Thread: Hi Lift Jack lifting points on Puma

If you look under the bumber on the front, there are 2 rubber blanks, pull these off and that's where the factory high lift goes, on the rear there are 2 holes on the rear crossmember. Interestingly, my 110 puma came with a factory high lift jack, but my 130 puma ute came with a hydraulic bottle jack?
I use my normal high lift quite often on the farm particularly when carting firewood, a set of maxtrax and a high lift and there's not much I can't get the landy out of.

The adaptors for defenders are generally $65. I made one from a solid bar and a piece of rectangular hollow section (100 x 50 x 3 wall thickness) that I squashed a bit in the vice and gave some encouragement with a cold chisel and hammer to fit the vertical flange under the hi lift tongue. Cost - $5 - half an hour including a bit of welding.

Well, calling the OEM jack a "Hi-Lift" is a little generous...

There seems to be no actual logic as to which one of the two jacks you end up with in your new Defender. The vast majority now is the bottle jack, but every now and then you find one with the old “180 Degree – Take you 7 years to jack” model fitted.

In Africa the inherent instability and pivot action of the round Hi-Lift adaptor is actually used in a recovery technique. On completely unmaintained roads over there, you find that the centre median between the two wheel tracks gets higher and higher as the road wears out and eventually it gets to the point where just about any axle will hang up. Recovering yourself you need to jack the car as high as you dare, and then deliberately push it sideways so the jack falls over to the side and your wheels end up on top of the median for the inside wheel and next to the road on the outside wheel.

This is however not for the faint hearted or inexperienced and not something to be tried without proper tuition...

Glenn,

Original LR jacking points - 3:10.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc7Tni99dlQ"]LROTV High Lift Jack Vs Air Jack - YouTube[/ame]

Originally Posted by flagg

Be very careful with hi-lifts, especially when you are jacking from the front or the rear.

Originally Posted by Loubrey

This is however not for the faint hearted or inexperienced and not something to be tried without proper tuition...

Glenn,

Original LR jacking points - 3:10.

Thank you Loubrey for the informative video and also to others who have reinforced the dangers of High Lift Jacks. The video also includes warnings and an appropriate demonstration. Thanks

Originally Posted by TimNZ

I've really got to question the value of a High Lift Jack. I've had my one for about 8 years now and all I have really used it for is to move a chook shed. I don't like to use it to change tyres because of it's inherent instability, however I still carry it on a trip, (with the chain winching kit), "just in case". On some vehicles I see them fitted to it appears that they are there more as a statement than a tool.

Cheers,

+1

I've carried one for years and have never really needed it. I put it in the same category as the 2nd spare wheel, supposedly useful to have but really just dead weight. Though Murphys Law says the minute I leave either behind I'll need both. I carry two bottle jacks, one short one long, which I reckon is a far more versatile (and safer) combination. I also have a winch for if I really get stuck.

Deano

Originally Posted by goingbush

you can buy / make an adaptor for the high lift that uses the original LR jacking points

I've never had much success with these.

It's rare in the bush that the vehicle is dead level. Anything off camber, forget it.

Even at home in perfect conditions, they jam. The hi-lift goes straight up. The vehicle gets raised in an arc. It must & will jam eventually.

The hilift can be used under parts of the bullbar, and are brilliant with rock sliders, if they are strong enough. I've also got reinforcing around the rear cross member, making use here easy.

A couple of other points:

- As a jack, they're a pain with long travel suspension. Bottle or trolley jacks are much easier.

- When they play up, it's not when lifting. It's releasing them, getting them down again that's the problem. They stick when at the top of the rack. WD40 beforehand helps, there are bags for the tongue, but the best insurance is - don't store them in the dust. That is, don't mount them to the rear cross member.

- Their load rating is when about 6" up. When 6" from the top, the load rating is only 10% or so of the stated rating. Believe me, when you see the rack bow under load, you get nervous.

- Replace the stupid top extension, if its not already lost, with a Jackmate.

BC4x4.COM four wheel drive, 4x4, offroad and fourwheeling site.

Opposite Lock carry them I think. This really adds to the versatility of the hi lift.

Regards
Max P

Originally Posted by Tusker

I've never had much success with these.

It's rare in the bush that the vehicle is dead level. Anything off camber, forget it.

Thats where the LR adaptor is great, The Jack won't slip off & its stuck in the hole & you can jack on any angle. even sideways

Even at home in perfect conditions, they jam. The hi-lift goes straight up. The vehicle gets raised in an arc. It must & will jam eventually.

News to me , never had it happen.

The hilift can be used under parts of the bullbar, and are brilliant with rock sliders, if they are strong enough. I've also got reinforcing around the rear cross member, making use here easy.

A couple of other points:

- As a jack, they're a pain with long travel suspension. Bottle or trolley jacks are much easier.

Agreed, If I can use a bottle jack I will, Much safer & usually easier

- When they play up, it's not when lifting. It's releasing them, getting them down again that's the problem. They stick when at the top of the rack. WD40 beforehand helps, there are bags for the tongue, but the best insurance is - don't store them in the dust. That is, don't mount them to the rear cross member.

Too Right, Can of WD40 is essential, they have to be lubed up to work & that attracts the dust & gums them up.

- Their load rating is when about 6" up. When 6" from the top, the load rating is only 10% or so of the stated rating. Believe me, when you see the rack bow under load, you get nervous.

Yes you don't want to jack too high, the higher you go the less stable.
Great if you want to jack the car up & push it over which I do frequently,
but Ive never seen the rack bow under load, you might have a chinese knock off jack

- Replace the stupid top extension, if its not already lost, with a Jackmate.

BC4x4.COM four wheel drive, 4x4, offroad and fourwheeling site.

Opposite Lock carry them I think. This really adds to the versatility of the hi lift.

Regards
Max P

Sweet, nice bit of kit, think I'll fab one up. Got nothing better to do thisarvo, (no work when its raining)

The other thing wrong with the high lift if you store it vertical on the back of the car, the handle fills up with water & you get nice & wet the next time you swing the handle, Tip - drill a hole in the bottom of the handle.

I won't post publicly some of the ridiculous situations we've recovered from with the hi lift, but there's one hint I forgot earlier:

The hi lift handle is ideal to sacrifice & use to sleeve a bent track rod. You'll never get it off again, but at least you can drive home carefully.

And don't whack the track rod on a rock or the eucalyptus anvil trying to straighten it. You'll end up with two kinks. Use the hi lift & drag chain to straighten it enough to accept the handle. Think cross bow, with the tongue right on the kink. It works, but takes some force. Again, not for the inexperienced.

Regards
Max P