Hi Lift Jack Points

[RoverForm]

I did a quick search and didn't find anything.

For those of you who have both a series and a Hi-Lift jack (either 48" or 60"), what are the main lifting points on a series for changing any of the four tires, and also for getting the vehicle un-stuck?

Thanks!

[Partsman]

Terry-Ann has a good modification for creating a jack point on the rear cross member here: http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/GR_corner_mod.html

[SafeAirOne]

I personally wouldn't ever use a high-lift for tire changing except in an emergency--It's way too unstable and dangerous--but that notwithstanding, I've set the jack along the bottom flat surface of the rear crossmember. Make sure you put something between the jack beam and the Rover body to reduce the size of the resulting dent/gouge in the rear doorskin. BTW, I have the heavy angle iron that came with the Dixon-Bate adjustable tow jaw attached to the rear crossmember down there--not sure if that matters or not.

Note that this will jack up the entire rear end of the Rover and with both rear wheels off the ground, no matter how firmly chocked both front wheels are, you will have to contend with the jack tipping from side to side due to of the free-turning effect of the steering system on the front wheels.

In the front, I do it at the bumper/chassis rail joints. Only SLIGHTLY less wobbly than jacking the rear, but you'll still be getting both front wheels off the ground simultaneously.

Much, much better (safer) to use a bottle jack or a floor jack if the situation permits.

[I Leak Oil]

I personally wouldn't ever use a high-lift for tire changing except in an emergency--It's way too unstable and dangerous--but that notwithstanding, I've set the jack along the bottom flat surface of the rear crossmember. Make sure you put something between the jack beam and the Rover body to reduce the size of the resulting dent/gouge in the rear doorskin. BTW, I have the heavy angle iron that came with the Dixon-Bate adjustable tow jaw attached to the rear crossmember down there--not sure if that matters or not.

Note that this will jack up the entire rear end of the Rover and with both rear wheels off the ground, no matter how firmly chocked both front wheels are, you will have to contend with the jack tipping from side to side due to of the free-turning effect of the steering system on the front wheels.

In the front, I do it at the bumper/chassis rail joints. Only SLIGHTLY less wobbly than jacking the rear, but you'll still be getting both front wheels off the ground simultaneously.

Much, much better (safer) to use a bottle jack or a floor jack if the situation permits.

^^^^^^
This and then some.

Unless you have sliders the only real jacking point with the highlift is the front bumper(right at the frame horn) and the rear cross member. Neither are ideal.

[Partsman]

I should have added that I use a small floor jack that fits into the rear tool compartment on my 109, I got it from Harbor Freight, it's not the best on the market, but it gets the job done.

[Alaskan Rover]

I always keep my Hi-Lift jack in the rover for emergency use....but like SafetyAir1 said, it's actually the last jack I'd use for routine stuff like changing tires.

I must say I like the look of the civilian rear crossmember on the Series, I just think it looks fundementally robust and rugged and the angled portions look different than most other vehicles.......however, there is a very good reason the military bumpers are straight across at the corners....these are MUCH easier to use as jacking points. The only suitable jackpoints for a hi-lift on the civilian rear crossmember is that center horizontal section....but as already stated, that tends to jack up the WHOLE rear-end!! I have used the hi-lift under the front bumper....but I also think those places put undo stress on the front horns. Another point I've used is the under the firewall/bulkhead vertical section (the outside vertical part of bulkhead between door and front fender)....but I've also put a nice deep gouge in the aluminum skin when the jack slipped off while using this jack point.

I think Hi-Lift jacks and Jack-Alls are great jacks and you can do SO many different things with them such as use them as a winch, but I've NEVER felt comfortable with the way the jack moves on the base. Always made me tentative/

Here's what I do instead:
I keep a 2 ton floor jack strapped to the behind the seat bulkhead...it's not really that large, and while it is fairly heavy, it gets enough useage that its utility outweighs it's weight (that sounds sorta strange). I use it for anything from changing/rotating tires, rebuilding hubs to dropping differential housings. I usually just put it under the shock base of whatever side needs attending, but because the height of the shock base and/or bottom of springs is fairly high, I always keep blocks of hardwood in the back of the rove to put between jack and shock base.

As you might gather....I carry a LOT of gear and spare parts with me just as a normal routine. Spare generator, spare water pump, spare fuel pump, spare brake drum, sundry spare parts, floor jack, hi-lift jack, 1 ton house-lifting jack, vise, and enough tools to rebuild nearly anything....and we're talking Lucas too, so I also carry a full electrical rebuilding/analizing kit. But I've had need to use nearly every single spare-part or tool sometime in my 25 yr ownership of the vehicle...and the utter simplicity of the vehicle has saved me MANY times when others are left stranded. AAA doesn't come out to sections 25 miles into an ATV bush trail !!!

.

[disco2hse]

+3 on the hi-lift.

Good for getting out of a rut, but...

I use a screw up bottle truck jack and a block of wood under it. Has a 3/4" square drive, same the bar for the socket that fits the wheel nuts. Looks a bit similar to this one, but without the dinky lever action. Instead it is a simple screw one way for up and the other for down. Had it for a few decades now and used to use it on the old 3 and 5 ton trucks. For those that are "cautious" it is not "rated" :p

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/VINTAGE-ANTIQUE-OLD-AUTO-CAR-AUTOMOBILIA-TWIST-SCREW-JACK-630-/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjAw/$(KGrHqJ,!q!E9eN-vn5vBPr)YlIj8Q~~60_57.JPG

[TeriAnn]

I always keep my Hi-Lift jack in the rover for emergency use....but like SafetyAir1 said, it's actually the last jack I'd use for routine stuff like changing tires.

Same here. I use the hi-Lift for getting unstuck. Such as lifting a corner and filling in the hole it is in or putting a bridging ladder down under the tyre. And of course lifting the whole end of the truck, going to one side and pushing the truck over to the side off the jack. That would be an interesting way to parallel park :rolleyes:

When I'm out on the trail I bring the high lift, the stock Series jack and a Disco I jack I was given years ago. It is the axle jacks that get used for changing tyres on the trail. Back when I had 10 spline axles I also used to carry a single big jack stand to hold everything up while I made field repairs. I stopped carrying the jack stand when I realized that I had strengthened the axle assemblies past the point where I tended to break things in the field.

BTW, that rear frame corner mod I made to stabilize the Hi-Lift really works WAY better than just putting the jack in a flat part of the rear frame when all you want to do is lift one rear wheel.

[RoverForm]

great comments. that's precisely what i was looking for. i have the 2-ton craftsman floor jack in the garage and it gets used in that environment.

definitely not looking to do any welding or structural modification, and was really only looking at the hi-lift for tire changes on tarmac or dirt.

maybe the bottle jack under the spring hanger is a viable option.

thanks for the info.

[luckyjoe]

That would be an interesting way to parallel park :rolleyes:

That would be a great event!

Has anyone tried the Hilift Lift-Mate accessory that lets you lift a wheel? Might not work on Series wheels, but Wolfs or D1 wheels should be A-OK.