Originally Posted by Red View Post
Not sure if there is a thread on this already, but if you asked, then there are probably others out there that are wondering the same thing, so...
There are lots of neat things that you can do with a hi lift, but lets start with some of the basics.
As general rule, you do not want to use a hi lift for tire changes. They are unstable. If you have bumpers with hi lift jack points (look like a cut out T) on the bumper or sliders, it is a bit safer, but as a rule of thumb, they are not intended for tire changes. That being said, I can't say I haven't done it often.
As another general rule, don't get under the vehicle when it is jacked up with the hi lift. Refer back to them being unstable. They are not intended for repair or modification work.
Jacking points. On an after market bumper or sliders, you may have a hi lift jack point (that T cut out, but it could be a hole for a peg that gets inserted - it all depends on the manufacturer), and that is usually the best place for stability. On a stock vehicle, you want to get it under something solid. The bumpers, even the steel in the front is not solid. The Rubi sliders will work, though I remain a bit hesitant to use them there. If you can somehow wedge it under the frame where the bumper ties in up front that is the way to go. You will crush the plastic a bit, but hey! The same thing goes for the rear. If you can get it under the tow hook in the back, it should work as well. Bottom line is the JK is not really designed for hi lift jacking, so get creative and live with the damage.
One more safety point. When lowering, keep your face away from the handle. The thing gets slick with mud and water and such, and they have a tendency to slip out of your hand and hit you in the face with a lot of force. Hasn't happened to me, but have seen it happen. It looks painful.
Now to get to a bit of the fun stuff. You can use it as a winch. Use two tow straps, one on the top of the hi lift with a d ring and the other around the lifting part. One strap around a stationary point and the other on the vehicle. Start jacking. It is slow going and won't get you far, but it works.
On really off camber situations, you can use it the same way as with jacking as a way to keep tension on the vehicle to prevent it from tipping. I hope that makes sense. I can't explain it much better.
Probably my favorite and most used is to get the vehicle out of a rut. Put it under the center of the front or rear bumper and jack it up high enough to get the wheels well clear of the ruts. All the while, keep one person on each side of the vehicle to keep it centered. When the wheels are out of the rut, one person on the side backs off and the other pushes, and the truck falls off of the jack and lands on the other side of the rut. Repeat on other side of the vehicle.
Use it to get over or onto a big obstacle. Drive up to the obstacle, jack up the front of the truck so the wheels get on it, and drive over the jack and onto the rock.
The handle from the jack also makes a good cheater pipe, hood prop, beating stick, or anything else that a large pipe can be used for.
You can break the bead on a tire with the jack. Lay the tire on the ground at a good jacking point on the truck, put the foot of the jack on the tire next to the rim, and jack the truck up. The vehicle's weight will break the bead. Turn tire and repeat.
They make great fence post pullers, or pullers of anything that requires lots of effort.
Okay. I guess thats enough for now. I'll let others chime in as well. There are lots of accessories that go with them as well that expand the possibilities. Be creative. It is basically a pulling/lifting/leverage tool.
Just remember... Safety first. They are unstable, which can be a benefit or a hinderance, but they are unstable. So, if it looks unsafe, it probably is, so try not to be stupid.
Oh, one more thing. A hi lift is an expendable tool. That means it only has a limited number of uses in it before it is done for. Some of the above uses, like getting onto obstacles will end up breaking them. Don't plan on keeping it forever. And when it breaks, do the rest of us a favor and don't leave a broken one lying around on the trail, they are great for puncturing tires and damaging vehicles in this state.