I would check Harbor Freight.  Maybe they have aluminium bottle jacks?
 That would be sweet!

On 12/23/08, M'obeechi <obeechi@runbox.com> wrote:
> I can tell you what's wrong with the stock jack.
>
> 1. Too slow to turn, meaning too much time and effort to lift and raise. Go
> through a period where you need to use it over and over, whatever the
> reason, it will drive you nuts. And getting down that low just to wear
> yourself out and try to lift the van with it fast is a real drag, especially
> on a hot day, or maybe a really cold and wet one.
>
> 2. The really fatal flaw is, keep the jack in "position" and "lifted" at the
> passenger rear jack insert, while also using a jack stand, then forget its
> there "just for a second", and open the sliding door to get that "tool" you
> need, and wham... nice beautiful scratch on your sliding door.
>
> 3. Its shape doesn't welcome itself to a multitude of different spaces,
> which hurts its "versatility", and increase the odds of something else
> getting scratched...
>
> 4. Because it takes so long to use, its easier to start not paying total
> attention, and its entirely possible your vanagon might slide back down,
> which will bend the base of the jack and make it more unstable.
>
> 5. It doesn't even try to use the idea of a lever, which has been understood
> since at least Ancient Greece. Instead of a lever, it uses your time, and
> effort.
>
> From: Gary Bawden <goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Bottle Jack
>
>> I really like the stock jack. Never had one break, but I bent one of
>> them (the screw part), and still use it just to see if it'll keep on
>> working. The bend happened when I had a mishap involving a full load
>> of firewood and an insufficient wheel chock. Also I live in an area
>> with a LOT of old nails (this is a ghost town which was burned down
>> twice and flooded once, and there are literally millions of old nails
>> everywhere) and have more flats than most people, but the stock jack
>> has worked for me every time. Only thing I don't like about the stock
>> jack is the little plastic gear protector on top is liable to come off
>> and get lost.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>> >
>> > Date:    Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:49:09 -0800
>> > From:    levi hawkins <b1levi@YAHOO.COM>
>> > Subject: Re: Bottle Jack
>> >
>> > ...howz about the way they break? I've had two snap on me now....not the
>> > arm
>> > into the van, but the screw.
>> >
>>
>
> ----- End Original Message -----
>

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Chris S.
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