Its not an easy one as a jack needs to be easy to get to but not too easy that someone can walk off with it.
I actually think a jack should be easy for
anyone to walk off with it.. that's what makes it a useful tool on the trail, and not just an accessory. Good looking setup, if it were me I'd use some rubber washers and wing nuts. Then put the jack in the garage most the time.
[rant]
Imagine you're knee deep in a recovery on another truck, something slips, and you say "hey, someone grab my hi lift... " oh snap, ok everyone wait while I run up the hill in the snow and open my drawer system. Or worse, you compromise safety and use something else, because it was too much trouble to find all the tools to unbolt the jack.. so this log on top of the bottle jack on top of the rock on top of the bigger log will probably be good enough... I've seen that happen.
I don't care about the safety in an accident issue, I'm more concerned with keeping the jack clean and free of debris, ready for use, and easy access to anyone on the run should we need it. Hi Lifts are probably the most dangerous recovery tools out there, and everyone seems to get one, but stick it out in the elements where it gets all f'd up is begging for disaster, or at a minimum operating it won't be as easy. The little boots are nice for some added protection, but you'll see after a couple years how the insides are looking- all the slush buildup coming back from skiing- does the water drip inside the boot then freeze? And how will the rest of the tool look after it's been slid across branches, rocks, been used as a bottle opener.... worse case is those Jeeps you see with the hi-lift on the back bumper horizontally below the tailgate... constantly collecting road splash-back, loading up with snow, used in park-by-braille maneuvers... then expected to be used as an emergency recovery tool with someone under the vehicle.
And there's nothing more aggravating IMO than watching someone fumble for keys and/or special tools in the dark and snow because of their theft-proof receiver pin or something.. they always think it's just an extra second but it always ends up being multiple minutes.. you've got the strap ready, the guy behind you in reverse, and 15 guys on the CB with screaming wives and kids saying wtf is taking so long.. and the driver is fumbling through his center console looking for keys.
I lead a lot of runs, and a lot of those in the dark, and in inclement weather. Over time I've come to the conclusion that hi lifts should be kept warm and happy until just before the run, then stored somewhere that just about anyone could grab it to help. Ok, [/rant]
