A Caution About HiLifts

Crawdad · 05-31-2008, 03:25 PM

I have written posts on this very forum, telling people not to get comfortable around HiLift jacks, because they are extremely dangerous. I have always been EXTREMELY careful around them, and today I still screwed up.

This afternoon I was working on the 4Runner, putting in SDORI rear coil spring spacers. I had the axle disconnected, the tires off, and was lowering the axle to take the springs out. I had a floor jack under the diff, and the HiLift under the bumper.

This SHOULD have been okay - the HiLift was holding very little weight (just the rear end, no axle or tires), and was not jacked up far on the jack, so it wasn't really top heavy or anything.

I was lowering the axle, and apparantly something shifted, and I saw the truck start coming down on me, hard. The trailer hitch and bumper and frame hit me HARD, pinning my head to the ground - my vision went blank and I felt my skull actually flexing... my eyes felt like they were doing to explode, and I felt my jaw crack, and my tooth explode - literally, explode. Fragments everywhere. The HiLift got caught under the truck, and it came across my neck and chest, so I couldn't breathe.

Thankfully, a friend of mine was nearby, and managed to pick the truck off of me on sheer adrenaline, and I rolled out and did an assesment. I could mostly see okay, my head was throbbing and bleeding pretty bad but otherwise not turned into a pancake.

Anyway, I am mostly okay... I have a tooth that is shattered into pieces, and had to call my dentist on an emergency. I will have to have a root canal Tuesday, probably. The tooth is pretty much gone, the dentist patched it up so the roots weren't exposed. My head is gashed open and bloody and swollen, my arms are cut up pretty bad, but I am alive.

I thank God my friend was there... if he hadn't been, I would have died.

Please, be very, very careful when using these jacks. They can kill you in an instant, even when you recognize how dangerous they are. I was stupid one time and used it when I should have done it another way, and nearly died for it.

-Danny

just a 22re · 05-31-2008, 03:39 PM

holly man im glad your ok man im really sorry this had to happen to you bro......

not to be a d!ck but i always use jack stands on the frame when ever i go under a car for this reson here had it happen to me thank god i was small enough to fit in the tub of a 92 fireturd im sorry to here this man but i think you yota loves you or she would have claimed you really fast

Crawdad · 05-31-2008, 03:52 PM

Thanks Allan, you're not being a jackass, you're right

. I was about to roll out from under the truck and put bottle jacks under the frame when it came crashing on my melon. Thankfully the truck was not too far up in the air!

I completely recognize my own stupidity. All it takes is a 2 second lapse in judgment and you're spattered on the pavement.

mt_goat · 05-31-2008, 03:56 PM

Ouch!!! That sucks but glad it wasn't any worse Danny.

Sounds like maybe you forgot to block the front wheels or something like that? Thanks for the warning.

Crawdad · 05-31-2008, 03:59 PM

The front wheels were blocked with the back tires in front of and behind one of the front tires, but I guess it rolled forward just enough that it shifted the weight on the jack, and it came down sideways.

I feel like a freakin' idiot, as I've been working on junk for years and years, and have always told people not to do what I did today. Oh well, there's my lesson I reckon.

abecedarian · 05-31-2008, 04:06 PM

glad to hear the injuries weren't worse. something was looking out for you.

it bears repeating, never work under an elevated vehicle without jackstands or blocks under the frame and the frame resting solidly on them
also, set the transfer into 4low and set the parking brake just in case

mt_goat · 05-31-2008, 04:07 PM

Oh yeah, I've have the rear shift sideways before too. Got to be careful for sure.

mt_goat · 05-31-2008, 04:09 PM

There was guy killed here a couple weeks ago under his truck.

Crawdad · 05-31-2008, 04:13 PM

It happens a lot, I guess. 3000-4000lbs of steel directly above your head is something that people (myself) tend to take for granted.

874runnersr5 · 05-31-2008, 04:26 PM

wow man, good to hear your okay.
Yeah, i really want to buy a car lift for my garage haha.

**Elvota** · 05-31-2008, 04:37 PM

Glad you are OK... and even though you realize what you did wrong, I am sure your story will emphasize how easy it is for anyone of to to make a "small" mistake that can result in some serious hardship.

WCorbett · 05-31-2008, 04:38 PM

wait are u trying to tell us u had the full rear weight of a 4runner on your neck? Again, not to be a dick, but lifting it and using one hi-lift to hold the weight is either sheer stupidity, or a trail fix.

ETRNL · 05-31-2008, 04:50 PM

Glad to see that your still with us and able to share your experiences to warn others that may not know.. good thing your buddy and a couple of angels were watching you..

off topic but i just watched a 4 part Discovery series special called the "The Human Body, Pushing the Limits" its awesome to see in 3D how the body sytems work in a crisis.. A dude on there pushed a 1200lb hunk of granite off of him to save him from falling of a cliff.

abecedarian · 05-31-2008, 04:57 PM

I wonder if this would be worthy of being 'sticky'd...
if not for any other reason than safety?
Maybe a sticky topic about "Working on vehicles and Darwin's theory."

Elton · 05-31-2008, 05:32 PM

ouch that sucks i well never work under my truck unless its on jack stands i dont trust the jack even if its a 300 dollar one

YotaJunky · 05-31-2008, 05:54 PM

glad you are ok. Let this be an admonition to all those who don't use jack stands on level ground.

YotaJunky · 05-31-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abecedarian

I wonder if this would be worthy of being 'sticky'd...
if not for any other reason than safety?
Maybe a sticky topic about "Working on vehicles and Darwin's theory."

YES, I second the motion.

Matt16 · 05-31-2008, 06:10 PM

[deleted], this thread should be stickied. Pardon me for the language, but this is serious. A member nearly lost their life here. I'm glad you're ok.

4X4snowRunner · 05-31-2008, 06:21 PM

I'm glad to hear you are in good will. Have a fast recovery and your experience will teach other’s to take care of them self.

abecedarian · 05-31-2008, 09:02 PM

Well it seems this thread has been moved to another area... but how about making the thread appear in every vehicle specific forum?
Some people don't visit the 4wheeling101 forum, you know. some people don't wheel and this doesn't just apply to wheeling. The accident in question didn't happen on the trail.

05-31-2008, 03:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Crawdad Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 276	A Caution About HiLifts I have written posts on this very forum, telling people not to get comfortable around HiLift jacks, because they are extremely dangerous. I have always been EXTREMELY careful around them, and today I still screwed up. This afternoon I was working on the 4Runner, putting in SDORI rear coil spring spacers. I had the axle disconnected, the tires off, and was lowering the axle to take the springs out. I had a floor jack under the diff, and the HiLift under the bumper. This SHOULD have been okay - the HiLift was holding very little weight (just the rear end, no axle or tires), and was not jacked up far on the jack, so it wasn't really top heavy or anything. I was lowering the axle, and apparantly something shifted, and I saw the truck start coming down on me, hard. The trailer hitch and bumper and frame hit me HARD, pinning my head to the ground - my vision went blank and I felt my skull actually flexing... my eyes felt like they were doing to explode, and I felt my jaw crack, and my tooth explode - literally, explode. Fragments everywhere. The HiLift got caught under the truck, and it came across my neck and chest, so I couldn't breathe. Thankfully, a friend of mine was nearby, and managed to pick the truck off of me on sheer adrenaline, and I rolled out and did an assesment. I could mostly see okay, my head was throbbing and bleeding pretty bad but otherwise not turned into a pancake. Anyway, I am mostly okay... I have a tooth that is shattered into pieces, and had to call my dentist on an emergency. I will have to have a root canal Tuesday, probably. The tooth is pretty much gone, the dentist patched it up so the roots weren't exposed. My head is gashed open and bloody and swollen, my arms are cut up pretty bad, but I am alive. I thank God my friend was there... if he hadn't been, I would have died. Please, be very, very careful when using these jacks. They can kill you in an instant, even when you recognize how dangerous they are. I was stupid one time and used it when I should have done it another way, and nearly died for it. -Danny __________________ 1990 4Runner 3.0/AT/4WD - 285/75/16 TreadWright D-Muds, SDORI Coil Spacer, Aisin Hubs 2005 Mazda 6i 2.3/MT Last edited by Crawdad : 05-31-2008 at 03:31 PM.

05-31-2008, 03:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
Crawdad Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 276	Thanks Allan, you're not being a jackass, you're right . I was about to roll out from under the truck and put bottle jacks under the frame when it came crashing on my melon. Thankfully the truck was not too far up in the air! I completely recognize my own stupidity. All it takes is a 2 second lapse in judgment and you're spattered on the pavement. __________________ 1990 4Runner 3.0/AT/4WD - 285/75/16 TreadWright D-Muds, SDORI Coil Spacer, Aisin Hubs 2005 Mazda 6i 2.3/MT

05-31-2008, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
mt_goat Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oklahoma State Posts: 7,377	Ouch!!! That sucks but glad it wasn't any worse Danny. Sounds like maybe you forgot to block the front wheels or something like that? Thanks for the warning. __________________ Dale "America is in a hole and it's getting deeper every day. We import 70% of our oil at a cost of $700 billion a year - four times the annual cost of the Iraq war." T. Boone Pickens Check out the plan: http://www.pickensplan.com/# and http://www.cngnow.com/EN-US/Pages/default.aspx

05-31-2008, 03:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Crawdad Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 276	The front wheels were blocked with the back tires in front of and behind one of the front tires, but I guess it rolled forward just enough that it shifted the weight on the jack, and it came down sideways. I feel like a freakin' idiot, as I've been working on junk for years and years, and have always told people not to do what I did today. Oh well, there's my lesson I reckon. __________________ 1990 4Runner 3.0/AT/4WD - 285/75/16 TreadWright D-Muds, SDORI Coil Spacer, Aisin Hubs 2005 Mazda 6i 2.3/MT Last edited by Crawdad : 05-31-2008 at 04:03 PM.

05-31-2008, 04:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
mt_goat Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oklahoma State Posts: 7,377	Oh yeah, I've have the rear shift sideways before too. Got to be careful for sure. __________________ Dale "America is in a hole and it's getting deeper every day. We import 70% of our oil at a cost of $700 billion a year - four times the annual cost of the Iraq war." T. Boone Pickens Check out the plan: http://www.pickensplan.com/# and http://www.cngnow.com/EN-US/Pages/default.aspx Last edited by mt_goat : 06-09-2008 at 07:53 AM.

05-31-2008, 04:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
mt_goat Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oklahoma State Posts: 7,377	There was guy killed here a couple weeks ago under his truck. __________________ Dale "America is in a hole and it's getting deeper every day. We import 70% of our oil at a cost of $700 billion a year - four times the annual cost of the Iraq war." T. Boone Pickens Check out the plan: http://www.pickensplan.com/# and http://www.cngnow.com/EN-US/Pages/default.aspx

05-31-2008, 04:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
Crawdad Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 276	It happens a lot, I guess. 3000-4000lbs of steel directly above your head is something that people (myself) tend to take for granted. __________________ 1990 4Runner 3.0/AT/4WD - 285/75/16 TreadWright D-Muds, SDORI Coil Spacer, Aisin Hubs 2005 Mazda 6i 2.3/MT

05-31-2008, 04:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
874runnersr5 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 271	wow man, good to hear your okay. Yeah, i really want to buy a car lift for my garage haha. __________________ 87' 4runner Sr5 I <3 my toyota

05-31-2008, 04:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
Elvota Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 3,341	Glad you are OK... and even though you realize what you did wrong, I am sure your story will emphasize how easy it is for anyone of to to make a "small" mistake that can result in some serious hardship. __________________ ================ 1990 4Runner \| V6 3.4 \| 5spd \| 240 someoddthousand miles \| SR5 \| SAS \| RLS \| 35's \| ARB \| TJM \| 217 to 1 \| W8000 - four wheels \| three sticks \| two hands \| one trail - RIGITY DIGITY

05-31-2008, 04:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
WCorbett Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Posts: 595	wait are u trying to tell us u had the full rear weight of a 4runner on your neck? Again, not to be a dick, but lifting it and using one hi-lift to hold the weight is either sheer stupidity, or a trail fix.

05-31-2008, 04:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
ETRNL Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hill AFB UT Posts: 285	Glad to see that your still with us and able to share your experiences to warn others that may not know.. good thing your buddy and a couple of angels were watching you.. off topic but i just watched a 4 part Discovery series special called the "The Human Body, Pushing the Limits" its awesome to see in 3D how the body sytems work in a crisis.. A dude on there pushed a 1200lb hunk of granite off of him to save him from falling of a cliff. __________________ 2001 4Runner LTD, ISR/deckplate/ECT mod, 6K HIDs, 12g headlight wire harness, Satoshi, Hood Emblem, fog light mod, constant power mod, NO DRLs, Remote start with ~1 mile range. my favorite video

05-31-2008, 05:32 PM	#15 (permalink)
Elton Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toledo,Oregon Posts: 8,914	ouch that sucks i well never work under my truck unless its on jack stands i dont trust the jack even if its a 300 dollar one __________________ My Truck 98 4runner SR5 3.4L 5spd 4x4 E-Locker Mods Mom 07 Tundra d-cab limited 5.7L 4x4 auto mom 92 pickup SR5 X-cab 3.0L 5spd 4x4 Sister 97 Avalon XL 3.0L Auto totaled :( Papa 89 Pickup SR5 X-cab 4x4 3.0L 5spd/98 4runner SR5 4x4 auto 3.4L R.I.P 91 4runner SR5 4x4 3.0L 5spd Totaled 5/13/06 My Wreck

05-31-2008, 05:54 PM	#16 (permalink)
YotaJunky Contributing Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 766	glad you are ok. Let this be an admonition to all those who don't use jack stands on level ground. __________________ '95 4WD 22R-E 4Runner, 5spd, 205k kms, 4.56 gears, extended diff breather mod, bilstein shocks, Aisin manual hub swap, 1.25 rear coil spacer, 32" BFG's -- my DD Last edited by YotaJunky : 05-31-2008 at 07:33 PM.

05-31-2008, 06:21 PM	#19 (permalink)
4X4snowRunner Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 55	Thank God I'm glad to hear you are in good will. Have a fast recovery and your experience will teach other’s to take care of them self. __________________ 4X4snowRunner 1998 4Runner SR5 V6 Heavy Duty for hauling & towing front suspension: OME882 OMEn91s 5mm trim spacer sonoransteel tapered 1" diff. drop rear suspension: OME891 OMEn86 5mm trim spacer sonoransteel adjustable trac/panhard bar 285/75/16 Toyo Open Country MT for summer 265/75/16 Geolandar i/T for winter 16x8 Painted American Racing Wheels Borla Exhaust Cat Back K&N Drop in Filter 4" Deck Plate