the manual that depicts the use of a special fitting on the hub to lift the road wheel.

Then in the "field" the jack goes straight under wheel rim.

Operators

[John Wiggins]

Meanwhile on the allied side of the fence......

John