Which hi-lift for Black Beauty? 48" or 60"???

I am brand new to hi-lifts, and if anything i know anything about myself its that i have to get one to actually practice and learn its capabilities. I was planning to mount the 48" to my swing out tire rack carrier, as my measurements say the 48" will work easily...however a 60" will be very complicated, and i might have to end up mounting it inside the truck

I have read some guys say to go 60" and dont look back because you will never second guess whether you have enough lift. My question is...if i actually needed that extra foot of lift could i have just gotten it with the 12" rectangle wood blocks that i carry around in my truck, or is there something else that im missing? I only want to do this once and the price is almost the same(withing $10). BTW i have a Sonoran Steel lift, which is approx 4" front and 5" rear with a 1.5" BL. Oh and im on 35's. Hope that helps, and thanks for any advice.

You don't want to ever chock a high lift. And a 48" hilift is almost always more than enough lift. But if you ever have to winch with the thing, you'll be glad for that extra foot.

If you have room to store the 60 without it getting in your way, do it. If not, don't.

I was in the same boat as you were, and ended up going the 48 inch route so that it would mount on my rear swing out too. With a similar setup to what you have, I've seen the possibility of 48 being too short on a trail, but a remedy i've seen is to use straps to hold the axle/springs compressed as you lift with the jack, and the tire will come off the ground without first having to unload the suspension. Food for thought.

The 48" HiLift is definitely nice for storage purposes, and will almost always provide plenty of lift, however there are two big pluses with the 60" which swayed me in that direction:

1. As KidV mentioned, if you ever want to hand winch with the thing, the extra 12" will definitely come handy.
2. If there is a depression beneath your vehicle, or the base of the hilift sinks into the ground a bit before lifting the vehicle(ie: any situation where the hilift can lose stroke), that extra 12" can come in very handy.

I store my hilift widthwise on my roof rack with the base detached and secured under my seat, and it does not protrude beyond the width of the vehicle.

Since you're new to hilifting, please research proper use and safetly as much as you possibly can. Hilifting is not exactly difficult, but it's not exactly safe either. Here's a few general tips:
Make sure the base of the hilift is securely in contact with the ground and don't use tall blocks between the base of the hilift and the ground. Also, make sure that the ground surface underneath the base is stable and as level as possible. Make sure to immobilize the opposite corner to that being hilifted. eg: use rocks or chocks on the front passenger tire if you are lifting from the rear drivers side. You can even go as far as to apply the e-brake and throw it in 4Lo to get rid of any play in the driveline prior to lifting. You'd be surprised how much the vehicle will shift if you don't immobilize it before lifting. Mainly just take it slow and controlled and wait for the clicks at either end of the stroke, and make sure you give it your 100% attention and keep your body out of the way of the handle in case something does give.

240m3srt said:

BTW i have a Sonoran Steel lift, which is approx 4" front and 5" rear with a 1.5" BL. Oh and im on 35's. Hope that helps, and thanks for any advice.

Click to expand...

Which SS lift gives 4" front and 5" rear lift?

I'd like to check out your 4Runner... do you ever go to the monthly TTR meetings at Pappas BBQ (there's one tomorrow night, actually)?

Those are some really well thought out responses guys, things i would not have learned until years of trial and error-thank you! I see myself leaning towards the 48", as i dont actually wheel it hard, its more for the circumstances i might encounter out back towards my hunting site. I just want to know i have the tools to get myself out of a tough situation if one were to arise. Also, i will definitely get on youtube and research the proper technique extensively.

Has anyone seen the mounts they make that attach the hi-lift to the top bar of your grille guard? How do yall feel about that setup?

Also whats the best method to keep the suspension wrapped or preloaded, chain/strap/special device? Works on front independent suspension too, or just the rear axle?

Oh and how about those straps that lift the truck by the wheel, cheesy or legit?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks once again for the advice.

hrt4me said:

Which SS lift gives 4" front and 5" rear lift?

I'd like to check out your 4Runner... do you ever go to the monthly TTR meetings at Pappas BBQ (there's one tomorrow night, actually)?

Click to expand...

Hey bud! Its the big kit, i think its called 1.2, or 2.1(i can never remember)...and those numbers are approximate not what their website states. Between adjusting the front shock collars and depending on how much load in the rear(and if the load is over rear axle or behind) really changes the ride height and the handling characteristics.

PappasBBQ off Northwest hwy? If so ill try my best to make it.

240m3srt said:

Oh and how about those straps that lift the truck by the wheel, cheesy or legit?

Click to expand...

It's called a "Lift-Mate" and they're definitely legit. Very useful when you want to do a lift and stack or just chuck a log or something underneath the tire to help get traction. However, they don't work with all wheels, so you might want to do a bit of research first if you're thinking of purchasing one.

240m3srt said:

Hey bud! It's the big kit, i think it's called 1.2, or 2.1 (i can never remember)... and those numbers are approximate not what their website states. Between adjusting the front shock collars and depending on how much load in the rear (and if the load is over rear axle or behind) really changes the ride height and the handling characteristics.

Pappas BBQ off Northwest hwy? If so ill try my best to make it.

Click to expand...

I have the SS 1.2 and have nowhere near that much lift, I have ~3" front and rear level lift

Yes, Pappas BBQ at I-35E and Northwest Hwy, come show off your rig @ 1800 hrs during the Toyota Trail Riders monthly club meeting

hrt4me said:

Which SS lift gives 4" front and 5" rear lift?

I'd like to check out your 4Runner... do you ever go to the monthly TTR meetings at Pappas BBQ (there's one tomorrow night, actually)?

Click to expand...

My guess is he's factoring the body lift in there, which would be about right.

240m3srt said:

Has anyone seen the mounts they make that attach the hi-lift to the top bar of your grille guard? How do yall feel about that setup?

Click to expand...

I've never seen one of those that doesn't cut into your vision of the road in front of you. And if you're carrying it on a regular basis, you don't really want it out in the weather anyway if you can help it. A dirty rusty hilift isn't just unreliable, it's unsafe.

It's a little more money, but may I suggest an exhaust jack? The Bushranger exhaust jack will lift your truck more reliably and safely than a hilift.

I was a kansas farm kid, when the first Hi-lift jacks came out on the market. They were sold as "Handyman" jacks and came with a wooden handle. Every farmer in the country had one and they were used for everything from jacking up a truck to stretchnig fence and delivering baby calves. They are pretty versatile. For the not so technically savvy person, they can slip out and kick your a$$ in a moment and then jump back under the truck and leave you looking to see where the pain came from. I presently do not have one, but with the purchase of the T4R, may have to go back to one in my tool list.