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This wagon jack is similar in many ways to a modern car jack and was used for the same purpose, to change a wheel. The jack was rolled under the wagon axle on the small iron wheel at its front. With one of the teeth under the axle to be lifted, the handle was moved down. This generally lifted the wheel high enough to allow its removal. If one lift did not raise the axle high enough, the wagon would need to be blocked up, the jack reset, and the process repeated. Once the wagon was at the appropriate height, the jack handle would have to be held in place by a rope or some mechanical device. After the wheel was replaced, the process was reversed.

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