High lift jack advice sought

I wouldn't go down this path, firstly your using a high lift jack for something its not realy designed for, you will have heaps a chain to store, a for the cost you would be better off getting a proper hand winch either new or from ebay.

Mike,

I have a lot of recovery gear on the Troopie. The one thing that I don't carry is a high lift jack.

The jack has to be secured some how and because of the size and shape it is carried on the outside of the vehicle. On the outside of the vehicle the workings get full of dust and the it stops working.

The jack is heavy and it will only give you a pull of less than a metre before it has to be set up again. You will still need a tree trunk protector, chains bow shackles, cable and snatch block.

I think that a hand winch, and after all that is what you want is a winch, would be a far better purchase.

4WD shops are the best place to get all the recovery gear that you need.

Wayne

check this

Mike, tend to agree with above posts on the high lift. They are messy to set up and use as a winch but they do work though if you can stand the messing about. I would only go with Jackall {Canadian I think} or genuine HiLift. The Chinese stuff worries me but perhaps this is only a personal view.
I reckon a Tirfor is the way to go, very flexible, proven and used in industry all over the world. Anchor make a good one also and you sometimes see them on Ebay. Don't reckon any copies are worth the risk, again a personal view. Recent posts on the size of hooks, dodgy rating claims etc. on different models tells me to stay with the proven product. This isn't like the Engel/Waeco or BFG/Cooper debates, winching is serious stuff with the potential to cause serious damage to people and vehicles. The only thing holding my valuable truck and all its accessories on a steep hill will never be any of the cheapo hand winches were are seeing pop up from accessory places.
Ken

I agree that I would not 'plan' on using a Hi Lift as a winch. More an emergency measure. The weight of the chain you would need to carry would be more than the weight of a Trifor, I would think.

I carry a genuine Hi Lift (fully cast, not the pressed one). Although it's rated lift capacity is the same as the pressed one, they are supposed to last longer, which makes me think it is probbly stronger anyway. At the 4WD shows, you can pick them up for around $140, which is not a lot more than the chinese ones.

As for carrying, it can be a pain, but they come in a variety of lengths. The shorter ones are easier to carry, but have less lift /pull. Mine is about 1.3m long and I have a spot for it in my custom storage _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx. But I have a dual cab ute, so a bit more space.

Mike, only you can decide your needs, but I'd go the Trifor route. I don't have one, but am borrowing one from a 4WD Club member for an upcoming 16 week trip. I now feel much more comfortable travelling alone with it on board.

Gooday,
My experience would be not to buy toosmall a capacity in a Yirfor as they DID have a set of three hear pins sin the fixed winching handle for overload purposes & even though they USED to have a spare set of shear pins locsted inssidt that handle it is not going to gara untee that will get you out if stuck I admit this may have changed. Think for hand operation I would look at the MUD MAULER as aspoused on here by many.
Cheers boroma604.
PS look good on website.

Gooday,
My experience would be not to buy toosmall a capacity in a tirfor, as they DID have a set of three shear pins in the fixed winching handle for overload purposes & even though they USED to have a spare set of shear pins located inside that handle it is not going to guarantee that will get you out if stuck. I admit this may have changed. Think for hand operation I would look at the MUD MAULER as aspoused on here by many.
Cheers boroma604.
PS look good on website.

Mike,
Hi lifts can be a wonderful tool, and then again the smallest lapse in concentration can leave you unconscious, (this happened to a friend, he still "owns" the hi-lift but won't use it, sell it or even give it away. His theory is that this way, it is out of circulation!!)

For the extra (?) I would say go the Tirfor, lots of effort required, but it will do the job!

As far as chinese stuff, again I would always go for properly rated "known" gear... you may not get a satisfactory warranty out of anything cheap..... and don't forget the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the joy of a cheap bargain!

Just my opinion

Cheers

Brian

a while ago i think it was a stump or something i was trying to remove, cant remember exactly but i bent the shaft on my chinese hi lift.... can only blame myself for not spending the extra bucks in the first place. should it get stolen, finally i can get myself a decent one