ok yesterday i was convinced that i needed a hi lift jack, so i told my dad i was going to 4 wheel drive hardware to get one. he told me that i didn't need one. now before i go on, my dad is a certified master rigger for 35 years. hes an ironworker and he gave me a 1.5 ton CABLE comealong to use instead of the hi lift. i read the whole thread about comelongs on here and i wanted to stay away from the cable ones, but he is convinced that it wouldn't break. he also said that i cant get unstuck by using a hi lift due to the unstability, and that when i do get stuck, i should use a bottle jack. now in everyones opinion, does my dad know what hes talking about, or does he just want to make it look like hes right?

 

he is right about the unstability of a high lift if you don't use it right you can get hurt I had one move and pinch my hand against my jeep. a cable is better than a chain or rope and with a comalongs disign the cable takes less stress but if you're stuck it doen't matter what you have you just use what you got and get free. I carry straps high lift and mky comalong.

 

Listen to your old man, I've done some rigging for a piling crew and if he has 35 years experience he knows what he's talking about... although I do have a hi-lift, I bought it cause it was on sale, but I am still going to get a come-along. Sometimes you can use the hi-lift to lift your rig up then give it a push off of something you could be stuck on, but be extremely careful. If your suspension droops too much to get the wheel off the ground you can always use a ratchet tie-down to hold the suspension up while you pile rocks or logs under that wheel. Or just get lockers but you could be poor like me. haha

 

you dont use it as a jack you use it as a comalongs

 

I carry both on the trail. I also carry a hydraulic jack for tire work.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=xldBPnzohtI

 

 

I've been wheelin for over 5 years and I have been stuck over a hundred times. I've used comealongs at least have a dozen times and they they've broke half the time ( I mean 5 ton comealong). I've had my highlift jack over four years and its NEVER failed me. EXTREMLEY VERSITLE!!!! A MUST HAVE!!

 

the comealong will work fine you cant get enough power to it to brake the cable unless you use it wrong

but the hi lift jack is multi purpose and can be used as a jack or a comealong

 

the comealong seems like it would be a good idea, but i am just worried about breaking it. i kno pull weight is not as much as actual weight (if that makes sense) so a 1.5 ton comealong should be ok. i wanted a hi lift cause i dont have a jack out on the trails but my dad said a bottle jack would be fine. the bottle jack does seem more stable. i think i am guna trust my dad on this one, but if that comealong ever does break, i am going straight to 4wheeldrive hardware and buying a hi lift. thanks for eveyone's advice and the great vid from youtube!

 

you wont be able to pull much with a 1.5 come along if you use it for mud recovery

show you dad the youtub video he my change his mind about it most people don't realize it can be used for wenching

 

a friend popped a bead on his tire a month ago when we where wheeling we could not get it high enough with gust one bottle jack we had to use a second one and some rocks to get it high enough and it was not the most stable way to do it because we had to use the rocks. the high lift would have made it much easier but i had left it at home. and it would have been much more stable but that is just my experience. i use it all the time at home also because the regular floor jack cant lift it high enough to work on the jeep.