Hi-Lift Problems / Malfunctions

[toyrunner95]

highlifts can be dangerous. i broke my brand new windshield after about 3 min after it was installed. and its almost takem my head off.

lube is the key. mine sits idle most of the year in the weather and they can get rusty. another key is paint. take the two big ladder pins out then paint and lube them. the paint keeps any moisture out and the lube does its job. i have never used my jack and NOT had a problem.

another tip, keep the handel pin in. i broke my windshield when i had the doors were off my truck, i was jacking up the side and the handel slipped out of my hand, missed my head, then flung itself through the truck bouncing off the inside of the windshield. i was soo mad, they guy had just left too.

 

[madizell]

The issue with the Hi-Lift style jack not working on one direction or the other is inherent in the design. The walking pins have to have the load taken off them to slip into position, and the clearances are on the large side, which is not a bad thing.

But, if you lube the jack you have to keep it covered when not in use, as the lube itself will attract and hold dirt, which will in turn jam the pins. A completely dry and rust-free (in the working part of the) jack will work just fine. A clean and lubed jack will work just fine. A lubed and dirty jack will generally not work for long.

I don't lube mine as I don't cover it inside the car, and while it will jam from time to time when first placed in service, a bump will get it going and after that it works just fine because the bump displaces the loose grit. If it were lubed and dirty, a bump would get it going but you would have to bump it every time because working the action will not displace and loose the dirt that jammed it to start with.

Hanging a lift jack outside the vehicle where it is exposed to elements and airborne dirt makes it problematic just how well it will work when it is needed. If I had to hang one on front or rear bumper, uncovered and unprotected, I would NOT lube it. Instead, I would take it down, blow it off with air pressure, and use it from time to time to displace surface rust on the pins. I have seen shag-nasty rusted jacks work just fine as long as the pins were free to move.

But truly, this is a crude piece of technology. Don't expect it to work perfectly each and every time. Just be prepared to whack it on occasion.

 

[ntsqd]

snip.....
A completely dry and rust-free (in the working part of the) jack will work just fine.

BT, TT. IME, No it will not. In the 1/2 dozen times I used the jack before setting it permanently on the driveway it failed to function properly ~60% of the time. I find that inexcuseable. I'm OK with it being crude. I'm OK with it functioning crude. I'm not OK with it malfunctioning to the point where it's clunky, inoperative, or dangerous. It's biten me, literally, twice. That was with careful handling. The second time was after the careful detailing I descibed much earlier in this thread and is why it's now been sitting on the driveway for 3 years.

I will say this about Hi-Lifts though, their standard footplate makes a darned nice spare tire rim center holding plate.

 

[hi-liftjackcompany]

I am an employee of Hi-Lift Jack Company, so I wanted to respond to some of this discussion. First of, lubrication does seem to be the issue at hand for 90% of the claims describing the jack going up fine, but having problems coming down. Hi-Lift jacks are tested twice before leaving the factory and have lubrication added to them at that time. However, in the time it takes for the jacks to actually reach the end-user, the lubricant can dissipate. It is noted in the instruction manual and on the warning labels, that lubricating the jack well before use is important. The best way to keep it clean and lubricated is to lubricate it often, and then keep it covered with one of the many jack covers available on the market. We will be coming out with a new jack cover within the next few months that will be a neoprene zip-on cover for the Hi-Lift to help in this regard. I echo the comments of those that stressed the importance of respecting the Hi-Lift Jack. Anything that can lift up to 7,000 lbs. can be dangerous if not used correctly. In addition to the instruction manual available with the jack and online, we also have DVD's available at no charge for anyone that requests them by calling (800)233-2051 or requesting them on our website (www.hi-lift.com). This DVD demonstrates proper use of the jack and demonstrates many other uses for the Hi-Lift that make it so versatile and important in the off-road market... winching, pulling, clamping, stretching, prying. It offers much more versatility than any other lifting-only device. Lastly... a comment towards the person that claims that Hi-Lift is a knock-off of the Farm Jack. This is completely false. The Hi-Lift jack was originally called the Handyman Jack when it was invented back in 1905. We changed the name from Handyman to Hi-Lift back in the 1960's, but the same family has owned and operated the business all that time up until today. The family invented the jack in 1905, and all the knock-off jacks that have come along since are just imitators.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Very nice to have a rep from the company come in and offer their 2 cents. Thanks.
I personally never have issue with mine. It's stored in the rig and before each use I hit all moving parts with WD40. It's always worked just fine for me.

EDIT: I should clarify. Earlier in this thread I stated a couple issues I had with mine. Those issues were all operator error on my part. My hi-lift works just fine when I'm not being stupid.

 

[tdesanto]

Very nice to have a rep from the company come in and offer their 2 cents. Thanks.

X2

I personally never have issue with mine. It's stored in the rig and before each use I hit all moving parts with WD40. It's always worked just fine for me.

X2

 

[bigredpigdriver]

Very nice to have a rep from the company come in and offer their 2 cents. Thanks.
I personally never have issue with mine. It's stored in the rig and before each use I hit all moving parts with WD40. It's always worked just fine for me.

I would like to echo your statement. I feel I have sometimes abused my poor jack, but it has always come thru for me. I use a motorcycle chain lube on mine, I like that it stick and dont drip like d-40.

 

[Explorer 1]

Dust and lubrication

Everytime I use my Hi-jack I experience the same mentioned problem. Because of the storage location of my jack, the rear bumper, and the amount of dust it is subject to between use, I always carry a can of WD-40 and spray away before each use. Once the lower pin is freed up and slidding back and forth freely, no problems.

I agree that anything used to move somthing heavy has to be respected when in use.

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[KG6BWS]

Very nice to have a rep from the company come in and offer their 2 cents. Thanks.
I personally never have issue with mine. It's stored in the rig and before each use I hit all moving parts with WD40. It's always worked just fine for me.

EDIT: I should clarify. Earlier in this thread I stated a couple issues I had with mine. Those issues were all operator error on my part. My hi-lift works just fine when I'm not being stupid.

x2. i used to have nothing but problems with mine, going up or down, with hammer or without, until i got my head out of my butt and started lubing it properly. the best stuff, that ive found, is a graphite spray that i use on my guns. couple of shots of graphite occasionally and it works perfectly. like the rep said, lube is the key. imo, wd40 just doesnt cut it. but like i said, thats just MY experience.

 

[s.e.charles]

Quaddrotech jack: Just talked to them. Pricing and stuff will be on their page in 2 or 3 weeks. That jack will be rated at 9000lbs, and they are being tested on uparmored HMMWVs.

http://quaddrotech.com/product_scissor_jack.html

do we know an internet dealer for this jack?

thanks

 

[67cj5]

I am an employee of Hi-Lift Jack Company, so I wanted to respond to some of this discussion. First of, lubrication does seem to be the issue at hand for 90% of the claims describing the jack going up fine, but having problems coming down. Hi-Lift jacks are tested twice before leaving the factory and have lubrication added to them at that time. However, in the time it takes for the jacks to actually reach the end-user, the lubricant can dissipate. It is noted in the instruction manual and on the warning labels, that lubricating the jack well before use is important. The best way to keep it clean and lubricated is to lubricate it often, and then keep it covered with one of the many jack covers available on the market. We will be coming out with a new jack cover within the next few months that will be a neoprene zip-on cover for the Hi-Lift to help in this regard. I echo the comments of those that stressed the importance of respecting the Hi-Lift Jack. Anything that can lift up to 7,000 lbs. can be dangerous if not used correctly. In addition to the instruction manual available with the jack and online, we also have DVD's available at no charge for anyone that requests them by calling (800)233-2051 or requesting them on our website (www.hi-lift.com). This DVD demonstrates proper use of the jack and demonstrates many other uses for the Hi-Lift that make it so versatile and important in the off-road market... winching, pulling, clamping, stretching, prying. It offers much more versatility than any other lifting-only device. Lastly... a comment towards the person that claims that Hi-Lift is a knock-off of the Farm Jack. This is completely false. The Hi-Lift jack was originally called the Handyman Jack when it was invented back in 1905. We changed the name from Handyman to Hi-Lift back in the 1960's, but the same family has owned and operated the business all that time up until today. The family invented the jack in 1905, and all the knock-off jacks that have come along since are just imitators.

Hi-Lift are the Best Off Road Jacks ever made, I ordered one from a company that turned out to be a knock off which is only used for less important jobs and was soon replaced by the HL-485 back in 2001/2 and back in March 2016 I bought the X-Treme 60" which has not been used yet, I think Hi-Lift Jacks are problem Solver's and I use them when nothing else is up to the Task, The reason I bought the X-Treme 60 is it is a heavy duty version of the HL-485 but many times I ran out of Height where the 60" jack would have been just right.

The X-Treme series have all the extra fittings and the added strength and the easy removable Foot Plate, But One thing I would like Hi-Lift to change is to make the Reversing Lever out of the same stuff the Top Clamp is made of "IF" it is not Cast, Or make it out of Hardened Steel and anodize it the same as the rest of the X-Trems Hardware, So Please would you pass that on to the people at HQ, Otherwise the Jack is perfect,

Thanks for you reply,

J.