Hi Lift Jack Question

Hey- has anyone tried using one of those combo pneumatic/hydraulic bottle jacks with their onboard compressor? It uses about 100-120 PSI of air to lift 6tons. Did it work well?

 

I've carried and heavily used Hi-Lifts for years. Theres nothing inherently unsafe about them as long as the user understands their operation and follows proper safety protocols. Most Hi-Lift failures that I've seen come from poor/nonexistant maintenance of the jack (such as hanging it outside your truck for 5 years without ever cleaning/oiling it and expecting it to work like new) or user error. When I got my first Hi-Lift, my father told me to treat it like a gun - clean and oil it regularly and respect it. 30 years later, I've never had a problem.

 

This guys jack is not properly maintained.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=61Hwm0ei1UM

 

Yep. See how he has to manually push the lift pins in on each stroke? Not good.

 

So, after a couple of days of experimenting here is where it stands for me.

1. I had a Safe Jack stand and bottle jack. It was very easy to jack the rear wheel off of the axle. I have a reverse U-bolt setup (for Timbren bump stops) and tried to use the "U" attachment for the bottle jack between the two U-bolts. The rear tire went up very easily and the setup seemed very secure. I even tried pushing the truck around a little while a rear tire was jacked up on sloping ground. And nothing. Very stable.

2. I am still going to use the Hi-Lift for the front wheels and keep it for its value as a come along as well.

Safejack also sells a stabilizer for the Hi Lift. I felt better using that with the Hi-Lift when jack a rear wheel, but I am still uncomfortable with how high I had to go given the travel of those medium Dakars. But when I used the Hi Lift stabilizer on the front tire pushing the truck did nothing with the Safe Jack stabilizer.

So the upshot:
1. I am going with a bottle jack for the rear tires. I'll jack the axle between the U-bolts.
2. I will keep using the Hi Lift for the front tires, and as a come along.
3. +1 for SafeJack.

 

Lol, what a monkey! At least he had gloves and those gnarly sideburns for protection

 

It sounds like you got it sorted but I think you could still use the hi-lift for the rear if you get a hitch mounted shackle. It would lift both rear tires off the ground at the same time and the front would stay down (sounded like that was your issue using the rear of the sliders).

 

60" high lift rather than a 48"

 

**** Please chock the front wheels if you lift both rears off the ground at the same time

 

How would 60 inches help? The basic concern (both the front and rear tire leaving the group when I try to jack the rear) would still happen.

 

Actually, I have one of these but didn't think to use it for this. I need to try that!

 

Yeah, they have their place. Can bend stuff back with it too, like if you bend a fender into a tire. But I agree with the dangerous part. I don't use one unless I need it. At home, floor jacks and jack stands for sure.

 

its longer in all seriousness, Ive had a 48, then upgraded to a 60. the 48 would lose useful light height. the 60 had more. The only practical example I have is I once lost a tire going down a trail. was resting on the rear hub / drum. I used the 60, and it was nearly stretched out to get the drum off the ground to get a spare tire on. I jacked up off the rear high clearance bumper in a d-ring, tried slider first no bueno. It was super sketch, but I got it done, and lived to tell about it. I should have strapped the axle to frame, did not know about that.

edit....I now know this did not answer your question now, but too long to delete......

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-gossip-thread.411211/page-6149#post-17602721

3 high-lifts 1 truck


trip / story
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...12-9-16-12-11-16.462648/page-17#post-13863849

 

that guy is fucking lucky it didn't completely let go and drop the truck or it would've hit him way harder than that. Never, never stand over the handle while cranking up the Hi-Lift, always stand behind it. He starts to do it right but then swings over it when he presses down, just asking for trouble

 

Sounds like we have been down similar roads trying to make this rear wheel life happen. I really like this idea though to strap the axle to the frame. I should have thought of that!

 

I had a sick feeling watching his jacking stance go wrong. I remember years ago I watched a video of a kid with an AR at a range. He fires it and its clear there is a light pop sound but no spent casing ejects. He manually ejects via the charging handle and then can't seat the next round. So he goes to town hammering at the forward assist until the next round appears to come to battery. I was just watching the video screaming "SQUIB ROUND! SQUIB ROUND!!!!!". (He then pulls the trigger with the predictable result; I am glad to report he walked away with his hands and face, his AR...not so much).

I got the same sinking feeling as this video went on.

 

I keep mine on the outside of the truck but yeah, always oil it down...I keep a couple cans of dry lubricant in the truck specifically for the Hi-Lift whenever I need to use it (also because dry lube works great to get ride of other squeaks and creaks on the truck). First time I ever used a Hi-Lift a friend was teaching me how, but he never oiled his (I didn't know better at the time), we got his 2nd gen lifted off the ground on one side and when I went to do one more crank, the Hi Lift let go and the truck fell...luckily the tires were still on it.

Since then I've used my own countless times with no issues but always oil it first

 

If you use this you don't have to lift as high since your lifting the tire and the vehicle at the same time. And of course you need to put a jack stand under the control arm or axle.

https://youtu.be/hDRKKX3nx6s