Explorer I
I'd like to hear any opinions on the different jacks and your experiences. What do you run and why.
Floor jack, bottle jack, hi lift jack
- Thread starter Terran Mace
- Start date
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
not another jack thread, haven’t we beaten this horse to death. Here are 4 semi recent jack threads found with the word “Jack”
www.overlandbound.com
www.overlandbound.com
www.overlandbound.com
High lift jack or exhaust jack?
That makes sense and is solid advice. I’ll probably go with the bottle jack for now, I usually go with groups or friends with high lift jacks so when/if I eventuality need a one, I can borrow one, then buy one before the next trip lol. I’m ordering the suggested bottle jack attachment...
Bottle Jacks
As far as scissor Jacks go I've been looking a camping trailer stabilizer jacks Most lift up to 6500 lbs and 24"
Convince me I should keep lugging around my hi-lift
Silly question , when and why was the last time you had to break a bead with a hi-lift ? And after the bead was broken how did you get the old tire off and get the new one on?? And for if some weird reason you did have a spare tire why wasn’t it on a rim already? I keep up on my tire...
High Lift jack - heavy, bulky, needs care in use (can be hazardous in inexperienced hands), needs proper lift points, needs good support, however more practical in deep mud (although I would seek to drive out of the mud then use bottle jacks), can be used for more than just jacking.
Exhaust jack - bulky, not exactly "heavy" but does weigh a fair amount, can be damaged if care is not taken to avoid sharp protrusions, we had one and never used it (came with the vehicle we bought, sold it with the vehicle when we sold it)
Bottle jack(s) - far less space needed to carry one (or two), lighter than a high lift jack and perhaps than an exhaust jack, needs good support, can be inconvenient to place under the vehicle in some circumstances. We carry, and use, two (sometimes need to use the smaller to lift to the point at which we can use the bigger one)
Built-in jacks - brilliant system, had this on my MGs (1947, 1948, 1951), and don;t understand why they're no longer used, at least in vehicles which don't go off road (I can see that the travel required off road may be more than makes sense)
Exhaust jack - bulky, not exactly "heavy" but does weigh a fair amount, can be damaged if care is not taken to avoid sharp protrusions, we had one and never used it (came with the vehicle we bought, sold it with the vehicle when we sold it)
Bottle jack(s) - far less space needed to carry one (or two), lighter than a high lift jack and perhaps than an exhaust jack, needs good support, can be inconvenient to place under the vehicle in some circumstances. We carry, and use, two (sometimes need to use the smaller to lift to the point at which we can use the bigger one)
Built-in jacks - brilliant system, had this on my MGs (1947, 1948, 1951), and don;t understand why they're no longer used, at least in vehicles which don't go off road (I can see that the travel required off road may be more than makes sense)
Member III
Just to be clear, I have successfully used this wheel attachment on five separate vehicles, and actually find it much safer than jacking on, for example, a slider.
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
I use them all for different reasons. I like to keep my hi lift on the farm where it belongs. I use bottle jacks from time to time but they never last more than a year or 2 with me. I wouldnt trust an exhaust jack for what I drive and where I go, if I were mostly in the desert or swamp I'd consider it. My favorite go to jack are my scissor jacks they have a high enough lift, fold flat, light weight and I can carry more than 1 its nice having extra stands.
Its good to have them all for different things so go get one of each and try them out, maybe you drive a small jeep and can make use of a hilift to change a tire maybe you drive something bigger and need something else.
After lifting your ride a few times with them all you will figure out pretty quick which one is for you.
If its just for the offroad looks of course you have to get a farm jack to be cool.
Its good to have them all for different things so go get one of each and try them out, maybe you drive a small jeep and can make use of a hilift to change a tire maybe you drive something bigger and need something else.
After lifting your ride a few times with them all you will figure out pretty quick which one is for you.
If its just for the offroad looks of course you have to get a farm jack to be cool.
Member III
This coming from the first person ever to imply scissor jacks are as safe as bottle jacks.
Last edited:
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
Member III
My hilift is for winching and bead breaking. Everybody bags on the weight and size of a hilift, but it's way lighter than a corroded winch and bumper. And it can be properly mounted within the wheelbase of a vehicle, not on the front bumper.
I use Ford Superduty OEM bottle jacks. Mechanical, no oil to leak out. Strong enough to lift a 10,000# truck easy. And more throw than any other lightweight jack. Cheap, $20, junk yard.
I use Ford Superduty OEM bottle jacks. Mechanical, no oil to leak out. Strong enough to lift a 10,000# truck easy. And more throw than any other lightweight jack. Cheap, $20, junk yard.
Expedition Master III
While a hi-lift will work as is, having the proper accessory will make it safer and easier. As the picture shows, these accessories work, and give a more secure lift, than a bumper without a 'pocket' or a steel slider. As was mentioned, using the jack on a slider by itself is probably not the best idea unless you have a better option's. The product that makes it safer is a product made for sliders. A Trasheroo 'JAK-JAW' or the offering from Lotus Development, along with others.
Personally, I would try to use a bottle jack as my first tool, under a vehicle (sans recovery boards), after that, I would try the tool that most likely would fit the situation, whatever it might be, a come-along, etc. The lift bag as mentioned above seems to have more downside than up in most cases, unless it's in ideal conditions for avoiding a vehicles undercarrige sharp edges.
Also, look at your trip parameters as many mentioned above. Put together a recovery kit based on the 'overlanding' you do. Update it (add) as your trip's evolve.
