Hi-Lift Jack Worth It?

[Murphydog]

I stupidly got high centered on Elephant Hill road. Found a flatish rock, busted out the stock jack and got the wheel high enough to stack rocks and drive out.
a high lift, that ARB jack, or any number of bottle jacks would have been easier no doubt, but the factory jack did get the job done

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[five9dak]

Only time I've needed to lift a Jeep on the trail, I used the OEM bottle jack sat on a piece of 2x12, lifting the axle housing.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

How long have you carried one and how many times have you used it? How have you used it? Worth having bolted to your vehicle?

In stock form on a non Rubicon, there is no where to even use a hi lift. Once you get past that, yes, it can be extremely versatile. A whack of uses including winching.

Unfortunately, most people use them for cosplay purposes and at that point it becomes more of a liability than anything. People have literally been killed due to shitty farm jack practices.

If you do get one, I highly suggest you practice with it in all situations just to get a feel for it.

Notwithstanding the above, make sure you get it colour matched and definitely store it on the outside, year round, when not even offroading, so you can listen to it corrode. /s

 

[mgroeger]

How long have you carried one and how many times have you used it? How have you used it? Worth having bolted to your vehicle?

I liken a Hi-Lift jack to tits on a bull... totally useless and dangerous if you do try to use them.

In all of the wheeling I've done from East Coast to CO to Moab and here at Sand Hollow I have NEVER been in a situation where a Hi-Lift was the go to choice... never. It has always been a winch, a scissor jack under the axle or a bottle jack under the axle.
I never understood why people have a hard-on for Hi-Lifts. They are heavy and to actually use it to lift a vehicle you have to jack so high to unload the suspension to lift the tire off the ground it becomes downright dangerous IMO.
Literally the ONLY time I used a Hi-Lift was to break the bead of a tire in my garage, that's it. Side note, I love the guys who mount them to their hood. That's a great idea... 40 pound hunk of steel on your hood. I'm sure when you decide to use it you will be in pristine conditions where the sun is shining, you're on level ground and Unicorns are running around. I'm sure it won't be in the rain, on a slope and your wife bitching at you for screwing up.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

They are farm tools, not a recovery tool. And like others have said, dangerous as hell if you don't know what you're doing or have no experience with one. It's a simple tool, tough to break, but easy to misuse.

 

[GearWhore]

Not necessary, but I have found them quite useful. I've had one (the same one) on or in my Jeeps for over 20 years. Have used it with every one of them. Can be used as a come-along (though you only get ~3' before having to reset), as well as for lifting (Jeeps, logs, rocks, boats...).

Mine usually stays in the garage unless I'm planning on wheeling or taking a trip. I try to keep it stored inside the vehicle when it comes along. Less chance of damage from dust, sun, etc. I have a Dominion mount above the rear cargo area in my JLU now. Out of the way and provides a place to keep my shovel and axe now, too. With the top "bracket" that comes on most Hi-Lifts removed or installed 90 degrees a 48" will fit under the rear seats, too.

Also good to keep it lubricated and maintained. Check the pins and other mechanicals regularly. As others said, if you think you want one, learn it and practice with it. It can exert a lot of force quickly (or release quickly when switched), for better and worse.

 

[SH556JL]

Had one on the 21. Probably going to sell it off along with some other stuff I never used.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Are they useful? Only in certain specific situations. Do you need to carry one around? No, probably not. How often will it be useful? For most people not more than once every 5-10 years. My opinion is that for the vast majority of regular people wheeling it’ll be the least useful/important piece of gear that you have.

 

[Apples491]

I've carried one for years and have never had occasion to use it. But I've also been on trail several times where other people needed to use theirs. Most were for trail repairs, occasionally to resolve a high center situation and, once, we were on a ledge road and used it to 'lift and shift' my friends off-road trailer around a boulder.

In the end, it's a tool. One that has varied but specific use cases. It also needs to be maintained. It needs to be pulled off the truck and oiled regularly. You should run it through lifting your vehicle once a season to make sure the pins are seating well, etc.

 

[SH556JL]

Are they useful? Only in certain specific situations. Do you need to carry one around? No, probably not. How often will it be useful? For most people not more than once every 5-10 years. My opinion is that for the vast majority of regular people wheeling it’ll be the least useful/important piece of gear that you have.

I’d find a axe or saw more useful. More so if you already have a winch on the front.

 

[Retrograde]

How long have you carried one and how many times have you used it? How have you used it? Worth having bolted to your vehicle?

I dunno... do you stretch a lot of fence?

Full disclosure: I own one... I found it laying in the woods one day, next to a devastated muddy creek that looked like it had recently been assaulted by an Abrams tank. "Cool," I thought. "I could use one of those."

It's been in my shed for about 10 years now. I occasionally use it to stretch fence.

 

[blnewt]

A decent bottle jack w/ an axle adapter works great for tire trouble, doesn't take up much spoce and w/ that axle adapter it's much safer in most cases. There are many other uses for a Hi-Lift as explained in the posts above, but a winch in front and a bottle jack in your cubby and you should be covered for most any trail issue. Oh, and a good pair of leather gloves for rock hauling lol.

 

[flyer92]

If you’re talking about this HMMWV jack, at 75lbs and $500-$600, there’s no way in hell I’m gonna load that thing and carry it around no matter how much space it takes.

No, not that one....it is way too expensive and more complex than necessary. I prefer the original-issue scissor jack, which is much more robust and has a wider base than the JL's OEM jack...and is way cheaper. This one is $225, but I recently got a new one for $75, and it's totally worth it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295315135411?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338678874&toolid=20006&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3Aaffeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7%3Bpt%3A1%3Bchoc%3A1&customid=s:GS;gc:affeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7;pt:1;choc:2&msclkid=affeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7

Any of these less than $100 is a great deal, and they'll last a lifetime. I've literally seen these get run over by a tank and still work perfectly. Only issue, is that you'll need an adaptor to fit over the top. There are several choices out there, but the Safe Jack product is hefty yet narrow enough to fit in the tightest spot on JL axles. Here's my set-up:

Hope this is helpful and happy Jeepin'!

 

[blnewt]

No, not that one....it is way too expensive and more complex than necessary. I prefer the original-issue scissor jack, which is much more robust and has a wider base than the JL's OEM jack...and is way cheaper. This one is $225, but I recently got a new one for $75, and it's totally worth it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295315135411?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338678874&toolid=20006&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3Aaffeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7%3Bpt%3A1%3Bchoc%3A1&customid=s:GS;gc:affeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7;pt:1;choc:2&msclkid=affeb02c681410d82d4ad38311114cd7

Any of these less than $100 is a great deal, and they'll last a lifetime. I've literally seen these get run over by a tank and still work perfectly. Only issue, is that you'll need an adaptor to fit over the top. There are several choices out there, but the Safe Jack product is hefty yet narrow enough to fit in the tightest spot on JL axles. Here's my set-up:

Hope this is helpful and happy Jeepin'!

Or if you have a welder you can make one of these axle adapters, costs just a couple bucks vs. paying $50

 

[Jhawth]

Short answer, no.

Long answer, still no.

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