location remote from the pawl 76 in particular the invention allows a remote actuation site 100 to be situated on the handle 104 of the jack in this embodiment the jack operator may disengage the pawl 76 at an acceptable distance from the main body 10 of the jack in another exemplary embodiment the remote actuation site 100 comprises a housing 109 and a release lever assembly 108 connected to the linkage 96 mounted on the handle of the jack 104 and configured to actuate the linkage 96 e g a flexible cable such as a steel wire thereby moving the pawl 76 to a release position when the release lever assembly 108 is moved to the locking position the elastically reciprocating member 92 returns the pawl 76 to an engagement position as will now be apparent the remote actuation site 100 may be mounted or mountable at any desired position on the handle 104 preferably at or near the distal end of the handle 104 optionally the remote actuation site 100 may be detachably mounted on the handle 104 of the jack while the remote actuation site 100 is illustrated as a release lever assembly 108 any suitable means of actuating the linkage 96 may be used including but not limited to a pull cable system.