Jacks: HiLift vs Bottle vs Exhaust

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I am a 4wd driving instructor and will show my students how to safely use all of the aforementioned equipment. The factory jack is perfectly suited to changing tyres as long as you have a stable platform for it, ie bitumen or wood/steel base plate. Exhaust jacks are not easy to use but can be very effective in sand. They require a team approach to use: one on the throttle, one on the exhaust and one on the bag. The hi-lift jack is so named because that is what it is for - lifting the car. Yes they can be unstable but this can be helpful for lifting and pushing a car over an obstacle. Hi lift jacks should not be used to change tyres. You have to lift the body really high before the suspension starts to move. As you jack the car up the wheel will remain on the ground until the shocks have fully extended and then the wheel will lift. I have seen a hi-lift jack pierce the back door on a Nissan Patrol after it gave way causing the car to roll forward and, because the replacement wheel was on properly, the rim bent and broke several wheel studs and also damaged the lug holes in the alloy rim. All up about $5000 worth of damage. The hi-lift is handy for lifting the suspension and body on a bogged vehicle allowing you to pack material under the wheels and aid in your self-recovery. Hi-lifts can also be used to winch a vehicle if you know how only it is very slow. The car needs to have suitable receptacles for the hi lift tongue to slip into. I've seen guys searching endlessly only to find they cannot fit the jack into a suitable jacking point. On some cars the jack will slip into the towbar receiver however you may need to remove the spare tyre from the back door. You can also get an attachment hook which will allow you to use the jack to lift the wheel directly. People who use the hi lift to change flat tyres are generally too lazy to get the factory jack out and don't want to get dirty by having to crawl under the car to locate the jack. Before using the hi lift jack the wheels should be properly chocked and hand brake applied to prevent the vehicle from rolling unless that is your desired action (see comment above regarding getting over an obstacle). Another issue with the high lift is that most are stored outside the vehicle and get clogged up with dirt. This prevents the popping action of the mechanism and you'll find the jack won't go up or down. Keep it in a bag and keep some CRC/Wd40 type spray handy to lube the mechanism. Trolley jacks are ok but they do take up valuable space in the car and can be reasonably heavy. They won't roll through sand or mud either. I personally don't carry a high lift jack. I have 2 in the shed - one that I found out on a dirt road east of Derby.

I agree with all of that!

It's funny how often the first 2 bits of kit people get is a snatch strap and a highlift, the 2 most dangerous things you could get.

Highlifts have there uses, changing tyres isn't one of them.

Cheers Andrew

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Where you at now AJ?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Where you at now AJ?

Got home this Arvo!

Cheers Andrew

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Good to hear you got home safely. Hope you enjoyed the wonders of WA.

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Do u ever work? Hahahana
Living the dream

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Do u ever work? Hahahana
Living the dream

Back to the grind in the Morning!

One use for highlifts is shunting sideways, in this case it was a trailer



Solved our problem and got us through a tight spot.

Cheers Andrew

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Great pic....

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

What ever happened to the old Scandinavian Flick - trailer version - for getting around those tight corners?