Hi-Lift + Lift Mate to fix a flat tire?

[jerstw]

Oddity - To answer your question the base of a Hi-Lift, at least mine, is 4"x7" and the off road base is approx 11.75"X11.75".




Since our trucks are pretty similar, even with the bumper lift attachment I can tell you it is worthless unless you have sliders or stouter bumpers vs. factory (rear) to jack off of. I was able to use the receiver hitch as a jack point once and felt safe enough with the off road base but as previously mentioned I had to jack it up pretty high to be effective due to suspension droop.

I have never used the factory jack in my Ram and the notion of it failing is not very comforting so will be looking at what solution you come up with and will likely copy you like I did with the wheels, tires and front suspension

 

[Oddity]

Oddity - To answer your question the base of a Hi-Lift, at least mine, is 4"x7" and the off road base is approx 11.75"X11.75".

Since our trucks are pretty similar, even with the bumper lift attachment I can tell you it is worthless on our trucks unless you have sliders or stouter bumpers vs. factory (rear) to jack off of. I was able to use the receiver hitch as a jack point once and felt safe enough with the off road base but as previously mentioned I had to jack it up pretty high to be effective due to suspension droop.

I have never used the factory jack in my Ram and the notion of it failing is not very comforting so will be looking at what solution you come up with and will likely copy you like I did with the wheels, tires and front suspension

Thanks! I've gone ahead and ordered a 5-ton OTC Stinger bottle jack, partly to minimize expenses going into the holiday season, and also because I don't have anywhere to mount a hi-lift yet and leaving it in the cab is obtrusive and a safety concern. The base of this bottle jack should fit nicely on the ORB. I will also purchase a Bogart Recovery Kit w/o Jack, then see how the fit is on the ram of my OTC jack. If needs be, I will make a sleeve to fill space. For right now though, some 2x4 / 4x4 lumber in the bed will do!

It's times like these I really wish I was living in the states, with the dollar where it's at, everything I purchase there winds up being 1.5x the cost.

 

[ojwerks]

I carry a jack-stand in my tool box, so I use my Hi-Lift to lift up the truck and immediately place the jack stand under the truck to support the weight... then I do whatever it is I have to do. I dont recommend doing anything on the truck if its only supported with the hi-lift because they are very unstable.

 

[New Horizons Overland]

You could also look at inflatable jacks. Ive seen them used several times even in soft sand. Storage can be an issue but its an option.

 

[Happy Joe]

I gave up totally on Hi-lifts after I got a winch, and some friends tried to crush themselves.
Due to suspension travel about the only simple yet reasonably safe way to lift my vehicle is at the axle.
In the field I typically shove the spare under the axle or a tire for safety. Occasionally I jack I the vehicle up using a bottle jack then use an OEM mechanical axle jack, sometimes with a spacer block underneath as a safety jack stand (4x4x6 and 6x6x8(or 10) inch blocks can be quite handy, as wheel chocks if nothing else).

Enjoy!

 

[LR Max]

Get a hydraulic Bottle jack. Tons more safer, easier to store, and they just work. Less screwing around with jack stands and whatnot.

 

[Herbie]

Two questions -
What is the inner diameter for the safe-jack extensions (where the ram of the bottle jack sits in)? That will dictate whether I get the 8-ton or 5-ton jack.

Not sure if anyone answered this for you. According to Bogert's site, the normal extensions are 1.25". (ID for the socket end, OD for the "male" end, in the case of extensions). They also have a "big jack" adapter available that will accept up to 2.25" rams (you specify what diameter you want and they will custom make a socket for it that adapts to a 1.25" male)

 

[Kmrtnsn]

Get a hydraulic Bottle jack. Tons more safer, easier to store, and they just work. Less screwing around with jack stands and whatnot.

I carry both. A bottle jack is just that, a jack. A Hi-Lift is a recovery tool, useful for an unlimited number of applications besides lifting a corner of a vehicle to change a tire. A bottle jack is great IF you can get it under the axle but I can think of a dozen off-road situations where one would need to lift a corner of a vehicle and getting a jack under the axle that corner just isn't possible. A surplus Humvee scissor jack, that can compress to about 5" high (and fit underneath in many of those tight situations) can be much more utilitarian than a bottle jack.

 

[LR Max]

I guess. I've lifted up the chassis by my rock sliders or bumpers with my bottle jack. No problem.

For a flat, that is most likely on road. The bottle jack is so much easier and safer.

For off road, I've always gotten the vehicle to a safe spot before screwing around with a tire. Once again, bottle jack, no problems.

 

[BADDANDY]

Bottle jack? I don't think so. The bottom of that axle is 2 feet in the air



That rock is what the Jeep was high-centered on.



I did buy a Lift-mate for my Hilift the next day though.

3 weeks later..............10 min tire swap. 5 min to get out the jack, 5 minutes to swap the tire.

 

[GordoSmasho]

Imo the best combination is a hi-lift with a tire lift buddy. And then a colapsable tall jack stand like this one.
http://safejacks.com/collections/compact-jack-stands/products/8-x-10-compact-jack-stand-kit

If i had to use the bumper lift to change a tire it would get unsafe really fast. Especially on the trail. Bottle jack is fine when you are on flat/firm ground but on a trail with rocks and sand the hi-lift is the best way. The wheel lift is much safer. It lifts the lowest point of the vehicle, for you to then stack rocks. 100% of your lifting motion is translated to tire lift. Lifting from the bumper or rockrail will get you a foot(or two on my jeep) of lift before the tire is lifted. If the tire is flat then thats even more lifting/over extending the jack. That is what makes hi-lifts unsafe.

 

[Lucky j]

The colapsable stand is a good idea, but the way they use the jack in the vid scare me be time. It is not better than a high lift and to my experience less safer with all the time he as to reach under the truck and the housing while the jack is leaning in the wrong direction to push away from the CG and the other tire. Perfect to make the truck slide toward the passenger side.when he reach a hight good enough to place the jack under the axel, he his pretty much high enough to change the tire.

Anyhow, for me and my jeeps, the high lift works to cahnge a tire and is a good tool to combine with a winch when a trick manover is needed to get a truck out.

 

[LR Max]

Bottle jack? I don't think so. The bottom of that axle is 2 feet in the air

View attachment 315886

That rock is what the Jeep was high-centered on.

View attachment 315887

Bottle jack on the rear axle. Lift on the other side of the vehicle. Pivot on the high centered spot to get the front axle back on the ground (somewhat) and build up the rear axle. Drive forward onto the bank. Done. Or use bottle jack on the passenger front tire. Place block/rock under passenger front tire. Reverse. Try line again.

There is no right answer. I've just had a lot of luck with the bottle jack and it seems A LOT safer than a hi-lift.

 

[BADDANDY]

Bottle jack on the rear axle. Lift on the other side of the vehicle. Pivot on the high centered spot to get the front axle back on the ground (somewhat) and build up the rear axle. Drive forward onto the bank. Done. Or use bottle jack on the passenger front tire. Place block/rock under passenger front tire. Reverse. Try line again.
There is no right answer. I've just had a lot of luck with the bottle jack and it seems A LOT safer than a hi-lift.

Wasn't gonna happen, that rock had to be removed and only a jack with over 2 feet of travel was gonna work. I.E., a Hi-lift.

 

[Kmrtnsn]

Bottle jack on the rear axle. Lift on the other side of the vehicle. Pivot on the high centered spot to get the front axle back on the ground (somewhat) and build up the rear axle. Drive forward onto the bank. Done. Or use bottle jack on the passenger front tire. Place block/rock under passenger front tire. Reverse. Try line again.

There is no right answer. I've just had a lot of luck with the bottle jack and it seems A LOT safer than a hi-lift.

Again. A bottle jack is nothing more than a simple lifting device with limited range and application. A Hi-Lift Jack is a Recovery Device with the number of uses and applications limited only by the imagination.