Hi-Lift jack-HELP!

**** PLEASE USE SUBTOPICS BELOW FOR NEW TOPICS ****

Moderator: volvite

56nomad56
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Orange County CA

Hi-Lift jack-HELP!

Postby 56nomad56 » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:56 pm

I just bought a hi-lift jack b/c I'm a noob to off-roading and going on a 9-day trip to Southern Utah at the end of the month. Nothing major but want to be prepared.

So...watched the tutorial video and went outside to look at the PF. It's a 4X4 with running boards. Got underneath and for the life of me couldn't figure out where the jack would go to change a tire. The front bumper would get completely mangled (and probably couldn't handle the stress), there's no way the jack would reach the frame rails from the side. The only place I can see to put it is under the tow hitch in the back, which wouldn't help with a flat front tire.

Am I missing something here? Even without the running boards with the curvature of the doors and how far the frame rails are, I don't think the jack would reach.

Any help on this would be appreciated, thanks in advance!


Npath
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 10:20 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Hi-Lift jack-HELP!

Postby Npath » Sat Jul 09, 2011 6:52 am

High lift jacks won't work on 05+ Pathfinders that have stock bumpers.

High lift jacks are ideal for steel bumpers. Especially great with Jeeps that have 1/4" steel plating along the sides.

In your present case (stock Pathfinder), it'd be ideal as a manual winch. :(

User avatar
volvite
Sponsored Member
Posts: 2180
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:06 pm
Location: Hill AFB, Utah West Point UT

Postby volvite » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:33 pm

Get a set of sliders and your Hilift jack will work with those.

http://www.rocky-road.com/pathfinderrockrail.html

goblue90
Posts: 322
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 9:54 pm
Location: Philly

Postby goblue90 » Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:49 pm

volvite wrote:Get a set of sliders and your Hilift jack will work with those.

http://www.rocky-road.com/pathfinderrockrail.html
x2... I have Shrockworks sliders:

Image

you'll also need slider adapters:
http://www.sbefabrication.com/data/stor ... 61057b.jpg

If you don't have sliders, look into getting some of the hi-lift accessories, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Hi-Lift-LM100-Jac ... 032&sr=8-4

56nomad56
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Orange County CA

Thanks

Postby 56nomad56 » Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:00 am

Good info. Not sure if the wife will give up the steps as she's the primary driver and relatively short, but I can definitely look into it. Might keep it anyway in case we get high centered somewhere and can use the wheel attachments.

User avatar
volvite
Sponsored Member
Posts: 2180
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:06 pm
Location: Hill AFB, Utah West Point UT

Postby volvite » Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:02 am

Yea, my wife is the same way, so I'd look at the rocky mountain super sliders as they stick up and out a bit more and act like a step or nerf bar but are super strong. I plan to get them one of these days.

Paneri
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 1:44 am
Location: California,Santa Clara

Postby Paneri » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:02 am

This is seemingly an old thread, but I'll add my two cents.
With appropriate jacking points front & rear (a plain bull bar & a Hayman Reece style tow bar with t tongue that sticks out past the rear of the car will work - but NEVER use those 'T' shaped jack https://mechanicguides.com/best-farm-jacks/ points for this!) you can use the instability of a highly jacked Hi-Lift jack to turn the car in it's own length - bit of work, but it can save backing 5 plus km's thru tight & winding tracks! Jack the front of the car up as high as you can, & the push the jack off (when it's clear & safe to do so of course) towards the Driver's side of the vehicle - front will move a metre or so that way. Then go to the back & jack that up as high as you can before pushing it off the jack towards the passenger's side of the vehicle - back will move a metre or so that way. Do that a few times & you've got the car half way round; keep doing it & the car can be turned in it's own length!! It IS hard work, but I've done it more than once for people in sticky situations - as mentioned earlier, it can save a lot of difficult backing!

And the same instability can be used to get the wheels out of ruts, ie move the vehicle 1 metre or so in one direction - same deal only this time push the front & back in the same direction - clear of ruts is the result. Or you could lift the wheels & pack under them (for my 2 bob, the pushing sideways bit is easier!) That instability is part of the versatility of the Hi-Lift, use it when you can take advantage of it, but at all other times it is a liability, hence NEVER let anyone sit in or get near a vehicle lifted on a Hi-Lift Jack - they are unstable!! You shouldn't ever get under a car on a Hi-Lift alone, or try to change a tyre using a Hi-Lift alone, even if you use it to get the lift you need to do the job - chock it up or use another jack to stabilise the vehicle before you do anything else!


Return to “2005-2012 Pathfinder (R51)”