Jack Discussions Here

[desertfox73]

I do like the concept. But, it seems like actual travel on these is 6.25". Given a flat 37" tire on 17" rims, I'm thinking I will need over 10" of travel to raise the axle enough to get a spare put on. Am I thinking about this wrong?

The jack will lift to 21”.

A full 37” tire has a radius of 18.5” from the center point. If you lift from the axle you’ll have at least 2.5” of space between a full tire and the ground.

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[msujedi]

The jack will lift to 21”.

A full 37” tire has a radius of 18.5” from the center point. If you lift from the axle you’ll have at least 2.5” of space between a full tire and the ground.

I almost bought the unijack initially when I saw that 21" number. But, the 21" includes the initial height (11") + threaded cap extended (3.75") + actual piston travel (6.25"). The initial height and the cap affect the vertical 'reach' of the jack, but not the change in height. The change in height will have to be greater than the sidewall height to swap out a flat tire.

It looks like I'll need a regular bottle jack + 4"-6" base plate + this unijack. I could raise the axle ~6" with the regular bottle jack, then place the unijack on a 4"-6" base plate to raise & support the axle the additional height needed to replace the blown tire.

 

[desertfox73]

I almost bought the unijack initially when I saw that 21" number. But, the 21" includes the initial height (11") + threaded cap extended (3.75") + actual piston travel (6.25"). The initial height and the cap affect the vertical 'reach' of the jack, but not the change in height. The change in height will have to be greater than the sidewall height to swap out a flat tire.

It looks like I'll need a regular bottle jack + 4"-6" base plate + this unijack. I could raise the axle ~6" with the regular bottle jack, then place the unijack on a 4"-6" base plate to raise & support the axle the additional height needed to replace the blown tire.

Am I understanding correctly that another way of saying this is that you couldn’t get the jack under the axle in the first place in order to lift the truck?

 

[msujedi]

I was hoping to narrow my purchase down to a single jack. I'm realizing a lot is based on a mixture of personal preference, individual experiences (positive and negative), and personal wheeling/terrain tendencies.

I have a winch, snatch block, tow strap, and knock-off maxtrax for self-recovery. I still need to cover potentially needing to raise the vehicle for a repair/replacement of a tire, suspension component, etc.

What I could make work (in no particular order yet):
1. A single Hi-Lift jack since I have lift points on all sides of my JT (tow receiver, frame-mounted rock sliders, steel front bumper with tow hooks)

2. Or, a duo of bottle jacks ... 8T bottle jack , 6T unijack

3. Or, a single exhaust jack. This guy on youtube prefers bottle jacks, but seems to acknowledge that the exhaust jack can be used in almost every situation and that his 'mate' even uses his exhaust jack in his driveway.

Option #2 is probably the safest option since the JT would require the least amount of lift and includes the jack stand.
Options #1 and #3 would require significant cribbing to reduce the chance of the vehicle falling & increase the safety of the person doing the repairs.

Suggestions, thoughts, and comments have helped me explore options so far. Keep them coming. I have yet to decide.

 

[msujedi]

Am I understanding correctly that another way of saying this is that you couldn’t get the jack under the axle in the first place in order to lift the truck?

Not really. It all depends on the height of the sidewall on the new tire going on the vehicle. If the rim was basically sitting on the ground due to a blow out, the change in axle height needs to be greater than the height of the sidewall of the replacement tire in order to get the new tire on.

If the bottom of the axle near the flat tire is 11" above the ground, you could get the fully lowered unijack under the axle. But, it would only lift to 17.25" since the screw cap was completely retracted at the start.

If the bottom of the axle near the flat tire is 14.75", you could get the unijack under the axle with the screw cap full extended. It would then lift it to 21". This may sound better, but it is equivalent to the first scenario if the rim is resting on a completely flat tire at the start. The bottom of the rim (along with the axle) is only being raised 6.25" ... which will require the new tire's sidewall to be less than 6.25" in order to put it on.

A 17" rim with 33s results in a ~8" sidewall. A 17" rim with 37s results in a ~10" sidewall. These set-ups require at least 8"-10" travel while lifting an axle.

The benefit of massive rims, say 24" rims with 33" tires, the sidewall is only 4.5". A blowout with these on the trail could be changed out with the unijack since the axle would sit ~12" off the ground and only needs to be raised a little more than 4.5" to give room for that smaller sidewall height.

 

[Mark Doiron]

Enjoyed that series ... and that video specifically with the Middle Fork Boise being my back yard!

Lucky you! That was my most favorite part of the entire western TAT. Yes, we crossed incredible areas of Utah, but I've been all over Utah so many times and it's getting a bit busy in the really nice places. And there was incredible Colorado--and huge crowds everywhere. Idaho has been left out of that surge in backcountry visitors. And, yet, offers some great--and surprisingly diverse--scenery. A few friends ran that IDBDR a few months back. I was supposed to join them, but it was too close to another trip. It's on my bucket list, though. Someday.

 

[desertfox73]

Have you looked at the Pro Eagle jacks? I don’t know how much space you mind taking up, but if you’re looking for a single piece solution that gets you the lift you need, that might be it.

I’ve considered getting one. They’re not cheap, but very impressive.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

A hi-lift jack used correctly is not a widow maker and can solve a lot of issues. Specifically they make an attachment called the liftmate, https://hi-lift.com/accessories/lift-mate/ , which grabs the wheel by the wheel. Thus you only need to lift it enough to block under the axle at the correct height to change it out or stack rocks or shove some traction boards under etc.

And mind you, I'm not a fan of hi-lift fashion where you have to have one because yo it's lifted. It's no different than the bumper jacks we used for decades, it'll kill you if you don't work right; jack, block, change, jack.

Humping bottle jacks around in the field can get tiring fast and require a good base or they like any other jack is gonna slip. I'm also a little squemish about getting under anything in the field that I don't know is cribbed well. I don't want to turn a fun day out into a scene from Midsomer.

 

[whiteglad]

the compact harbor freight floor jack is inexpensive and has over 7" lift.
https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...r-jacks/2-ton-compact-trolley-jack-64874.html
their 4-ton bottle jack has 7.5" lift:
https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...n-hydraulic-heavy-duty-bottle-jack-69472.html
I also have a generic lift mate from amazon

https://www.amazon.com/STEGODON-Lif...=lift+mate&qid=1586956244&s=automotive&sr=1-6

 

[msujedi]

Have you looked at the Pro Eagle jacks? I don’t know how much space you mind taking up, but if you’re looking for a single piece solution that gets you the lift you need, that might be it.

I’ve considered getting one. They’re not cheap, but very impressive.

They caught my eye, but I didn't give them a good look due to the price. After functionality, my main two goals were to limit space & spending. But, maybe I could spend $500 on a nice "scooter" for my kids ... but then take it off-roading with me.


Edit: Thinking about this a bit more, I love my floor jack for garage use. It seems like the main utility of the Pro Eagle for off-road vehicles is it's secure extensions. A Pro Eagle without wheels could still be slid into position using the handle with a little push/rotate/pull action. (Pro Eagle sells one like that for $330.) Not super convenient, but manageable. A $60 Pittsburgh 1.5 ton aluminum/steel floor jack weighs 30lbs, the same as a Hi-Lift jack. It looks to me like the Pro Eagle extensions (sold separately for $90) would fit the Pittsburgh saddle. That gives me the advantages of the Pro Eagle for a total of $150. It would all weigh under 35lbs and would pack into a space of 23"x10"x6". Hmmm.

 

[desertfox73]

They caught my eye, but I didn't give them a good look due to the price. After functionality, my main two goals were to limit space & spending. But, maybe I could spend $500 on a nice "scooter" for my kids ... but then take it off-roading with me.


Edit: Thinking about this a bit more, I love my floor jack for garage use. It seems like the main utility of the Pro Eagle for off-road vehicles is it's secure extensions. A Pro Eagle without wheels could still be slid into position using the handle with a little push/rotate/pull action. (Pro Eagle sells one like that for $330.) Not super convenient, but manageable. A $60 Pittsburgh 1.5 ton aluminum/steel floor jack weighs 30lbs, the same as a Hi-Lift jack. It looks to me like the Pro Eagle extensions (sold separately for $90) would fit the Pittsburgh saddle. That gives me the advantages of the Pro Eagle for a total of $150. It would all weigh under 35lbs and would pack into a space of 23"x10"x6". Hmmm.

That does sound like a solid option. I’ve also hesitated at the $$ and size of the pro eagle.

 

[o2bnkc]

Ditto. I have a couple of these and really like them.

Powerbuilt Black Alltrade 640912 3 Ton,All-in-One Bottle Jack
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ULZGFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ecLLEb7QA57HT


dp

What's the difference between the "3 ton all in one" and the "6000 pound unijak"? (besides the price) What am I not seeing here? I really like them.

 

[whiteglad]

I have one of the HF aluminum floor jacks, and have found that their 1.5 ton is marginal for lifting the Jeep.

 

[LostWoods]

I have one of the HF aluminum floor jacks, and have found that their 1.5 ton is marginal for lifting the Jeep.

Yeah i think at the minimum, I'd want something rated for at least the maximum GAWR so I could jack at the pumpkin fully loaded and realistically, 1.5x for safety margin. This is largely why I'm an advocate of bottle jacks because they're easily the most lift you can get for your dollar and they're comparatively small and light compared to something else at even half the capacity. Mine is a $50 6T jack that weighs maybe 15lbs and fits anywhere I'd want to store it in the cab. Definitely can't do that with a floor jack.

Not to mention that if you have an OBA setup, you can get an air-actuated bottle jack so you aren't pumping on the side of the road. If/when I replace or supplement mine, that's going to be my next move.

 

[whiteglad]

Maybe overkill (but I don't want to get overdead), I carry a 4 ton bottle jack, compact floor jack, and a Hi-Lift. 4x4 wheel chocks, and pieces of heavy plywood, 3/4" and 1.12", handle extension for the bottle jack and floor jack.

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