Jacks fior Changing Tires etc.

[Life_in_4Lo]

Anybody have experience with this? Comments?

Li4L, so you think the xjack would work fine under the rear axle of a 5k lb taco?

Liftmate is cool, gotta get one of those too.... dang $$$ lol

We put it under a 6500lb Land Cruiser and it lifted just fine

 

[The BN Guy]

Good pic! Answered all my questions. Now I need to talk Handbrake for funds.

 

[justfred]

Unless you are really doing something extreme; save your money. I'm at about 75 expeditions off-road in northern Nevada and the Sierras now - - I have yet to see a Hi-Lift used for anything. A couple guys in our club carry them but it's more because they got them for free than any useful purpose. Better to have some good recovery points, some straps, shackles and a second rig along.

I tend to disagree. I've used the hi-lift a fair number of times to get un-stuck. The biggest benefit over standard jacks is height (tho you do lose some of that due to spring sag since you're jacking from sprung areas rather than under axle). Most of the time this was when the 4wd and/or locker did not engage and I got into sand or dg and dug in. The Pinzgauer and/or Land Rovers I've used it with had solid metal bumpers. Jack the truck up, throw some rocks and/or mexican blankets underneath; lower and drive off. I've even used the quite dangerous method of jack up to the top and (making sure not to risk humans and/or sheet metal) push the vehicle sideways onto solid ground. Sometimes it takes one or two tries front and back. Really really dangerous. Don't try this at home.

The main reason to use it for changing tires, is to practice and keep the jack in working condition - better to go nuts cleaning it up in the garage, than on the trail.

 

[AndrewP]

HiLifts are indispensible trail tools on difficult trails. I have seen them in use dozens of times, but for something like a tire change, I prefer a bottle jack. Where HiLifts really make their mark is during an extraction from a high center. I know Life_in_4Lo was there when we had to HiLift my truck, Amando's truck and Alvaro's truck all within about 1 mile heading down the Big Sluice.

I could not agree more that they are scary and dangerous, and deserve the utmost respect. If you always remember to leave the lever in the "raise" position, and the handle "up", you don't tend to get whacked with the handle. Lowering the truck is where most people get hurt if you don't hold onto the handle with some force.

For really big trucks like SOA Land Cruisers, a HiLift is the only thing that can get those big tires off the ground.

On the lift mate thing-I thought that was such a good idea, I made one with chain and real hooks. It's absolutely perfect for raising a wheel and "bringing the traction to the wheel" without rasing the body of the truck insanely high.

 

[ldivinag]

the first time i saw a hilife in action, was a few years ago.

nor-cal people know HOLLISTER HILLS SVRA and their mini-rubicon.

a dude went in there and got stuck on a rock.

he yanks out the HLJ and proceeds to lift the entire front end, and using the wobbly base, "toss" the truck over the rock.

he does this a few times before he decides to bail.

personally? i have used it to lift the rear end of my 4runner out of a very sticky (clay) like mud, dump some leaves/branches/whatever under it and after like half an hour of this, got out of a mess.

also, plan on carrying a piece of wood, used as a bigger base. otherwise, first time i started to jack off the mud, the base just sunk into it... doh!

i found a big enough piece of wood that was kinda flat and i used that...

 

[OutbacKamper]

Anybody have experience with this? Comments?

I have (so far) used the Lift-Mate ever time I use the Hi-Lift, mainly because I don't have bumpers or sliders that I can jack from. However if your getting unstuck (rather than changing a tire) this method of lifting the wheel, and compressing the suspension, works much better anyway. I really like the built in rubber faced pad that helps keep the jack away from the tire and bodywork. Be aware that inorder to lift a fully loaded full size truck, it will probably take 2 people on the jack. Be sure to check that the Lift-Mate fits your particular wheels prior to purchase. Also if your spare has a different wheel (my 2 spares are on 2 different styles of steel wheel), check them too. The first time I was running on a spare and got stuck in sand, I went "Oh ******* the Lift mate isn't going to fit" . Lucky for me I could just squeeze the hooks into the smallish holes in the steel spare wheel.

I also highly recommend the Hi-Lift Off-Road Base rather than a piece of plywood. The Off-Road base has a built in depression to hold the jack in place for safety, while the metal jack foot can easily slip on plywood. It is also usefull to put under your stock bottle jack, as it spreads, the load, holds the jack in place, and gives you about 2 1/2" of additional lift.

Cheers
Mark

 

[BajaTaco]

I also highly recommend the Hi-Lift Off-Road Base rather than a piece of plywood.

I agree on the Hi-Lift base. FWIW, in a pinch, you can drill a hole in the center of the plywood, and carry a short 3/8" bolt, pair of washers and hex nut to secure the jack.

 

[Scott Brady]

Wabfab makes a very cool slider adapter, and BajaTaco just completed a great article reviewing its merits.

WabFab Slider Adapter

 

[david despain]

so from this review and the comments made on page 1 of this tread that adapter looks like a must have. i only have one question for those that own it. in the review it says it comes with a grade 8 bolt to secure it to the hilift tounge. does this bolt take any substantial shear force that would require a grade 8 bolt or is it there to just keep the adapter from falling off the jack, in other words would it be feasible to put a ball detent pip pin in its place or even a clevis type pin with a r-type retainer clip? that might make it easier and faster to use and then break down for storage? just thinking out loud.

 

[paulj]

Would you need to remove it for storage. I don't think it extends the length of the jack tongue that much - maybe an inch.

paulj

 

[david despain]

whoa look at that. i guess it doesnt take up much additional room at all. i guess no need to make it all fancy if a simple bolt will work.

 

[waskillywabbit]

To make things even better, I am using a new product by WabFab that is a Hi-Lift jack adapter that securely fits the tongue of the jack onto any round tubing. When I first heard of the product, I didn't really think it was that big of a deal (since I had used my jack for so long without one). But once I actually had the product in hand, and saw how it worked in person, I realized I had underestimated it's value. It's just plain cool. It makes the jack tongue very stable (I tried to shake the jack side-to-side to get the tongue to slide and it wouldn't budge), and a benefit I didn't realize until I used it is that it allows the tongue to be safely used on tubing that is very close to body sheetmetal. (see 3rd pic below). Here are a few pics that I took of the WabFab adapter...

:iagree: I must admit it...my slider adapters are downright sexy on a Hi-Lift!

I'll be more than happy to answer anyone's questions. Shoot me a PM/email.

:elkgrin:

 

[Desertdude]

I liked the wabfab product so much I bought one for each vehicle.

thanks Wabbit for a great product

Dalton highway approved :iagree:

 

[waskillywabbit]

I liked the wabfab product so much I bought one for each vehicle.

thanks Wabbit for a great product

Dalton highway approved :iagree:

I LOVE folks like Desertdude! Got a bunch of friends? :beer:

:elkgrin:

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

This product also works great on the 2 bars on the front/center of the ARB front bumper as well! Just used it like that the other day!