Farm Jack

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Cort

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I have a hi lift and don't like it. Matter of fact it's not on any of my vehicles, it's in my barn used to pull posts. These jacks are dangerous and have limited use. Trucks don't have jacking points like they used too. I'd bet most hi lifts mounted on the exterior of trucks won't even work due to exposure to the elements.

I strongly advise the use of a high quality bottle jack and some blocks. A winch for recovery or a more power puller.
 
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leeandamy

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View attachment 33031 Completely agree with everyone on the dangers of a Highlift. Nothing wrong with using a bottle jack and some blocks of wood.

I have a bushranger X-Jack that I carry as well. Really comes in handy in the sand. Little pricey but it's a quick recovery.

http://store.arbusa.com/Bushranger-X-Jack-Complete-Kit-72X10-P3589.aspx

I second the Xjack I just recently ordered mine but can't wait to try it out and hopefully never needed on the trail.
 
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expeditionnorth

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why not weld in a safety catch(es) for the hi-lift so it can only lift in certain areas without falling out/off etc
 

TreXTerra

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I bought mine from Amazon with Prime shipping.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it either, the shipping for that thing probably cost more than the jack itself. I store mine across the width of the vehicle behind the rear seats. I keep a Plano case strapped down in the cargo area and the angle of the rear seats and the slope of the Plano make a perfect spot to keep the jack and a shovel between the case and the seats.

I strongly recommend getting a Lift Mate. Most of the time you will be getting unstuck, lifting from the tire is much more stable and much safer. You also don't have to jack as high since your suspension isn't unloading. I also keep a bottle jack for changing tires, but you can also use a jack stand. You can lift the vehicle with the jack and Lift Mate and put it down on a jack stand to take the tire off.
 
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000

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The only things unsafe about a hi lift jack is buying some off brand junk version (harbor freight, etc), not knowing how to use it, and/or not using it properly. All tools are potentially dangerous. Buy quality, learn how to use it , then use it properly goes for any tool, even a hammer. To me, crawling under a truck on a trail and jacking up a rig with a bottle jack has plenty of safety issues. At least while you're using a hi lift properly your body parts are not under the vehicle. A hi lift Certainly it wouldn't be the normally appropriate tool for a Subaru, etc... but to make a blanket statement that they are unsafe and not useful is a bit much. They can be quite useful and safe for lifting rigs with larger tires and suspension which would mean a lot of stacking to get the bottle jack high enough and which also means laying under a teetering pile while jacking. Once the vehicle is up, an improvised jack stand can be rolled under without having to ever be under the vehicle. Bonus uses are clamping and spreading when rough repairs are necessary or winching backwards when your permanently mounted winch is on the front of the vehicle. There are countless uses for these tools, but it really all depends on the need. If you have stock bumpers, no sliders and don't venture into rough terrain, then the uses start to dwindle. If you do go on more extreme trails, have added appropriate lifting points like bumpers and real sliders (not show bars or steps), or use the lift mate etc... the potential uses could save the day or at least save time, effort, or potential damage. To me it's cheap insurance to spend the $100 for a quality hi lift and learn how to use it, if you have the potential need.


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Nya Reyes

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I have a stock Jeep Patriot.

My hitch receiver is the only point that works with the second hand farmer jack I own. I taught myself to use the jack and keep it in operational condition. I've never used a farmer jack while off road. I only own the farmer jack because "everyone else owns a Hi Lift" My farmer jack weighs more than 50lbs and has to be stored on the rear passenger seat since I live in a city.

With Jeep Wranglers I have always self recovered manually or gotten another 4x4 to come yank me out when I have gotten bogged down in mud, swamps, or sand. What useful reasons in overlanding are there for carrying a farmer jack? Will I be able to change tires while off road? Wouldn't it be more practical to carry a quality floor jack similar to what pre-runners use? Wouldn't it be more practical to carry a quality shovel for getting unstuck? I don't know all the answers ... I would like to learn what works rather than simply getting on the bandwagon of "well everybody has one so I need one."
 

TerryD

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They can be used to break a tire off the bead should you need to massage the bead lip back straight to get it to seal or remove dirt from the bead if you got some wedged in there when you were aired down.

I've used one as a tree wedge, cutting a notch in the tree and jacking it in the direction I wanted it to fall.

Precision dropping, ie lifting one end of a vehicle and dropping it to one side to get on better footing or aim it in a particular direction. Used this method for loading a few vehicles into trailers before.

I've used mine to lift a broken shelf while it was loaded so that the leg could be replaced. Even had a guy tell me once that he used his to hold his kitchen cabinets up till he had time to reattach them to the wall.

While not always off-road, I'm happy to have had mine with me several times and I feel it has earned its place under the back seat of my Xterra.
 

MOAK

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I used to think hi-lift jacks were for posers. I grew up on a farm and still carry some odd ideas about city folk and what they think they need when they are out and about. Thankfully, my wife insisted on us bringing it with us. I was like, "what for? we've never used it!"

I rigged up a mount and we brought the jack. Thankfully, because four times in the past 7 years it was needed and I remain grateful for my partners insistence that we brought it along. There is no way, when in the field, to remove and replace a trailer axle, lift a high centered rig off of a big rock in very rocky terrain, change a tire on an extremely gnarly trail, or replace yet an0ther trailer axle. I have three bottle jacks, 2, 6, and a 20 ton. Not a one of them will reach the trailer frame without a substantial amount of blocking and 4x4s, there just isn't enough room to be hauling a huge bottle jack around or all that lumber. I carry the 2 ton jack in the rig as it is big enough to lift an axle on the truck. I will not leave home without my Hi-Lift, the Lift Mate, and about 3 feet of chain. I make it sound easy and for me it is, having grown up using one. There are those, however, that need to practice with one on a regular basis until you get good with it. They can be very dangerous in the hands of inexperience or if an experienced person looses respect for it. You gotta be smarter than the jack.
 
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TOMB

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Back in the day most car jacks were ratchet type and quite dangerous to use, especially on dirt or an uneven surface. I use my Hi-lift as a last resort. Mainly because there usually is an easier and safer way to accomplish the given task. But, when needed and used correctly there's nothing better. A bottle jack without a cradle or wide base can be unsafe as well. Always know the limits of what ever you are using.


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Rexplorer

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i built a mounting system to hold it on the roof of my fj. its only up there on adventurs. i second the lift-mate suggestion. i dont have a winch and the jack had pulled me out of a few places. as said already... dont learn to use it on the trail the first time you need it. try not to die.
 

SC_4Runner

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For those on the fence, the real Hi-lift has a few advantages over a common farm jack, the most important being the rated safety clip that stops the handle from ratcheting down violently when lowering the vehicle. Hi-lifts have a nice lip on the nose, removable handle (doubles as a breaker bar), and is the only model that is OSHA approved.


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khorsa

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I really don't get the "danger danger danger" idea with a hi-lift or farm jack. Maybe because I was taught how to jack up a vehicle using a bumper jack. Well, that and the fact that I'm not going to do stupid stuff with it.

If your vehicle has lift points you can use, or you have the strap for hooking on to your tire or whatever you need to safely use it, it is fine. All it takes is a dose of common sense, just like any other tool. Bottle jacks are great too, but they also are used differently and do different things. Same as a floor jack. For me, both the bottle and the floor jacks require blocks of wood to function. The farm jack doesn't.

I only carry the farm jack when I am on a trip, because the back of the joop is full of stuff. As a daily driver I have a floor jack with blocks of wood.

Just use it safely with common sense. You wouldn't use an air impact gun with your mouth, that would be stupid. Likewise don't use the farm jack stupidly and you will be fine.
 
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khorsa

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I have a stock Jeep Patriot.

My hitch receiver is the only point that works with the second hand farmer jack I own.

What useful reasons in overlanding are there for carrying a farmer jack?

Will I be able to change tires while off road?

Wouldn't it be more practical to carry a quality floor jack similar to what pre-runners use? Wouldn't it be more practical to carry a quality shovel for getting unstuck? "
The useful reason for overlanding is for lifting your vehicle. Lifting and moving your vehicle forward/back/sideways/straight up.

Of course you can change tires offroad, but you are very limited with your stock Patriot on points to lift from.

You should be carrying a shovel anyway. A floor jack is useless to you if you have to lift your vehicle in seriously rocky terrain or super deep mud. The farmer jack is better in those situations. But then again, you have one lift point if you are looking at changing tires, so it is a moot point anyway.

In your specific case, I wouldn't bother carrying a farmer jack. Get a floor jack with no wheels that you can drag around.