Why all the hi-lift hate? Is there an alternative?

[craig333]

As I said in another thread, sometimes its nearly impossible to use a bottle jack. Deep snow, rocks and mud can all make a hi lift a more viable alternative. Its the same safety rules as with a winch. No one other than the operator should be nearby. Assume its unstable and be ready. Carry lubricant, it will need it if you carry it open like I do. Know the behavior. Once the weight is off it may (usually) slide down rapidly. Put the death grip on the handle. If it hasn't clicked then its ready to come back up with potentially deadly consequences. Of course, never ever get underneath a vehicle using just a hi lift.

 

[madmax718]

Try using a stock jack on a lifted vehicle. It just aint happening. Most people can barely change a stock wheel and tire on flat ground- their chances on a rocky trail- eh... and yes, the hilift whack is serious business.


might have to add a foam sleeve.

 

[pugslyyy]

Try using a stock jack on a lifted vehicle. It just aint happening. Most people can barely change a stock wheel and tire on flat ground- their chances on a rocky trail- eh... and yes, the hilift whack is serious business.


might have to add a foam sleeve.

A big bottle jack is a much better substitute for the stock jack than a hilift IMHO because you can just jack the wheel off the ground without having to unload the suspension.

It's also good to have the kit to be able to fix a tire on the truck - I agree that rocky trails are not the place to do it, and sometimes you don't have a way to get off the obstacle. If I can plug a tire while it is still on the truck I will always choose that option!

 

[LR Max]

I have a nice hydraulic jack that I would prefer to use 3945873249856720x over a hilift. First off, its compact. It rides around in a locker in the back of my truck. Not hanging off a bumper or anything like that. Second, it always works. Seems like everytime the hilift gets pulled out, its been neglected and is a giant POS. Third, we end up screwing around with it because something isn't stable and its going all over the place.

On the other hand, I pull out my lowly hydraulic jack, lift up the axle, stuff a 6x6 block of wood under it, now we aren't stuck on the diff anymore. Drive forward a bit, now we are clear of the obstacle. Throw block and jack back in the too locker, done more efficiently, safer, and quicker. Problem solved, problem staying solved.

 

[madmax718]

I gotta get a bottle jack. Harbor freight, here I come.

 

[pugslyyy]

harbor freight is a wonderful place.

 

[David Harris]

I gotta get a bottle jack. Harbor freight, here I come.

The stock Land Rover ones are fine.

 

[justfred]

harbor freight is a wonderful place.

Except that everything there is ultracheap junk made in China that tends to break after a couple of uses. I'd rather buy quality gear once, that cheap gear multiple times.

 

[pugslyyy]

Except that everything there is ultracheap junk made in China that tends to break after a couple of uses. I'd rather buy quality gear once, that cheap gear multiple times.

You might be surprised, it all depends on what you are shopping for!

 

[fluffyprinceton]

If you don't have the ability to safely use a high-lift jack don't go to places you'll need one... solo travel off pavement for instance. But don't take my word for it - try to find a Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Montana, etc. ranch truck without one. Simply put there is no other recovery tool that can help you more - except a shovel. Well that's not exactly true - traveling in groups (the group being the recovery tool), having a sat phone, staying in cell coverage, paying for premium AAA and having a credit card with several grand at the ready are great recovery tools as well but you get the point...

By all means get a bottle jack - There is no better way to change a tire on hard level ground. A two stage one will get you 10 INCHES!!! of lift. Of course if your sand/mud/snow compresses 4 inches under the jack you'll only have 6 inches - but that should be enough! Just make sure you have a shovel to dig a hole to get it under a bogged truck and make sure to make the hole big enough to get your arm under there to work the handle - which likely puts valuable parts of yourself beneath an elevated truck...
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200305495_200305495

Jacking the back of a truck up 2-3 feet off the ground (I like using the hitch receiver) and pushing it sideways moves the rear wheels about that much sideways. Repeating that action on the front of the truck allows you to "crab" the entire truck back to solid ground. IT'S DANGEROUS!!! but it's a wonderful thing to know how to do. That's "extreme" high-lift technique but can be done with minimum risk to people & sheet metal in skilled hands. More conservatively, raising a wheel enough to build a new "road" under the tire is pretty straight forward - and in soft ground you'll need a lot of jacking height to get that job done. I do have a heavy canvas tarp to protect sheet metal when side lifting a wheel so the high-lift requires some skill, intelligence & common sense. As was mentioned 200$ gets you a very well equipped high-lift based recovery set up - though it would be more if you want to use it as a winch, a job it does NOT excel at. Oh yeah...it's a tool you have to keep clean.

I think they are less dangerous than a chain saw...Moe

 

[LR Max]

I carry a couple blocks of wood with me. Usually scraps from various garage projects. Some are pieces of 2x4, or 4x4, or my favorite, a 6x6 block of wood (great for standing on while working on the engine). These greatly assist whenever using a jack off road...or on road for that matter!

I've learned that keeping it simple, REALLY helps.

 

[taiden]

I feel like this $35 accessory pretty much negates the "you have to jack it really high to get the wheel off the ground which is unsafe" and "try lifting a stock vehicle with one" arguments.

 

[pugslyyy]

I feel like this $35 accessory pretty much negates the "you have to jack it really high to get the wheel off the ground which is unsafe" and "try lifting a stock vehicle with one" arguments.

View attachment 174275

Okay, so you've got a wheel in the air, what are you going to do with it? It's still going to be pretty hard to change the tire or even spin it to plug the hole. That method is good for putting a nice little dent right at the top of the tire arch on your fender though.

 

[LR Max]

I feel like this $35 accessory pretty much negates the "you have to jack it really high to get the wheel off the ground which is unsafe" and "try lifting a stock vehicle with one" arguments.

View attachment 174275

If you are high centered, this works very good. However you might have some issues if trying to change a tire...

 

[David Harris]

If you are high centered, this works very good. However you might have some issues if trying to change a tire...

Hi lifts aren't for changing tires in my opinion. The factory jack is for that. However, if you had to, you could jack it up with this, put a jack stand/log/rocks, etc under the end of the axle and remove the tire. There's no more danger in denting the vehicle with the jack in this position than elsewhere, such as off a slider or one of the bumpers. You still have to be careful. If your worried about the jack contacting the vehicle just put a piece of foam roll bar padding over the end of the jack as an added buffer.