45 replies to this topic

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Vic, thanks for the video on the different jacks.   Much appreciated.

[trikebubble]

I have a Hi Lift and an attachment bracket for it on my Hitchgate. Having said that, my Hi Lift lives 99.9% of its, life in the garage. (though the handle makes the best breaker bar)
I carry an 8-ton bottle jack from Canadian Tire in the truck, along with a lightweight aluminum Torin Big Red 3-ton jackstand.

Ive had to use the bottle jack only once on our travels, and between it, the jackstand and a few leveling blocks it all worked fine.

Edited by trikebubble, 27 March 2020 - 10:44 PM.

[Vic Harder]

Ive had to use the bottle jack only once on our travels, and between it, the jackstand and a few leveling blocks it all worked fine. 20200327_153834.jpg

 

That doesn't look like fun... glad you were safe.  Did you find you needed 2 bottle jacks?

[trikebubble]

That doesn't look like fun... glad you were safe. Did you find you needed 2 bottle jacks?

No, I took the oem bottle jack out. I only carried the one. It was all thanks to a Toyota tech who overtightened a previously installed cv boot clamp which then broke off and I started leaking grease everywhere. We were able to temporarily fix it, fill it with grease and limp into the Toyota dealer in Whitehorse where they got me sorted out.

[ntsqd]

Like this?

https://www.amazon.c...c/dp/B07L4PHGPK

I gonna go out on a limb here & guess that those aren't made in Italy. 

 

IMHO the best bottle jacks are those that Toyota ships with their trucks and are purely mechanical, but that doesn't stop me from using hydraulics.

[Wallowa]

Ordered this...like most things a compromise..weight, lift height and min height...not expensive..

 

https://www.northern...ED-_-707-_-CONF`

 

Should be able to use my HLJ base plate with it if needed.

 

Phil

Edited by Wallowa, 28 March 2020 - 12:26 AM.

[klahanie]

No, I took the oem bottle jack out. I only carried the one.

Trike, one tip with a replacement is to check that it will still fit into the normal lifting position if you have a fully flat tire. ie that the min retracted height of your 8 ton jack is not greater than the bottom of a wheel rim to say, the bottom of the axle tube or wherever the usual lift point is.

 

Not a deal breaker per se as there are always workarounds, just good to know going in.

 

Ironically, times like this a hi lift can be useful ...  

 

[DavidGraves]

We have a shorty 12K pound bottle jack left over from our days with the GMC motorhome....I think it is only about 8" tall closed.

 

Of course it will only lift about 4 more inches but that is why God created rocks.

[Wallowa]

All good advice....I guess one could measure the bottom of the wheel rim to point on the frame or axle where the jack would be placed

[ = max height allowed for the jack fully retracted] and then measure the ground to that same frame or axle lift point with the tire fully inflated [+ a couple of inches wiggle room] for the total lift needed from the jack ...both measured with vehicle fully loaded..

 

If possible a shovel could help [unless on rock] to get the jack in place... or a base plate/rock [not a good idea]/leveling pad/MaxTrax could be used to get the necessary lift if there was room under the jack with it in the down position under the lifting point.

 

Not like my MC that I can just prop it up on the side stand or lay it on it's side to remove a wheel...

 

Phil

[Optimistic Paranoid]

All good advice....I guess one could measure the bottom of the wheel rim to point on the frame or axle where the jack would be placed

[ = max height allowed for the jack fully retracted] and then measure the ground to that same frame or axle lift point with the tire fully inflated [+ a couple of inches wiggle room] for the total lift needed from the jack ...both measured with vehicle fully loaded..

Phil

Or, assuming you have access to an air compressor, you could just let the air out of a tire and physically check to see if your jack - with your base plate - will fit where it needs to go.