Why do people like hi-lifts so much? It’s literally designed to lift the body of the vehicle and just cycle the suspension. I’ve been stuck in a 5’ snow drift chained up on all 4 with 33s and torn a sidewall from a fallen tree covered by the drift. The oem jack got the job done where a hi-lift would have just lifted the tub out of the snow. When I got home I ordered an oversized floor jack with an adjustable extension on it to make life easier next time but couldn’t imagine changing that tire with just a hi-lift
Hi-lift jack points on bumper
- Thread starter jeep_boss
- Start date
May be from the old-timers. My g-pa always had a hilift in his jeep, and he used it all the time... mostly needing to repair fences on his ranch. They are great at pulling out damaged fenceposts, and then stretching barbed wire on the repaired section.
I never saw him use it to raise the jeep or any other vehicle... although he did use it as a basic winch a few times.
I’ve done that before with a Hi-lift we welded a hook to for pulling a wire fence together after pulling a tractor into the field. I feel like it’s more of a farm/ranch tool than anything.
That’s exactly what we turned a hi-lift into by welding shit to it hahaha
I carry a painted and polished high lift on my TJ & my Gladiator but only for camouflage so I can fit in with the Barbie Jeeps & mall crawlers. I catch so much crap about having the tiniest bit of dirt on my jeeps and they "mudshame" me. So embarrassing.
TNHEADDUCK
TJ Enthusiast
Hi lift jacks have there place in the off road world, it is up to the operator to use them safely.
If you don’t mind, could you give me a scenario where a hi-lift would be the ideal tool for the job in the off road world? As in on the trail and makes it worth bolting the thing to your jeep to take wherever you go?
I just completed my 20th year of offroading since removing my Hi-Lift from my TJ and relegating it to being a home for the local Black Widow spider in my shed. With LOTS of offroading mostly on trails that not many TJ owners would attempt, I've yet to have used one since 2003 nor did one get used in any of my wheeling groups. The newer the TJ owner is to offroading, the more he'll be convinced it's required. I don't even know of any in my groups of wheelers that carry one.
My suggestion is to just do a drybrun and hook that jack up on a flat drive way and give it a go- that notch looks to be aligned with your shackle mount and I am wondering if you can even snug upto that notch with a High-lift. Best to find out now- If it does work give a it a few pulls see how it "feels" I dont think you got enough meet at 5/32 to use it unless its pretty structurally gusseted.
Personally I did this same driveway test on previous vehicle- I just could not find a place that I felt comfortable with lifting on anything but a level ground- wrong bumpers for sure- it just became easier to leave it home and have a bottle jack and platform to use a good base. chunk of laminated beam off a construction sight works well
Just an FYI.... The Original post for this thread was in May of 2018... It got resurected yesterday..
It's all good. It gave Jerry a good opportunity to tell everyone that uses a hi-lift how stupid they are for not being like him again...
Just an FYI, you can sling a strap or a chain around the axle to keep it from dropping away from the body when using a the body or a bumper as a lift point. Some times you can't get under the Jeep to place a jack below the axle..
TNHEADDUCK
TJ Enthusiast
There are more vehicles used in off roading than TJs where the high lift jack has its place, different strokes for different folks !!!!!!!
This was a week ago from Saturday. The usual Hi-lift was brought out to change a tire. Of course, all it did was cycle the suspension. Luckily someone had a bottle jack. There were lots of commentary about people hating the hi-lift. I had one almost break my arm once when the handle attacked me out of nowhere. Sold mine shortly after.
IMO, people like them because it's another bright red thing to attach to their Jeep. Many attach it to the hood which I think is the worst idea you can come up with. Let's make the hood have more weight so it will slam and break things...
IMO, people like them because it's another bright red thing to attach to their Jeep. Many attach it to the hood which I think is the worst idea you can come up with. Let's make the hood have more weight so it will slam and break things...
This was a week ago from Saturday. The usual Hi-lift was brought out to change a tire. Of course, all it did was cycle the suspension. Luckily someone had a bottle jack. There were lots of commentary about people hating the hi-lift. I had one almost break my arm once. Sold mine shortly after.
IMO, people like them because it's another bright red thing to attach to their Jeep. Many attach it to the hood which I think is the worst idea you can come up with. Let's make the hood have more weight so it will slam and break things...
View attachment 396684
Yes they are dangerous if used incorrectly, and in this instance it's being used incorrectly. Yes a bottle jack or scissor jack under the axle would have been a better tool to use to lift the tire off the ground. If this guy didn't have one or for some reason could not fit either of thsoe style jacks between the rock and the axle, the use of a strap or chain to tie the axle up would have been safer and more effective.
Or if the only objective was to reseat the bead, a wheel hook adapter could have been used
Ill bite.
There is a time and place for both weather you like it or not. And I will say most people that carry a HiLift probably shouldn't. I have carried both a HiLift and a scissor/ bottle type jack in every wheeler I have owned.
If you have never truly needed a HiLift type jack, you will not see the value in it. And thats fine.
Flat(ish) ground, I might not use the HiLift to change a tire or broken parts. Not the best/easiest tool for the job.
Now BIG rocks, BIG holes, and weird extreme off camber deep rut type situations (like Tank Trap), a scissor/ bottle type jack will do nothing for you if you need to address a tire issue, broken parts, help with self extraction, or used pre winching.
Blanket statements that "bumper type" jacks are completely useless is just silly.
The only time I've seen a Hi-lift used was on the outside of a 35" tire on a Dana 35 and strapped to the frame.
It was holding the tire and axle in place to get off a trail.
It was holding the tire and axle in place to get off a trail.
The one use I did find for a hi-lift: I had a tent trailer and the truck bumper was just a little too high for it. Used it to get the trailer on the hitch. Sold it when I got a drop down hitch.
I just figure if I am ever in actual need of one, half of the people there will have them. YOU should carry one so I don't have to.
I just figure if I am ever in actual need of one, half of the people there will have them. YOU should carry one so I don't have to.