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Hi Mike,

You are so right about the hilift. Too many wheelers have no idea what a
deathtrap it can be and I too have seen the uninformed looking for any
excuse to use the new toy. Your rant in this forum may save a life.

I also concur with your policy of using a hydraulic jack instead. I
carry two bottle jacks and have used them, often in tandem, for getting
out of some real bad holes. Lifting under the axles is often the most
effective tactic - something a hilift can't do.

That being said, I never ride in the woods without my hilift.

Just a few weeks ago, I got hung up in a water crossing hours from the
nearest road. The front end dropped in a deep trough and I was high
centred. The come-along couldn't budge it forward or back and there was
no one handy to tug me out (I know, I should buy a winch and make some
friends). I didn't have my scuba gear with me so slithering under the
vehicle in cold water with zero vis to deploy a bottle jack was not an
option. Using the hilift to take the weight off the front end was all I
needed to get started with the come-along. Was I risking my life with
the hilift? Perhaps, but carefully applied as a last resort it worked
for me.

Maybe I'll retire the hilift when I get a winch, but for now it stays at
the very bottom of my bag of tricks.

Steve

Mike Romain wrote:
> 'You' have one of the only legitimate uses for a high lift jack, sort
> of....
>
> The problem is 99% of the people thinking they 'need' one of those
> things don't.
>
> They then have this new 'toy' they 'have' to play with.
>
> Like the gent a couple weeks ago near here thinking it was cool to
> remove the front axle with the high lift holding the Jeep up. He
> already had it tip over changing a tire and I managed to show him the
> jack missing a click and dropping BANG to the floor before he killed
> himself.
>
> Another gent just 'had' to jack up his TJ and push it off the high lift
> rather than get a tug off the rock with a strap. As the TJ fell over,
> the top of the jack took out his tailgate. Damn near took off his hand
> as he is realizing the damage about to happen and tries to stop it.
>
> Another gent just 'has' to use his new Jack All to help remove some
> scrap cars because it's 'easier'. I am standing there and his went
> ballistic with the handle nearly taking off my ear.
>
> These aren't old beat up Jacks either, they are new ones.
>
> Oh, the 'sort of' part....
>
> I still have used my small floor jack on several occasions to jack up my
> vehicle and put rocks or logs under a wheel for clearance. I have been
> high centered with all 4 wheels spinning way more than once. Yes, I
> have to get down on my knees and crawl under to set it up, yes I got
> dirty but it has worked 100% every time I had to do it and I have never
> had my hydraulic unit drop with a bang unexpectedly or tip over
> unexpectedly or have the handle go ballistic.
>
> Mike
>
> CRWLR wrote:
>
>>I generally agree with Mike, and I agree that a HiLift is a dangerous tool.
>>where I disagree is that I think it is indispensable in your Jeep,
>>especially around here where we mostly go rockcrawling. There is no
>>substitute for a HiLift in many cases. Winching and towing just do more
>>damage to the equipment, and all a HiLift is needed to do is raise the
>>vehicle so a few large rocks can be strategically placed under the tires.
>>Yes, a HiLift can hurt you, but wheeling can hurt you and nobody is
>>suggesting you ride the couch all weekend just to be sure you don't get
>>hurt.
>>

"Steve" <xjlifter@bogus.com> wrote in message

: The come-along couldn't budge it forward or back and there was
: no one handy to tug me out (I know, I should buy a winch and make some
: friends).

Better yet, just make friends with people that already have a winch!

-Brian

Way ahead of you, Son has winch, err stump puller:
http://members.aol.com/Larr------/lar_jeep.jpg
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Cherokee-LTD wrote:
>
> Better yet, just make friends with people that already have a winch!
>
> -Brian

I really see your point. I consider it a "need to have" and hope I never need to
use it. Seen/heard about too many busted ribs, arms, jaws from people who dont know
how to use one using one - mostly from my days in the woods.

On Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:50:04 -0400, Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>>That is the 'BIG' issue I have CRWLR!
>>
>>Everyone sees these damn things and reads how they are a 'must have'
>>item so they want to use the suckers!
>>
>>They have 'no' idea in the world just how dangerous they are.
>>
>>Just a couple weeks ago, I had a guy insisting on trying it in the
>>parking lot to hold up the front of his Jeep for an axle removal.
>>
>>He had no idea in the world it wasn't as safe as any old hydraulic floor
>>jack.
>>
>>He got to see a high lift in 'action'. His new jack missed a click and
>>dropped flat to the ground!
>>
>>Mike
>>
>>CRWLR wrote:
>>>
>>> A HiLift is a recovery tool only. It is not suited for repair work. If one
>>> finds oneself doing repairs, one should put something else under the vehicle
>>> besides a HiLift. Perhaps a stack of spare tires, or something along those
>>> lines.
>>>
>>> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>> news:40BB3465.50C9F4@sympatico.ca...
>>> > I have a small hydraulic floor jack in both of my Jeeps. In my CJ7 if
>>> > fits really nice and solid behind the passenger seat and the Cherokee
>>> > has a pile of room under the back seat where the stock jack is.
>>> >
>>> > This is for tire changes and jacks under the axle. You 'Cannot' safely
>>> > change a tire with a barn lifting jack like a High lift or Jack all.
>>> >
>>> > Then under the passenger seat I carry a wire spool hand winch sometimes
>>> > called a 'Come-A-Long' for moving when the wheels won't.
>>> >
>>> > I have a power winch on front, but carry the manual one anyway. Power
>>> > things break.
>>> >
>>> > Mike
>>> >
>>> > William Oliveri wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > Ok, Mike. I was considering outfitting my jeep with one of these. You
>>> say
>>> > > save your money. Please give alternatives.
>>> > >
>>> > > Thanks,
>>> > >
>>> > > Bill
>>> > >
>>> > > "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>> > > news:40B9FEA5.96887896@sympatico.ca...
>>> > > > I recommend the 'widow maker' be left in the barn where it belongs.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > It does make for a stronger front bumper though, which is likely the
>>> > > > only good use it has anywhere near a Jeep.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Mike
>>> > > > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>> > > > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Al King wrote:
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > I installed my high lift jack on my front bumper.I would like to
>>> know
>>> > > where
>>> > > > > some of you guys put yours and why. It's to help me dicide if it's
>>> > > staying
>>> > > > > there or not thanks you guy have always good input on thing that
>>> matter
>>> > > to
>>> > > > > jeeps.