Exhaust Jack

[ststephen]

I'm thinking of getting a Bushranger X Jack

http://www.offroaders.com/directory/products/Bushranger-X-jack.htm

I have an upcoming trip where I'm renting a vehicle and can't fly with a 30+lb steel high lift jack.

Does anyone have experience using the Bushranger or similar products?

Thanks!

[JP]

I've used commercial airbags when they were first being introduced to the market. They worked well. That looks like a pretty neat design. You would just have to make sure if you have any lift to the vehicle that this bag will inflate enough to get the fully inflated spare back on. For ha-ha's a small section of plywood for that bag to rest on in case you're on some jagged, rocky terrain. Like you said, it's better than lugging the Hi-Lift around. I like the exhaust and or 12v inflation :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

[CrazyFinn]

That thing looks cool. I may get one for my buggy. Been looking for something. :nod:

[ststephen]

I heard from someone off-bogley who has this exact model that it is useful but that there are some caveats:

- you can't drive off them
- once it rolled off on him when lifting both wheels in an off-camber situation
- can't use it as a poor-man's winch like you can a high lift jack.

I just don't feel like buying a jack and giving it away when I fly home and this has certain uses for sand and mud that jacks can't offer. So, I think I will get it and hope that it plus the crappy jack the Jeep comes with will suffice for my trip.

[JP]

- you can't drive off them
- once it rolled off on him when lifting both wheels in an off-camber situation
- can't use it as a poor-man's winch like you can a high lift jack.
Umm, yea :roflol:
I wouldn't see the need to drive off of them and I wouldn't recommend driving off a Hi-Lift either. In either case being lazy will lead to injuries and or vehicle damage. I guess in a "stuck" situation driving off a jack can be a last resort, again, I wouldn't recommend it.

Have you ever used a Hi-Lift? I've seen Hi-Lifts fall with vehicles on them, on flat ground. The base of a Hi-Lift is not all that wide and the higher the vehicle is lifted, the more unstable that jack becomes. I would be extremely wary of off camber situations with a Hi-Lift. Trying to lift either the both front or rear tires, I could see the vehicle rolling off the airbag. Chalk the opposing tires to keep the vehicle from shifting. Again, this bag is to change your flat tire. One at a time, if for some really odd reason you had two flats simultaneously. I doubt anyone would have two spares. Use the bag the way it was intended for use.

Poor man's jack theory is about the only thing I can see is a disadvantage to this exhaust lift. But, your needs outweighs this disadvantage.

As you can see, I'm anti-HiLift. They take up a lot of room, that is a big hunk of metal to have unsecured in the passenger compartment with you, secured it takes up space and mounted to the outside of a vehicle it's prone to impacts and or snags. I've seen these things fail on different levels. I've seen aged ones that need a hammer to release the mechanism that allows it to jack back down.

I have had winches on all my off-road vehicles. I know this isn't an option for you, but I'm just pointing out why I have never needed a Hi-Lift. In cases where a tire needed to be changed, the winch and a tree works wonders. No trees around, that's okay, another vehicle will do or anything else with a solid stance at ground level.

But, I would gladly take that exhaust lift over the Hi-Lift. Safety, simplistic and packs away better.

[ststephen]

Great points. Yeah, I'm going to go with this item.

Just to defend the "drive off", the person I'm quoting is very experienced (he runs a 4x4 training program) and I think he has found ways of using the high lift for certain recovery situations that involving driving off of them when winching wasn't an option.

No way I would attempt that having never even seen it done!

So, bottom line this seems like a really good option for me. While it's a little expensive I'll have this to keep and can fly with it again and pack it for off-roading in CA.

Thanks for all the insight.

[JP]

I think he has found ways of using the high lift for certain recovery situations that involving driving off of them when winching wasn't an option.
Yea, when a tire gets wedged or stuck in a hole, you're without lockers, you jack up the side that is stuck and drive away and hope that the tire clears the hole and doesn't drop back in. There's nothing guaranteeing that the jack doesn't fall into the vehicle and if you have a rental, that's going to be a bit costly :lol8:

Winching is always an option. Always :mrgreen: If you're wheelin' alone, maybe not. :nono: But, I don't wheel alone :cool2:

[RedMan]

I always found the "drive off" technique a little to dangerous for my taste.
Body damage is highly likely, both the sheet metal and soft tissue varieties.

[JP]

and soft tissue varieties.
:roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

[ExpUt]

Late chiming in...

I've put my X-Jack to use, fixing a broken wheel joint on Impossible Hill south of Elehphant Hill. Replacing a track bar bolt in the Henry's, replacing a flat on the Dome Plateau trail... its proved its worth to the point I don't carry a Hi-Lift anymore. My 2 cents.

[JP]

its proved its worth to the point I don't carry a Hi-Lift anymore. My 2 cents.
That's great to hear :nod: I never owned a Hi-Lift, just seen too many close calls. Nice to know they have a safe option out there for the avid wheeler :2thumbs: