Hilift straps and angles
Just a note. The pic of the strap and hilift at OEX is a demo of why we use the extreme Jack clamp and not the older "inline" clamp It is due to the angle (very clear in that pic) as the nose reaches the clamp.
We do not use chain on the nose as has been the "way" in the past. If you use chain, as the nose reaches the clamp the chain can very easily come off. A chain is used in our way of rigging only for adjustability along with a winch extension with a sinnet knot(ancient sailor trick, nothing new, knot is also know as a monkey braid, or daisy chain) and toggle for adjustment. The chain is 3/8 70 grade for at least 6600lbs load rate and a fail rate of 26,000. Chain is only attached with d-shackles and a closed system. As a matter of fact this is the only place we use chain at OEX, never in any other recovery---too dangerous, gives no warning when it goes and hold tremendous energy due to weight when it does go.
We also do not use wire rope for the same reason, too much mass and too much stretch compared to say Materpull XD line or other synth.
Why not chain chocked onto the Hilift nose? Simple logic... chain has an ached surface and the Hilift's nose is functionally flat. Therefor the contact patch the chain has with the nose is very small and when the angle increases it just does not have as good "grip" as a nylon non-stretch strap which conforms to the nose's surface and does not slide. We use 2 or 3 inch 20,000 straps and we make sure the nose has no rough areas that might cut the strap.
We did a test some years ago; 50 pulls with a strap on the nose and 50 with the chain. The chain sprung off six times. I have never had the strap come off - and this was before the new extreme clamp was put out. Of course you could use the chain and have a retainer pin in the "A" support under the nose to help stop it from sliding, but this is not needed if you have a strap and really that "A" support is really only there for one job, to triangulate and support the lifting forces on the nose---we at OEX leave it alone.
Of course HiLift makes the chain tension unit that works very well and is safe at angles. Many decades of using this jack and others like it; we would use no other (note: this said i am always open to new products and staying dynamic with our standards at OEX- just because it worked in the past doers not mean it cannot be improved!).
The old clamp does need to be watched over time if you use the jack as a winch a lot as we do at OEX. What happens is the twist as the clamp and nose come close will rip the metal centering tabs on the clamp and allow it to rotate and drop the rig or snap (in the picture someone posted on this thread the finger is actually pointing at the metal fatigue from twist--time to get a new clamp)---REMEMBER NEVER turn the old clamp 90 degrees to the shaft, it must, as a winch, only be used in line with the shaft.
If you want to use the older clamp and not get the extreme jack, no worries, just get a 5 or 6 ft ft jack and do not go closer than a foot off the clamp when winching.
If your jack binds up, you simply have a dirty or non-lubed jack---keep it clear and pay attention. Sloppy recovery means stuck jacks. That said there are times when it is impossible to not get the jack lifting mechanism dirty if you use it low, etc. If this is the case rig a way to be higher than the dirt or what have you, or use a different technique/equipment (sand ladders, pullpal, and winch...or). Use your water bottle or urine to clean off the sand and dirt. A dirty and stuck jack is very rare for us (if things are followed methodically) and we do literally hundreds and hundreds of people a year, we are, however, rather paranoid about keeping our jacks very clean. We use large bases (2x2x1" marine plywood with a rope attached) for the jack in deep mud and sand and snow, this keeps the jack high up and clear of dirt. We do not lay the jacks on the ground if we can avoid it, but if we do, "PINS UP OR SCREW UP" Being in the USA east in CT, VA, Iceland, and the plethora of places we lead trips or train on site...we are always wet and dirty, it becomes a habit to protect the jack. This habit can be lost in dry and rocky areas at the users expense!
There are times and places that you just walk with a Hilift on your shoulder with a wheel lift and wait for the next 10 feet where it might be needed; i.e. waste of time to re-stow it in some places.
There are a few comments that the jack is dangerous, well of course it is, anything used without thought or training is! But if you know what you are doing (i.e the correct way to use it) and think and PLAN before you do a thing you can use it well. The biggest issue is usually not load rates and chains and strap, etc, but instead where your head and fingers are when using the jack... remember the "No Go Zone" . Look at many pictures of the Hilift in action and you will see peoples heads and body parts all over these dangerous spots. Its not that they do not care, its just that they have learned by other showing them the wrong technique. We do a demo in or training that makes it very clear why you need to do things right---its an eye opener for sure.. If you want a copy of our Hilift article please let us know---HiLift itself has nothing but a 100% backing of our techniques.
Edit added...straps vs chain in Hilift. We use chain only on the Hilift as stated above since it is stronger than the shear pin of the jack, you cannot break the chain before the pin, so its safe (ish). The strap we use are low stretch 20,000 lbs and the stretch they have is relative to this rating, therefor they stretch yes, but very little and not enough to store much energy. remember chain (yes little but there) also stretches but has more weight. Dynamic load is a NO NO on any system and must be avoided at all cost---define why stuck, set command of team, use hand signals and not voices constant pressure, stabilized vehicle, etc--- unless, of course, you are using a kinetic rope as a dynamic recovery.
In closing. We suggest recovery is done like this: 1st choice Kinetic rope (fastest and safest if used RIGHT), second winch and third HiLift. The Hilift is the most dangerous and slowest, but it is by no means the master of nothing. It is a very effective tool and often the only choice for recovery. So I must disagree with it being set aside as not usable and scary (this scariness comes from stories, some true, and watching others use the product wrong- use it right and all is as well as can be). Tell me, if you are alone and you do not have 6 pulley blocks, how will you winch your stuck vehicle backwards? If you are hung up on your diff, will you employ a winch or a kinetic rope, clearly not. The HiLift is the safest and fastest for these certain recoveries. Please take care, nothing is black and white.... the more you look at anything that appears black and white, the more you see shades of gray.
OEX
