Where should I mount my hi-lift jack?

[Akitadog]

Of all the years wheeling, I've never thought to myself why did I leave that jack at home.....

 

[JMT]

Keep mine in the same place. Used some foam pipe insulation as cushion and strapped down to d-rings in cargo area. Easy to put in/out. Not going anywhere and out of the weather. Foam and straps cost about $20 all in.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[cherrybomb]

Honestly, I don't carry mine anymore, and not because this site told me not to.
The problem I have is not everyone gets to wheel with uber experienced off roaders that have high dollar rigs with winches and lockers. Lots of people use their vehicles in lots of different ways, and get in lots of different types of situations. Who's to say what someone else needs or doesn't need. That $100 farm jack is exactly the right tool if that's all they have.

Its funny that a post going off on the overly cautious covid crowd is supporting the "oh my god don't use a hi-lift, they're too dangerous!" crowd.

Back when I had the Samurai (and no winch) I used the hi-lift jack often, on bumper or rocker panel protection

 

[notnsuv]

I don't care if folks wanna run the jack but wondering if someone creative might come up with a mount for it on an angry grille.
Double the crap you can get.

 

[Blackjack]

I don't care if folks wanna run the jack but wondering if someone creative might come up with a mount for it on an angry grille.
Double the crap you can get.

I keep thinking of taking a Hilift hood mount and putting a Kolpin gun boot there instead.

 

[TurboTJ]

Mine got used once. A guy with a big boat trailer had a blow-out. He didn’t have a jack (or a lug wrench). The hi-lift worked pretty good For that. I just stood back and watched.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Its funny that a post going off on the overly cautious covid crowd is supporting the "oh my god don't use a hi-lift, they're too dangerous!" crowd.

Never Forget.

 

[John Cooper]

Never Forget.
View attachment 448008

Can't believe you didn't have a Hi lift jack holding your tree up!!!!!

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Its funny that a post going off on the overly cautious covid crowd is supporting the "oh my god don't use a hi-lift, they're too dangerous!" crowd.

Back when I had the Samurai (and no winch) I used the hi-lift jack often, on bumper or rocker panel protection

We're not being overly cautious, many of us here me included have just seen too many stupid dangerous situations some tried to use their Hi-Lifts in. RARELY is a Hi-Lift the best tool for the job or even appropriate. That's why I stopped carrying mine in 2003. It's certainly not needed for tire changing duties no matter how high the suspension lift is for 35's or even 37's in a pinch.

In my strictly personal opinion 99.99999% of the Hi-Lifts carried externally by Jeep owners are nothing but display pieces saying 'look at me I are a offroader' when they don't know enough to know why it's very seldom the best or most appropriate tool.

This shows the "last straw" for me on Hi-Lift use after I broke a front axle shaft on Sledgehammer in Johnson Valley CA in 2003. I stupidly raised my TJ with my Hi-Lift from the side to pull the broken axle shaft out instead of just jacking the front axle up as everyone around me was advising me to do. I was shocked how far the Hi-Lift had teetered over while I was working on it. It had to be placed on top of that rock due to the trail being nothing but rocks there. At least I placed my tire underneath in case it did fall off. It was after this I stopped carrying my Hi-Lift.

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[S/C-HD2002]

Damn near knocked myself out with one during a snow recovery in the late 90's. The jack and handle slipped which ultimately hit me in the side of the head. Needless to say, I haven't carried one since.

 

[cherrybomb]

We're not being overly cautious, many of us here me included have just seen too many stupid dangerous situations some tried to use their Hi-Lifts in. RARELY is a Hi-Lift the best tool for the job or even appropriate. That's why I stopped carrying mine in 2003. It's certainly not needed for tire changing duties no matter how high the suspension lift is for 35's or even 37's in a pinch.

In my strictly personal opinion 99.99999% of the Hi-Lifts carried externally by Jeep owners are nothing but display pieces saying 'look at me I are a offroader' when they don't know enough to know why it's very seldom the best or most appropriate tool.

This shows the "last straw" for me on Hi-Lift use after I broke a front axle shaft on Sledgehammer in Johnson Valley CA in 2003. I stupidly raised my TJ with my Hi-Lift from the side to pull the broken axle shaft out instead of just jacking the front axle up as everyone around me was advising me to do. I was shocked how far the Hi-Lift had teetered over while I was working on it. It had to be placed on top of that rock due to the trail being nothing but rocks there. At least I placed my tire underneath in case it did fall off. It was after this I stopped carrying my Hi-Lift.

View attachment 448036
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I find hi-lifts useful at times (including similar situations as you showed in this pic) but I'm never going to set the base on a small rock like shown in that pic

I'll agree that the majority of Jeeps you see running around with a jack on the hood or other wise predominantly "on display" is a "look at me" statement. Of course probably 999.9999% of those Jeeps with the jacks on display are also "look at me!" vehicles and never off-road anyway (at least around here). I still believe there is a use for them, if you so choose, Can they be dangerous? Sure, but off-roading is dangerous as well

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I find hi-lifts useful at times (including similar situations as you showed in this pic) but I'm never going to set the base on a small rock like shown in that pic

You're right, you should never wheel on rocky trails like I prefer that are primarily moveable size rocks that can move around. Which is why and how I came to the conclusion 20 years ago that a Hi-Lift is not always or even usually the best tool for the job.

 

[cherrybomb]

yea, that's exactly what I said

Looking at that pic I can see a far better placement for that jack where it wouldn't be wobbling on a basketball sized rock perched on top of much larger boulders but definitely the jacks fault

 

[JohnsGunsmithing]

those damn things... first time I used a bumper jack, it dropped and whacked my shin as soon as the load was off it...

actually, a hi-lift and a bumber jack are, while they look similar, two different things all together.

 

[JohnsGunsmithing]

hood mount

 

[JohnsGunsmithing]

I’ve used one a handful of times on the trail but never needed one. I carried on for a year or two years ago but not in the last 10-15 years. But when there is a brake down someone on trail inevitably says “ I have a high lift jack” I’ll that help and sometimes it can be used for something other than it’s original intent. I Have made a winch point out of one once, used the bar to hold a shaft into a broken Dana 35 long enough to get a rig about 300 yards down a trail and out of the way, used one to raise the rear of a rig and then push it off the Jack to the side relocating the back end, and as a lever to roll a few boulders off a shelf road section of trail. That being said I still own a couple. And use them from time to tim on my property for pulling stumps or fence posts, moving farm implements ets.

just like a good hand cannon,. its better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

in 40 years runnin trails, ive used one about 4 times, but those 4 times i would have been screwed without it. ive had a couple times ive been buried in so deep you couldnt get a bottle jack under it, and the high lift brought it up high enough to get it out.

jus sayin

 

[LONGJP2]

just like a good hand cannon,. its better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

Welcome

If you read the whole thread, you'll see there's not a lot of love for carrying a hi-lift.
I don't care either way, but mounting it out in the elements will almost guarantee it won't work properly when you need it to.

 

[NskLJ]

hood mount

View attachment 505185

I would say not on the hood, that is an awful big piece of metal right in front of your head if you roll.

 

[P man]

I would say not on the hood, that is an awful big piece of metal right in front of your head if you roll.

The other issue is the weight will cause cracking on the hood eventually

 

[Apparition]

The other issue is thw weight will cause cracking on the hood eventually

And it’s a duck magnet