Crow Horse

I'm debating whether I should fab my own lifting nose and tensioner bracket similar to what's in the ORK or just buy the kit itself. Honestly, I don't need anything other than the brackets and chain/hooks. If I make it myself, it might cost a bit more than the kit but it would be heavier duty than what's in the kit. I would go with grade 70 chain and hooks, grade 8 bolts, and if I had to make a nose piece bracket it would be made from 1/4" flat stock.

One option of a nose piece bracket is this...
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/7738/hilift2ic3.jpg

Any thoughts are welcome and appreciated...

94XjSport94

What would you use it for? I have never encountered a need for that.

Crow Horse

My goal is to be prepared for the eventual getting stuck in my own driveway. It's long, steep, unpaved and when there's snow, it can get dicey real quick. Last time I got badly stuck, I slid back into the woods a bit and required 2 1/2 hours of digging to get out. Not fun. Having the Hi Lift jack set up for winching will save me a lot of time even though it's slow.

This was a couple of weeks ago and wasn't too badl but it can get much worse very quickly....

94XjSport94

Buy a winch...

Crow Horse

A winch isn't in the cards for me......

94XjSport94

Ok well get better tires for snow and try your best to make one of those.

dohc91gli

I like the look of the d-ring and chain with the closed over size loop thingy. These are a very versatile tool. I remember pulling fence posts, lifting cars, and stretching fence wire from a very young age with one of these. my dad has had it before me, and still has it. and I'm 33... man that sounds depressing.

Crow Horse

Got em, General Grabber AT 2's and they work really well in snow. Having an ice base makes a difficult situation worse. Chains are a pita and I'm not going to take them on and off just to get up my driveway (it's long). I'm just trying to make the best of what I have and not break the bank. What would help a great deal would be a LSD, but that's not in the cards as well at this moment....
To give you an idea as how bad it can get, while trying to descend, on 2 separate occasions in different vehicles, in low range and first gear, I managed to swap ends and slide down backwards. Definitely not fun. Many times you can't walk up it without Yaktrax on your boots......

95Cherokee

You need a gas powered snow blower.

Crow Horse

Have one but it's a bear to use. Figure my driveway is nearing an 1/8 of a mile long and it takes about 8 passes to clear it, that's app. 1 mile of snow blowing 1/2 of which is uphill and all of it is pretty rutted and unpaved. At 58, it's quite a workout especially after putting in a full shift. A plow truck, ATV w/plow just isn't going to happen right now....

I'm looking to be prepared in the eventuality that I really get stuck. I live alone so if I can't get unstuck that means I can't get to work the following day. My options are few but if I do have to resort to Hi Lift winching, I want to be prepared and not have to worry about "iffy" hardware or equipment...

Crow Horse

Depressing that your Dad has the jack or that you are 33?

dohc91gli

A little of both perhaps. Mainly the me being 33 part. I vote to fab your own. That way you know they're strong, and you have the pride of building it yourself.

tssguy123

You need these

94XjSport94

Park at the end of the driveway and walk to it.

tssguy123

a quarter mile a day keeps the doctor away