datoy
Adventurer
The JackMate is available again after being off the market for a few years: http://www.myfjcruiser.org/2326/
The Best Hi-Lift Accessory - JackMate
- Thread starter datoy
- Start date
Captain K-man
Adventurer
I have one of them on the rescue truck where I work. I've used it a few times when our jaws of life died. The thing works great. It can also be used with chain as a come along. I've been wanting to get one for my own Hi-Lift.
Is a JackMate the same rig that High Lift now offers on their X-Treem model? It kind of look like it??? http://www.hi-lift.com/hi-lift-jacks/x-treme.html
Bob
Bob
datoy
Adventurer
If you follow the link to my blog you will see the info you are looking for.
Tim@Rescue42
New member
JackMate answers
I'm the guy who designed the JackMate, and I'd like to answer the questions you guys are posting.
The history: I developed the JackMate to give us Firefighters a manual "Jaws of Life" tool to use when our hydraulic tools failed and to provide a manual, low cost tool for rescue to farms, off road, third world countries and other places where people need to be rescued and a $25,000 dollar set of Jaws aren't practical. What happened is that my small company was almost instantly overwhelmed by orders! We couldn't make enough JackMates (the original "yellow" version). I was then contacted by Hi-Lift, who flew me out to their factory, gave me a nice tour of their facility, and made me an offer for the JackMate which I unfortunately could not accept. At the time there were rumors that Hi-Lift was for sale, and another company called Maasdam had just purchased the Canadian Jack-All jack and were making it (well, assembling) in the US. They offered to buy Hi-lift (who declined the offer) and also licensed the rights to the JackMate patents from me.
Maasdam went straight to China for their manufacturing, producing the "Gold" JackMates and making some design changes which I didn't like. Maasdam also started having major problems which led to their filing bankruptcy. This violated our licensing agreement, and I took back the rights to the JackMate patents. Our rescue business was booming, and I literally put the JackMate on a back shelf for a couple of years because we didn't have time to re-design it. But the phone kept ringing and the e-mails kept pouring in begging for JackMates. Finally I decided to do something about it.
I redesigned the JackMate from scratch. I wanted them to be made in our factory of American steel. I wanted better gripping capability on the Load Plate with diamonds (I hate the Chinese "three bumps"). I designed a much better, more aggressive Safety Spur (the spike that sticks out from the corner and prevents the Side Plate from levering the base into a skid if the angle changes too much). I added a fence/wire puller for the ranchers and construction guys (which doubles as a bottle opener for the rest of us...). Changed to a ball detent pin and a permanent lanyard to prevent lost pins and to replace the damned spring clip. In other words, a completely new tool.
Since many of the calls over the years had been from Off Roaders, I decided to go to SEMA in Las Vegas (Wow! Incredible show!) and show the new JackMate. I was stunned when SEMA honored us with the Off-Road and 4WD "New Product of the Year 2010" award! Our Rescue tool for Firefighters is now officially an Off-Road tool.
To answer the questions I am seeing from you; JackMate is more than 2 times stronger than the Jack itself. Therefore you can now use the Jack without fear that the "Top Clamp" will snap off at a load less than the jack is capable of exerting. Different brands of Jacks claim different load ratings (up to 8,000 Lb). JackMate allows all brands to clamp, crush, winch, and spread to the full rated load of the Jack, and provides spikes for traction in slippery or soft ground (or on metal or wood in rescue situations). With Fire Fighter/Rescuer numbers decreasing, it is a good idea for extreme Off-Roaders to be capable of what we are calling "Remote Area Self-Rescue". If you get in trouble out there a helecopter can reach you in minutes, but can't carry rescue gear to get you out of your rig. Ground Rescue units (with rescue gear) will take hours (days?) to get to you. A Jack with JackMate can rip a car or truck apart, bend roll cages away from victims, pull steering wheels away, etc.
I hope this answers your questions without sounding like a sales pitch.
Thanks, Tim
I'm the guy who designed the JackMate, and I'd like to answer the questions you guys are posting.
The history: I developed the JackMate to give us Firefighters a manual "Jaws of Life" tool to use when our hydraulic tools failed and to provide a manual, low cost tool for rescue to farms, off road, third world countries and other places where people need to be rescued and a $25,000 dollar set of Jaws aren't practical. What happened is that my small company was almost instantly overwhelmed by orders! We couldn't make enough JackMates (the original "yellow" version). I was then contacted by Hi-Lift, who flew me out to their factory, gave me a nice tour of their facility, and made me an offer for the JackMate which I unfortunately could not accept. At the time there were rumors that Hi-Lift was for sale, and another company called Maasdam had just purchased the Canadian Jack-All jack and were making it (well, assembling) in the US. They offered to buy Hi-lift (who declined the offer) and also licensed the rights to the JackMate patents from me.
Maasdam went straight to China for their manufacturing, producing the "Gold" JackMates and making some design changes which I didn't like. Maasdam also started having major problems which led to their filing bankruptcy. This violated our licensing agreement, and I took back the rights to the JackMate patents. Our rescue business was booming, and I literally put the JackMate on a back shelf for a couple of years because we didn't have time to re-design it. But the phone kept ringing and the e-mails kept pouring in begging for JackMates. Finally I decided to do something about it.
I redesigned the JackMate from scratch. I wanted them to be made in our factory of American steel. I wanted better gripping capability on the Load Plate with diamonds (I hate the Chinese "three bumps"). I designed a much better, more aggressive Safety Spur (the spike that sticks out from the corner and prevents the Side Plate from levering the base into a skid if the angle changes too much). I added a fence/wire puller for the ranchers and construction guys (which doubles as a bottle opener for the rest of us...). Changed to a ball detent pin and a permanent lanyard to prevent lost pins and to replace the damned spring clip. In other words, a completely new tool.
Since many of the calls over the years had been from Off Roaders, I decided to go to SEMA in Las Vegas (Wow! Incredible show!) and show the new JackMate. I was stunned when SEMA honored us with the Off-Road and 4WD "New Product of the Year 2010" award! Our Rescue tool for Firefighters is now officially an Off-Road tool.
To answer the questions I am seeing from you; JackMate is more than 2 times stronger than the Jack itself. Therefore you can now use the Jack without fear that the "Top Clamp" will snap off at a load less than the jack is capable of exerting. Different brands of Jacks claim different load ratings (up to 8,000 Lb). JackMate allows all brands to clamp, crush, winch, and spread to the full rated load of the Jack, and provides spikes for traction in slippery or soft ground (or on metal or wood in rescue situations). With Fire Fighter/Rescuer numbers decreasing, it is a good idea for extreme Off-Roaders to be capable of what we are calling "Remote Area Self-Rescue". If you get in trouble out there a helecopter can reach you in minutes, but can't carry rescue gear to get you out of your rig. Ground Rescue units (with rescue gear) will take hours (days?) to get to you. A Jack with JackMate can rip a car or truck apart, bend roll cages away from victims, pull steering wheels away, etc.
I hope this answers your questions without sounding like a sales pitch.
Thanks, Tim
Antichrist
Expedition Leader
Tim,
Thanks for the history lesson, very informative.
While overall I like the new design better than the Massdam knock-off, I can see some situations where the "three bumps" would be an advantage over diamond plate. For instance, where the Jackmate is against something with a smallish cross section. But I can also see where the diamond plate would be better in other cases.
Oh, and welcome to the forum.
I love it!
Thanks for the history lesson, very informative.
While overall I like the new design better than the Massdam knock-off, I can see some situations where the "three bumps" would be an advantage over diamond plate. For instance, where the Jackmate is against something with a smallish cross section. But I can also see where the diamond plate would be better in other cases.
Oh, and welcome to the forum.
I love it!
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Stan the Man
Adventurer
I was already sold on one a month back, now I'm making the purchase after that history lesson. Thanks!
I looked into buying the hi-lift xtreme shackle only, but it was either too spendy or MIA.
I looked into buying the hi-lift xtreme shackle only, but it was either too spendy or MIA.
Lichen
Explorer
I'm thinking of getting new Hi-Lift for my truck (60") as I'll be giving my 48" to my wife's truck. I was about to get Xtreme, but decided to hold of till Boxing Day. Now it adds even more confusion to my choice...
Okay, I have to ask. What is Boxing Day? I see it on calendars but it's not something that we celebrate in the U.S.
teotwaki
Excelsior!
The name derives from the English tradition giving seasonal gifts (in the form of a "Christmas box") to less wealthy people. In the United Kingdom this was later extended to various workpeople such as labourers, servants, tradespeople and postal workers.
In some countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom) Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price decreases. For many merchants, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest revenue
datoy
Adventurer
I'm thinking of getting new Hi-Lift for my truck (60") as I'll be giving my 48" to my wife's truck. I was about to get Xtreme, but decided to hold of till Boxing Day. Now it adds even more confusion to my choice...
I would skip the Xtreme and add the Jackmate. It is more functional than the clamp that comes with the Xtreme.