Real world Hi-lift situations

Louis said a lot of what I was going to say! I went through recovery training for the military and through off road overlanding groups and learned a lot on hi lifts. If you have the right attachments (like the wheel lift) it's very straight forward and great. This is a great option for lifted vehicles also. One thing about the video posted is that the person states you shouldn't have a angle when lifting, but that isn't true at all. You need to have a slight angle outward for the purpose of lifting straight up and not hitting the door (opening the door is often recommended). I have used mine often, but it's mostly a security blanket for those who don't know how to use it. All I can say is.....get some real hands on training and learn people. This isn't the kind of thing to learn from youtube.

 

I appreciate this response…I actually picked up a 48” from Harbor Frieght because I knew that my standard Tacoma jack wasn’t going to work after lifting my truck. Fortunately I didn’t need to use it - and haven’t needed it yet, but I was thinking about the fact that I had no idea HOW I would use it since I wouldn’t be able to get it under the frame.
I searched out some instructional videos and was still wondering if there was a use at all.
Thank you for this.

 

Thanks - these are on my short list

 

In addition to this, there are a million uses for a hilift beside just lifting the truck, matter of fact it's dangerous as hell to actually use it to change a tire. It's inherently unstable but that's kind of the advantage of it, like pointed out above you can drive off it, lift the vehicle and push it over and off a boulder/onto a different line, debead tires, it can be used as a clamp, a spreader (if you rolled the truck and needed to reform the cab/door opening). All kinds of uses for it. I would not want to be in the woods without one personally due to it's versatility. I do keep a bottle jack/jackstands combo in my truck for tire changes/repair work.

 

Watching this video sums up my thoughts on these pretty perfectly. Like the log splitter, it may work as a recovery tool, but unless you have nothing else there's probably a better way.

I use mine for pulling fence posts, (probably 150 just this summer), working on the tractor, sledging falling trees off of a trail system, etc. I used it once this winter when I got my 4Runner hopelessly stuck in my driveway. Was able to winch it out anchored to the Tacoma. Was better than shoveling but only by a small margin.

My truck has no armour or sliders so YMMV if you have a more built truck.

 

Ive used my Hi-Lift jack that I keep on my 01 Jeep TJ. With that said the only places it was useful for lifting the Jeep were the Poison Spyder front bumper, rear bumpers square hitch receiver and the side rails. Ive used it to lift trailers, jack up walls and once to lift a tractor but on regular trucks and cars its about useless. They are great for lifted vehicles provided you have lift points available and they are useful in lots of off the wall situations if they are what you have to work with but they are a pretty limited tool

 

Works GREAT for pulling up bushes. Seriously, like a 8 yr old Holly, maybe 18x18 above the ground. Thing was not moving, hacked at it with everything I had for an hour. Totally smoked, bush didn’t budge. 2 minutes with the Hi-Lift, popped right out.

 

Also, used for felling a big dead tree that was too close to the house… sooner or later it was going down; on either my roof or the neighbors. We have a smallish yard; 2 options (1) pay the tree guy ($$$). Or (2) fell it diagonally across the yard…

So, I rigged it up REAL good in winch configuration with grade 70 chain, legit (rated) straps/shackles; From the base of a solid tree ~15 feet away in the direction I needed it to fall to the dead tree; up as high as I could put a choker hold on it with an extension ladder. Cranked on it real good… hit it with a $45 rental saw… success! Yeah, I dropped $300 on the equipment and rental, but that was half what the tree guy wanted and now I have a nice hi-lift to show for it

 

I’ve had my HiLift for 30 years and used it 4 times. Trying it out when new, flat on the trail after owning it a few years, fence repair a few years later, then trying it out again on the Taco sliders after 15-20 years unused. I also carry the OEM bottle jack with a home-made extension and base.

 

I bought mine in 1975 it has saved my butt spending a night in the mountains a few times or a long walk of shame Winches were very few and far between I don`t recall seeing any on anything but government vehicles.

In those days they were known as the Sheep herders Jack`s

If you were alone and stuck it might mean a 20 mile walk in the mountains to a ranch and never living down not getting out yourself. At this point body damage was no big deal. Also you were working not playing

Always going out backwards no need to go through anything .

Long before satellite phones or cell phones.

 

Like most I have used it a couple times for a lift and tip.
First time was lifting the rear bumper so I could use a come along to pull it back, up and out of a pond sized puddle with thick ice I had fallen through. Tied a rope through the end of the hi-lift so we could fish it out of the icy slop when it fell in.
The other was where the rear was high centered on part of the bedrock I was driving over. Lifted the bumper and pushed it sideways. Worked perfectly.
Those were both earlier gen stock metal bumpers. With 2nd/3rd gen plastic bumpers you either need a hitch or some aftermarket armor to use it in that way.
A come-along is a much better winch replacement if you see that as your main off-roading need, but hi-lifts are useful.

 

All of my limited experiences with my hi-lift jack have been negative.

The very first time I used it was on my boat trailer to change a flat tire. Freaking thing about broke my jaw. I should have read the manual first. Luckily the unloaded trailer doesn’t way much.

I bought the winching kit and took it to a nearby parking lot to practice. It worked, but it was a serious PITA. I hope I never need to use it for winching in the wild.

I got stuck in some semi frozen mud and discovered it doesn’t work for shit once mud gets into the mechanism. I had to use a screwdriver to pry the pin on each step downwards. Super PITA. I was about to bury it in the mud and leave it.

I used it to change my wheels. I forgot to chock the wheels. The jack tilted sideways until the wheels contacted the ground. I reversed the jack to relieve the pressure and BOOM the freaking thing fell down and hit the ground. Luckily I was not in its path.

I have rock sliders and the rock slider hi-lift attachment.

 

Used mine the other day to sneak under a fallen tree.

 

They are gold for post pulling. It is one of those tools where you need to pay full attention, but it was my favorite tool on earth every time I pulled a post with it. As someone with no off-road modifications, I wouldn't hesitate to throw one and some straps/cables in if I were going back deep into forest service. Not as fast, nice, or safe as a winch, but it'll get you out if you don't have one of those.

 

No chainsaw?

 

Nah. This was me getting out of taking a wrong turn down a road that ended up being closed, so I wouldn’t have cut it down if I had one. Hi lift was also really quick.


I might get a chainsaw if I spend more time in that area, particularly if I start helping with trail maintenance stuff. My need for one is so rare though that I’d rather not have to fuck with one if I don’t need to. I’ll probably just start by carrying my 18v sawzall

 

Used the old school Bumper jack many a time growing up... it might remind you of something.

much like a high lift they where tippy and would put a hurtin on you if not careful. At the time I kept a small bottle jack in the car or truck so I could not have to use the this thing.

I still keep a highlift, and attachments for winching and a jackmate from Rescue42 in the truck, while only really used for pulling fence posts and such, I do like the idea of having it just in case.

 

Would a sawzall make it through a tree that size?

 

Eventually. It’s about the limit

 

might want to bring some extra blades too just in case