Smittybilt 54" trail jack

Has anyone seen this or used this particular model?! It's only $39.99 from 4 Wheel parts right now! I'm wondering If I should even bother getting an actual "Hi-Lift" which is almost 3 times the price or if this is a way cheaper alternative that works just as well?

$125 Smittybilt 54" Trail Jack - 2722

http://www.4wheelparts.com/prodDetail.aspx?partNo=S/B2722&catID=18&subCat=190&ptID=8394

I'm wondering why is it so cheap? I'd really rather not cheap out on recovery gear since you could actually depend on it in a very real situation, but since Smittybilt is a known company with some good products, I'd like to hear if anyone knows how good this jack is. For the money, I'd like to avoid going with a Harbor Freight jack that I've seen, but again, no actual experience. Any input would help. Thanks!

 

I think you can get a hi lift on Amazon prime for like 55. To me it's worth the extra cash for piece of mind. Smittybilt makes decent stuff though so not sure.

 

I know the shorter Hi-Lift models are cheaper on Amazon, but in this length, the cheapest I've seen is hovering right around $80-90 still. Black Friday is around the corner, but damn, $40?

 

This one is actually on Amazon for $10 more right now too. I'm just wondering if I stumbled on the deal of a lifetime and nobody has seen it yet, or if this is complete garbage and I should spend my money wisely on a tried and true product... My wallet is itchy...

 

53 reviews to help

Smittybilt 2722 Car Universal Trail Jack - 54",4660 Pound

http://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-2722-Universal-Trail-Jack/dp/B001CF3JFA

 

I got my farm jack from harbour freight, it was $45 48" and rated to 7000lbs. The hit that you're taking is on weight rating, notice that the rating of this jack is 4k and change.

 

Gotcha, I overlooked that one. I'm looking for my first hi-lift and I really don't know what to look for. All I know is that my factory jack is completely worthless to me in the event of a flat even on pavement. And there's only so many scraps of 2X4 I want to keep in the truck...

 

I'd say go for it. Trail Jacks are fairly basic construction so there really isn't much to cheap out on. This one also has the same specs as a Hi-Lift Jack.
I don't have this jack, but I have a smittybilt tire repair kit that I was really impressed with quality and price and would not hesitate to buy another one of their products.

 

The Hi-Lift is actually "tested" to 7000lbs but actually "rated" at 4660 pounds, the same as the Smittybilt Jack.

 

Can you elaborate on what that means? The farm jack that I have boasts a 7000lb "capacity"

 

The Hi-Lift Jack has a rated capacity of 4660 lb. The ASME/ANSI B30.1-1992 requires that each Jack have a 150% safety factor over the actual rating requirement. Every Hi-Lift Jack comes standard with a shear bolt that will shear and not allow the Jack to be used on loads greater than 7,000 lb. capacity. Bloomfield Manufacturing Company's tests and many years of manufacturing, sales, and technical experience have proved clearly and convincingly that 7,000 lb. is a safe maximum limit for operation of the Hi-Lift despite the conservative 4,660 lb. rating.

 

Interesting, thanks for the info.

 

I have this jack it fits perfect across the bed, it might not be hilift. But the damn thing worked well for a winch.

 

im trying to put a hilift group buy, the vendor suggested smittybilt, but idk much of it..

 

So revisiting this thing. I did some research and actually went as far as going to 4Wheel parts directly to screw around with all the jacks in person that they had and talking to a couple guys that were there. It turns out the reason the Smittybilt jack is so inexpensive is it's construction (surprise!). While made in China (I try to buy American when I can, but for some things it really doesn't matter), Smittybilt uses cast iron to make their jack. Hi-lift "standard" jacks use a cast-iron/steel combination that makes them stronger and more resistant to failure (breaking). Hi-Lift's "Extreme" line uses a higher steel content again for higher strength. According to the guys down at 4Wheel, the Smittybilt jack's mechanism has a tendency to rust and or fail completely not allowing the jack to actually "jack" if not properly maintained and lubed. Considering that the average guy maybe uses their jack a few times a year and it spends the majority of it's life mounted to the truck for decoration, this could be a problem. If the one time you actually need it and it doesn't work, you could find yourself in a tough situation. A few other differences noted were that the Smittybilt jack has it's own footprint that does not allow the use of aftermarket wide base for use on uneven surfaces (without modification). Some other accessories do not mount directly to the jack without you fiddling with them a bit.
Differences noted on the Hi-lift jacks (standard vs extreme) were that some come with different attachments already included with the jack itself such as the top mount (shown below).
This top mount can be purchased separately for another $30-50 depending on where you find it, but it comes standard on the Extreme version. It allows options for attaching a chain and a shackle mount for winching and/or spreading.

I hope this information helps anyone that is looking for a Hi-Lift. For my money, I'm going with the tried and true. That way when I need it, I know it will work and I wont worry about it.