HI LIFT jacks Vs Generic copies.

[BlakeNZ]

I've been considering purchasing a Hi lift jack.
Firstly, is it overkill to have one on "shiny" trips?
Secondly, forum sponsor 4WDbits has them for sale. The genuine "HI LIFT" brand 48" ones are approx $220, whilst the generic copies(farm and 4wd) are also for sale, for about $90 from memory. Which is a large variation.
Should i spend the extra coin, or is the genuine brand a bit of overkill given my intended use for my truck?
Lastly, to those who end up using them, what do you use them for most? Jacking up your stuck 4wd to put something under the wheel to gain traction? or something else?(sorry for the novice questions).
Any input appreciated.

[nismo26]

I'd just get a cheap one if you really want one, and only get one if you have bar work to jack off other wise it is just a waste of time, they aren't any good for changing wheels.

[juz]

Cheap farm jacks off teademe do the same job. Like was said though if you have no barwork to jack off then no real purpose. Can use them to pull also though.

[BlakeNZ]

thanks gentlemen.

[Mattman]

You can get an attachment that hooks into the spokes on the rim to allow you to jack the truck up and change a tyre.

Need a couple of blocks of wood so you can let the truck down and then rempve the wheel. They work quite well if you don't have bar work.

Matt.

[4WDbits]

Cheap jacks work fine for casual use. Generally a lot cheaper, but some branded ones are near the same cost as a genuine Hi-Lift.
All our commercial customers won't touch the copies, they only get genuine Hi-Lift jacks because they use them day in day out and the genuine jack lasts.
Cheapies generally have a lower working weight limit.
Any Hi-Lift or copy is a great versatile tools and plenty strong enough for most 4WD use. As already said, you need somewhere to use it on the vehicle if thats what you want to use it for.

[Swamped]

powerbuilt one i had was a pos, was kept clean and had had minimal use but the pins kept hanging and didn't want to walk up the main beam properly. Changed to a hi-lift branded one and no issues. Even lifted one end of a 40ft shipping container off the ground which is likely over its working limits and it did it fine. Never tried anything more than a vehicle with the powerbuilt and even then it wasn't perfect.

[00falcon]

I have a Cheep copy, and it does work...
albeit, it makes you work...

1) It is very hard to get it to move free freely when not under load.
all the guys i have seen with hi-lifts just slide theirs into place then apply a load, and it lock on.
meaning i have to walk it both up and down the ladder bar

2) it would also be nice to be able to remove the handle, and have a bar to use elsewhere, where as the handles on the cheap ones don't come out.

Long story short, yes it works, but you get what you pay for...
I will be getting a hi-lift shortly...

[callum007]

In regard to functionality and usefulness. Im sure there will be a you tube vid on using them as a winch. They are a hella useful bit of kit, but heavy and difficult to store.
My black rat one works great but it does stick when not used oftern. quick squirt crc and she mint again

[T-mo]

Great tools, handy to use as a hand winch with the kit and a couple snig chains but its a very slow and tedious process. One inch at a time and you lose about 10 inches off the length of the jack each winch due to repositioning it each pull. Can be used to press as well, never had a use for one but operates like a sash clamp except it has no fine adjustment.

Overall bulky and heavy to store and in uneducated hands down right dangerous. They kick and jerk under load as you raise/lower them as the pins cam in/out and up/down. Also due to the fact the jacking pad doesn't tilt (the base will slightly) the load can slip off the jack if you lift it too high.

Lots of vision of them on You tube which may help you. Definitely a useful piece of kit but it wouldn't be the first recovery item I'd throw into the truck. In saying that I normally always still take it.

[ant-neil]

Anyone tryed the hydrolic high lift jacks like the fox racing ones

[badnuz]

i had a cheapy one, and the main shaft would bend lifting my zuk

[GTS]

I got a cheap one off trade me and I use it heaps.I made up an attachment the same as the high lift one that hooks into the wheel spokes.It works well I can lift one wheel and shovel something under the wheel especially when the fronts bellied out .the shovel is probably the more used tool though.

[De-Ranged]

I have two "farm jack" brand copy's that I got on special from Blackwoods the mechanism is rougher and doesn't work as smoothly as the genuine ones but... I feel this is better, safer
It will lift all good works a treat but with a load on neither will walk down you have to take the load on the handle and pull the top pin out let it locate and then move down one and keep repeating till the weight is off then they happily pop out and slide
Given I have alot of people who use them who have never used a high lift I'm happy with this.... if you have ever seen a handle go on a real highlift when its lowering you'll understand why I'm happy with these

[Mattman]

I have a 48in power built unit and it works well. Doesn't have a removable handle and has to be walked up but other than that it works really well.

I have two attachments, one that goes through the spokes for lifting a wheel up to put something underneath, and another that securely locates on my will bars so the truck can't slide off.

If you have to change a tire of road on a mildly lifted truck there is no other way really.

Matt.