I had been posting about jacks and dissatisfaction with Hi Lifts, etc. But I thought I'd put a separate thread here with the pictures of the jacks I'm gonna modify:
Please disregard the notice about NOT using them to lift to change tires. I am ignoring that (they're rated for 6500 lbs, and I noted the bolts are spec'd accordingly). I assume the warning is there because if you don't connect and thereby reinforce the top flanges they'd bend right over. The jack comes with a 19mm hex end on the screw, which means you can use your own wrenches and impact driver, and you get a nice but shortish (3') jack handle that in a nice touch has a swiveled socket attached. I may make an extension. It has 24" of lift (geometry being what it is, you can more ooomph near horiz than vert).
I might just flip it and weld a plate with fasteners for a wide base, and use the foot for the top; it's about the right size and shape for jacking at the axle or framerail. Thought of using a floor jack circular saddle there, but now maybe thinking of just welding on some 3/4" high angle on each end to prevent slippage.
The devil in me wants to bolt the top right to the frame just aft of the axle with some extension to get it lower, and a beveled plate attached to the foot. It would then act as a skid plate, or be high enough to not hit. Or u-bolt it to the axle. Then I could have a pre-installed jack for use any time.
Another way to go is to weld a plate to the top, and then bolt a 7"x2" tube to the top (it's 7" wide) with just a 1/2" bolt in the middle. I'd also cut out the middle of the 2" tube to create a saddle for use on the frame or axle. Be nice to have it so it could freely move like the top of a floor jack since you'd frequently be jacking at an angle. And then I could stick the 2" into my hitch receiver and carry it around (maybe even jack from it, although I'd have to cogitate more on that).
Any suggestions?
BTW, nice deal on these at Amazon: 2 for $66 freely shipped.
Rob