Bottle Jack Buddy

I went ahead and ordered one since I don’t have the skill to build anything similar and couldn’t find a better price. Worst case is I waste some cash, but since buying a bottle jack and testing it on a few surfaces before I bring it on the trail a little more stability seems nice.

Granted, stay out from under your rig with only this support. Don’t be stupid and die.
 
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Just for comparison - Swag Offroad has been selling something similar for years and they are priced similar to the one the OP posted. There’s is a bit different in that one end is sized to cradle an axle tube and the other is sized to fit suspension components.

The Swag version requires a bit of welding of the corners of the saddle. It then requires welding to the top of the bottle jack. However, it could always be fitted with a tube so it can be swapped between jacks if desired.
 
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Stinkbug said:
Just for comparison - Swag Offroad has been selling something similar for years and they are priced similar to the one the OP posted. There’s is a bit different in that one end is sized to cradle an axle tube and the other is sized to fit suspension components.

The Swag version requires a bit of welding of the corners of the saddle. It then requires welding to the top of the bottle jack. However, it could always be fitted with a tube so it can be swapped between jacks if desired.
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Now I really want to make my own. Seeing that Swag makes two sizes for two sizes of tube just shows that they found a way to really over complicate things. Mine will fit all sizes of tube or bar found on a Jeep or truck suitable as a lifting point.
 
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jjvw said:
Mine will fit all sizes of tube or bar found on a Jeep or truck suitable as a lifting point.
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Yeah if you just use a V notch shape then it'll fit anything square or round, fat or skinny.

The "problem" with that is the reduced contact patch area. But that's not a problem for friction. The laws of static friction say static friction does not depend on the area of contact, only the force of contact (and the coefficient of friction of course). Meaning it'll grip just as well with less contact patch. Maybe you'll be more likely to mar the surface but who cares about that. So I see no problems with a V shape.

But I'm still not convinced anything is going to be incredibly more stable unless it's welded to the little saddle on top of the bottle jack like @Stinkbug was saying you do with Swag's version. I guess I'll have to see it to believe it. Maybe I'll cut up some wood into different saddle shapes (with and without a tube) and do some experiments...
 
thomat65 said:
Yeah if you just use a V notch shape then it'll fit anything square or round, fat or skinny.

The "problem" with that is the reduced contact patch area. But that's not a problem for friction. The laws of static friction say static friction does not depend on the area of contact, only the force of contact (and the coefficient of friction of course). Meaning it'll grip just as well with less contact patch. Maybe you'll be more likely to mar the surface but who cares about that. So I see no problems with a V shape.

But I'm still not convinced anything is going to be incredibly more stable unless it's welded to the little saddle on top of the bottle jack like @Stinkbug was saying you do with Swag's version. I guess I'll have to see it to believe it. Maybe I'll cut up some wood into different saddle shapes (with and without a tube) and do some experiments...
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Slippage with a V seems like a total non issue.

Wood doesn't make sense to me for this application because it has a tendency to split.
 
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jjvw said:
Wood doesn't make sense to me for this application because it has a tendency to split.
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Yeah good point. Maybe just to experiment with. One ought to be able to make relative comparisons between different designs and scenarios as long as it holds together temporarily.
 
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jjvw said:
Now I really want to make my own. Seeing that Swag makes two sizes for two sizes of tube just shows that they found a way to really over complicate things. Mine will fit all sizes of tube or bar found on a Jeep or truck suitable as a lifting point.
Click to expand...

I am not convinced that the additional size tube notches overcomplicate things. I think it just makes use of real estate that is already there. From the pictures, it appears that the cradle is slightly rectangular with the smaller notches on the shorter ends of the rectangle.

I wonder if there is a scenario where that arrangement may allow you to sneak into bent up linkage, get a firm hold, and push it back where it goes?
 
Stinkbug said:
I am not convinced that the additional size tube notches overcomplicate things. I think it just makes use of real estate that is already there. From the pictures, it appears that the cradle is slightly rectangular with the smaller notches on the shorter ends of the rectangle.

I wonder if there is a scenario where that arrangement may allow you to sneak into bent up linkage, get a firm hold, and push it back where it goes?
Click to expand...

You're over complicating things. :)
 
jjvw said:
Now I really want to make my own. Seeing that Swag makes two sizes for two sizes of tube just shows that they found a way to really over complicate things. Mine will fit all sizes of tube or bar found on a Jeep or truck suitable as a lifting point.
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly we made ours to fit a bit more than 4“. I can measure it if it really matters to someone.

C1D8C9E1-6A74-4BED-9C7E-70C47069450B.jpeg

Making the saddle “V” shaped is a bit more work than just using C channel.
We had to heat the stock with a torch and then bend it in a press.
 
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jgaz said:
If I remember correctly we made ours to fit a bit more than 4 1/2”.

View attachment 184169
Making the saddle “V” shaped is a bit more work than just using C channel.
We had to heat the stock with a torch and then bend it in a press.

So yeah, it’s a bit more work, but I’ve been happy with the results.
Click to expand...
I would take your design and lop off about an inch off from both wings.
 
jjvw said:
I would take your design and lop off about an inch off from both wings.
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We made these kits as sort of an assembly line process.
My buddy‘s brother wanted to use his for some farm equipment and if IRC his tractor axle tube was close to 4”.
YMMV
 
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rasband said:
I went ahead and ordered one since I don’t have the skill to build anything similar and couldn’t find a better price. Worst case is I waste some cash, but since buying a bottle jack and testing it on a few surfaces before I bring it on the trail a little more stability seems nice.

Granted, stay out from under your rig with only this support. Don’t be stupid and die.
Click to expand...

cool. Let me know how you like it.
 
Midtenn said:
This is what I’m thinking but wasn’t sure if there was even a market for this. It seems like something I could make but I dunno anything about welding.
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The only competition I found for the bottle jack buddy is $52 and you have to weld it urself. I'd get the bottle jack buddy.
 
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