Looking for ideas on a good Fuso jack?

[unkamonkey]

In my opinion, a bottle jack with a 1/4 " steel plate about 16 by 20 inches is the only way to go. Years ago I had to go out and do some tire changes on the side of I 70. A 60 ton crane on a flat bed trailer, the 20 ton jack did want to sink into the pavement a bit.There is a reason we had some odd pieces of steel plates in the service trucks and in the shop.

 

[gait]

I just received my hi-lift jack.

On cursory examination it is intrinsically unsafe.

Flipping the up/down lever to down allows the jack to collapse if there is not sufficient load on it.

Instructions reckon 50kg.

I think this thing is a thing of very last resort.

 

[Howard70]

On cursory examination it is intrinsically unsafe.

Flipping the up/down lever to down allows the jack to collapse if there is not sufficient load on it.

Instructions reckon 50kg.

I think this thing is a thing of very last resort.

Hello Gait:

I agree with you - especially on a vehicle the size and mass of any Fuso based rig. While we carry one in our Tacoma (Hilux-like) we don't take one in the Fuso. Even in smaller vehicles they are an acquired taste!

One thing to watch for is losing your grip on the handle towards the end of a stroke - the handle can snap up with enough force to spoil your dental work....

Howard



Howard

 

[Alastair D(Aus)]

A few comments based on many years of 4wd in Landcruiser size vehicles.
1. You need more than one type of lifting system as Murphy will always put you in to a different situation.
2. Hilift jacks are useful and I always carry one but do not use it for routine punctures as they are intrinsically unstable. I do however use one to lift a vehicle when bogged to get packing under wheels etc. Make sure you have various base plates ie thick wood, steel plates offcuts etc.
3. Exhaust jacks are bulky and you must carry a thick vinyl sheet or something to lay between it and the vehicle/ground/obstruction. I had a good quality one that was fine on test when new. Lay packed under the bed for 3+ years and ruptured along a seam when used in anger for the first time. Never replaced or repaired it.
4. The wheel hook arrangement for a hilift is very useful to get something else under the axle in a difficult situation.
5. I will NEVER get under a vehicle with a wheel off unless there is a stable rigid support of some type under a suitable part of the vehicle. Have helped to get someone out from under a vehicle when it was lifted on a dirt road using the screw jack that came with it. Not pretty. He survived but with lifelong disability.

I am now building up my Isuzu NPS truck and am giving all this serious thought as I know my previous experiences have to be updated in light of the size of my new vehicle. My current plan is to have one side locker with all my recovery gear etc. The jacks will be the new 12T air/hydraulic bottle jack mentioned in the post above, the screw jack that came with the vehicle - very compact and short triple screw and my old Hilift jack that will mount under the vehicle in a vinyl bag. I will also have numerous plates and chocks that always seem to make the difference. I have yet to decide on what supports I will carry in case I need to work underneath, but hope I would have no reason to do so with a wheel off. Probably carry some wooden blocks as being the most versatile.

Pardon the long posting but this is something I am thinking a lot about at the moment.

cheers

 

[unkamonkey]

I have straped the HiLift to the rear bumper of my MF. It was of more use to help level the vehicle. The 8 ton bottle jack is still my preferred tool for tire changes.
I have never oiled my HiLift. In my opinion all that does is attract dirt. Mine works fine.
Several freinds have HiLifts, they have to spray them with some sort of lubricant any time they want to use them.
I try not to leave it out in the weather but we are going on 24 years of use now.

 

[Alastair D(Aus)]

I have straped the HiLift to the rear bumper of my MF. It was of more use to help level the vehicle. The 8 ton bottle jack is still my preferred tool for tire changes.
I have never oiled my HiLift. In my opinion all that does is attract dirt. Mine works fine.
Several freinds have HiLifts, they have to spray them with some sort of lubricant any time they want to use them.
I try not to leave it out in the weather but we are going on 24 years of use now.

I Oiled mine when new and then carried it on the roof rack. Was all jammed up when I had to use it after about a year. Cleaned it with petrol and then sprayed it with a dry lubricant and store it in a 'wife' made custom vinyl bag. All good after 25 more years.

 

[JRhetts]

My 0.02. I am driving a 22,000# Fuso chassis, with dual rear wheels. Tires are ~40" diameter. Front axle 8500#, rear axle 13,500#. Two previous vehicles roughly comparable sizes. Total miles in these relatively large rigs, ≤ 200,000 miles.

I carry two garden-variety hydraulic bottle jacks. One rated at 6-ton, the other at 8-ton. I carry two 2'x2' pieces of 1.25" thick plywood [scrap from concrete framing] that I rough sanded and painted 3 coats of spar varnish [to protect from water absorption and ease of cleaning off mud.] These are for support and extra spacing in the case of soft/uneven/slanted surfaces when things go t*ts-up.

I have interconnecting pieces of tube as a handle to to pump up and release pressure on jack pump. These are long enough that once a jack is placed under my axle, I am outside the edge of the truck when pumping.

With each new truck, I have practiced changing/rotating tires. Only once have I HAD to change a flat - it was a blow out. At the side of a busy highway all went well.

I have endless on-board air, at 150 psi, for my air brakes. I looked at the air-driven hydraulic jacks, but they are so heavy that positioning them in an awkward situation [is there any other when you really need them?] eliminated them. The throw and lifting power of even my 6-ton is plenty to life one wheel [have never had to lift a whole axle], and the lighter weight of ordinary bottle jacks is MUCH easier to position. Two jacks could easily lift a whole axle to put stuff under, but I think more about pulling in that wort of situation. I liked the idea of the inflatable bags, but the cost for one that is not subject to instability was prohibitive, as well as the volume too great even in my rig.

Lots of room for preference here. But simpler can work!