1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Hi-Lift jack, steel vs. cast

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Strider380, Mar 1, 2006.

  1. Mar 1, 2006
    Strider380

    Strider380 Can I have a zip tie?

    New England
    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2006
    Messages:
    1,117
    About to purchase my first Hi-Lift jack. Was gonna go all the way so i could maintain it and never need a new one. I'm talking about the 5 foot cast Hi-Lift. I quickly realized the 5 foot is super inpractical for a jeep as there is no where to put it. After that conclusion, I started thinking. Dosn't cast just snap clean or crack where-as steel will bend and take a beating. The more I think about it, the more I am thinking about going with the 4 foot steel model. I've always heated my house with wood and I've seen plenty of cast iron stoves just crack. There is no flexibility. I've also riden lots of BMX, mainly 4130 chromoly steel, and those frames have never failed me. What do you think?
     
  2. Mar 1, 2006
    speedbuggy

    speedbuggy Looking for a Jeep now

    Living the Good...
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    1,270
    My wife, god bless her, bought me the 60" Hi-Lift for Christmas this year. I took it to work and cut 12" off of it without telling her (she'll never know ;) ). I didn't realize that they made them from different material. I'll have to check it out...
     
  3. Mar 1, 2006
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2004
    Messages:
    1,552
    Steel. ;)
     
  4. Mar 1, 2006
    Txjake

    Txjake I wrenched with Sparky

    Oklahoma City OK
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2006
    Messages:
    544
    Steel is real..........

    seriously, the steel Hi-Lift wears and lasts much longer. I have a steel one that is over 25 year sold and has only required springs and pins. I have seen cast jacks break
     
  5. Mar 1, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
    Whatever TSC sells (never been sure what I actually have...;))
     
  6. Mar 1, 2006
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    Steel, hands down. That's all we carry on our rescue trucks at my fire department and trust me, we've gotten people out of some really hairy stuff with them!
     
  7. Mar 1, 2006
    Strider380

    Strider380 Can I have a zip tie?

    New England
    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2006
    Messages:
    1,117
    thanks for the input guys. Steel 4 ft is what I'm getting
     
  8. Mar 1, 2006
    panzer

    panzer Super Mod Staff Member

    Columbus, OH
    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2003
    Messages:
    1,245
  9. Mar 1, 2006
    gper

    gper New Member

    Arizona
    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2005
    Messages:
    20
    Here is a little information that may be helpful.

    Both models of the jack use a cast steel center post and have the same lifting capacity. You can get 42", 48" or 60" versions of either jack.

    The "Steel" jack (actually Cast & Steel) uses 4 stamped steel pieces. The top hook, lifting mechanism and bottom hook and bottom plate are stamped steel. This model is black with a red handle.

    The "'Cast" jack used cast steel on those 4 pieces, thus making it the "All-Cast" model. This model is painted red with a black handle.

    Both models use a shear bolt in the lift mechanism (internally identical in either jack) to prevent severe overload. it would be unlikely you could break any part on either jack if used anywhere near it's capacity.

    The "Cast" jack is actually a premium model and sells for a few dollars more.

    I last used mine to move a commercial pizza oven that weighed every bit of 2 tons.

    Mike
     
  10. Mar 1, 2006
    speedbuggy

    speedbuggy Looking for a Jeep now

    Living the Good...
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    1,270
    Well there you have it! Mine's black with a red handle. Guess I have the "steel" version. Good info Mike ;)
     
  11. Mar 1, 2006
    gper

    gper New Member

    Arizona
    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2005
    Messages:
    20
    My comments apply only to the "original" Hi-Lift Jack. Made in the USA.

    There are other imported versions that look similar.

    Mike
     
  12. Mar 1, 2006
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    There are other models with a steel post. I can get the model info if anyone is interested. They might be a bit pricey for casual Jeep use though...
     
  13. Mar 1, 2006
    WYOMIKE

    WYOMIKE Oct 1971 pic

    Parkman, Wyoming
    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2003
    Messages:
    685
    Gosh this post makes me feel old. I am just getting used to calling them "HandyMan" jacks and everybody here knows them as Hi-Lift!!!
    Does anybody know what they were called before Hi-Lift-Handyman-??
     
  14. Mar 1, 2006
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2004
    Messages:
    1,552
    Farm Jack was what we called them as a kid.
    Grandad bought them at the CO-OP.
     
  15. Mar 1, 2006
    WYOMIKE

    WYOMIKE Oct 1971 pic

    Parkman, Wyoming
    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2003
    Messages:
    685
    We called them "wagon jacks" or "sheephearders jacks" They were about the only kind of jack that will left a wagon thats in the mud or something. (Picture trying to use a sicissor jack on a wagon thats full of fire wood!!) You used to be able to go out to the old homesteads around here (from 1910-1915 age) and find them all over. Took me a long time to change from wagon jack to handyman!! Now I am suppose to call them Hi Lift's? :) I think mine is from about 1950, and it looks just like everybodys else's I think
     
  16. Mar 2, 2006
    66cj5

    66cj5 Jeep with no name

    NorthWest Indiana
    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2003
    Messages:
    2,084
    bent my tractor supply special when dad got his semi stuck. I guess 19k #'s was too much. should have brought the spare.
     
  17. Mar 2, 2006
    grannyscj

    grannyscj Headed to the Yukon

    Anchorage, AK
    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,758
    GP always called his a tractor jack.:v6:
     
  18. Mar 2, 2006
    willysnut

    willysnut Banned

    Newnan, Ga.
    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2003
    Messages:
    654
  19. Mar 2, 2006
    Mark Mann

    Mark Mann Kermit

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2003
    Messages:
    140
    Is "semi stuck" like "kinda pregnant" R)

    M:flag:
     
  20. Mar 2, 2006
    prarieoyster

    prarieoyster New Member

    New Britain, CT
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    17
    I got the 60" cast from 4wheelparts.com. Here are some cool things I have done with it: Jacked up my 2nd story porch to replace the support posts, Winched a manlift out of the mud, pulled out a 60" concrete diamond blade stuck in a bridge parapet. Some failures: Tried to jack up an 8 ton section of precast retaining wall, tried to jack up a 22 ton trailer. I never broke it, it failed because 265lbs pushing down on the black handle wouldn't raise the load. I just made sure it was seated level and plum when I was lifting heavy things. I like the 60" especially for winching things out.
     
New Posts