doubletapdaddy
Caught the Bug
I have a Craftsman 12 ton that will lift roughly 18 in. It's not the one in the back of my JK though.
ARB Hydraulic Jack?
- Thread starter BillArnett
- Start date
I have a Craftsman 12 ton that will lift roughly 18 in. It's not the one in the back of my JK though.
TrailHunter
Member
Why is this so confusing for you? I witnessed Eddie & Overlander use a bottle Jack under Moby to remove a 40" in a matter of minutes... It was safe & it was easy. You are overthinking the shit out of this. If a jack has 9" of throw then the base of the Jack is also 9".... so that's 18".... then figure in the thickness of the axle and maybe a block and an extension that grabs the axle safely... and you have more than enough throw.... It's not rocket science.
BillArnett
New member
I guess I’m not so smart after all 
I certainly get it about using blocks under the jack. All the times I’ve changed a tire on my Jeep has been with a Hi-Lift but I’ve never seen it done with a bottle jack. Where on the axle did you place the jack? Maybe if you put it close to the differential there will be sufficient lever action to increase the jack’s throw range? Or maybe when the tire is flat it’s still keeping the rim an inch or two above the ground? A combination of those might just be enough? Or maybe you have a much bigger jack than the ones I found on amazon?
I suppose I could just go try it with a bottle jack. But I just thought someone who has more experience with bottle jacks could explain it. This group is long on practical knowledge and short on theory
Of course, there are other uses for a very long throw jack like a Hi-Lift. Sometimes it’s awkward or impossible to get the jack under the axle and jacking on the bumper works better. In theory. I must admit I’ve never actually seen such a case myself.
I certainly get it about using blocks under the jack. All the times I’ve changed a tire on my Jeep has been with a Hi-Lift but I’ve never seen it done with a bottle jack. Where on the axle did you place the jack? Maybe if you put it close to the differential there will be sufficient lever action to increase the jack’s throw range? Or maybe when the tire is flat it’s still keeping the rim an inch or two above the ground? A combination of those might just be enough? Or maybe you have a much bigger jack than the ones I found on amazon?I suppose I could just go try it with a bottle jack. But I just thought someone who has more experience with bottle jacks could explain it. This group is long on practical knowledge and short on theory
Of course, there are other uses for a very long throw jack like a Hi-Lift. Sometimes it’s awkward or impossible to get the jack under the axle and jacking on the bumper works better. In theory. I must admit I’ve never actually seen such a case myself.
TheChucklesStart
Member
Some things that you are neglecting in your maths is that the tire has thickness even when flat. Another thing is that the jack is lifting the axle, which is a lever, and magnifies the lifting effect of the jack on the tire.
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Bsimon187
New member
If you have a Ace Hardware they carry a few different sizes of big tonage Craftsman bottle Jack's. If it breaks, just return it for a new one with Craftsman's lifetime warranty. I carry the 12 ton and works a great deal easier and safer than the hi-lift. I just keep it in the rear cubby of the Jeep's trunk.
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JTCO
Meme King
I suppose I could just go try it with a bottle jack. But I just thought someone who has more experience with bottle jacks could explain it. This group is long on practical knowledge and short on theory
Of course, there are other uses for a very long throw jack like a Hi-Lift. Sometimes it’s awkward or impossible to get the jack under the axle and jacking on the bumper works better. In theory. I must admit I’ve never actually seen such a case myself.
A bottle jack is really a simple way to go. Easy to carry and store and is safe. Most bottle jacks also have a threaded insert to achieve even more height.
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I guess I’m not so smart after all
I suppose I could just go try it with a bottle jack. But I just thought someone who has more experience with bottle jacks could explain it. This group is long on practical knowledge and short on theory
Of course, there are other uses for a very long throw jack like a Hi-Lift. Sometimes it’s awkward or impossible to get the jack under the axle and jacking on the bumper works better. In theory. I must admit I’ve never actually seen such a case myself.
You need to place your Jack under the base of the differential OR the base of your control arm mounts. Both will be the lowest points on your Jeep and in spite of what you may think, they can some times be too low. This is where your factory scissor jack can be of help to get you started. A Hi-Lift lifting from the bumper is the worst way you can change a tire as your suspension would need to completely unload before your tire ever gets off the ground. This will leave your Jeep high in the sky and balanced dangerously on the Hi-Lift. While a Hi-Lift is a tool with other uses, you should NEVER use a Hi-Lift to change a tire.
notnalc68
That dude from Mississippi
https://www.walmart.com/ip/12-Ton-Bottle-Jack-in-Case/52597888
I have this one. It comes in a little box, too. I throw in a couple of 4x4 blocks, and a little shovel. It isn’t expensive, and although it doesn’t have stellar reviews, it has worked fine every time I’ve used it.
I have a Harbor Freight bottle jack, that I’ve owned for several years, and it works fine. I only bought this one, because I wanted to keep a jack in my travel trailer, in case I was in a different vehicle. I wound up keeping it in my Jeep because the case makes it so handy.
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I have this one. It comes in a little box, too. I throw in a couple of 4x4 blocks, and a little shovel. It isn’t expensive, and although it doesn’t have stellar reviews, it has worked fine every time I’ve used it.
I have a Harbor Freight bottle jack, that I’ve owned for several years, and it works fine. I only bought this one, because I wanted to keep a jack in my travel trailer, in case I was in a different vehicle. I wound up keeping it in my Jeep because the case makes it so handy.
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sharkey
Word Ninja
^^^ This! It's amazing how many people buy a Hi-Lift without thinking about the fact they will have to unload their suspension to get a tire off the ground. I've done it once out of necessity to push a vehicle off the jack sideways (and off a muddy boulder). It was sketchy as hell and not something I plan on ever doing again. I can't imagine ever using a Hi-Lift to change a tire if I had any other option.
WiscoHR
Member
I’ve never understood the hi lift jack. It has its point, but 90% of the time there is a safer more effective way of doing something. Not to mention it big, awkward and heavy. But I will say my favorite part about the hi lift is that every time I see one bolted somewhere on a Jeep, that Jeep has plastic bumpers and side steps. I’d love to see those people actually try to use one!
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doubletapdaddy
Caught the Bug
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sharkey
Word Ninja
Exactly!! :beer:
WiscoHR
Member
BillArnett
New member
I think that's what I was suggesting. Thanks. I guess that will have to suffice as the explanation for now.
I get that. But using the LCA mount will negate the leverage advantage mentioned above. I've always felt uneasy about using the differential pumpkin for fear of damaging it. But the diff is really pretty strong and if you have actually done that then I'll stop worrying.
I get this, too. It always makes me nervous to have 2 tons of metal sitting up in the air with such an unstable support especially while I'm messing with heavy parts of it (the tire). I've never actually had a problem but I've certainly been well aware that the potential is there.
OTOH, I also dislike crawling underneath that 2 tons of metal and jacking it up while my head is underneath. If something goes wrong at that point I have no way to escape. At least with a Hi-Lift all I need to do is take a step back.
Getting back to the original question: it sounds to me like most of the criticism I'm hearing of the Hi-Lift would also apply to the ARB Jack, right? The main advantage of the ARB Jack in my mind is that it's hydraulic so it should operate much more easily and smoothly. That might ameliorate some of the Hi-Lift's dangerousness. But all the metal is still going to be up high and unstable.
If I do get an ARB Jack, I'll be sure to keep it hidden :yup:
WiscoHR
Member
The differential is the strongest part of the axle housing. As an engineer you probably know that!
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doubletapdaddy
Caught the Bug
Software engineer... they don't get out much.
BillArnett
New member
I guess I should have said "retired software engineer". The whole point of buying a Jeep is to get out more :yup:
The trouble with being a software guy is that I'm so used to being able to experiment with stuff at no cost: change something, try it, if it breaks just undo the change and try again. That doesn't work with mechanical stuff
So I tend to be very conservative.
WiscoHR
Member
JTCO
Meme King
I like ARB products, but I would put this type of jack in the same category as the hi-lift based on the design style. It seems like physics would easily cause the same risk based on the design. I'm no engineer, but I try to use my brain once in awhile and I can see the same unsafe outcome if it wasn't used properly.
wibornz
New member
Well, this thread just saved me some money. I was thinking a high lift jack was a necessity with a lifted jeep out on the trail. I was not looking forward to having to bolt that dam thing down somewhere on or in the Jeep. I will buy a decent bottle jack now and spend the money I saved from not buying a hi lift jack, a mount and a base on a good bottle of bourbon.