I am about to purchase a hi-lift jack. I am thinking about either a hi-lift brand jack (54 bucks Tractor Supply) or a big red jack's hi-lift jack (30ish Norhtern Tool). I am prolly gonna keep it on my roofrack almost all the time, which would you suggest?

 

so hi-lift brand vs knock off? i'd go for the hi-lift brand.

 

When it comes to your safety, forget the rest, go with the best.
I would go with the real McCoy.

But that is just me, safety is always at the forefront of my mind.

 

Its going to be on my truck most of the time, how do they last in the weaher?

 

if you keep em painted and throw some wd40 or some type of grease/oil on the working mechanism every now and then itll hold up fine. i have a bag that goes over mine since mine lives on the exterior of my truck, but i havent had it on for a while. i spray the working mechanism down with wd40 from time to time to help prevent any rust.

 

I've had a 60" HiLift (all cast version) that has been mostly outside on various trucks for probably 20 years now. Still works perfect, hit it with some spray lube every few years and it is good to go. I do put a ski binding cover over the mechanism for a little protection:

 

I'd 2nd and 3rd all of the above... go with the Hi-Lift. Mine also resides outside. I do have a bottle of WD-40 in the truck that I will shoot on the mech when I am getting ready to use it.

How much would it be worth if your out on the trail, need a Hi-Lift to get out, and the one you choose is not up to the task. $20 more now would be worth the piece of mind to me.

 

Yep, like mentioned before, go with the high lift. You will be shooting yourself over the $25-30 you thought you saved on the cheapo version. Keep it maintained or you run the risk of failure when you need to count on it. Only problem I ever had with a hi lift was some oxygen thief thinking they need it more than me....

 

precisely why mine is mounted using the 4xrac and a padlock. it wont stop someone with an angle grinder, but itll stop the casual thief who only has a screwdriver

 

to keep mine locked i plan on buying a gun cable lock

 

When/if it comes to safety, leave the damn thing at home






Fred

 

huh?
the truck or the jack?

 

The jack.....






Fred

 

hi-lifts can be dangerous, no doubt, but sometimes its the only thing that can help you out when youre stuck or need to change a tire. i luckily had mine with me when i got a flat. my bottle jack would not be up for the job.

 

I am going to go with the hi-lift today. I learned how to use one on my first car (1974 jeep cj5 304 v8, 3speed on the floor, 6inch lift, 35 inch tires) lets just say a bottle jack wouldnt lift that car up. That car wasnt a very good one to learn on, but i think i can prolly handle anything now.

 

Y'all do youself a favor and get a little 'ole 6 ton bottle jack.
It'll lift and axle up that's running 37's and probably even larger tires.

There's simply no reason to use a hi-lift to change a tire.
Wayyyyyy too dangerous especially if you have a least bit flexy suspension.

Here are some photos of one of the most dumbest things that I've ever seen with a hi-ift.


http://sports.webshots.com/album/112174156XtxFmV





Fred

 

So you have to take the photos with a grain of salt. The high lift Jack did not stack the rocks...the operator did.
The bottle jack is an alternative. I have been in many situations where a bottle jack would not have worked. I carry both a high lift and a bottle jack.
The Hi lift can be used to pull your vehicle out too, kind of hard with a bottle jack. Different tools for different situations.

 

No, one doesn't have to take the photos with a grain of salt.
It's not just the stacked rocks, you've obviously missed the bigger "picture" here.
Even if this was a perfectly flat concrete parking lot this was still just way beyond stupid. He's sitting UNDER the vehicle in some of these pictures.

I've never seen a situation where a bottle jack wouldn't work, to change a tire, where a hi-lift would work, safely.

Why in the world would one even pass a thought about using a hi-lift to "pull your vehicle out".....



Fred

 

yes the bottle jack can work either under the axle tube or under the a-arm, but in my case, its so much easier (only on flat concrete) to lift the vehicle up by the sliders with my hi-lift. i carry both however so i have both options. and yes, the hi-lift can be used as a come-a-long as chris (rocko taco) and i both know as we pulled his truck out. its not ideal, but it works in a pinch.

 

So I repeat, why in the world would you use a hi-lift to pull out a vehicle.
I gentle pull with a strap works wonders and is a ton safer or a little bit of winch action.

If you're on flat concrete then I'm assuming that you're at home working on the vehicle. Can we say floor jack and jack stands, much, much, much safer and about as fast.





Fred