Bottle Jacks

[Echodawg]

Instead of dealing with a Hi-Lift I want to purchase a bottle jack for my Yukon. Any suggestions on weight limits? The local hardware store had a massive 20 Ton bottle jack that I was thinking of getting. Would this be overkill or is there no such thing as overkill when it comes to jacks? It was pretty heavy and bulky but I guess I could always toss it in a ammo can and call it a day.

 

[hillbillyjake]

i dont think that you will need some thing quite that big. i would assume that with a bottle jack you would only be lifting one corner at a time, so i think a 3 or 4 ton unit would be plenty. dont get me wrong, i am all about going for a little extra strength on anyhting, but i think the weight and bulk of a 20 ton jack may be a bit much. just my .02.

jake

 

[Silver dude]

The main thing you have to be concerned about is how much travel or lift the jack will provide. The higher lift capacity, generally the slower or longer it takes to raise. Bottle jacks with the screw out lift post are handy. Just be sure it can reach your lift point.

 

[rambrush]

There are also some bottle jacks that won't work on there side. There is always a chance you just might need that capability in the future.

 

[off-roader]

My bottle jacks (came stock) won't even lift either of my montero's any more because they're already too high for it's reach.:Wow1:

 

[njtaco]

These are not cheap, but the 6 ton gives 12" of lifting in a 8.5" tall jack...

Link

ETA, It is not just reaching the lift point...you have to have enough travel/lift to both get the jack under the lift point with a flat tire, and still have clearance to install a replacement tire. A 33 inch tire (on a 15 inch rim) has like 7 inches of sidewall. (+/-) You need at least 8 inches of lifting ability, or else you have to start digging to get the spare on the truck...

Second ETA: Isn't there a telescoping Land Rover factory jack like the ones I linked to?

Third ETA:

Answered my own question...

from this thread...

 

[Spikepretorius]

The main thing you have to be concerned about is how much travel or lift the jack will provide............Just be sure it can reach your lift point.

I carry a few off-cut pieces of scaffold plank (about a foot long,300mm-400mm) to use as shims when using the bottle jack depending on the terrain.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Like Spikepretorius, I carry misc pieces of lumber for shimming. Don't know about replacing a Hi-Lift with a bottle jack completely, but I agree that bottle jacks sure are handy for a lot of things.

 

[1leg]

I have a stock bottle jack out of a ford f250 and a Hi-lift jack base. works great and a lot safer then a hi-lift.

Expedition Exchange picture

 

[njtaco]

I have a stock bottle jack out of a ford f250

Now I want one...do you remember what year F250 to narrow down the search?

 

[1leg]

Sorry I don't, It was given to me by a friend. I think Land rover come with Bottle jacks too. call EE thay might know how to get one. I like factory jack over the cheap pep boys or harbor frieght bottle that always seem to leak on me..

 

[RHINO]

monteros and other rigs have the same dbl ext bottle jack as the two pictured above (ford, LR) i got one from a junkyard, they work great but are not a replacement for a hi lift when you cant really get under the rig the right way. i carry both in the rig and have used them both.

 

[Echodawg]

All valid points. I just went out and measured. I need to be able to go from about 6" to 13" at point of contact plus several more inches to raise it off the ground. That is quite a range. Maybe carrying a floor jack would be a better option?

 

[michaelgroves]

The two jacks shown (the LR and the Ford F250) look identical. They are great two-stage hydraulic jacks, and I have used them horizontally a few times. They sell here in the UK on ebay for about £40, and new they cost about £70, so not cheap. The (rare) older ones have a metal body, the new ones have plastic housings.

 

[michaelgroves]

All valid points. I just went out and measured. I need to be able to go from about 6" to 13" at point of contact plus several more inches to raise it off the ground. That is quite a range. Maybe carrying a floor jack would be a better option?

The LR two stage has quite a bit more than 7" of lift, and the top section is threaded so you can get the initial height just right.