Operating a Hi-Lift Jack

Have a great day everyone! And don't knock your teeth out with one of these!

Hi-Lift Jack

Enjoy EC? Join Essential Craftsman Academy!
This is the best way to support Essential Craftsman and you get a LOT of perks as a bonus!

Did you know we have a podcast?

If you are going to hire a contractor for a big project PLEASE read our ebook first!

Amazon Affiliate Links:

Video Equipment and Misc.

Learn more about Essential Craftsman

Thank you, be safe, and be grateful.

[essentialcraftsman]

Construction on the spec house has started! 👍👍

[budwoodman]

I am 70 yrs old and I can still see my dad using one of these, out in the field, lifting up a tandem disc to repair or replace a component. He carried in on a home made bracket on the the fender and on the other fender he had a removable 1" thick iron plate that served as a support plate. Thanks for memory.

[simonforget]

Removing fence posts and small trees are another great usage for these farm jacks (as we called them here).
Keep up your excellent work!

[chrisb]

Had to come back and watch this again after AVE’s latest installment

[HBSuccess]

When I was a young pup I did a fair amount of foundation replacement/repair where we used hi-lifts just like the one you're showing to lift houses and small building off their existing foundations so we could replace sills, re-lay a few courses of block, or get beams in to start cribbing/excavation. It was sometimes pretty scary. Greenhorns take note - this type of jack will kick out in a second unless you can get them perfectly set, which will seldom be the case. And the higher you go the worse it is. So block under your load as you go - lift it 2" -put 2" of blocking under it.. 2 more inches... more blocking. That way if it does kick out the load will only fall to your last block. It's also better to dig down a little, level a spot, and set a better footing under the jack -sturdy hardwood or multiple layers of plywood - NOT a concrete cap block (which can crush under a point load). At least get rid of the sod and topsoil directly under the foot of the jack.

[last]

To make a long story short, one of these Handyman Jacks saved a colleague's life when a large piece of machinery pinned him under and onto a massive burner. Co-workers ran to a parked jeep, got the jack and saved his life. Don, I still think of you and that day in 1969 whenever I see this type of jack.

[chasinghistory]

I’ve used these jacks for 15+ years. I still clicked to watch this, i appreciate you taking the time to teach a new generation. I have so many young men start for me that know none of this kinda stuff. Great stuff!

[pandyslittlesenpai]

I grew up watching my dad use one. I started helping him when I was about twelve. He was never hurt by one I was never her by one. Luck you say not at all. We had very strict safety rules we aways followed. I have used one hundreds of times, many times in the wild.
1. When working under a vehicle always make a secondary support. Usually a 2x4 and a block of firewood large enough to make a firm support under the axle.
2. Always have two or three 2x4 and 2x6. A 2x6 12 to 16 inches long under the foot of the jack makes it much more stable especially in soft ground.
3. Never wrap your fingers all the way around the bar of the jack while jacking the handle with the other hand. In other words never have your fingers between any where the handle can reach.
4. There are several pinch points on the jack treat them as if you were jacking with a rattlesnake.
5. While jacking up things can go wrong. If it doesn't feel right on the way up, stop, keep a firm grip kick the down latch and lower the jack and reset the jack and try agian.
6. Never have your head over the handle.
7. Keep others away out of reach of the jack.
8. Always block both sides of at least one tire while jacking up a vehicle.
That is the short list.

[michaeldougfir]

"Whackety whack"? I guess that describes it best. I appreciate very much that you brought this out to teach on it. I have two of them.

The things that come to mind when I think of these is,
1. As shown, the free dental work you can get from one of these. If you can't keep your head out of the way as much as possible, AND keep a good grip on the handle, well... you will never forget what could happen to you.

2. Always keep this machine oiled. It will relieve your frustration. NOTICE! He used a lubricant more substantial than WD40. Take the hint.

3. More than once this jack has helped me rescue a stuck pickup truck. I jacked it up out of the hole and pushed it over onto solid ground. One day it took about ten times doing this before I could drive out of the woods. But I was alone and had the help of this great tool. Thank the Lord for his provision!

[matthewpotter]

I have had one of these in my pickup for years. An insurance policy against getting stuck while elk hunting. Also, I built a shed in my backyard a couple years ago. I had to build it a few feet off the foundation due to the fact that its final resting spot would be right next to a fence. I built the shed on skids. When it was completed I ised the handyman jack, the foot against a solid rest, to push the shed (it was real heavy!) Into position. Then I used the jack to lift a side and remove the skid, then the same on the other side.

I have also used it to take out fenceposts that had broken off and were set in concrete. I dug around the concrete, wrapped a chain around it, then jacked it up. I olaced the foot on a section of 2x6 so it would not fall in the hole. I also connected with a bolt and nut a piece of angle iron about 6 feet long and at a 45 degree angle so the bottom would rest on the ground, giving support to the top of the jack so it would not tip over when it came under a load.

Thanks for explaining the up/down part. It always takes my simple mind a few minutes to remember how that works.

[ZimZam]

My grandfather's hi-jack made him a lot of money and continues to make me money. they are the best!

[LukePighetti]

Hey man, love your work, love your channel, love your videos. Just wanted to mention to your viewers that your head should NEVER be in the path of that handle. The way I've found to handle this (har har!), is to face away from the jack, stand with the jack on your right, and use your right hand to power the jack, leaning forward away from the jack. With a little practice you can get your entire body, except for your shoulder/arm/hand, out of the path of that handle, and I find a huge mechanical advantage to this method. As a note, these fit under the rear seat of an XJ if you give the transmission tunnel a few good whacks. Thanks for listening!

[KLP]

A high lift Jack was one of my first purchases once I could afford it. I'd grown up using my Dad's. When he died I inherited his tools, except somewhere along the way a brother-in-law had gotten that Jack, plus a grinding wheel and a vice. Both are long gone because her became wealthy and they lost value in his eyes. He was a very hard worker and won the respect of my father, who valued hard work. But being a fair number of years younger, I wasn't in a position to need those tools. The latter two belonged to my grandfather and I'd like them just for that reason. The jack was my Dad's alone. I have just a few tools that belonged to Dad. They are well used, but are older now and I've retired them in favor of modern tools. Except a planer and a couple others. Thanks for another great video. My high lift is my come along and winch

[bpccmathcalculusiihitch]

Scott, I just have to share a lube tip with you that I discovered via serendipity. Anything with moving parts like this jack (e.g., trailer nose wheels, implement pins, hand pliers, trailer hinges, etc.) that must be oiled frequently to keep them operating correctly can be lubed with plumbers' silicone grease made by Danco. This is available at Lowes in a 0.5-oz squeeze tube (item #53861). It's pricey as heck compared to oil, but it cuts right through rust and I have never (so far) had to lube those items again. It has an operational temperature range of -40 to 400 degrees F and is totally impervious to water.

[ovwok]

Let me repeat that again for u all "Keep a firm grip on the handle"
I was stuck in the mud and rain once and while using the high jack the handle slipped out of my hand and popped me in the cheek giving me a nice shiner and I got knocked out.
Still have a scar!

[victorcastle]

Thanks for the video on this old jack. I believe it has old history back to the high axle wagons.
I use to have to carry it to work in my 4x4 pickup to take the front chains off, before starting home from the plant I worked in. As the town roads would be cleared so far out to the country twp. Then would have to put them back on when I got home, knowing the roads would be blown back shut by mornings.

We had a lot of big snows, back in the 1970's and '80's. After slipping off the ice packed snow once on a curve and jumping the ditch, my winch bumper stuck on the other side, with wheels suspended over ditch. I had just enough chain to reach across the road to a fence post, with highlift jack hooked up to it. I had just verily enough umph to drag the front bumper off the frozen dirt and snow, into the ditch.
After that, I inserted a steel pipe inside the handle, for extra leverage if ever needed.
Treat them as a gun, assume they are loaded, with respect as what they can do, if you don't. you can't be to careful, like any tool.

Over a hundred year old tool, still in need.

[jacobramirez]

Finally someone that knows how to use a high-lift jack.kudos

[BCVS]

I have a love hate relationship with these jacks. I have been using one since I was big enough to lift it—over 50 yrs. Every ranch truck has one attached somewhere. It is incredibly dusty here and oiling the mechanism accumulates dust so bad. I have found that just pouring a little water on it will loosen it up. It’s so dry here the water evaporates before it can rust the jack. It is an essential tool for me. They require a very high degree of respect or you will get hurt. Great video!

[AnMadreMor]

I like the quick concise method that you use to explain the functions of the jack . Thanks for your time.

[lexboegen]

I carried one in the bed of my 4x4 back in the days when I went off-roading. I remember seeing an accessory for my Hi-Lift jack to allow it to be used for splitting firewood, which is not something that I ever tried. This jack, a come-along, and a snatch strap were all I needed to ever get my truck unstuck.