Subway4X3 Shameless Copycat Build

There's a separate thread of this writeup. TcBob actually stickied it.

Over the years, I've seen and/or heard of various tools and techniques of jacking a vehicle in the field. Some are great ideas and useful tools. Others, I cringe when I see it.

I believe I've acquired a collection of decent tools and techniques that are safe and reliable for many of the various scenarios that may rear its ugly head out on the trail or in the parking lot. These tools/techniques were acquired for MY use. I do not consider myself an expert, but I present this to you as options that you might want to consider.


The complete collection: I'll try to break down some of the stuff.
60" Hi-Lift Extreme Jack is siamese'd with a shovel and attached to the BruteForceFab (BFF) HC rear bumper. Top Clamp and Foot have been removed to fit onto bumper. Hi-Lift accessories are generally on the right side of pic, SafeJack accessories are on the left.





We'll start with Hi-Lift jacking:

SafeJack Universal Combination Stabilizer deployed with my 60" Hi-Lift and the JeepsNeeds SAM attached to a welded-on shackle mount. Both products were recommended by @HolyHandGrenade


Similar setup, but using the purpose designed Hi-Lift cut-out in the BFF bumper.


Similar setup, using a Hi-Lift Bumper Lift. I wouldn't use this on my bumper, because I have many other options. But I carry it, because there may be someone that doesn't have lift points other than a stock bumper. I can imagine this lifting accessory possibly damaging a relatively thin-walled bumper, so it's the owners choice of using this or not.


@Shmellmopwho 's Hi Lift slider adapter does a great job of securing the jack tongue to the slider. Note the open truck door, in case the jack tries to buck and bash in the door.



If you need to lift your wheel/tire just enough to clear the ground, then jacking from the rear bumper would possibly require reaching an unsafe height to overcome a droopy rear as seen in the pic below. But this is on a flat, level hard surface driveway. Very different on the trail. This can be mitigated by strapping the axle to the frame. Make sure you have a beefy ratchet strap. I carry a 3" wide strap rated at 30K lbs. Never have done it, but I've eyeballed some possible locations to attach the strap in case I need to.



Or you can use the Hi Lift Lift-Mate allows you to lift the wheel/tire off the ground. I'm not sure I like it, because, in the field, the wheel spokes may not present perfect horizontal alignment and you end up with something like this:


And it looked like it would pop the bead. But I carry it anyway, because I like to have options.


The Rescue 42 JackMate came highly recommended by @DoorDing. I haven't had to use it yet, but I truly believe it's a well designed piece that would definitely bite into uneven ground/rocks/logs, etc. It has multiple other recovery uses and a bonus can opener hook.




Moving on to my SafeJack bottle jack system.

This idea shamelessly copied from @DVexilehere. I modified the base to suit my needs.

I bought the system without the hydraulic jack. I acquired two 2nd gen 4Runner mechanical bottle jacks (P/N 09111-35150.) The I.D. of the SafeJack lift pads and extensions fit perfectly over/around the O.D. of the 4Runner's jack ram.


The flat pad in use:


The round/square tube pad in use, securely attached to the SafeJack Universal Combination Stabilizer and a 3" ram extension (right) or bolted to my homemade multi-layer plywood base and a 6 inch ram extension (left.) The great thing about this setup? The mechanical jack doubles as a jack stand. With the bases providing stability AND flotation, I feel much safer working under the truck.



With the bottle jack almost fully extended, a 3" ram extension and the tube pad holding up the square tube front leg of the @Mobtown Offroad slider. Bottle jack is bolted onto the top two plywood layers into 4 captured heavy duty Tee-nuts. Plywood layers can be added or removed to achieve desired additional height.



14mm socket makes quick work of zipping the jack up or down. Note two bottom plywood layers have been removed.

 

Snake was eating dinner five feet away while I was setting up these pics. Took him over 12 hours to swallow the toad that was easily 3 or 4X bigger than his head.

I tried to be as quiet as I could. Didn't want him to regurg his meal and take off. That would be a waste.


Almost 3 feet long. @Blackout14 and @Taco man17 and I believe it's a Garter snake. @Wheelspinner is particularly fond of what these can do.

 

This was a recent field recovery at Rausch Creek Off Road Park.

My truck blew a bead DS front tire on rocky terrain on an incline. We had to winch the vehicle about ten feet forward to get it off a large rock and onto a relatively "smoother" surface, but still at a nasty incline. Winch angle was corrected to a decent straight line pull with a snatch block and a handy tree. Winch line was kept taught to keep the truck from sliding backwards, together with chocked rear wheels, parking brake and 4-LO engaged. Truck wasn't going anywhere. Line damper was affixed to winch line a few feet from the snatch block for additional safety, since we were working directly in line with the synthetic winch line.
Recovery team: @stairgod , @Manual man74 , @El Dahs , @Dogg23 , @Subway4X4



Jacking tools and accessories are described above. Bead was reseated using a 30K lb. rated ratchet strap (@stairgod 's idea,) valve core was removed and a blast of air from on board ARB Twin compressor (I learned this from @Sub-Zero .) We were pleasantly surprised at how easy the re-seat fix was, compared to the work of bringing the truck to a relatively safe location, jacking and holding it in position.


All recovery gear was pulled from my truck.

 

Part of field recovery is the ability to deploy quickly, without having to re-familiarize yourself to the gear and the instructions.

That's why you see various color coded markings on my gear. I used my younger daughter's nail polish (the colors that she's regretted buying.)



Green is for Hi-Lift deployment. It orients the Hi-Lift foot to the base plate. And the base plate to the large stabilizer base.


Green also helps me locate the exact Clevis pin placement of the stabilizer cables.



Pink is for the bottle jack deployment. Which has the opposite base plate location vs. the Hi-Lift foot.


Because I had to grind off some of the stabilizer base to provide clearance the jack hook to rotate.


Even the Hi-Lift mounting bolts and bar holes were marked so I can return to its bumper mount quickly after deployment.

 

Recovery gear loaded into a Plano Mil-Spec Double Long Gun case mounted onto my OEM roof rack crossbars using a pair of old Thule cargo case roof rack mounts. Allows quick access to gear.


I pulled off the original three layers of foam. For mild cushioning and rattle control, I added some thin reflective insulation (that I found in my garage) to the bottom and top of case.

 

Shifted the tire carrier mount 3" to the right with 1/4" steel plate to accommodate an additional fuel can carrier.

 

I just bought a dual jerry can mount. Would you suggest that I bolt it on, or weld it?

 

How sturdy is it like this? Is it just bolted or welded too?

 

that is Bruteforcefab's new swingout. I really like it. I wish @Subway4X4 would trade me

 

All the Jerry can mounts are bolted on. I used 3/8"-16 Button Head bolts instead of the hex head bolts that BFF provided. The sharp edges of the Hex head seemed to be too close to the plastic jerry can and may cause rubbing.

I matched the holes on the vertical upright of the swingout onto the 1/4" plate, drilled 1/2" holes into the plate steel. Everything is bolted on using 1/2" bolts.

 

It's pretty sturdy. I don't think any of this is gonna move, even under hard wheeling.

 

Good to know! I'll add this to my knowledge bank of stuff that works

 

Nice!

Where did you ever find such a PERFECTLY sheared, shaped, and sized piece of 1/4 steel? It's simply amazing.

 

Crackheads ARE surprisingly resourceful

 

Yup. Whoever measured and cut that piece is one masterful dude. Please send him my thanks!

 

But will a 37 fit still?

 

Yup. The steel relocation plate is adjustable upwards as well. Should clear a 37", but that's the max. Anything bigger will block the passenger taillight.

 

I definitely need to change my front drivers side brake hardline.

How/where do I pinch off the line above it to stop/slow down the deluge of brake fluid once I undo the flare nuts.

And do I have to bleed all four corners? Or can I get away with just doing this corner (which is closest to the brake master cylinder)



@loosnut @HolyHandGrenade @stairgod @Sub-Zero

 

I always bleed them all. I don't screw around when it comes to brakes. Honestly don't know if it's necessary.

I wouldn't clamp the line. Just have the new one ready to go.

 

Kind of a rush, so you don't spill brake fluid when you take the line off.

@Subway4X4 those hard lines are only $8 each from Toyota?