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hi lift jack hood mount/ jack too heavy?

14K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  Splnkr 
#1 ·
I have found a good deal on a brand new 48" all cast hi lift jack, the all red one. I really like the look of the hood mount and it will keep it away from the road grime, car seats in the back so that location was out for me. The question I have is will the 48" long jack mounted to the hood be ok. I noticed on there website that they offer smaller ones and didn't know if the 42" version was the one I was seeing mounted on the hood. The jack seemed real heavy and I want to make sure it will be safe to mount it to the hood, I didn't know if there was that much difference in weight between the two. I also plan of making my own brackets for mounting.
 
#28 ·
^^^Good Post!^^^

I have mine mounted on my rear bumper. Yes, it gets a little scroungy, but I clean it, touch up the paint when it needs it and keep it lubed. So far it's doing just fine.
 
#4 ·
hope to use it

I hope to actually use it, my tj is stock as far as suspension and tires (30"). I have a bad habit of throwing it into places that it shouldn't be with a stock setup, luckily she always seems to get me out. I know my luck is going to run out and I need a backup plan, I figured the hi lift would suit my needs. I guess I could always mount it in the "trunk" space behind the rear seat on top of the tub, still really like the look of the hood mount instead.:D
 
#6 ·
final install

This is my final install for my Hi Lift jack after trying a few other options. I drilled a 3/8" hole through both sides of the rear roll bar down tube about 8 1/2" above the tub where the roll bar attaches. I used 3/8"x5" long carriage bolts with large washer and lock nut to make the posts that the Hi Lift will attach to. I ended up having to remove the base plate, no big deal I am going to replace the cotter pin with quick release pull pin similar to what comes on the extreme model. I also had to drill a hole in the top clamp clevis out at the tip, I don't believe this will be an issue with the performance of the jack.
I finished by sliding the jack onto the bolt posts and tightened it down with washers and wing nuts. This seemed to be the most sturdy and safe option that I have seen when doing my research, I think it turned out great.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
yeah I think it is the best place, I have kids and I was afraid to mount it anywhere else knowing they would be the ones who would hit there heads. It is a very strong way of mounting it inside, I live in the midwest where they use salt in the winter like it is going out of style and I wanted to keep it out of that metal eating mess.
I tried this way first and it wasn't very stable with the weight of jack on it.


I also pad locked the base to one of the tie downs in the cargo area to keep it secure.
 
#18 ·
nice pics, and great idea.

i fixed your pictures, and the should now appear as pictures rather than text.

here
is a really good "how to" thread on posting pictures.

I tried using that exact thread as a guide but when I went to upload the pics in the thread it kept saying "failed to upload pictures". The only way I could get the pics up was to copy the URL right into the thread. I may have been doing something wrong but I worked at it for a good 45 mins. before I said to hell with it and added the pics the way I did. I will walk through it again on my next post and see if it works then. Thanks for fixing the pics for me by the way, I appreciate it.:crash:
 
#14 ·
If I had a hardtop, I would mount mine to the roll bar (like the above pic's, looks great and solid). But always zipping and unzipping is a pain. I mounted mine to the hood (put it on only when I go wheeling) and it works fine for me.
 
#15 ·
That looks really nice, nice clean job. The ones that mount on the spare tire look nice too.
 
#17 ·
I didn't think two more holes per roll bar would make a difference, especially once I took the padding off and saw all the holes already in the roll bar from the factory. There are two holes for the seatbelt mounts and another two for each of the foam roll bar padding attachment points. With all those other holes I didn't figure two more would hurt, and i liked the clean look of single post instead of huge clamps held on by compression around foam padding and the cover. I tried that approach and didn't feel it was as safe, to each his own I guess. I have to line up another project for this labor day weekend, three day weekend, lots of time, any ideas.:D
 
#19 ·
I opted to mount my 42 Hi Lift on a Tough Stuff hood mount. I did not have room in the rear. I love it. It has a high coolness factor ("What the Hell is That?!?") and is not taking up space occupied by my mountain bike or rear seat, both of which get taken in and out a LOT. The jack is mounted rock solid, and as long as you don't try and lift it off by the light end, I've not come close to dropping it on my hood.

Hi-Lift 02.jpg photo - C. G. Anderson photos at pbase.com

Oh, and, hello!
 
#26 ·
Splnkr how did you mount and where did you get the roof rack on your rig? I have been thinking about getting one for my bow case and gear when I go hunting and it is my turn to drive the guys. I don't like the look of the "cage" that mounts to the front of the windshield and down to the bumper. Your setup looks more along the lines of what I am wanting.:punk:

Thanks
 
#21 ·
If you folks start having a problem with the wing nuts vibrating loose try ny-loc nuts. they won't vibrate loose. The fact that you need a wrench to remove is both a plus and a minus. It makes it harder for someone to steal, but it takes longer to deploy.
 
#22 ·
Mounted my 60" highlift to the hood with warrior products hood mounts...totally happy and it gets used a fair amount...not a hood scratch or dent from the jack, but alot of tree limb dents and scratches on it from trail abuse. Nice thing is, if I see it come loose, I can get it taken care of instead of losing it on the road, or running over it.


 
#23 ·
The only thing about mounting Hi-LIFT on the hood is you can't put your hood all the way back and rest it against the wind shield. The Hi-LIFT mounts will dig into the hood and cause damage.

That being said - the hood is an ok spot since it is real easy to get to.
 
#24 ·
If you put a towel or rags down, the hood sits straight up at 90 degrees and doesn't rest on your windshield. I bungie cord it to the windshield footman loop beside my rearview mirror so it stays...you have to remove the jack if you do this, that's the only drawback, but I use the hood strut for most of my work. I do miss laying the windshield down and getting mud in my teeth...lol
 
#25 ·
I have a child seat in the back of my Jeep and as you can see from the pic it poses no danger to my son as it's safely behind the seat. I used the mount sold on Quadratech's site.

I considered the hood mount but decided it was in the way and could cause damage if I wasn't careful with it. I decided against the bumper mount because it looked bad (to me) and was right out front taking abuse from the road elements, weather and trail... Not to mention theft. So, I tucked it away safe from prying eyes in the back of my Jeep. The nice thing about where I have mine is that it's truly out of the way. I don't have to remove it when I'm not off-roading so it's always with me.
 

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