Hi-Lift, Handyman, Farm Jacks?

[Artfuldodger]

I saw a discussion on another forum and it sorta struck my interest. Mostly what all these jacks could be used for and my whom. I've never used one although I do see a lot of them on Jeeps and trucks.
I'm reading that they are also used on farms, by builders, and the railroad in days past. They can be used for lifting, pulling stumps and fence posts, winching trucks, jacking up trucks and equipment. Also can be used for clamping such as carpenters use like those made of pipe. And also for stretching such as those used by first responders to remove someone from a wrecked vehicle.
Also that Hi-Lift is the company name and possibly the best and safest brand.
Speaking of safety, they sound like perhaps not that safe if not used properly. If you turn loose of the handle when lowering it will take off by itself. I've seen old bumper jacks do that.
Because of their lack of safety folks call them Widowmakers and Hospital Jacks.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I thought this accessory would be a good idea for lifting a tire up to put something under it if in a hole perhaps.

 

[Milkman]

We used to use them in lifting and lowering heavy industrial equipment. Getting the equipment on and off transport dollies and such.

 

[JustUs4All]

They are very useful around a farm. I once used one to get a vehicle off of a stump by jacking up the front end and then pushing the vehicle off the jack.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Lots of farm uses. Probably why they are also colloquially called farm jacks.

I have used them for:
removing fence posts,
pulling fences taught,
jacking up tractors (and then putting a jack stand under) when getting a safer jack to the site would be inconvenient,
pulled a calf with one once,
did a quick and dirty temporary fix on a steel gate when our bull rammed through it going after a cow in heat
The one I had was perfect for jacking up the back end of a JCB skid steer we had

The list goes on.

I often wonder how many of those Jeeper wannabes you see with their shiny new rims and equally shiny new Hi-Lift jack even know how to use it. Maybe the rubber ducky will tell them.

(Jeep owner, BTW)

 

[DannyW]

I thought this accessory would be a good idea for lifting a tire up to put something under it if in a hole perhaps.
View attachment 1253964

Looks like a useful tool. I can think of many times in my younger life that it would have been a game changer. Now...notsomuch.

I hope that cotter pin at the bottom is not load bearing?

 

[Gator89]

Yep, a High Lift can be a useful tool, but one haws to be careful, the load can easily shift and the user could be injured.

But, most activities have some risk.

 

[Mauser]

We use em pretty regularly. Main thing we use em for is jacking up towers on irrigation pivot to change a tire or gear box. Just go ahead and spray the pins and sliding parts with some kind of slickem spray before each use. Be mindful of the handle too.

 

[Nicodemus]

I always made sure I had one when we had to take the marsh master out. It would sometimes throw a track and it was up to us to get it back on. Especially if we were in hip deep water.

 

[fireman32]

We don’t use them at our department, newer cooler stuff to use for extrication now. They certainly aren’t obsolete though.
At my cotton picker job, I’ve used one to help lift the picker basket when a cylinder was stuck. A porta-power is a bit safer.

 

[JustUs4All]

For an all around "do nearly anything" farm tool the Hi-Lift ranks right up there with a big hammer.

 

[turkeykirk]

Back in my four wheeling days my High Lift Jack got me out of a few tight situations.

 

[Redbow]

We used to use big air jacks with long screw gears to jack up the bodies of locomotives off the wheel assemblies called trucks so we could drop the fuel tank or work on other parts of those machines that needed repair. I never saw one fail but we never stood near them as the locomotive body was lifted clear of the wheel assemblies. Once the locomotive body was lifted high enough we used pieces of cut off cross ties and big blocks of oak wood to secure the locomotive bodies for safety reasons just in case a screw jack let go while we were making repairs on those machines.

 

[Throwback]

Useful to have but around our place it’s done got real if that comes out.

 

[JustUs4All]

Used one today to put the front axle of an old Ford NAA on a stand and pull a wheel for a tire replacement. Blew the dirt out of it, hit it with some WD-40, and click-click-click - the job was done.

 

[Throwback]

If I ever have to use a hi lift jack to pull a fence post up again I’m just going to cut it off at the ground.