Frequently Asked Questions
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Jacks
What kind of toe jack should I get?
In most situations, we recommend our standard hydraulic toe jacks to lift heavy loads. Our other types of toe jacks might work as well, but are designed for certain situations. If you’re lifting in a tight space, or will only use the jacks with external pumps, then our toe jacks with external hydraulics are a good fit. If you are lifting a forklift or need a longer toe to lift a load, then our forklift jacks are recommended. The universal jack we have operates both vertically and horizontally and serves as a 2 in 1 jack.
When should I use an external pump with my GKS toe jack?
An external pump should be utilized with our jacks if you want to have less people involved in the lift, since it enables one person to operate multiple jacks. External pumps also allow for users to maintain a further distance from the load, increasing the safety of the lift.
What types of pumps can I use with my jack?
We offer both a hydraulic hand pump and hydraulic electric pumps. We recommend the hand pump on our lower tonnage jacks if there is not an electric source nearby. We recommend the electric pump in most cases since it requires no manual effort and it can easily operate all of our toe jacks. Other types of hydraulic pumps can operate our jacks if the PSI is set to 7,541 and the hoses and couplings fit properly. If you are uncertain how to match the couplers to the hydraulic fittings, we recommend taking the equipment to a hydraulics shop and they can complete the job.
How do I maintain my jack to keep it in great shape?
- Grease the slides and lifting piston periodically
- Clean the air-vent screw with compressed air
- Change the oil in the jack at least yearly
See page 8 of our toe jack operating manual for more advice on maintaining your hydraulic toe jack.
What are other best practices concerning the GKS hydraulic toe jack?
- Do not overload the toe jack. Using the toe jack beyond its stated capacity will either reduce the usable life of the jack or cause a failure.
- Do not lay the toe jack on its side. This will cause oil to get into the air vent screw, causing an issue when you try to operate the jack.
- Keep the toe jack in a relatively clean, dry place. This will prevent clogging and rusting of the toe jack.
Where should I take my jack to get it repaired?
If you have a local hydraulics shop that you currently work with, we are happy to assist them with repairs. We also offer our own hydraulic repair services, with technicians that have worked on hundreds of GKS jacks. Contact us to ask about our hydraulic repair services.
My jack isn’t working, what should I do?
It’s beneficial to do some basic troubleshooting on your toe jack, as the issue may be very simple and easily fixed by yourself, saving you both time and money. See page 9 of our toe jack operating manual for the troubleshooting guide. If the troubleshooting guide is unable to diagnose the problem, then we recommend sending the jack back to us to repair, or taking the jack to a hydraulic repair shop.
Where are the jacks made?
All of our hydraulic toe jacks are made in Germany.
What type of hydraulic oil do GKS jacks use?
The type of hydraulic oil that you need depends on the brand of oil that you use.
See page 8 of our toe jack operating manual for a full listing of compatible hydraulic oil.
Why does the V20 have 2 actuators?
The V20 toe jack has 2 actuators. The actuator on the left is called the ‘fast pump’ and it allows the user to quickly lift the toe of the jack to place under the load before lifting. This pump is not to be used when actually lifting the load. The actuator on the right is called the working pump and that is what should be used when actually lifting the load with the toe jack.
Why do the feet swivel on a GKS toe jack?
The feet on our toe jack swivels to enable lifting of loads that do not have any clearance from the ground—you can swivel the feet parallel to the load and get the toe of the jack extremely low to the ground. 
Once the machine is lifted enough to put blocks or cribbing underneath, block the load and then point the feet of the jack towards the load again. 
Do not keep the feet of the jack pointed parallel to the load for the entire lifting operation, as this might bend the toes or cause a lifting operation failure.
Once the machine is lifted enough to put blocks or cribbing underneath, block the load and then point the feet of the jack towards the load again. Do not keep the feet of the jack pointed parallel to the load for the entire lifting operation, as this might bend the toes or cause a lifting operation failure. Why is our toe made of forged steel instead of cast steel?
In short, forged steel is stronger and will bend instead of break when overloaded. Most other toe jacks are made of cast steel, a cheaper but weaker manufacturing method. Click here to get more information on the difference between forged and cast steel.
Why do our jacks costs more?
You can find toe jacks on the market that are less expensive than a GKS toe jack. Why pay more for ours? In one word, quality. To expand on that:
- Our toe jacks are made in Germany
- Every jack comes with a test certificate and are ASME/ANSI complaint.
- The toes on our jacks are made of forged steel, stronger than the industry standard of cast steel.
- The toe on our jack is adjustable, meaning less blocking of the load.
- There are wheels on our jack so that transport is a breeze.
- You can operate the toe jack both manually and with an external pump.
- The same capacity is present on the toe and the head of the jack.
- The feet on the toe jack swivel, enabling lifting from a lower loading height.
Where can I get spare parts from?
We keep spare parts here in Springfield, OH—you can order them from us directly, or you can contact your local distributor.
Industrial Dollies
When should I use a 3 versus a 4 point system?
In most cases, a 3 point system is preferred. Think of a 4 legged stool on an uneven surface—it rocks. A 3 legged stool is designed for uneven surfaces because it won’t rock on uneven surfaces. The same principle of the stools applies to machinery moves—a 3 point system will enable to safer movement on uneven flooring. A 4 point system is available because some machines have legs or an uneven distribution of weight that dictate the use of 4 points.
What condition does the floor have to be in in order to employ GKS skates?
GKS industrial dollies are commonly used on, and are designed for, factory concrete flooring. GKS industrial dollies can also be used on asphalt, although steel rollers are recommended for that application because they will be more durable. Lips and cracks in the floor are acceptable, within reason. If you are curious as to whether certain cracks and lips in the floor will work with GKS dollies, feel free to send us an email at info@gksweb.com and we can give a good estimate.
What adhesive to do you use to glue on the rubber pads onto the dollies?
If the rubber pads come off of your dollies, the adhesive that has worked well for us is Pliobond 25 made by Ruscoe. Other customers have used rubber cement with success, but this is a less durable solution.
Where are the dollies made?
All GKS industrial dollies are made in Germany.
Will the industrial dollies mark up my floor?
GKS industrial dollies come standard with non-marking polyamide rollers that do not mark the floor. We do offer some specialty rollers that don’t mark the floor as well, with the exception of steel rollers, which might damage floors when utilized.
What is the advantage of using a rotating dolly/transport dolly/container dolly?
As a general rule of thumb, a transport dolly is our standard 3 point solution that will work for most applications, it allows for steering while enabling simple straight line movement. Rotating dollies are best for applications where heavy loads have to be turned on a dime and tight turns are imperative for the job. Container dollies are industrial dollies that are specifically made for ISO containers to be moved, with special cone fittings going on each corner of a container.
How much force to you need to pull something at start, and then to keep it moving?
The amount of force that is needed is dependent on several different factors, including the center of gravity of the load, the type of flooring used, weather conditions, and more. However, a good rule of thumb with our industrial dollies is that it will take 10% of the weight of the load in force to get it initially moving, and 5% of the weight of the load to keep it moving.
How do I lift the load to get the dollies underneath of it?
There are several different ways to lift a load to get our industrial dollies underneath a load. The most commonly employed are:
- You can use our GKS hydraulic toe jacks that easily go under machines to lift them.
- You can use a crane to lift and place the load onto the dollies.
- You can use a forklift to prop up the load and scoot the dollies underneath.
Robots
What is the warranty on the ROBOT?
The warranty of the ROBOT is 2 years or 900 operating hours, whichever comes first.
How long is the battery life on the GKS ROBOT?
The battery life on the ROBOT is dependent on several factors, but 4-6 hours is the typical life.
Can I operate 2 GKS ROBOTS at the same time?
You cannot use 2 ROBOTS at the same time because the motors are independent from each other.
What does the repair procedure look like?
In the case of operating errors, GKS does offer repair at our Springfield, OH location. If you prefer to conduct repairs yourself, we offer repair support where we can offer guidance to make sure that repairs are being conducted correctly.
What does maintenance on the ROBOT entail?
GKS recommends that you lubricate the roller bearings on the unit every two months, and that you check for irregularities before every use. Aside from that, no regular maintenance is required for the ROBOT.
Do you offer training on the GKS ROBOT?
We do not typically offer training on the GKS ROBOT because it is super easy to use! See this brief video to get a basic understanding of how to operate the ROBOT.
How many GKS ROBOTS are in the field?
We have over 100 ROBOT units worldwide out in the field since the ROBOT was released in 2012. Many of those same units sold in 2012 are still in use today! It’s a time tested, proven solution to move heavy loads in tight spaces.
Do you stock on replacement parts here in the US?
We stock all of our replacement parts for the ROBOT here in Springfield, OH.
How long do the batteries typically operate for?
A good rule of thumb is that the ROBOT batteries will last and operate optimally for 5 years. We’ve had batteries last longer than that.
What powers the remote control?
The remote control is powered by standard AA batteries.
Can the ROBOT serve as a tugger unit?
The ROBOT is designed to move heavy loads on top of the load, and not as a tugger.
How fast does the ROBOT go?
The ROBOT 10 can move up to 36 ft/min, while the ROBOT 20 and ROBOT 40 can move up to 20 ft/min.
How long does it take to charge a ROBOT battery?
If the battery is completely dead, then it takes about 4 hours for the battery to completely re-charge. We do offer extra batteries for sale if there’s a job of length that may need to be completed.
Does the ROBOT have a lifting table to raise the load?
The standard ROBOT units do not have a lift table, but we do offer this feature as a made to order option. Take a look at our ROBOT 40 Liftup video to see a practical demonstration of the lift table in action.
How do I lift the load to get the ROBOT underneath of it?
There are several different ways to lift a load to get our industrial dollies underneath a load. The most commonly employed are:
- You can use our GKS hydraulic toe jacks that easily go under machines to lift them. We even offer a high stroke toe jack to reduce the need for blocking.
- You can use a crane to lift and place the load onto the dollies.
- You can use a forklift to prop up the load and scoot the dollies underneath.
Purchase & Delivery
How long is shipping lead time?
Lead time is next day for all of our products.
What shipping service(s) do you use?
Though a few of our products are shipped UPS ground, most of them are shipped through LTL freight shipping.
Is expedited delivery available?
For urgently needed orders, expedited transport options are offered to customers by request.
How much does it cost to ship your products?
Freight pricing for our standard products typically ranges from $150-$300, but exact pricing depends on the product being shipped.
Can I use my own freight shipping account?
Yes, our customers have the option of either shipping products via their own freight account or shipping through us.
