Hi-Lift vs Smittybilt

[skidplate]

For years I just layed it across the front frame on top of the tow hooks and bungeed it down with no problems. I finally made a bracket out of 2" angle iron and attached it to the windshield hinge, ran a bolt up through the running board. It is very solid. For what it's worth, I did buy the harbor freight jack on sale for $29.00 a couple of years ago. I leave it in the garage and use it there with no problems, but the Hi-lift travels with me.

 

[REDDAWNISHERE]

I was way over thinking this thing, just ran some 1/2 in. bolts through the bars on the roof rack and put some wing nuts over it. Solid as he'll and simple. Just need a lock and I'm ready to roll.

 

[skidplate]

Good on ya! Don't you just love simplicity?

 

[Methusalem]

Guys, last week I bought this thing. The only brand that is available here in Suriname is a FarmJack. Should be an American brand. Sounds familiar...?

Btw, it looks axactly the same as on the FJ-Cruiser above. I already lifted the back of my HJ60 with it. Works fine.

 

[REDDAWNISHERE]

Guys, last week I bought this thing. The only brand that is available here in Suriname is a FarmJack. Should be an American brand. Sounds familiar...?

Btw, it looks axactly the same as on the FJ-Cruiser above. I already lifted the back of my HJ60 with it. Works fine.

I have a farmjack as well. I have not used it yet but it feels very solid. I only found out after buying it that a lot of users here prefer the Hi lift. honestly I'm not sure there is much difference unless you are using it all the time. For the occasional escape or extraction, I think it will do fine.

 

[TexasJack]

I work in the Oil and Gas industry. Of the casing pipe that comes from China about 25% is trashed because of poor quality (slag in the pipe which will fracture under stress). Practically none of the casing made in America is trashed. They determine if slag is present using ultra-sound imaging and electromagnetic imaging so they know for sure if a pipe has defects.

When dealing with metal that is going to be put under heavy stress, us US or Japanese metal. It is simply better steel than made anywhere else.

 

[Methusalem]

I have a farmjack as well. I have not used it yet but it feels very solid. I only found out after buying it that a lot of users here prefer the Hi lift. honestly I'm not sure there is much difference unless you are using it all the time. For the occasional escape or extraction, I think it will do fine.

Thanx for the info!

 

[Chop Shop]

Guys, last week I bought this thing. The only brand that is available here in Suriname is a FarmJack. Should be an American brand. Sounds familiar...?

Btw, it looks axactly the same as on the FJ-Cruiser above. I already lifted the back of my HJ60 with it. Works fine.

My ol ladys family runs a trucking outfit and uses these kind of jacks daily.

He will only buy the FarmJacks. He says the hilifts are picky POSs and wont buy them anymore. Sharp edges and mud and trucking yard grit make them not work. They run them till he wears thru the linkage and then has me weld the holes up and put new pins and links on them. He will bring me two to make one out of allot of the time too.

Of all my buddies that have a HiLift bolted to their truck, they always hand them to me cuz they cant run a new "notchy" one very well. I can run the pegs with my fingers faster than the handle. I have tons of years using a hilift and they suck ass.

Yes Hilifts suck ass like a sawzall. When ya need it, ya need it. But it still a crappy tool with an outcome only as good as the operator.

All new hilifts suck. Greased they suck. Oiled they suck. Dry they suck. They are an unhappy tool.

And to the guy that said he didnt like welded on handles? I weld all mine on. I hate having the handle slip off or when it gets a bend it will flip/flop. Or it gets lost or its still on some pos rigs tierod. My jacks handle is always in place.


This just an opinion from somebody that will never have a hilft that has any paint left or a chance to rust and will never be bolted to a roofrack. JMO.

 

[RiverRatMatt]

Can you link to the specific jack you're talking about and recommending?

Everything I find when I google "Farmjack" looks just like the Chinese knockoff smittybilt jacks.

I'm not buying what you're saying about Hi-Lifts at this point

 

[Cruiserdrew]

New Hi-Lifts are kind of cranky. They work much better once the powder coating wears off a bit. In fact, I think they would work better if the bar was painted and not powder coated. It also helps to smooth the ridges where the spring holding pins slide back and forth.

Anyway, an older but clean and well cared for Jack works better than a new one right from the store.

Most important advice about a Hi Lift is don't use it if you don't have to. Second most important piece of advice-have your buddy carry the Hi Lift. Third, store it inside when you are not out 4 wheeling.

 

[FJ40-GARAGE]

I always read about WD40, chain oil and all that *greasy* stuff......

I got rid of that for the HiLift, oil attracts dust to stick to the mechanic and make things sometimes worse than using it without oil.

Simple dishwasher liquid is what i use, it contents glyzerine so everything will work fine just like it does with grease but you can wash the dryed glyzerine off like nothing and wont get dirty hands afterwards, if you have water.

Just my 2 cent.

 

[Ozdunc]

I've had my Hi-Lift for 12 years, don't use it often, but when it is used it's abused. Generally underwater, in mud, blah, blah. As a jack, as a winch, to straighten panels, its a great tool.
Hose it down after, oil it up. and wrap the head in a rag, chuck it in the back of the truck, furgeddaboutit...

I bought the service kit when I bought the jack. Never even opened the packet.

But as people have said - it can be a dangerous mutha. RTFM and don't muck about.

 

[LRChops]

Hm... I ended up getting the Smittybilt.. it is made in China, though it literally looks exactly the same, with the exception of the handle being welded on.

I haven't really used it yet, and i have the receipt, so depending on what I hear in this thread I may return it.

The Smittybilt was $59 and they said the Hi-Lift is $79

That is too bad that you bought a Chinese made High Lift. Or a Chinese made anything for that matter! I'd return it and pay the extra for an American made quality proven part, not a copy cat part.

Shame on Smitty for taking thier products out of the country! We should be paying our hard earned dollars to support those countries with solid democratic foundation such as USA and Japan.

 

[Enigma]

Hi-lift type jacks are just too dangerous to let a measly $20 sway your decision for such a useful tool.
Our options on this side of the fence are the USA made Hi-Lifts and the Canadian made Jack-Alls, both great products, with the Jack-alls usually a little more pocket friendly. Apparently the Jack-All is the only one that's NATO approved if that means anything.

This comparison might be of some use....

Off-road gear for your 4x4 vehicle adventure | Landroverweb.com

 

[Mark W]

I always read about WD40, chain oil and all that *greasy* stuff......

I got rid of that for the HiLift, oil attracts dust to stick to the mechanic and make things sometimes worse than using it without oil.

Simple dishwasher liquid is what i use, it contents glyzerine so everything will work fine just like it does with grease but you can wash the dryed glyzerine off like nothing and wont get dirty hands afterwards, if you have water.

Just my 2 cent.

Interesting idea. Seems to make sense to me. Gonna have to try this.



Mark...

 

[freepowder]

Leaners

I just put a OME kit on the FJ60, couldn't get both rear center bolts on at the same time by myself, jacked it about twelve feet in the air with the Hi-lift, bent down to pull the jackstands up a couple notches and it fell off to the left. Saw it coming as was ready for it, it landed on the jackstands, no worries (had two under the back and two in front of the rear springs) and wonder of wonders, both centerbolts are in place on the axle. Bolt up u-bolts, torque it down and chalk up another victory to fate and hi-lift.

Have also got off a number of high centers by jacking 'er up and pushing it off the jack.

 

[skidplate]

BUY A LOTTERY TICKET you lucky son of a gun!

 

[80t0ylc]

I just put a OME kit on the FJ60, couldn't get both rear center bolts on at the same time by myself, jacked it about twelve feet in the air with the Hi-lift, bent down to pull the jackstands up a couple notches and it fell off to the left. Saw it coming as was ready for it, it landed on the jackstands, no worries (had two under the back and two in front of the rear springs) and wonder of wonders, both centerbolts are in place on the axle. Bolt up u-bolts, torque it down and chalk up another victory to fate and hi-lift......

Sorry, I just can't agree with sharing that (in this way). I mean, how would it have read, with a different ending, written by a surviving relative? I think I'd be on my knees.

.......Have also got off a number of high centers by jacking 'er up and pushing it off the jack.

Yes, this is a common and useful method with a Hi-Lift.

 

[freepowder]

Sorry, I just can't agree with sharing that (in this way). I mean, how would it have read, with a different ending, written by a surviving relative? I think I'd be on my knees.

Let me explain again.

Setup:
-I've got two 6 ton jackstands under the receiver hitch bar with the vehicle about 3" over them.
-I've got two 6 ton jackstands under the frame rails right in front of the front spring perches about 1" below them.
-The jack is centered under the receiver hitch bar.
I'm standing at the rear of the vehicle operating the jack.

Fall:
-The jack fades over to the left as I step back out of the way and the receiver bar lands on the jackstands.

Danger:
-Only to the vehicle if it against all odds misses the jackstands.
-I'm well out of the way in any case.

This ain't my first rodeo and I would never be anywhere near under a vehicle being supported only by a jack and certain never under one supported by a Hi-lift, they're just too unstable.

Perhaps my mistake lays in failing to expalin my position in all this with more accuracy. Again, I was standing behind the vehicle well out of the way of anything that might squish me. As I see it the lucky part was the axle landing right where I needed it.

 

[80t0ylc]

I just put a OME kit on the FJ60, couldn't get both rear center bolts on at the same time by myself, jacked it about twelve feet in the air with the Hi-lift, bent down to pull the jackstands up a couple notches and it fell off to the left. Saw it coming as was ready for it, it landed on the jackstands, no worries (had two under the back and two in front of the rear springs) and wonder of wonders, both centerbolts are in place on the axle. Bolt up u-bolts, torque it down and chalk up another victory to fate and hi-lift.

Have also got off a number of high centers by jacking 'er up and pushing it off the jack.

Let me explain again.

Setup:
-I've got two 6 ton jackstands under the receiver hitch bar with the vehicle about 3" over them.
-I've got two 6 ton jackstands under the frame rails right in front of the front spring perches about 1" below them.
-The jack is centered under the receiver hitch bar.
I'm standing at the rear of the vehicle operating the jack.

Fall:
-The jack fades over to the left as I step back out of the way and the receiver bar lands on the jackstands.

Danger:
-Only to the vehicle if it against all odds misses the jackstands.
-I'm well out of the way in any case.

This ain't my first rodeo and I would never be anywhere near under a vehicle being supported only by a jack and certain never under one supported by a Hi-lift, they're just too unstable.

Perhaps my mistake lays in failing to expalin my position in all this with more accuracy. Again, I was standing behind the vehicle well out of the way of anything that might squish me. As I see it the lucky part was the axle landing right where I needed it.

Yeah, your first illustration of your activities sounded just a little on the dangerous side. Thanks for taking the time to explain what you meant.