Hi-Lift Jack storage options?

[Land Rover Joe]

Hello Everyone,

Daniel-Thanks for your post. I don't have much more to add about Jacking from the LR4 although there is a good thread already out there on this forum regarding Jacking Advice. Bottom Line: to use the Hi-Lift you need a Hi-Lift jacking point. But if you use the Hi-Lift, then it needs to work when you need it; and that will probably end up being in the dark or in wet muck or deep sand or on hard, sharp rocks.

In terms of storage options, I use the jackguard (http://www.jackguard.com/High-Lift-Jack.html & if you google jackguard you will also find some good reviews). I also have the ARB jack case. However, I like the jackguard because it is a hard case-the only one which I know of; and since I store the jack on my roof rack (outside), I definitely need something to protect the jack from the elements. If your Hi-Lift is corroded or caked with mud/sand...then chances are it will not work very well...if at all. They are rather sensative to corrossion and such. Thus, I first started with the ARB jack case, which is really just a plastic bag. But you cannot easily afix the jack case to the roof rack—hence the need for a hard case. I like all my goofy, big recovery equipment on the roof rack: shovel, sand ladders, and Hi-Lift. I also carry an air jack (X-Jack) and occassionally a bottle jack. Having some of the big stuff up top means it is easier to get to when you get stuck. And I have never gotten stuck or had a flat in a parking lot on a nice, sunny-but-cool day at 10 o'clock in the morning after a hearty breakfast. Normally, my recovery gear ends up at the bottom of my cargo load since it is big, heavy, and cumbersome—which is why I like to carry what I can on top. However....to get at the spare tire on the underside, you will need to move out all that junk in the back anyway. I try to make my load planning easier by putting everything in plastic trucks or boxes, but it is never fun emptying out the cargo area on the trail (or in a parking lot, I suppose). If you put the Hi-Lift in the backseat somehow, it will definitely be in the way if anyone else wants to sit back there. And as you noted-it would be dangerous not tied down (Hi-Lift makes a kit to bolt the thing down to something which you could do if you really wanted to).

For me, the jackguard protects the jack from most dust and water and keeps the jack well-secured. I am including a picture of me using the jack on-piste one afternoon after shredding the rear-driver-side sidewall on a big/sharp rock (i.e. driving a bit too fast for that particular part of the piste). You can see the jackguard on the cardboard off to the right. Although I have the Hi-Lift wheel lift kit (Lift-Mate, L-100) out next to me, it won't work on the LR4 due to the variable suspension. Most of my equipment has been handy for helping others...not as much myself (I am generally a bit of a granny driver). So I carry everything I can in the event I need it for myself or someone else.

Hope this helps and best wishes from Africa!
Land Rover Joe

 

[Daniel Hull]

Hi Joe, thanks for your tip on the Jackmate. I ordered one and it arrived yesterday. Seems like it will do a good job of protecting the jack and protecting everything else from the jack. My backseat is usually occupied by two kids in car seats, so a couple of straps to attach the jackmate to the underside of the seats would be an easy solution and no impact on the kids comfort, but I think 99% of the time it will be even easier to keep the jackmate in the rear area (secured) along with my other recovery gear. Or as you do I could strap it to the roof. A cheap and great solution in my opinion.

As to your comment about the Lift-mate not working with the variable suspension: I think your comment is intended to be with respect to a wheel change? Surely it works fine for lifting a wheel to place something under it, as I have done already. I've not tried it for a wheel change. I can see that it would add some complexity as you would have to:
1. lift the flat wheel with the lift mate through the complete upward suspension travel to get it off the ground, but at that point you haven't lifted the truck frame at all, so you have to continue to jack until you actually lift the frame enough to overcome the downward suspension travel (the same travel you have to overcome when jacking the frame).
2. Block the frame with a jackstand
3. Lower the high-lift jacked wheel, which should hopefully still clear the ground but it would be a guessing game as to whether you had previously jacked high enough or not.
4. Change the wheel
5. Jack the new wheel up enough to remove the jackstand, and then lower the truck.

Although it seems possible in theory or maybe if there is no alternative, I haven't tried it and I'm reluctant to as it seems like you'd really need to have confidence in your jackstand and your jack base as you reach under the truck to place and remove the stands. Rock sliders are a good idea anyway, so looks like I'll need to get jack-able sliders on my short list.

I don't know if the IID tool has any method to lock the suspension at the stops? If it did then perhaps you could use that to prevent the need to lift through the suspension travel. Another tool to have on my list in any case. I've tried "locking" the suspension in access height previously when jacking from the frame and the wheel still comes down through the entire travel. I'm not sure if the access height lock might keep it from moving upward though...I may experiment with that as it would at least make it less travel to get the wheel off the ground initially.

 

[Land Rover Joe]

Daniel,

Greetings from Africa and I hope all is well. I am curious what you think of the Jackmate and how it is working.

My truck is just arriving here so hopefully we will be on the road soon…more to follow for the group!

Regarding the Lift-mate, you are correct—I am referring to a wheel change. There is simply not enough height on the jack with the suspension travel to lift the wheel up. I cannot say if the IID tool would help, perhaps you can provide some of your experiences or others if they have some in this regard.

Best wishes and Happy Trails!
Land Rover Joe

 

[Daniel Hull]

The Jackmate does it's job just great. It's not fancy but not expensive either, and works fine. It is a perfect fit behind the rear seats across the width...if I would have custom cut it the fit would not be better. Thanks again for the tip.

 

[Ladric]

Digging up this thread again. I have a 2011 LR4. So the theory is to lower the truck to access level (my tires probably hit the body work), open a door and leave open then use the land rover factory jack on the frame points to raise the body to get the wheel off the ground?
I was thinking of getting a high-lift (farm) jack but not sure it would work on the body unless I used some kind of jack spacer block under the body so the high-lift would not hit the plastic body work (I don't have rack rails).
Cheers.

 

[mbw]

Digging up this thread again. I have a 2011 LR4. So the theory is to lower the truck to access level (my tires probably hit the body work), open a door and leave open then use the land rover factory jack on the frame points to raise the body to get the wheel off the ground?
I was thinking of getting a high-lift (farm) jack but not sure it would work on the body unless I used some kind of jack spacer block under the body so the high-lift would not hit the plastic body work (I don't have rack rails).
Cheers.

How big are your tires? 31.5" or 265/65R18 will clear the bump stops if you are all the way deflated.

The factory jack is super sketchy, but if you are going to use it, you will have to just jack on the lower control arm to lift the wheel off the ground. It has zero chance of lifting the body.. it will just droop the wheel and never go high enough. Opening the door just keeps it from leveling, but the suspension will still drop.

If you haven't taken a wheel off or lifted your truck to work on something then honestly please stay away from farm jacks and off road recovery...just for your own safety, go out with someone with experience and learn some things. You need suitable farm jack lift points to use one anyway, steel bumpers. Lifting on sliders can be pretty sketchy also.

My preference is a safe jack kit. Comes with all sorts of extensions and adapters to lift on frames or arms, etc. It may not be as cool as a farm jack but its safe and does everything I usually need to do for pulling tires off and such.

 

[jlglr4]

Access mode doesn’t really help much - as noted above, the tire will still drop if you raise from the frame, so access mode just makes it harder to work around the tire with no real benefit.

I just pull the fuse for the suspension (rather than leaving door open) and then jack it up by the frame with a long travel jack or under the control arm with a regular floor jack (which will put your wheel up much faster).