What type of "JACK" would you prefer on the trail?

[mouldman1]

I'm looking to get one of the harbor freight jacks, do I get a 2 ton or 3 ton? Thanks

 

[MTUH3]

3 ton. I always try to get a jack that is capable of lifting the entire vehicles weight, even though it never will, as a safety factor.

 

[All The Way]

I've been using the 2 ton HF jack for a few years now. It works flawlessly. I've been using it on the race car because the high dollar brunnhoelzl jack is a big steaming pile of shit.

 

[mouldman1]

3 ton. I always try to get a jack that is capable of lifting the entire vehicles weight, even though it never will, as a safety factor.

I've been using the 2 ton HF jack for a few years now. It works flawlessly. I've been using it on the race car because the high dollar brunnhoelzl jack is a big steaming pile of shit.

Thanks! I guess it's a toss up between the 2 and 3 ton

 

[DesertHermit]

A question about the trolly jacks, can they lift the truck high enough to change a tire without using blocks? It does not seem to me that they have enough lift range to do that (with or without the wheels).

My company switched all of our work trucks from carrying hi-lift jacks to floor jacks (there is also usually the OEM bottleneck jack in there too). The hi-lift jacks certainly have their advantages, but at least in a desert environment the floor jacks do just fine and are safer. I can't recall of any time in the ~8 years I've been here that we haven't been able to recover a truck with floorjacks.

Also something to think about if there is concern about jacking the truck up high enough is that most times you can dig under the tire to get more clearance.

 

[firematt422]

Floor jacks are the best as far as safety goes, but they aren't always practical offroad.

Highlifts are a "jack of all trades," but are a little more dangerous and you have to take a look at your lift points as well. They are nice because you can lift with them or pull if necessary.

A floor jack with a skid plate instead of wheels will have plenty of travel, when you lift from the axle or a-arm, not the frame. Highlifts actually have the problem here, despite their name, because you are lifting from something attached to the frame allowing the suspension to droop. WSI's suggestion of the chain wrapped around the axle does remedy this problem. And, as he said... tie the ******** to some sort of anchor.

HIghlifts are bigger, but they don't take up much space when mounted right. I mounted my highlift similar to BigJ's set-up:

http://i.imgur.com/unt3EIJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uYwDvV0.jpg

I also designed an adapter that bolts into the stock tow hooks for the highlift that will help prevent tipping or kick out. I don't have any pictures, but you can buy them through WSI.

TL;DR: I prefer the highlift, but if I could carry both I would.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

What size floor jacks are you taking on the trails? 1.5 or 2 ton?

 

[Maxx2893]

2 or 3 ton. Definitely wouldn't get any smaller. A skid makes it much nicer too

 

[Gunner75]

Bed mounted Jack ?

What is the jack of choice? Obviously looking for light weight. Bed mounted. Open to suggestions. Have considered more compact models.

 

[Fred]

I am looking into the same thing.