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Old 07-28-2017, 03:44 PM   #421
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I fully intend to keep running them. Heck, I just got the opportunity to buy two more!
Now that's a positive attitude!

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Old 07-28-2017, 05:32 PM   #422
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Fitz, highly recommend the Safe Jack bottle jack recovery kit and baseplate as an alternative to the hi lift. Fits nicely in our underbody storage area.

https://safejacks.com/
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Old 07-28-2017, 06:29 PM   #423
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tlg,

I carry the MB supplied two stage bottle jack with me also, but when I'm doing this on the trail I've always maintained that anything that keeps me out from under the van is a good thing, especially when anything but a hard and level surface is involved. I will look closer at the Safe Jack, but it's hard to beat a Hi Lift for versatility.
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Old 07-29-2017, 09:20 AM   #424
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ARB Bushranger X Jack

Tried this out in the backyard last night, it will definitely be onboard going forward.



This is the ARB Bushranger X Jack, Bushranger X-Jack Complete Kit (72X10)

The information I found doing my research was a bit thin, but I decided to try it anyway. I'm pleased to report that the construction is good and it works as advertised.

There are two options for inflation:
1. Connect to the exhaust
2. Fill with air

Maybe it's because I work in a refinery, maybe it's because I have on board air, but I choose to use the air.

Everything is accessible from outside the van. Set up and operation is simple, and it met the goal of doing 90% of the work to get the van up to the point where a couple of clicks with the High Lift Jack makes everything stable to allow for changing the tire.

Here it is in place and partially inflated:



Here it is inflated. I could have taken it higher, but this is with almost all of the weight off the rear tire and at the point where I placed the High Lift.



And here it is with the High Lift Jack in place and me working it. A couple of clicks of the Hi Lift and the tire was an inch off the ground.



Note also the pry bar extension inserted into the handle of the High Lift Jack. A little extra leverage made a big difference and this pry bar will be coming along for the ride in the future also.

A lot of the advertising shows the X Jack being used to lift vehicles in sand and mud. I can't say I am looking forward to trying it in either situation, but I can say that I will be glad to have it with me if either of those "opportunities" present themselves in the future.
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Old 07-29-2017, 05:02 PM   #425
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That air bag setup will be in our recovery kit. Along with max trax, typical recovery straps, collapsable shovel, and eventually a winch.

I'm not a huge fan of high lift type jacks. I'd rather do the bottle jack as was previously linked. I'm glad to hear it worked for you as I was wondering how that worked with the 4400 lb weight limit. But, I suppose if you're lifting a corner, there won't be 4400 lbs there.
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Old 07-29-2017, 06:01 PM   #426
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And here it is with the High Lift Jack in place and me working it. A couple of clicks of the Hi Lift and the tire was an inch off the ground.



Note also the pry bar extension inserted into the handle of the High Lift Jack. A little extra leverage made a big difference and this pry bar will be coming along for the ride in the future also.
Be careful leaning over the Hi Lift handle, especially when using an extension. If that handle slips out of your hand, it WILL impact your face and it WILL do significant damage.

Here's an example that took no time at all to find (not me):


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Old 07-29-2017, 07:13 PM   #427
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Herb,

Thanks for adding the video clip.

I'll be the first one to tell you that using a High Lift Jack takes a good dose of experience, body positioning and common sense. That's one of the reasons I like the combination of the two. The X Jack takes the majority of the weight and the High Lift Jack provides a stable base when pulling the wheel off and putting it back on. And when it comes time to lower the van the same is true, get the High Lift out of the way and slowly release the air pressure for a controlled descent.

Hopefully I won't get the opportunity to try it again soon, two tires in a six week span is enough!
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Old 08-02-2017, 10:05 AM   #428
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High Lift Handle

Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoHauler View Post
Be careful leaning over the Hi Lift handle, especially when using an extension. If that handle slips out of your hand, it WILL impact your face and it WILL do significant damage.

Herb
Good advice, it was in the back of my mind when I was having a conversation with Rob at Van Compass. Rob's comment: Just buy a longer handle. (Duh!!!)

High Lift sells three longer handles, 42", 48" and 60". I will determine which one will work best for me and get it on order.

Thanks Herb and Rob!
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Old 08-07-2017, 10:51 PM   #429
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Sprinter Air Cleaner Maintenance

I'm almost embarrassed to post this, but here goes in the spirit of keeping someone else from finding the same.

I checked the air cleaner early on once Flint came home from Austin. We have had Flint for 11 months and 15k miles, I'm guessing I checked it at around 5k and found nothing of interest.

This past weekend I decided it was time to look again and to my amazement this is what I found. What you are looking at is over an inch thick at the center:



My immediate thought is that it was a nest but there were no droppings and nothing to indicate occupancy.

The air enters from the channel on the lower right and the air cleaner sits right on top of what you see. The air cleaner did its job and kept all this out, but I have to wonder what this did to the delta P as it built up. I'll take a look to see if this is something the Blue Driver reads and if so I'll select it so I can monitor.

Needless to say, I will check this a LOT more often. This is very interesting in that most of our off road time has been in the desert vs. forested conditions. I would say the most leaves Flint see like this are in our backyard, thus my initial thought that a mouse had found its way in.

Some things just can't be explained! Any thoughts/similar findings? If so, please share!
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Old 08-08-2017, 08:47 AM   #430
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That's definitely a nest.

When I lived in the midwest, we'd take a coarse metal mesh and wrap it around the intake tube to prevent this. Or, you could install a snorkel. I'm not sure what the intake on a Sprinter looks like, but bending the mesh around it, and then securing with a few wraps of safety wire was a fairly simply and permanent solution.
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