Stuck & Un-stuck -- Safely

I could have used this last week when there wasn't enough room under the axle for the jack...

RE Hi-Lift: Somebody mentioned the need for proper lubrication.


The first time I saw a high lift was in Baja after my buddy sunk his 2WD Ranger into the mud.
After spending the night stuck, we flagged down locals who A) stuck their highlift directly into the rim of his wheel and B ) chopped a bunch of brush with machetes to build a roadbed. We were free in half an hour. :D
Our factory jack was useless in the bottomless muck. Shortly after that I bought my first High Lift.

I think lifting a wheel, rather than the frame could be very handy in a variety of circumstances. If you are changing the tire, then the axle would need to be supported after raising it, of course.

From my quick read of the instructions that came with the unit, High Lift does say it needs lubrication from time to time. They do not recommend grease or motor oil, instead they recommend: "After cleaning, lubricate the jack using light penetrating oil, or a silicon or Teflon spray." I think someone else mentioned motorcycle wax based lube too.
 
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Look how worn that strap is. I default back to my previous statement that continuing to use something in worn condition is user error and not a representation of the equipment.
 
The first time I saw a high lift was in Baja after my buddy sunk his 2WD Ranger into the mud.
After spending the night stuck, we flagged down locals who A) stuck their highlift directly into the rim of his wheel and B ) chopped a bunch of brush with machetes to build a roadbed. We were free in half an hour. :D
Our factory jack was useless in the bottomless muck. Shortly after that I bought my first High Lift.

I think lifting a wheel, rather than the frame could be very handy in a variety of circumstances. If you are changing the tire, then the axle would need to be supported after raising it, of course.

From my quick read of the instructions that came with the unit, High Lift does say it needs lubrication from time to time. They do not recommend grease or motor oil, instead they recommend: "After cleaning, lubricate the jack using light penetrating oil, or a silicon or Teflon spray." I think someone else mentioned motorcycle wax based lube too.


Yep, makes perfect sense...which is why -- after buying a Hi-Lift a year ago but never taking it with me, I'm going to stow it behind the seat (as Barko1) and take it with me on my next truck-trip! I'm not too old to learn!

"light penetrating oil" = WD40 for example? "silicon or Teflon spray" = TriFlo for example?
 
"light penetrating oil" = WD40 for example? "silicon or Teflon spray" = TriFlo for example?

I use 3-in-1 oil on all my non-roller bearing stuff: old metal lathe, hi-lift, bushings, ... The jack ought to be raise-able by just pulling up on it with the mechanism set to raise, and you ought to be able to get both jacking pins to stay out with the mechanism set to lower. If you can't, then it needs cleaned and oiled.

My uncle used one to jack wagon racks and the front ends of tractors when he needed to change tires mostly, but we also used them for rigging things.

After Andy's story I went out and checked my wheels; sure enough, it'll go right in the slot of a stock steel F250 rim and jack that wheel right up. Not aluminum though pro'ly, eh?

(Still keeping my cable puller in the truck...)
 
Look how worn that strap is. I default back to my previous statement that continuing to use something in worn condition is user error and not a representation of the equipment.

Yeah, but I'll still avoid kinetic recovery straps, 'cause I'm chickin'...
 
No sweat, Mark (aka Barbarian). : )

Paging Suni: where do you store your highlift on your Tundra/Hawk?


Hey Andy, I was initially confused when you said yours didn't fit but then I assumed you must have the dinette mod. I carry a 60" model and it lays in the couch storage with plenty to spare.
 
Yeah, but I'll still avoid kinetic recovery straps, 'cause I'm chickin'...


I don't use the stretchy straps I just use a 3" tow strap even for a bit of dynamic tugging. I'd rather deal with a strap breaking over a chain breaking.
 
The jack doesn't really care what lube you use. Motor oil (dipstick is good for a few drops) gear or even vegetable oil. Certain lubes may be better but none are going to do any harm.

I've seen the drive off the jack method many times. Works pretty well. Obviously no one should standing anywhere near when doing this.
 
I've seen the drive off the jack method many times.

Wow! I'd love to see that...as long as it wasn't my rig.
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Yeah, but I'll still avoid kinetic recovery straps, 'cause I'm chickin'...


The straps you bought store energy just the same.

About 5 years ago a blizzard hit this area. I had a daughter still living at home but going to college about 20 miles away. She drove a cavalier so I called her and went to get her. On our way home we came across a semi that had blown an off ramp, slid across one lane and was sideways and mostly over the median of the surface street he meant to be on. Everybody was ok and I asked him if he wanted me pull him out of the way because he was buggering up traffic bad. He laughed. I told him I have no idea if I can get him off the median but I would try a snatch. I explained it to him and told him to be ready. I started my run from his bumper. When we pulled over to unhook he couldn't believe it. He ran to the back of the truck and came back and handed me a lifetime supply of rum.
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(I drive an F250)

I saw the pics you posted. Like Pods8 said, that is not a proper strap. Seriously.

I have had a snatch break on me. My cousins expedition stuck in snow. FWUMP at the back but no real damage. My fault, I knew it was frayed.

There is a safe way to hook these things on. Shackles are important. When something fails you want it to be the strap and nothing else. On the stuck side the best option is if you can wrap the strap over something big like an axle and back through it's look. On the other end wrap the strap over something and then use a shackle over the running part of the strap and the clevis through the loop of the strap. That way, the shackle isn't a part of the strap if it breaks. Next is a really heavy shackle to something big in such a way that a failure will be the strap and never the shackle or truck part. I have seen bumpers and fenders fly. I watched a guy pull another guys grill off once.
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I shook my head. I suppose I should say that if it feels like you could pull it off by hand with a good tug then don't consider it for a recovery point?!
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Sand. Getting unstuck without getting hurt. This is probably my number 1 in the city helping unstuck people tool. I carry a bucket of dry (so it won't freeze) sand. I've pulled over to help folks that were sure they were going to have to abandon their cars forever. (They are always late and usually kinda snippy.) Grab a handful of sand and chuck it around the tires when they aren't watching, ask them to stop spinning the tires so hard and slowly drive it out. Voila!

Chains. The best advice here is that if you think you might need them then you do. Stop and put them on. One more time. Stop and put them on. It is some much easier to do this when you think you need them then when you know. I don't know, but mud is muddier when you are putting on chains. Also, if you haven't installed chains or might be rusty or you just got those new kind that are supposed to be easy to install, get them out in the driveway on a nice day and practice just a little. It sucks to be pulling a boat in the slickest ankle deep slimy clay mud - sideways! - and trying to read the instructions of these newfangled things when the instructions are all muddy and it is raining and your feet are wet and it's cold ...
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Well, that's what I've heard.
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Oh Yeah, hilift lube. The ranch is in the sandhills of NE. We don't use grease or oil on anything we don't have to because the sand will get in it and eat up whatever you put it on. I like teflon wax. Awsome stuff. But on the ranch we use water. Works great.

Bumpers. Sometimes the bumper is all that's left to get anything on. I have lifted my truck (sans camper) by the bumper just high enough to get a bottle jack under some better metal.
 
Nice truck, Frank :)


The High Lift LOC-RAC says it can mount horizontally or vertically. But they don't say it can hang upside down! I'm not sure the keeper for the foot of the jack would work the way I'm considering mounting, but if nothing else I can put a bolt through the jack itself on that end.


The Loc-Rac is a pretty simple thing and in their ads looks like about what it is. The "Loc" part is more or less a shaped hinge with a carriage bolt a-fixed and drilled on the end to accept a lock. It has a couple of counter sunk holes in the back plate to mount it up. The end piece is simply a piece of stamped metal to hook an end. If mounted to something substantial the Loc part works pretty well.
 
Wow! I'd love to see that...as long as it wasn't my rig.
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I try to avoid the "Drive Off" method. I have done the "Throw Off" method, getting the rig jacked up to clear ruts, holes or whatever and push the jack sideways moving the rig over. I should add the disclaimer that this is for advanced Hi Lift owners only.
 
Anyone have any experience with using the High Lift to grab a wheel? They have an accessory with hooks on webbing to grab the wheel, but I'm thinking some 1 1/2" or 2" tubular webbing threaded through the spokes on my wheel would be fine.


If you have the right type wheel, in a pinch you can hook the lip of the rim with the jack. I've also hooked the end of the hub with the jack to lift a wheel out of a hole. It's best to attempt this before getting really buried, but I think it's actually easier to lift a wheel to stick rocks, brush or whatever under a tire rather than jacking from the front or rear requiring lifting until all the suspension travel is gone and raising the tire. Of course this approach is not always practical or feasible. To be sure, I'm not trying to deter anyone from considering Hi-Lifts web thingys and I'd get one of their web attachments but I have solid wheels.
 
Look how worn that strap is. I default back to my previous statement that continuing to use something in worn condition is user error and not a representation of the equipment.


As they used to say about climbing ropes in the Alps. The Swiss buy them new and use them for one year, they then sell them to the French who use them for two years and then they sell them to the Italians who use them till they break. It is all a matter of what is important to you. I tend to be of the use it till it breaks school but I would hate to mess up my windshield.
 
Also when using a strap, use a "damper". A heavy blanket/coat will slow and deflect a broken/flying strap.
But, it may go in another direction.

Never be in-line with the pull.

Recovery Damper:
http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Recovery-Damper-ARB220-P3595.aspx
 
.... The guy said, "How 'bout I just drive off it?" I said, "How drunk are you?!"
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Pushing or driving off, if body damage won't be a result, are normal but advanced Hi-Lift techniques. Jack up, push over is a very effective method for turning or repositioning a vehicle that can't or won't be moved any other way.

... I think someone else mentioned motorcycle wax based lube too.

That was me. I have not done it, but I use aerosol motorcycle chain wax on a lot of different vehicular things (hood supports & hinges, door hinges, door limiters, etc.) with great success. I think that a Hi-Lift is a perfect application for it.

Hi-Lift 'Official' Instructions
Important! Do not use motor oil or grease to lubricate the jack.

-just sayin'
If it gets you unstuck safely, the instructions be danged! :)
Though JohnF's comments about sand are very likely why. It is the reason that I've started using the chain wax on anything exposed. Dirt, sand & grime don't stick to it, yet it stays on what I want lubricated. In tight fitting joints it tends to form a bit of a barrier to contaminants.

Anything that stretches stores energy. Steel winch cables stretch more than the polymer winch lines, which is why the polymer lines are safer and are preferred if not required at rock crawling comps. Rarely, if ever, see dampers used when those guys are winching. I'm sure that best policy is when in doubt put something over the line/rope/strap, but based on my experiments in deliberately failing the Amsteel winch line I'm not sure that I'd bother with it or a static line/strap and even though a dynamic strap will likely be moving fast during a failure it's mass is so low that in normal circumstances I don't think that I'd bother. Certainly in unusual circumstances where a failure of the strap might result in injury or death to person who for whatever reason can't be moved out of line and range, but not for the typical yank.
 
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