sill sliders and guards

[..lee..]

just a quicky question.
most of the sill sliders i`ve seen fitted seem to hook in to the jacking tubes. so if you fit these how do you jack the van up? i`m guessing you need a highlift jack, which leads me on to the next question are the jacks on e bay ok or are some best avoided.

cheers lee.

[jed the spread]

I am looking at getting a hi lift myself lee. Although i don't have any real experience with them this would be a good time to view what i think i have learnt about them so those who do know can put me right. The ones on ebay i don't know much about but to use them in the jacking points you also need this attachment, ebay link another extra you can get for them is this winch link and looks like it could get you out of trouble if you got stuck. And if anyone could tell me what is the purpose of the bit on the top of this jack for as i see the reall cheepy ones on ebay dont have them?



jed

[toomanytoys]

Hi lift is a good idea...
I have a "limted edition aniversary" one.. (dark green and chrome components)
Personally I like it, but some parts of it are a bit poor on the fit (chrome handle is a sloppy fit in the socket)... so have a look at a few makes to see how they are put together...

The "bit on the end", its for clamping, or a shackle can be fitted to it so you can winch with it.. (needs turning 90 deg from that position in the pic though)

[syncropaddy]

I got my Hi Lift from CJ and its the same a Simon's one - sloppy fit and the chrome has long been replaced by rust. I also have the adapter which makes life easier . Syncronutz do (I think) a nice set of 'rock sliders' for the vans and you wont need the adapter as they have a wee spot where the standard HiLift fits. You can lift both wheels off the ground if you jack from the back jacking point which is dead handy when swoping over to a full set of MT's or something at an event.
Hi Lifts take a little getting used to but once you have that sussed you wont leave home without one !!!!

[jed the spread]

Whats a rock slider?

jed

[KarlT]

You can lift both wheels off the ground if you jack from the back jacking point which is dead handy when swoping over to a full set of MT's or something at an event.

Hi Lifts take a little getting used to but once you have that sussed you wont leave home without one !!!!

That's a bloody good Idea. Where's the back jacking point? Has anyone done that to the front? Could you cut & brace the front bumper to take a hi-lift.

I've also got the sloopy dark green with chrome but its never left my home!

[syncropaddy]

The Americans (and others) call those bars that this post is about, 'rock sliders' as they protect the body by sliding over rocks (I presume).

The rear jacking point is the standard one

[..lee..]

i think if you`re going to use a high lift then it makes sense to me to have jack points front and rear as well as both sides.

i saw someone once use the high lift to get the van un stuck cant remember where may have been utube. they must have lifted the van up 3 foot and then just pushed the van over and moved it 3 foot over to the right.

clever bugger i thought. but i can imagine offroading there worth their weight in gold.


lee.

[Syncro G]

If your buying a high lift jack, rail jack, farm jack or whatever you want to call it get a "Hi-lift" or a "Jackall" The others are cheep imitations that you'll break! When your lifting a 2 tonne vehicle near the top of the rack it bends a bit, but will spring out, chinese cheese won't.

2 golden rules of hi lifts...
1) be prepaired for them to fall over at any time, mainly in assue when jacking the front or rear, they seem much better on the side points like the syncro. As Lee says, sometimes them falling over can be as an advantage.
2) NEVER put them into reverse when the handle isn't clipped upright against the rack, or it'll try and take your arm off if it gets in the handles arc.
Thats the dodgy bits.

Topclamp is a useful feature to have.

[KarlT]

Any pics of a front jacking point?

[Syncro G]

Any pics of a front jacking point?

Think they're only on the sides as standard, "front" one just behind front wheel, "rear" by rear wishbone.

The front crash pannel seems a pritty sterdy thing so you could probubly make a front point on that without much trouble - jack would probubly fit underneath it without an adaptor without much modding. Rear would be harder, westy towbars are good but I'm not sure I'd want to jack on one, and I don't think anything else is very strong round there.

Only things I've jacked on the front is a series Land-Rover with chunky galv bumper and a UMM Alter II with an RSJ for a front bumper (in both cases just put the jacks tow under the bumper, its fine if its flat, round tubes slip easy, but theres an atachment for that). The UMM was the heavy one (they are made of pure cast iron I think) that got the rack bending nicely when useing the last foot of a 5ft Hi-lift. A bit scarry but the quality jacks can take it, needed people to steady it till full hight was reached then we gave it a shove.

[syncropaddy]

Using a Hi Lift on the front or rear is quite unstable. Tends to slide sideways a lot.

[toomanytoys]

Yeah, using one on the front or back is a bit dangerous without a proper device to stop the twisting... and the forces acting on it would be a lot so not worth the effort..
I have used a trolly jack under the front bumper and the towbar, when "digging" myself out.......... the rear mounting bar (wbx) is also strong enough to jack up on, but not with the "hi lift"....

Yep. be VERY carefull with the jack when lowering they WILL go into a free fall very voilent finger/hand/arm/face smashing mode... its a good idea to practice how to use it on something much lighter (I lifted one front wheel on my tractor as practice)..
Need to have load on the handle when releasing to lower... if the handle is in the upright position (clipped to the main bar) then the thing will drop on the floor instantly... (well my Hi Lift will !!!!!) not the best way to release that load......

I think a lesson for the uninitiated at each event should be done so people can be familier with them...

[HarryMann]

I think a lesson for the uninitiated at each event should be done so people can be familier with them...

Good stuff Simon, you're nominated for that

[toomanytoys]

I knew when I pressed submit it might turn out to be a silly idea.......... ha ha ha