Just recently started venturing far enough into the woods where I would be in deep doo doo if I had to pull a wheel off. Ordering a Hi-Lift and wanted to see what everyone out there is running. Also, and issues, stories, tips and/or tricks?
What Hi-Lift nodel/size do you have?
- Thread starter pfran42
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #3
I'm interested in the winching/spreading functionality as well. Does the Smitty have that capability?
- Thread starter
- #5
Looked at the description and I don't see anything about spreading functionality.
I have a 60" Hi-Lift.
Get a LiftMate, slider adapter, Arb bumper adapter, handle-keeper, offroad base, recovery/winching kit, HandleAll kit, length of Grade 70/80 chain... Hell, they ought to just give you the jack for free!
Seriously though carry a rachet strap to limit axle droop when lifting, radius a good piece of plywood to your rim size to put under the base of the jack (to break/clean/reseat a tire bead), make sure to kick the base of the jack under the truck to angle the jack away from the truck before lifting.
And mind the runaway handle ratchet drop! You could easily break your jaw or worse. Never stand over the handle, and always secure or remove it if your hands aren't on it.
And don't buy anything less than 60" if you intend to use it for recovery, you'll have to re-rigg a 48" bar more often when a 60" would have done the trick.
Get a LiftMate, slider adapter, Arb bumper adapter, handle-keeper, offroad base, recovery/winching kit, HandleAll kit, length of Grade 70/80 chain... Hell, they ought to just give you the jack for free!
Seriously though carry a rachet strap to limit axle droop when lifting, radius a good piece of plywood to your rim size to put under the base of the jack (to break/clean/reseat a tire bead), make sure to kick the base of the jack under the truck to angle the jack away from the truck before lifting.
And mind the runaway handle ratchet drop! You could easily break your jaw or worse. Never stand over the handle, and always secure or remove it if your hands aren't on it.
And don't buy anything less than 60" if you intend to use it for recovery, you'll have to re-rigg a 48" bar more often when a 60" would have done the trick.
Last edited:
it spreads the same way it jacks. winching is the reverse of spreading. as mentioned, the jackmate is a good add on. i'd never want to have to winch with a farm jack tho, a slow few feet at a time, then reset the position, then another slow few feet... better than nothing i guess. another (expensive) winching option for the non-winched truck is the wyeth-scott puller. The Wyeth-Scott Co. Established 1906 still not a speed demon
Spend the extra few $$$ and get a Hi-Lift brand in the 60" variety... Most of the cheaper jacks aren't fully cast and have things like welded handles which I'd prefer not to have... If you are under your vehicle you want to make sure a quality jack is supporting it... Some of the 60" models actually end up cheaper after shipping for some reason... Northern Tool also carries them if you want to pick one up locally...
60" Hi Lift with handle keeper......XL base plate for soft terrain use.....tire adapter to let you lift from tire to get unstuck or off high-center without fighting tire droop with suspension.....a Slee slider adapter that lets you lift more safely on round slider bars or tube bumpers.
also practice a little but be careful as they are dangerous.....also start out at slight angle away from vehicle when you place it under attachment point as it will lean in towards vehicle during lifting operations. If you dont my find your self with nice dent or gash i body panel. some open passenger or driver doors when lifting from side to keep from having to worry.
be careful....read directions.....dont make your first time using it when you are stuck.
also practice a little but be careful as they are dangerous.....also start out at slight angle away from vehicle when you place it under attachment point as it will lean in towards vehicle during lifting operations. If you dont my find your self with nice dent or gash i body panel. some open passenger or driver doors when lifting from side to keep from having to worry.
be careful....read directions.....dont make your first time using it when you are stuck.
^ what he said about the leaning. Fortunately it didn't smack the truck. Also, choke your wheels if on pavement - I didn't and this weekend the truck rolled forward as I was jacking from the side towards the rear - could have been bad.
Last edited by a moderator:
Practice with it. "recover" yourself in the driveway. Practice what works best. Make sure your jacking points are accessible with your accessories .Full strokes with the handle, and always keep the lifting handle in the upright position when checking position, vehicle manors, and when finished. If the jack is leaning, guess what it will do when the front wheels come off the ground, always make sure it's level and no tilting or bending, if so let everything down and re-position. I put the jack under the ARB or sliders, do one lift and bump it into place where it sits level. Do 5 lifts and step back, look at everything and repeat.
I have been ignorant on the trail with mine thinking I knew it was straight and on the 100's slider firmly. Well, it wasn't and the truck shifted. The door was within mm of the jack and would of taken a finger off, or the jack could of came unseated and spun 90* into the ground and hurt/killed me. Always check....
Which strap do you guys recommend to secure axle when lifting from the rear? Of how much I love pushing my luck *inside* the 100. I won't push the limit with a hi-lift. So lifting the back of the 100 3/4's of the hi-lifts capacity is stupid ( never gone above half.
I have been ignorant on the trail with mine thinking I knew it was straight and on the 100's slider firmly. Well, it wasn't and the truck shifted. The door was within mm of the jack and would of taken a finger off, or the jack could of came unseated and spun 90* into the ground and hurt/killed me. Always check....
Which strap do you guys recommend to secure axle when lifting from the rear? Of how much I love pushing my luck *inside* the 100. I won't push the limit with a hi-lift. So lifting the back of the 100 3/4's of the hi-lifts capacity is stupid ( never gone above half.
To get unstuck or centered use this
Hi-Lift Lift-Mate (LM-100) - lift vehicle wheel directly from the wheel | Hi Lift Jack Company
I just use regular ratchet strap if I need to lift axle with truck to clear tire better....
Here is axle strap and adapter for lifting with rock sliders from SLEE
Slee - Recovery products
Hi-Lift Lift-Mate (LM-100) - lift vehicle wheel directly from the wheel | Hi Lift Jack Company
I just use regular ratchet strap if I need to lift axle with truck to clear tire better....
Here is axle strap and adapter for lifting with rock sliders from SLEE
Slee - Recovery products
Tractor Supply carries the Hi-Lift and a Reese version of the same thing. The Reese model is $50 vs $90 for the Hi-Lift, but they look almost identical side by side and are rated the same. Is it really worth $40 more for the Hi-Lift?
^yes. a hi-lift is also a very helpful assistant whenever you need to dig up a tree stump 
In 15 years of extensive off road travel, I've used mine once as a winch. That convinced me to get a real winch and now my Hi-Lift takes up space in the attic.
Most people don't know how to use them and certainly don't maintain them.
I rate it right up there with chrome bumpers and nerf bars. Looks cool, but not really functional in most real-world situations.
Just my .02.
Now let the flaming begin.
Adam
Most people don't know how to use them and certainly don't maintain them.
I rate it right up there with chrome bumpers and nerf bars. Looks cool, but not really functional in most real-world situations.
Just my .02.
Now let the flaming begin.
Adam
How do you change a tire when you get a flat (when not on the road, or other hard-packed solid surface)?
In last year alone, I've had the "excitement" of using my hi-lift jack 3 times for changing flat tires while off road, and not close to a place that would work well with the bottle jack... Perhaps this says more about the way I drive, than the need for a hi-lift jack...
Two weekends ago, I had the excitement of moving the back end of a 40 around with the use of a 48" High-Lift jack, after he tipped over and was pulled back onto his feet by none other than myself. It worked beautifully, even when not maintained!
The only thing that keeps me from buying one is the fact that I do not have any jack points on a stock LC.
The only thing that keeps me from buying one is the fact that I do not have any jack points on a stock LC.
In 15 years of extensive off road travel, I've used mine once as a winch. That convinced me to get a real winch and now my Hi-Lift takes up space in the attic.
Most people don't know how to use them and certainly don't maintain them.
I rate it right up there with chrome bumpers and nerf bars. Looks cool, but not really functional in most real-world situations.
Just my .02.
Now let the flaming begin.
Adam
For the original poster, I'd recommend the 60" hi lift, if you have a good way to haul. Otherwise a 48". Skip the no and low name models. They are dangerous and/or you cannot find replacement shear pins, etc.
That said, I think Adam and I are on the same page. I've seen a lot of human and vehicle carnage from people using hi lifts incorrectly, and I think they're virtually useless as a winch.