School me on Hi Lift Jacks :)

utahxjer

Well-Known Member
Cherokeester said:
I've used Hi lifts for years. Back in the old days we called em Handy Man jacks. I have moved everything with them, rocks, rigs, hot tubs etc etc... Never had one fail on me. Cast or steel. I have had the handle rebound on me nearly knocking me out but that was my fault, not the jack. :eek: I would not leave home without one. I buy mine at Cal-ranch or Six states has em too. BTW you can use the handle to repair a tie rod in a pinch...
my dad calls it that too :p , and I've "repaired" a tie-rod with one too!
 

fullsizeyota

I fart sometimes
Location
St George
utahxjer said:
my dad calls it that too :p


dad?? i call it that :D my grandpa used to take that thing EVERYWHERE.... brand new suburban with a crappy handy man in the back. my dad would always laugh and make fun of him

my grandpa knew what was up... :rofl:
 

wick246

Registered User
Location
Magna :0
Meat_ said:
What's wrong with this picture?


It's cropped too close and the background is cluttered, in focus and distracting. ;)



I picked up a hi-lift for $20.00 from the fairground swapmeet. Unfortunately it's been cut down pretty short. I need to learn how to use it without hurting myself. I'm looking for some ideas on how to fab some mounts for my truck.
 

ZUKEYPR

Registered User
Personally I carry one but still think that they are dangerous which probably would then qualify me as an idiot. Multiple folks in our club have them, different brands, and none of them seem to ever want to go up or down without constantly fumbling with them. I even rebuilt mine and still have the same issue. I would suggest to put a bolt through to secure the handle to the jack, I have on two occasions seen the stock pin that they put in there fall out and seen the handle go flying like a missle.
 

SundancKid

Where's the "e"?
Location
Ogden, UT
ZUKEYPR said:
None of them seem to ever want to go up or down without constantly fumbling with them. I even rebuilt mine and still have the same issue.

Same here, during testing (buddy standing on it with beer in one hand holding the wall to balance :p ) it always works fine. (Many a hour spent doing this BTW ;) weeee)

When you need it the most and it's a life or death situation...it has failed me everytime. It always jams and I can't lower the @!*% thing.

I built a rotiserie for my 65 Mustang. To get the mount that attaches to the car up and into the rotiserie I built a mount for my high lift. Everything as going as planned I lifted the front slid the mount into the receprical then moved to the rear. I started to lift the rear and my high lift started to **** to one side. Me and my neighbor had to hurry and lift the entire back end of the car while my histerical wife tried to lower it...it ended up I had to kick it out while still holding the car up! In order to hold the car up we had to go under the car and into the trunk (gas tank removed). It was a very scary situation. I have no clue how I will get it down after I'm done. :confused:
 

phillippi

Never enough time
Location
Utah County
I have used a highlift about a dozen times in offroad situations and I have not had one problem with it. I am surprised to hear of all these problems.
 
A highlift jack, or handyman jack is;
1. An indispensable off road tool that every wheeler should have.
2. Able to perform feats of majic to extract yer sory stuck butt when there is
no winch, or to assist the winch when it is called on to do the impossible.
3. A jack, a winch, a port-o-power, a prybar, an Albanian Death Stick...
4. Always looking for the user to turn his/her back on it so's it can cause
major blunt-force trama to said user's person.
5. Easily mounted anywhere you can weld two 1/2x2" bolts, approx 2 to 3
feet apart, corresponding with holes in the jack. Use a square of rubber
mudflap underneath, a big flat washer, then lock washer, 'an a wing nut
to hold 'er down. Don't ferget a bungee wraped around the holey part
'an the handle to keep you from going insane with the rattle-rattle-rattle...
5. Always needing a can of WD-40 close by to help in the operation.

I am shure there is more, butt the steel plate in my noodle from the last handyman incounter is hurt'n 'an I gotta lay down now....
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
A handy tool if you respect it, keep it lubed, and think about what you are doing. A little WD40 sprayed on the the working parts will make a happy jack.
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
I've used hi-lifts for all kinds of things, I've even had my jeep fall on my leg pinning it to the ground cause it fell off a hi-lift -_- I hate the things but they do have their place. I've never seen one "fail" mechanically and I have seen them lift some enormous loads.
 

SundancKid

Where's the "e"?
Location
Ogden, UT
When I flipped the switch the pins would alternate and function as it should. The problem was that is all it. It wouldn't go down. This particular incedent was with a brand new highlift that passed afore mentioned pre-test with flying colors.
 

Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
My dad taught me how to use a handyman jack when I was barely big enough to carry it and since then I have used the sh!t out of them without ever being hurt. Yes I have had them slip but every time I knew there was a very good chance it would before I ever pulled on the handle, and I was prepared because I knew what it would do . If you know the jack it will never surprise you, if you respect the jack it will never hurt you... as others have said if it starts sticking put some WD40 on it.
 
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The thing about a handyman is...
You can get the thing to work under any circumstance if you understand how the mechinism functions...that is, when the pins move in 'an out. Even an old beet-up POS can be made to jack if you move the pins manualy rather than relying on the mechanism to do it.
Stick yer face down close 'an watch it work... you'll see what I'm talk'n about.
 
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