Hi Lift Jack - Page 3

edroid · 08-12-2012, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogone

I got to try out my jack/ jackstand combo after the spacer bolt nearmiss yesterday. Can't recommend it highly enough. A little peace-of-mind when the wheel is off, not depending entirely on an o-ring. They are made to fit and cradle the axle just right.

OK I ordered one of those Powerbuilt 3 ton jacks. I love the cradle for the axle. It just seems a no brainer to include a "cradle" on any type of bottle jack, but most manufacturers just don't do it.

So I am slowly accepting that I will have to travel with the HiLift jack, the wheel attachment, the Powerbuilt jack / jack stand, various blocks. . . .

What am I missing? Is it a problem that the Powerbuilt jack has a minimum height of 11"?

Thanks to all for the input.

BajaSportsmobile · 08-12-2012, 09:49 PM

Just a thought - In Desert Racing we use Aluminum Floor Jacks. I've owned a Hi Lift or two for 30 years and it just stays in the garage these days. They are not very stable and can be very dangerous. My younger brother almost took off his head when his muddy hands slipped off the Hi Lift handle while trying to extract his Blazer from a mud hole in Baja years ago.

edroid · 08-13-2012, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BajaSportsmobile

They are not very stable and can be very dangerous. My younger brother almost took off his head when his muddy hands slipped off the Hi Lift handle while trying to extract his Blazer from a mud hole in Baja years ago.

From all the stories I have heard about HiLift jacks taking out front teeth, I think that future archeologists will postulate that a tribe called four wheelers demanded a tribute of human teeth to pass mud holes. . .

I had no idea that there was a whole class of "portable floor jacks." They even come with cases. Craftsman sells a 2.25 ton that weighs 33 pounds.

Seems like these jacks would have their own issues out in the wild. How would they do with an uneven surface? How about mud and grime?

Greggd · 08-13-2012, 09:47 AM

The Aluminum Floor Jacks work well on smaller lighter vehicles . I have not been able to find a quality Aluminum Jack that exceeds the required 3 tons that I desire for safety's sake . Floor Jacks work very well at their rated capacity's when used on relatively flat even surfaces but can travel on you under load and have !
Greggd

**rionapo** · 08-13-2012, 09:56 AM

Chiming in with no expertise on this issue: we used the factory jack for our flat tire in Maggie Gulch with no problem but plenty of anxiety. The road base was firm -- an old mining road -- but rocky, hence our rock puncture. Relatively flat but on a sharp, 45+ degree edge that made accessing the vehicle and the tire more than a little difficult. Wet, too, and drizzly.

The Ford bottle jack worked. My complaint is the long extension all these jacks seem to have and its awkwardness, especially in this situation where there was no way I was going to work on the downhill side of the SMB any more than I had to. My fear was whether the jack would hold as it kept telescoping upwards.

A few years back my son & I, plus families and friends, were on the north road to Chaco Canyon. He went into the ditch when his dog jumped into his lap. I forget the jack problem we had but we couldn't get to the tire. Cars drove by, including one Indian guy. He passed by an hour or so later and decided to take pity on the bilagaana by the roadside. Stopped his rez pickup, pulled a floor jack out of the back and had us on the road in minutes.

BajaSportsmobile · 08-13-2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greggd

The Aluminum Floor Jacks work well on smaller lighter vehicles . I have not been able to find a quality Aluminum Jack that exceeds the required 3 tons that I desire for safety's sake . Floor Jacks work very well at their rated capacity's when used on relatively flat even surfaces but can travel on you under load and have !
Greggd

I've never had a problem jacking up the whole rear or front on my fully loaded E350 EB SMB from either differential and it will handle any one corner with ease and is much more stable in the dirt than a Hi Lift. Both have their use and purpose, but you can't debate the safety and ease of use of a Floor Jack for getting a wheel off the ground.

edroid · 08-13-2012, 02:14 PM

Bajasportsmobile,

What model is that craftsman floor jack in your picture? Did you modify it at all?

EDIT: I found it. That is the Craftsman 4000 lbs aluminum floor jack. Weighs 44 pounds, lifts from 4" to 18".

Looks like you took the wheels off. . .

BajaSportsmobile · 08-13-2012, 03:25 PM

For the race vehicle, we remove the wheels and attach a full length aluminum "skid plate" to the bottom. For the pits we have them on big wheels. I have also left them "stock" and attached the "skid plate" so that the wheels still work on pavement and concrete and the "skid plate" supports it in the sand or dirt.

BIGVANS · 08-13-2012, 09:30 PM

This is another option that works great!!

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powerbuilt ... CnGJaDvxrM

edroid · 08-15-2012, 01:59 PM

Well I know that many here are fans of the Powerbuilt 3 ton jack, so no offense, but. . .

I received mine today, and I really am left a bit speechless. Everything on the jack rattles and is barely held together by little stamped metal pins, the valve leaks oil, it looks like it was painted with a dirty stick. . .

Besides all that, the lowest position on that jack is only 4" below my axle with a full tire! How the heck are you supposed to change a flat?

Seems like Chinese junk to me. . .

Still searching for other options for a high quality jack, but I guess I will try ordering the Craftsman 2 ton floor jack and see how that goes. . .