What are your opinion on "Off Brand" High Lifts

[sailorcolin]

After recently installing sliders to my Xterra, I deal of being able to jack on them makes me excited over using the dangerous factory scissor jack. So I use to have a Discovery I and used a 48" high lift with that but when I sold the Disco the high lift went with it.

My question is, how do the non High Lift band jacks like this Reese Farm Jack compare to the High Lifts? They are cheaper and the high lift is such a simple design that there cant be too different, right?

 

[Ray_G]

I tend to use my hi lift as a tool of last resort, and while the design is simple the quality of materials may well be the difference in price-especially given there reviews on TSC of the model you were talking about.

Sadly when your D1 left, so did the real gem in terms of jacks: the bottle jack in the Land Rover is one of the better ones and is potentially worth seeking out.

On the hi-lift...I'd spend the $, having seen enough near misses with the real thing I wouldn't want to rely on a generic version.
r-
Ray

 

[sailorcolin]

honestly forgot about the bottle jack! it being a two stage and a U shaped top made it stable. D1's show up at the junkyards quite a bit and ill get one again!

 

[RedF]

The Jack-all brand jacks are (or at least were) made in Canada, and the quality seems excellent. There is only one thing wrong with them that I have found. Not all Hi-Lift accessories are compatible. I bought a top clamp designed for a Hi-Lift, and it wouldn't fit, the beam must have a slightly different dimension.

 

[tgreening]

I have a hi-lift I bought in 1983 and have never done anything to it other than lube. I believe it cost me $50 at the time. I've seen hi-lifts bend, which is bad. I've seen off brands snap, which is a whole lot worse. Pick your poison but be very aware of what you're buying, where it's made, and what it's made of. Hi-lift style jacks should be a tool of last resort. They are dangerous plain and simple. A more heavy duty and much higher lifting version of the old bumper jacks that went the way of the Dodo a long time ago and for good reason.

As far as safety goes, I'd take a scissor jack any day of the week over a hi-lift if it will get the job done. I'd take a good bottle jack over the scissor given that choice.

 

[verdesardog]

Someone on the smiley rock trip worked for 20 mins or so to use his harbor freight jack but couldn't get it to work. I drug out my Hi lift and got the vehicle up to change a blow out in less than 5.

 

[I Leak Oil]

A Hi-Lift isn't all that expensive to begin with. What do you save over a Reese or Smittybilt or what ever brand you pick? $30 to $50? That's not a lot of money for what you get. As someone pointed out earlier, how many attachments do you see for the off brands? Jackall does have a decent reputation but, again, I don't think they are significantly less expensive.

Edit: You want to see a scary looking piece of equipment? Take a look at the Harbor Freight farm jack! Sad thing is for about $25 more you can get the all cast run of the mill 48" hi-lift.

The Reese seems to have multiple poor reviews due to the handle breaking off or bending.

 

[fishEH]

I agree with everbody else. Drop the cash on an actual Hi-Lift brand. Keep the mechanisim clean and lubed and you'll be fine.
I have about 6 of the Land Rover bottle jacks, they're great!

 

[IdaSHO]

Ive got an honest to goodness High Lift brand one, and it is fantastic.

Ive had it since the mid 90's, and it has saved me countless times.
They are fantastic tools when coupled with a bit of ingenuity and LOADS of self preservation in mind

I have had to replace a few parts over the years on mine, but that is to be expected.

And all this time it has been out in the elements, with no cover. Currently mounted to the rear of my flatbed.



That said, some of the imitation high lifts look to use stamped steel for the beam.
My only suggestion is to stay with a cast steel beam.

 

[NYresQ]

While on the topic of high lift jacks, can anyone give me an insight into the "cast" vs "steel" options for them? is it just the main beam thats different? or is it the components as well?

Price is close enough that its not a deal breaker one way or the other, but I was wondering what the consensus was as to strength, durability, etc?

Thanks

 

[sailorcolin]

I agree with everbody else. Drop the cash on an actual Hi-Lift brand. Keep the mechanisim clean and lubed and you'll be fine.
I have about 6 of the Land Rover bottle jacks, they're great!

The local junk yard has 6 90's Discos and Range Rovers. I will be making a trip there to check for jacks the week.

 

[LR Max]

I've got a Rover bottle jack. It has a cradle for the axle. Good unit, kinda light and stiff. However it jacks up my truck with 235/85/16s on it, no problem. Just topped it up with fluid.

As for knock off hi-lift, except for jackall, NO.

 

[Mountainhound]

I have a reese sitting in my basement it is worthless and dangerous. The foot is fixed no flex. Anyway I have a real hilift in my cruiser now.

After recently installing sliders to my Xterra, I deal of being able to jack on them makes me excited over using the dangerous factory scissor jack. So I use to have a Discovery I and used a 48" high lift with that but when I sold the Disco the high lift went with it.

My question is, how do the non High Lift band jacks like this Reese Farm Jack compare to the High Lifts? They are cheaper and the high lift is such a simple design that there cant be too different, right?

 

[Stumpalump]

I've has as good of luck or better with the knock off brands. They are the same and sometimes better.

 

[pugslyyy]

Just to +1 what others have said in this thread -

1. The branded hi-lift is dangerous enough - but they fail they bend instead of breaking/shattering.
I've done enough work with cheap Chinese knockoffs to know that you don't rely on them when safety is important to you. Cheap LEDs? Sure. Structural/load bearing stuff? Nope.

2. If you are using a hi-lift to change a tire you are doing it wrong, that's what bottle jacks are for. A hi-lift has to lift the entire vehicle and unload the suspension to get the wheel in the air - and with a flexy truck that is a lot of lift. Raise the axle not the truck!