Hi Lift Jack Mate & IFS

[thecriscokid]

I have a Hi Lift Jack mate and I am curious if anyone uses one with jack stands to change wheels? It works great with solid axles where you can set the axle directly on to the jack stand, but what about with IFS. I don't have a front bumper at this point to jack from.
My question is: Is it safe to put a jack stand on a Toyota IFS control arm?

 

[DaveInDenver]

I don't understand how the jack mate figures in here. I prefer to put the jack stands under my truck under the forward cross member, where the lower part of the skid plate bolts. While I think the jack stand under the control arm is alright, the problem is that it slopes and is not stable. If push comes to shove, I prefer to put the jack saddle or jack stand under the lower ball joint if I have to use that location. There is a little bit of a flat spot on the arm just inside of the ball joint and outside of the elbow. This works alright if your jack stand saddle has a flat profile. Some are round, which work great with axles, but not as good with frame members IME. FWIW, Toyota recommends the cross member as the front jack point.

 

[thecriscokid]

I guess I like how quickly I can get the wheel off the ground by lifting from the wheel and not the frame. I'll try to play around with a flat top jack stand. Mine have a round profile and works great on a solid axle but I have been avoiding it in the front. I suppose that I could also figure how much wheel droop I need for the tire to clear the ground and raise the wheel that extra amount before setting it on the frame...

 

[RHINO]

I don't understand how the jack mate figures in here.

i think he's calling a lift mate a jack mate by mistake.

 

[RobA]

In Australia we have a national standard for 4WD driving and recovery. In relation to hi-lifts we recommend you never use them for tyre changs, same for exhaust jacks. The simple reason is that both devices are inherently unstable, the hi-lift is purpose designed this way. So they are completely unreliable for this role. Given we also consult in remote area risk management any of our clients employees caught changing wheels using one of these would face disciplinary action for a breach of occupational health and safety regulations

Those commens aside we find the hi-lift with wheel lifter and winch kits a highly versatile piece of recovery equipment

Regards

RobA

 

[thecriscokid]

Do you find it exceptable to lift with a hi-lift and place the vehicle on jack stands? That's what I am talking about

 

[RHINO]

absolutely, and when it comes to jackstands and IFS, just be sure you've got the head of the stand in a good solid place so it wont slip.

 

[RobA]

Do you find it exceptable to lift with a hi-lift and place the vehicle on jack stands? That's what I am talking about

Nope certainly not for the reasons I have explained. Hi-Lifts are unstable and that is part of their design. I would never get underneath a vehicle to position an axle stand if it was only held up by a hi-lift. I have seen these things slice a door in half when the vehicle moved suddenly and without warning. What was even worse was the fact that the passenger refused to get out of that vehicle and subsequently suffered quite nasty injuries as the jack tore its way through the door and into her

Hydraulic bottle jacks are our recommended way to go as the are quicker and as safe as any other vehicle jack.

It may be a rash assumption but if you are putting a vehicle on to stands I figure this is being done in a garage rather than some remote part of the world? One other solution we have seen folk with more room and carrying capacity than sense is they take a garage type vehicle jack. One option we use is air operated bellows in remote areas but this is highly specialised stuff

Regards

RobA

 

[JamesDowning]

I don't like using my hi-lift on pavement. The bottom of the lift doesn't create enough friction when on flat, solid surfaces like that. If you think about it, the forces are not exactly on top of each other (the vehicle weight is cantilevered out to the end of the tongue). This creates shear (sideways force) at the hi-lift base. What Hi-lift needs to come out with is a base with small pointy teeth that can grip into asphalt. The hi-lift is really meant for use on soil. Your best bet is to use a bottle jack when on pavement.

As for IFS, I lift from directly below my coilover. It has a curve to it that meshes with my bottle jack perfectly!

 

[off-roader]

Although not designed for pavement use, I have used my HiLift jack to lift my 4x4. Assuming 3 of the 4 tires stays in solid contact with the ground tipping shouldn't be a problem however you do have to be extra careful to only do this on a level surface to avoid the vehicle shifting.

I'd also check your vehicle's owner's manual to be sure but many IFS vehicles that I've owned, are designed to use a jack on a section of the A-Arm but like I said, check the owners manual for all the jacking points to be sure it will support the vehicle weight.

 

[Stumpalump]

I think the biggest danger comes from the handle kicking up and catching people in the teeth. If you bought it to look cool on your roof rack thus adding to your center of gravity then play with it off road a few times and stand back to learn what it will and will not do. Hint keep that bastard straight and level at all times. A small tilt can lead to a bad day and a loose grip on the handle will too. Keep kids away and never take your eye off of it and it becomes your best freind. I'm less a fan of crawling under a rig with a bottle jack than standing to the side with a Hi-lift but you have to have the strong bumpers and rock sliders for that. A can of WD-40 is also mandatory if you mount it exterior on the vehicle to get sand and rust out of the working parts. Next I just allways plan as if it's going to fall and keep clear. They always seem to go as soon as you take your eye off so extra eyes that understand the death risk is allways in the plan. Fun stuff and adds excitment right?

 

[dust devil]

Nope certainly not for the reasons I have explained. Hi-Lifts are unstable and that is part of their design. I would never get underneath a vehicle to position an axle stand if it was only held up by a hi-lift. I have seen these things slice a door in half when the vehicle moved suddenly and without warning. What was even worse was the fact that the passenger refused to get out of that vehicle and subsequently suffered quite nasty injuries as the jack tore its way through the door and into her

Hydraulic bottle jacks are our recommended way to go as the are quicker and as safe as any other vehicle jack.

It may be a rash assumption but if you are putting a vehicle on to stands I figure this is being done in a garage rather than some remote part of the world? One other solution we have seen folk with more room and carrying capacity than sense is they take a garage type vehicle jack. One option we use is air operated bellows in remote areas but this is highly specialised stuff

Regards

RobA

First, please note that while I own a Hi-Lift, I rarely use it for anything and far prefer to use a bottle jack to lift a vehicle, regardless of the reason the lift is needed.

But, that said, if you can't use the Hi-Lift for any reasons secondary to mere lift, such as changing a tire (or tyre if you live upside down) what do you use one for, and why carry it? It is the world's worst recovery device, makes a very unhandy vice, and aside from lifting vehicles, has little use (even though it can be put to various uses).

Folks have been lifting vehicles with this type jack for going on a hundred years, primarily to change tires. Our old '56 Chevy came with one stock with a bumper hook as the principal means of lifting the vehicle. And it worked. They have their issues, but do lift, generally much farther than any other type of lifting device readily carriable into the field. If you can't do anything with the vehicle once lifted, what's the point?

 

[Red Zebra]

I was taught to always.......ALWAYS treat a hi-lift like it wants to kill you. :smilies27 But, it is only one of several tools with me.
I find the HL extremely valuable in specific situations including when stuck with the vehicle on or nearly on it's frame. The HL allows me to lift with the Lift-Mate or using points on the sliders or bumpers to get the veh up enough to fill the holes or add ladders under the tires. This example does not easily allow any other device to get under the vehicle at solid lifting points.
The HL is certainly not for everybody or for every lifting scenario.

 

[JamesDowning]

Indeed, the hilift is not for everybody. However take note... in most of these offroad forums, what is the first thing noobies mount to their roof rack?... you guessed it. Most of them don't even have rock sliders or a bumper that can be lifted from.

Without sliders or some sort of steel bumper, the hilift by itself is fairly useless.

 

[FlatlinesUp]

Indeed, the hilift is not for everybody. However take note... in most of these offroad forums, what is the first thing noobies mount to their roof rack?... you guessed it. Most of them don't even have rock sliders or a bumper that can be lifted from.

Without sliders or some sort of steel bumper, the hilift by itself is fairly useless.

unless you have the right tool for the job:

good general HiLift link: http://www.4x4now.com/bb0997.htm

IMHO the HiLift is an excellent tool and a great "first" off road tool, but like all tools, you need to read up on how to use it, then you need to actually practice using it, and you need to respect it and the potiential damage it can do to you, bystanders, and your vehicle.
Practice in the 'controlled' area of your driveway, etc to find out exactly what you can/can't do. Read up online (like the like above) to find out tips/tricks as there are plenty of them out there.

There is a reason that the HiLift holds the status that it does.
It works. It has worked (very well) for many years.

Read. Respect. Practice.