What jack to buy (and where to store it)? [Archive]

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lugnuts

04-23-2018, 04:33 PM

Seeking advice on what jack to buy, and where to store it. I mostly stay on pavement, but am getting a permit for off-road use on a nearby beach. You have to carry a jack (and other off-road gear) to use the beach. I'm seeing negative comments about the HI-LIFT brand, due to safety concerns when used off-road. Suggestions?

JSBriggs

04-23-2018, 08:00 PM

I like factory screw jacks from either Toyoto (p/u) or Chevy full size trucks/tahoe/suberban etc. Either a pretty inexpensive at local wrecking yards.

-Jeff

o2batsea

04-25-2018, 06:43 AM

I like the Range Rover/Disco hydraulic jacks for every day use. They telescope so they can go quite high. If you have to have a HiLift to impress the Park Rangers. then buy one and bolt it down somewhere for show. In use they are quite use-less. Well, they're OK for lifting and rocking the vehicle sideways, falling off the jack. If that's what you mean to do....
Also of far more help is a simple square of 3/4 plywood. 1x1 foot or maybe 1.5x1.5. A couple short bits of 4x4 wood block is also good to have. Having a good solid base to put the jack on often trumps it's ability to go high.
Do you have an 88 or 109? different storage options for each.

80sailor

04-25-2018, 09:37 AM

While not cheap, I've found that SafeJacks (https://safejacks.com/) has some really useful items. Everything from stable baseplates for bottle jacks to brackets which better hold crossmembers, leaf springs and axle tubes.

As for storage, since I use a bottle jack on my 88, it sits nicely in the storage bin under the driver's seat.

lugnuts

04-28-2018, 03:57 PM

I have a 109, Australian built 1980, military. Ordered a Discovery jack on Ebay. Storage options?

Thanks for your help! (I think you gave me advice earlier on LED headlamps, and that worked out very nicely).

TedW

05-01-2018, 09:03 AM

I like the Range Rover/Disco hydraulic jacks for every day use.

Same here. Got one on ebay in new condition for $30 or so with the accessory kit: rod, lug wrench (even fits my IIA) and wheel chocks. I suspect they come out of wrecks, so keep an eye out - I see them fairly often.