What Jacks Are You Using?
- Thread starter MaddoxPics
- Start date
Hydguy
Member
You must have never had a car made prior to 1975 or so.
I know that GM supplied a ratchet style jack for their cars, and they were not as robust as the hi lift jacks are by any stretch of the imagination.
Since you admit you are more concerned with a jack for off road use, you should look at a few accessories for the hi lift: a base plate adapter that makes a larger footprint would be a good place to start.
Of course, unless you are running aftermarket front and rear bumpers and some kind of sturdy sliders, you are pretty limited you where you can actually place the hi lift under the vehicle in the first place.
STX4Runner
New member
My OEM jack is a bottle jack (2017). Was OEM a different style jack in the earlier 5th gens?
I guess I should make sure my bottle jack still works after the lift. New task for the weekend, I suppose.
Edit: Found this if you're OEM jack isn't tall enough.
https://safejacks.com/collections/bottle-jack-accessories
What I meant was just a heavier duty bottle jack if he's really concerned.
MaddoxPics
New member
Sure didn't lol. I have C4 Sliders I'd be using them on. I have their front bumper as well, though not sure I would use it on there. Plan to go with their rear as well, hence why I wanted a HiLift, but thought it wasn't a good idea. I guess that's not the case.
STX4Runner
New member
This probably drives 90% of hilift purchases. For the vast majority of cases, the factory jack will be just fine.
Jetboy
New member
OEM bottle jack is the right choice for changing tires. High lift is great for lots of other stuff like getting unstuck. Modified floor jack on skid is great for desert racing when you need to change your tire in a hurry.
No reason to buy another bottle jack. OEM jack works great. Very reliable. Already fits in a hidden compartment. Toyota has been at this a LONG time. They know what they're doing. If you think it's not tall enough - add a small piece of 2x8 or thick plywood as a base to jack on.
No reason to buy another bottle jack. OEM jack works great. Very reliable. Already fits in a hidden compartment. Toyota has been at this a LONG time. They know what they're doing. If you think it's not tall enough - add a small piece of 2x8 or thick plywood as a base to jack on.
mrblah
Senior Member
I've been using this, and I even take it on offroading trips. I've used it on all sorts of terrain, and even on a muddy trail in the middle of nowhere
same here... this thing is freaking awesome.
ADK Explorer
New member
Ha ! I'm 55. When I was a teenager these were in the back of every car. I've changed a lot of tires on the sides of roads with them. I get a kick out of people making a big deal out of high lifts. Like most things in life you just have to use some common sense.
In my rig I have a couple of 2 x 10 boards and the OEM bottle jack. If needed I'll make it work.
In my rig I have a couple of 2 x 10 boards and the OEM bottle jack. If needed I'll make it work.
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I've been using this, and I even take it on offroading trips. I've used it on all sorts of terrain, and even on a muddy trail in the middle of nowhere
Got a link?
DesertCanyons
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DesertCanyons
New member
Bottle jack & Hi Lift
Anyone using a 6 ton jack is overkilling the job. And a jack that big weighs a lot. I've got a 20 ton jack I used for lifting girders under houses. I don't carry that jack very far and you could lose 2 mpg putting that steel boulder in your car.
hwell:
If the car weighs 5000 pounds and 60% is on the front axle, or 30% on either front wheel, then you need to lift 1500 pounds. That's 3/4 ton. The only reason to get anything bigger than a 2 ton jack (4000 pounds) is if the jack height needs to be taller. For my lift I bought a 4 ton jack just because it was taller. I have a floor jack for working in the garage. And I used jack stands once I got it lifted.
I think the standard OEM jack is a worm gear screw jack, not hydraulic. But it will always work no matter how you treat it. If you leave a bottle jack on it's side for a while the fluid can run out.
I've looked at HiLift jacks quite a bit. It's the ticket when you can't get under the truck. But I see very few places on the truck where you can use it, other than the rock sliders.
I've used the ratchet jacks on older cars, but not since I was a kid. Those cars had slots in the bumper where the ratchet lever was inserted.
Anyone using a 6 ton jack is overkilling the job. And a jack that big weighs a lot. I've got a 20 ton jack I used for lifting girders under houses. I don't carry that jack very far and you could lose 2 mpg putting that steel boulder in your car.
hwell:If the car weighs 5000 pounds and 60% is on the front axle, or 30% on either front wheel, then you need to lift 1500 pounds. That's 3/4 ton. The only reason to get anything bigger than a 2 ton jack (4000 pounds) is if the jack height needs to be taller. For my lift I bought a 4 ton jack just because it was taller. I have a floor jack for working in the garage. And I used jack stands once I got it lifted.
I think the standard OEM jack is a worm gear screw jack, not hydraulic. But it will always work no matter how you treat it. If you leave a bottle jack on it's side for a while the fluid can run out.
I've looked at HiLift jacks quite a bit. It's the ticket when you can't get under the truck. But I see very few places on the truck where you can use it, other than the rock sliders.
I've used the ratchet jacks on older cars, but not since I was a kid. Those cars had slots in the bumper where the ratchet lever was inserted.
mrblah
Senior Member
amazon sells it, but I've actually seen them at home depot of all places.
Been there, done that. They worked just fine for me too.
Ohio_Steve
New member
I've got ten years on you, and never had a car with a bumper jack. Those were on US cars with bumpers as high as your waist.
My Model A didn't have a jack, My VWs had a screw jack that fit in a slot under the running board, Fiat and Mitsubishi had scissors jacks, and MG has a bottle jack. The Ranger and F150 had bottle jacks. Then back to scissors jacks on the Subarus.Like most replies, I carry the factory bottle jack and a couple scraps of 2X12.
rtinniste
New member
Depends It usually stays in my truck 99.9% of the time, the handle is mounted with quick fists to the hatch and the jack stays strapped down with my tool bag in the back corner. The 1.5 ton has a pretty small footprint and weighs maybe 10 lbs at most so it really hasn't gotten in my way and if I need to fold the seats flat all of it fits on the rear floorboard's with the seats folded. Its been nice the couple times I've used to help change random peoples tires lol.
I do need to get around to making a removable extension and the skid plate/ sand float for it (they sell them but I'm to cheap to buy something I can make myself)
I have maybe $200 total in truck tools.
kobalt 119 pc socket set - $24.75 on sale lowes
harbor freight 1.5 ton jack- $59.99 plus 20% coupon
Stanley soft tool bag- under $15 on amazon
beat up makita li-ion impact- $10 yard sale
harbor freight moving blanket- $9
couple shackles- free
a couple crescent wrenches, 3/8 extensions, socket adapters, breakerbar, metric and SAE allen key set, pliers, dykes, bunch of large zipties, roll of duct tape, baggy of bolts and nuts, box of wood screws, pack of jb weld and a tire plug kit, probably some other stuff I'm forgetting in that bag but its all had its use for us before either out shooting and fixing targets, wheeling fixing jeeps, helping some old lady change a tire, or pulling parts at the junk yard.
Old pics. Nothing is strapped down, no tool bag in pic, etc. Gives you an idea of the size of the jack and how the handles mount. Everything usually rides in the driver corner with a ratchet strap. It works okay for now until I get free time to build cargo drawers with a dedicated jack mount which will probably be in 20never.
adio3x
New member
I've had a couple of different setups over the past 8 years.
Used a HiLift, which can be very effective, especially with the ARB footprint thing, but it can also be very deathly. I've had my hilift fall out a handful of times, luckily most of the time hubs were dropped on soft dirt or sand.
Next jack was the safejack by Bogart Designs. Those jack extensions work well if you buy a quality bottleneck jack. Don't do what I did and get a cheap Torin from amazon.
My last setup is the pro eagle and it's the best! I keep mine on the back of the passenger seat directly behind the driver, it fits perfectly on the back folded down (*ratchet strap that thing down, wouldn't want that thing flying around in an accident). Works on loose rock, mud, sand, whatever! Might even weight less than a hi lift!
Used a HiLift, which can be very effective, especially with the ARB footprint thing, but it can also be very deathly. I've had my hilift fall out a handful of times, luckily most of the time hubs were dropped on soft dirt or sand.
Next jack was the safejack by Bogart Designs. Those jack extensions work well if you buy a quality bottleneck jack. Don't do what I did and get a cheap Torin from amazon.
My last setup is the pro eagle and it's the best! I keep mine on the back of the passenger seat directly behind the driver, it fits perfectly on the back folded down (*ratchet strap that thing down, wouldn't want that thing flying around in an accident). Works on loose rock, mud, sand, whatever! Might even weight less than a hi lift!
Depends It usually stays in my truck 99.9% of the time, the handle is mounted with quick fists to the hatch and the jack stays strapped down with my tool bag in the back corner. The 1.5 ton has a pretty small footprint and weighs maybe 10 lbs at most so it really hasn't gotten in my way and if I need to fold the seats flat all of it fits on the rear floorboard's with the seats folded. Its been nice the couple times I've used to help change random peoples tires lol.
I do need to get around to making a removable extension and the skid plate/ sand float for it (they sell them but I'm to cheap to buy something I can make myself)
I have maybe $200 total in truck tools.
kobalt 119 pc socket set - $24.75 on sale lowes
harbor freight 1.5 ton jack- $59.99 plus 20% coupon
Stanley soft tool bag- under $15 on amazon
beat up makita li-ion impact- $10 yard sale
harbor freight moving blanket- $9
couple shackles- free
a couple crescent wrenches, 3/8 extensions, socket adapters, breakerbar, metric and SAE allen key set, pliers, dykes, bunch of large zipties, roll of duct tape, baggy of bolts and nuts, box of wood screws, pack of jb weld and a tire plug kit, probably some other stuff I'm forgetting in that bag but its all had its use for us before either out shooting and fixing targets, wheeling fixing jeeps, helping some old lady change a tire, or pulling parts at the junk yard.
Old pics. Nothing is strapped down, no tool bag in pic, etc. Gives you an idea of the size of the jack and how the handles mount. Everything usually rides in the driver corner with a ratchet strap. It works okay for now until I get free time to build cargo drawers with a dedicated jack mount which will probably be in 20never.
That jack is way smaller than I pictured. Doesn't seem to take up much space at all.
