hi lift jack tips and tricks?

[newbury]

I've been keeping one in my truck for about 10 years now. Several times I've had to use when it was definitely not planned.

The last time there was a lady (young, attractive) who was trying to get a trailer on a hitch. Ball was higher than the trailer jack would go.
I pull out my jack, her eyes widened and she said "Wow, I didn't think you had one that big".

It's not the size but what you can do with it (but size helps).

 

[jmc]

Those jacks are made not far from here- possibly invented by this company:

Our History | Hi-Lift(R) Jack Co.

From the sounds of this thread, I wouldn't want a Chinese knockoff of it.

 

[seymojo536]

Or as another plan of action, go buy a couple of railroad jacks. They will lift anything.

 

[WranglerX]

Or as another plan of action, go buy a couple of railroad jacks. They will lift anything.

Aren't they same concept/functionality of hi-lift?... Just maybe more robust?

Dale

 

[oosik]

Keep the mechanism clean and well lubed. I bought mine in 1967. Still in fine shape and works like a champ. Got me out of many stuck situations during my 22 years in Alaska.

It was the "tool" I used for final stretching/tightening of all the barbed wire around my 80 acres.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always wanted one and finally bought a Big Red one at TSC. It's the worst, most frustrating and awkward tool that I own.

 

[seymojo536]

Maybe same concept, just better executed. Come on, they're designed to lift full railroad cars. I have a pair and they fit right under the rear axel so I can lift the rear of any tractor to swap tires easily. I've jacked corners of buildings up to repair foundations.

And unlike those flimsy hi-jacks, you can leave them outside and they'll still function months later.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe the BIG RED version is just junk. For all that leverage, I have always been amazed at the force required to lift anything, even not anywhere at capacity. The only thing that handle is good for it seems is smashing oneself in the face.

An old timer neighbor used to call those track jacks, but I never heard they could lift a railway car.

 

[seymojo536]

Maybe the BIG RED version is just junk. For all that leverage, I have always been amazed at the force required to lift anything, even not anywhere at capacity. The only thing that handle is good for it seems is smashing oneself in the face.

An old timer neighbor used to call those track jacks, but I never heard they could lift a railway car.

That's what the toe was for. The ones I have are 10T rated. With a 6 foot oak lever, I haven't come upon anything I couldn't lift.

 

[bcp]

Railroad jacks:

railroad jack at DuckDuckGo

Bruce