HI-LIFT Jacking

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DallasCrzr said:
kinda beginning to think my hi lift was a waste of money

looks cool mounted though....expensive bumper sticker
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It's absolutely 100% a necessary tool if you do any kind of serious wheeling, I have used one so many times to get un-stuck where I would have otherwise been stranded. I've righted a floped vehicle using the winch kit too. If you have a winch break it makes a suitable backup.

There really is no alternative out there with the simplicity and reliability. Most jacks wont get you the height you need in a recovery situation and a lot of the other products are prone to failure. x2 on WD40.

Like the above member said, if you just drive maintained dirt roads than you should be fine but if you do anything harder, you don't want to find yourself without one.

Personally if I was going on a 2 week "expedition" and had to choose between a spare tire and the high-lift, I'd go with the later.
 
Are there any demonstrations on how to use one as a recovery device safely for the user and vehicle?
 
I just wonder if this tube adapter adds to the instability of the hi-lift... it extends the jack 's lifting tab out a few more inches creating a pull towards the LC body when jacking the tube.
No doubt the slider is worthy, but this crappy base on the hi-lift is the weak point.


Great concept but I am beginning to doubt my investment in this setup.
 
jasonbraswell said:
I just wonder if this tube adapter adds to the instability of the hi-lift... it extends the jack 's lifting tab out a few more inches creating a pull towards the LC body when jacking the tube.
No doubt the slider is worthy, but this crappy base on the hi-lift is the weak point.


Great concept but I am beginning to doubt my investment in this setup.
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For a more stable lifting platform, get the offroad base, drill a couple holes in it to attach a short loop of rope for retrieval.
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Which length do you guys use?

I was thinking this one: Amazon.com: Hi-Lift Jack XT485 48" Hi-Lift X-TREME Jack: Automotive

The 5ft one would be a lot harder to fit inside the truck and would extened too far off the stock roof rack. And the nicer finish and metal casting combined with the better end pieces makes the extra $30 or so seem worth it for the X-treme.
 
i high lift fairly often off my sliders. However, it is mainly on the rear, and i use the kickout loop on my WK sliders. I do not use the attachment and have never had a slip. I do chock the wheels and usually need a quick shoot of rattle can. But, i have never had a problem. On the flip side, i did use it on my front arb once and it locked up. I had to drive off, over it. Luckily there was little to no damage done to the bumper.

To conclude, the hi lift is a very useful and very scary tool IMHO.

mine is a 60. I think it fits best for a best like a 100.
 
KlausVanWinkle said:
Which length do you guys use?
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If you ever do use your Hi-Lift as a recovery device, believe me you'll appreciate the extra 12" of the longer bar. :rolleyes:

Yes, I have a winch, and no, there was absolutely no way I was getting out of where I was stuck without the Hi-Lift. Even with the (now replaced) 48" bar. :bang:

From the same trip, Hi-Lift 101 and fixing an unseated bead:
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BB-training-2009-64-L (Large).webp
 
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I have carried and used Hi Lifts ("Jack-All's" actually) for the better part of 30 years. Stretched fence, lifted buildings, split wood, removed trees, assembled equipment, pulled calves, destruction, construction, obstruction...You get the picture.

They are in my experience good at almost everything but lifting a vehicle. Yes you can use one to get unstuck, but I have never used a Hi Lift to lift a vehicle without thinking that body damage was imminent... (And in many case is was...)

If you are wheeling a vehicle in such a manner that body damage is expected a Hi Lift should be part of the kit. A vehicle like a 100 series probably deserves a bit more consideration.
 
squeezer said:
I have carried and used Hi Lifts ("Jack-All's" actually) for the better part of 30 years. Stretched fence, lifted buildings, split wood, removed trees, assembled equipment, pulled calves, destruction, construction, obstruction...You get the picture.

They are in my experience good at almost everything but lifting a vehicle. Yes you can use one to get unstuck, but I have never used a Hi Lift to lift a vehicle without thinking that body damage was imminent... (And in many case is was...)

If you are wheeling a vehicle in such a manner that body damage is expected a Hi Lift should be part of the kit. A vehicle like a 100 series probably deserves a bit more consideration.
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I disagree I use mine all the time to lift my truck, just not the 100. As you so rightly point out it's not the right tool for that job.

However it works very well for lifting more utilitarian body styles, BTW 48" is all I've ever needed with my lifted FJ40:meh:
DSCN0850.jpg

Please note that the truck is not supported by the Handyman jack it is supported by the wheels under the brake drums. I would never get under my truck or allow anyone else to do so if it was only supported by any jack
 
KlausVanWinkle said:
Which length do you guys use?

I was thinking this one: Amazon.com: Hi-Lift Jack XT485 48" Hi-Lift X-TREME Jack: Automotive

The 5ft one would be a lot harder to fit inside the truck and would extened too far off the stock roof rack. And the nicer finish and metal casting combined with the better end pieces makes the extra $30 or so seem worth it for the X-treme.
Click to expand...

I run the 60" extreme and it isnt too big for the roof. I ran it up there for years before I got my BOIR rear. I have a set of the older Slee roof rack mounts that I used to use: Slee - Roof Rack Accessories
 
The HiLift is a very powerful tool in "Trained" hands. Get the Bill Burke video!!!
Don't let the simplicity fool you, it can be a dangerous device, in untrained hands.
Kind of like a chain saw. Get the Bill Burke video!!!
 
rusty_tlc said:
I disagree I use mine all the time to lift my truck, just not the 100. As you so rightly point out it's not the right tool for that job.

However it works very well for lifting more utilitarian body styles, BTW 48" is all I've ever needed with my lifted FJ40:meh:

Please note that the truck is not supported by the Handyman jack it is supported by the wheels under the brake drums. I would never get under my truck or allow anyone else to do so if it was only supported by any jack
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Unless I'm missing something, this is exactly the wrong way to use a hi-lift. I see a bottle holding the axel up but no supports for the body frame. You should never get under a truck that is held up this way. I see the wheel that may stop things in a slip but I would not feel comfortable with it. It looks like you made the best of the situation but damn.....
 
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rusty_tlc said:
I disagree I use mine all the time to lift my truck, just not the 100. As you so rightly point out it's not the right tool for that job.

However it works very well for lifting more utilitarian body styles, BTW 48" is all I've ever needed with my lifted FJ40:meh:
DSCN0850.jpg

Please note that the truck is not supported by the Handyman jack it is supported by the wheels under the brake drums. I would never get under my truck or allow anyone else to do so if it was only supported by any jack
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Dear Everybody... Please use this picture of an example of what not to do.
 
squeezer said:
Dear Everybody... Please use this picture of an example of what not to do.
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I lean toward extra safe, but honestly that picture isn't very risky. He's completely shored up by the wheels/tire/axle on the PS, wheel/frame on the DS, and the front is on the ground.
 
OregonLC said:
I lean toward extra safe, but honestly that picture isn't very risky. He's completely shored up by the wheels/tire/axle on the PS, wheel/frame on the DS, and the front is on the ground.
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The passenger side will be supported by the tire (after what looks like a few inches of drop) but the rear on the drivers side will hit the ground. Not accounting for tire compression or shifting about half of that rear axle, and all of the drivers rear spring pack is going to hit the ground at 9.8m/ss unless a body part is there to slow it down.

As a trail fix in an emergency when there are no other options we do what we have to do. As an example of how a Hi Lift is a good lifting device not exactly.
 
staggrlee said:
And the X-Jack? Neat concept (that I haven't tried) but far less versatile than a Hi-Lift IMHO.
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+1
Hilift jack is very vertical, That's why it's so important for a hard wheeling. But it also can be dangerous. So i'm sure I'll handle it with care. And would prefer a bottle jack for more cases.
Appreciate all the inputs, got to know more about lift jack.
 
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