Thinking about dropping the hi-lift
- Thread starter jeegro
- Start date
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
The Toyota mechanical 'bottle' jacks don't have any oil in them. They don't leak anything.
You can also use them sideways and upside down if you need to.
67cj5
Man On a Mission
Sounds like the Jack I am looking for,
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
I would debate that, especially if your hi-lift kit has enough gear in it to do the old 'winching' with a hi-lift thing.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
A Hi-lift is about 30-40lbs depending on which model you have. A short drum 6-9k winch with synthetic is about 40-50lbs.
I wouldn't say that is a night and day difference in weight.
Some of the new 'big' UTV winches are pushing 5500lb weight ratings and are only about 25lbs.
I've 'winched' quite a bit with a hi-lift in my younger days, I wouldn't wish that punishment on anyone.
luckyjoe
Adventurer
I’m often alone and my vehicles do not have electric winches. Each vehicle does have its own bottle jack, and I add the Jackall if I foresee trial difficulty. I go back and forth on dropping it in favor of a winch, but in the end, the flexibility of bringing /not-bringing the jack is more appealing to always bringing the winch.
I too have ‘winched’ extensively with the jack, and while not as fast as a winch, I do actually enjoy the manual use and rigging.
takethetruck
Active member
To each their own... glad it worked for you.... "Its not the destination its the journey."
With the old, winch equipped Jeeps, I would normally winch something like that out of the way or just drive over it (does feel a bit tippy at times)... not really practical with most/many dedicated street/road vehicles though.
...sometimes you just gotta turn around and detour however;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...oulder-size-house-falls-Colorado-highway.html
Enjoy!
We were northbound on 145 the morning after this happened, road crew wouldn't say what happened and didn't give and ETA (just said you probably shouldn't wait). Found a 32 mile round-about on forest service roads to get 1 mile further north on 145 to continue on. Then we saw the story on the news that afternoon.
Glad to find this thread - was wondering what to do with the Hi-lift after the GoFast Camper goes on, looks like we'll just be leaving it at the house. Factory mechanical Toyota bottle jack from '84 and block of wood has done the job for us when needed, never pulled the Hi-lift in the field only at home to get comfortably oriented with winching and operation so we'd know how if needed.
Definitely don't need the weight.
Thanks all for the insight!
Lighthawk
New member
You make a good point. I've owned a first gen '06 Tundra for a decade. The OEM jack has been quite useful in a number of situations.
I also carry a hi-lift mounted to my FWC camper, and hydraulic bottle jack. I've had to use all three to get unstuck.
Now we're upgrading to a 2021 RAM 3500 CC and I want an extra bottle jack for when we're 40 miles from pavement. I went on Ebay today and found one in decent shape and pulled the trigger. I still have the same camper with hi-lift mounted up. I like redundancy when traveling solo in remote areas.
FYI, the Toyota jack (09111-0C010 ) from my first gen Tundra extends all the way out to 20" tall!
billiebob
Well-known member
I find selectable front and rear lockers the best way to keep moving, when they get overwhelmed, a winch is the best coice, if I need to change a flat..... once every 10 years...... the factory jack works well. I hate the awkward weight of a farmer jack..... I also understand why no forestry trucks in BC carry a high lift jack..... that is related to WCB claims for injured workers.
slowtwitch
Adventurer
You will get zero chicks without a Hi Lift prominently mounted to your truck.
craig333
Expedition Leader
I recently had a tire self destruct on me. Not enough room to get the bottle jack under axle. Either I could try and dig a hole for the jack in the rocks or I could use the hi lift to get the truck up high enough to get the bottle jack under the axle. The hi lift was much easier.
Ultima Thule
Member
You folks that are using a Toyota Bottle Jack, what are you using to actually crank it with? I don’t (will not) own a Toyota vehicle again (I know, but personal experience with three of them is different than many folks have had). So what are you using to turn that ring thingie?
I like the idea of a mechanical bottle jack like this instead of or addition to a Hi-Lift for my Rubicon.
I like the idea of a mechanical bottle jack like this instead of or addition to a Hi-Lift for my Rubicon.
Ultima Thule
Member
I’ve been looking on EBay and the ones I’ve seen don’t show a jack handle. I’ll keep digging.
pluton
Adventurer
Hot Ticket (as Marv Spector sometimes used to say): buy one, or better, two additional handle extensions for the Toyota bottle jack. Then you can comfortably crank it while not having to be close to, or partially under, the vehicle, depending on your choice of jacking point. Note: Due to slight differences in the jack package included with 4Runners, Land Cruisers, and the various p/u trucks, all the jacks accept all the hook shaped ends of the handle extension rods, but some of the extensions differ slightly in the dimensions of the nesting ends. Some filing may be needed to make new extensions work with a particular vintage extension. I also carry 4 pieces of 1'x1'x3/4" plywood, drilled to accept a couple bolts to hold the jack to the wood.
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