Winching with a High Lift

[EricB]

Hi

I am slowing putting a recovery kit together.

I have a Snatch, 2 shackles and gloves.

Until I decide on a winch, hand or elec I might get a High Lift Jack.

What do I need to buy with the Jack to be able to winch with it.

I was thinking a Winch strap 10m or 20m?
Snatch block
Tree protector
Chain and shackles, how long?

If I use a block does that mean I need 2x tree protector?

Any help would be great

PS. any easy way of attaching High lift to Spare wheel other than paying $140 at ARB

[grimbo]

save your money and buy a winch. you really don't want to try and winch a SWB patrol with a hi lift. You can only move it a couple of inches at a time, then you have disconnect reconnect and do it again. They aren't made as a winch they are jacks and at pinch if you are really desperate can be used as a winch but only as the last resort.

As to storing your hi lift on the spare wheel that is alot of extra weight to be carrying on there especially if the wheel is bigger than standard. you'll stuff your hinges. Another problem with storing a hi lift in the conditions is the amount of crap that will clog it up rendering it useless when you really need it. try storing it inside securely

[DAZ]

I had the same opinion myself untill one day we draged my truck 10m or so through mud with a high lift there was three of us and it was HARD WORK That Monday i went in and bought an electric whinch .

The thing that dose catch you out is you have a 1m long jack but buy the time you take up the slack in every thing you get less than 300mm of pull definatly a good idear to have what you need to do it incase like us one day you need to . Set it up at home as a mock up and do it then you will know what you need .

I would say drage chain 'D' shackels that fit through holes in jack , one tree protector and a whinch extion strap at least .

A recovery kit bag might be a good starting point if you don't have one already as you will eventualy need it all if your keen . Happy traveling

[MissDrew]

I had the same opinion myself untill one day we draged my truck 10m or so through mud with a high lift there was three of us and it was HARD WORK

That was the HARDEST!!!!!!!!!!! work I have ever done 4x4ing , I still have the scare on my leg from the high lift that day

[grimbo]

I agree you can do it but i wouldn't recommend doing it or plan buying a hi lift jack to do the job. I know a guy that used a 3m length of rope and a snatch strap to pull himslef up a hill out of a river, took him 4 hours but he got there using truckie hitches (or somesort of knots) and moving himself about 2' a time. Much cheaper than a winch or hi lift jack

[TwistedMQ]

also rember that the snatch block is designed to have the wire rope through it.

[Tojo]

i cannot understand why anyone would ever try using a hi lift jack to winch themselves out of a bog. As the name sugests, it is a hi lift jack. Use it to jack the car up, pack stuff under the wheels and drive out. You may need to do this a few times to get out. But it will be far easier and quicker than trying to use one as a winch! The shackles, chain, winch strap and tree trunk protector are all good things to have in your recovery kit. I'd also suggest a shovel, axe and some riggers gloves.

[MissDrew]

i cannot understand why anyone would ever try using a hi lift jack to winch themselves out of a bog. As the name sugests, it is a hi lift jack. Use it to jack the car up, pack stuff under the wheels and drive out. You may need to do this a few times to get out. But it will be far easier and quicker than trying to use one as a winch!

We tried that for about 2hrs and still couldn`t get the extra 10 or so meters that we needed to to beable to do the rest of the track. We could back out but who in their right mind wants to go back when you know its a cool track in front of you

[J Top]

A Hi Lift is just excess baggage on most standard vehicles as there is nowhere to lift on unless you have side bars,rear bar,bullbar etc.
If however you are changing your tyres regularly,ie mud to road and back ,and you have a suspension lift,the Hi Lift can be handy,especially on the trail.You still need somewhere to jack on though.
The carriage and handle are demountable from the rack,so you can mount the rack and handle accross a bullbar as the dirt will not effect them and store the carriage inside.
J Top

[DiscoDino]

Its ALMOST as slow as a Ramsey winch

No, really...its the "last resort" thing - I'd back up

[mudtoy]

Now have a winch...but back then the high lift saved our bacon many times...awkward and sometimes dangerous to use but with experience a great tool.

With a SPOA 40 and a 5 inch lift 80, we need the highlift anyway.

Don't need a snatch block but a chain with clevis or claw hook would be an advantage...and as stated above...get rated shackles that fit through the appropriate holes on the high lift.

Last thing, as mentioned above, try it at home first and make sure you know how to use it. Highlifts can be great but also very dangerous.

[EricB]

Wow, thanks for all the responces.

I didn't think of the extra weight on the spare wheel with a Jack as well.
Good point.

I guess the hand winch has 20m of cable to keep on pulling.

Im just trying to think of a recovery kit on a budget at the moment

The other option is not to go out alone , but i think it will always happen sometimes.

Would like to get an elec winch but I wanted to curb the spending for a little while. Just spent $5000 on the old girl this month.

[RaginRover]

Don't need a snatch block but a chain with clevis or claw hook would be an advantage...and as stated above...get rated shackles that fit through the appropriate holes on the high lift.

Last thing, as mentioned above, try it at home first and make sure you know how to use it. Highlifts can be great but also very dangerous.

Spot on - A rated chain about 1m to 1.5m long with clevis hooks and claw hooks on the high lift will help you out in a big way. It will certainly maxamise the effectiveness of using a high lift as a winch.

Head to a rigging supplier - all these bits put together should cost less than $50. It will make the whole process a lot safer. Some good
vehicle chocks would be handy too

Tom

[bogged]

still have the scare on my leg from the high lift that day

did you swear?


Save your $, and get a second hand 9000 warn, about $800 in trading post, not only will it save you time, sweat, skin, etc you will be happier.

As the boys are saying here, even with a turfor, 3 hours on one of them, in 35 degree heat and your totall fucked for a week.

I have turfor and 10k warn.

[bogged]

Im just trying to think of a recovery kit on a budget at the moment

You dont have to rush out and buy everything at once. Do things as you can afford them. Its the best way, you can also have money to eat, and for fuel to go wheeling that way.

Also join a club, you dont always have to go out alone, its also much safer prospect to go with others, if you have a roll over and something happens, your fubar on your own.

YMMV.

[r0ck_m0nkey]

I guess the hand winch has 20m of cable to keep on pulling.

Im just trying to think of a recovery kit on a budget at the moment

If your looking on a budget, try looking for a second hand hand winch. I picked up a Tirfor quite a few years ago for $80 out of the newspaper. It's been quite handy, although it's been used more times to hoist things and drag crap around the back yard then anything else, but has been well worth the money i spent.

[EricB]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 2486998886

Does this look ok? Or is it best to only stick with the more well known brands?

Will any low mount winch fit into a low mount Cheezy bar?

[bogged]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2486998886

Does this look ok? Or is it best to only stick with the more well known brands?

Will any low mount winch fit into a low mount Cheezy bar?

1) it might be a good price new - but can you get parts, warranty etc.

2) You can get a warn out of trading post for around same price

also his hand winch, is no name brand.




For me, Stick with Warn, you cant go wrong.

YMMV.

[Tojo]

As the boys are saying here, even with a turfor, 3 hours on one of them, in 35 degree heat and your totall ***** for a week.

gee bogged, you must be pretty unfit!!! I used to do this every weekend. Just keep your eyes out for a cheap secondhand hand winch. And join a club! You will learn so much from going out with a group of experienced (and some inexperienced) people.

[Lost Bundy]

I used a turffer hand winch... ONCE and ONCE only!!!! Neva use one again... Thats why I went out and bought a elec one.. Prob is now that I have a winch every other tight ass loves takin me along on there trips cause I saved and spent my money buyin a full mean green recovery kit as well as the winch before spendin money on lifting my 4WD to the sky...

Because of my kind nature all of my brand new kit has been used by everyone else and now I am lookin at buying a new winch cable....

Oh, and I have only used the tree protector and winch once on myself....

Now I tell people to buy there own gear and I will only help if I see that there is no other hope for them but for me to use my winch.

I looked at buyin a high lift jack but decided against it.. 1. wieghs shitloads 2. takes up way to much room 3. can take fingers off faster than you can blink your eyes. 4. pain in the arse to use.

I am lookin at an exhaust jack bag... One of them things that pumps up while your engine is runnin. Heard good things about em and they are very compact, wich is good for cause I own a SWB.

My recoery kit..
1 x 10m winch extention strap
1 x 20m winch extention strap
2 x snatch straps
2 x winch snatch blocks
4 x 4.5t bow shackles (rated)
1 x tree protector
1 x 1.5m drag chain
1 x pair leather gloves
1 x kit carry bag (folds out)

My winch.... T-MAX 9500 pound (4.5t) winch... 30m cable..

[cmcd]

I didn't think of the extra weight on the spare wheel with a Jack as well.

I've got my hi-lift mounted to the bullbar when I'm out an about.

I got a scaffolding clamp, the drilled out the swivel in the middle of two parts. Each side got a 100mm bolt through it, so the clamp wraps around the bullbar, and the bolt ends up poking straight up.

On each bolt, there is a chunk of urethane, which the jack then sits on, with another bit of urethane on top of that. Then there's the shock absorber washer, and a wing nut to tighten the lot down.

Works OK for me - I don't have a spare wheel carrier (yet). I can always get to it if I need it instead of having to dig through all the crap in the back.

Mr Plod isn't keen on the jack being left on there though, (mind you, with the thieving pr*cks around here, I don't either), but he doesn't seem to mind the clamps left on the bullbar.

[mudtoy]

Times I had to use the highlift...

1. Warn winch failed
2. Warn winch failed
3. wheel fell off vehicle (not mine), can't get jack under diff.
4. lifting whole front end out of slop and letting vehicle drop sideways onto firmer ground (Warn had failed again)
5. mostly short pulls when I had a zook
6. jacking numerous vehicles when you can't get anything under, as in stuck in slop with beads off, etc.

Big, heavy, tricky to use...but also tough, simple and versatile.

[XterraGuy]

Here's a spiffy trick for winching with a hi-lift:
http://www.j8g.co.uk/landy/hilift/winch.html

Brent

[My Lil Lux]

Chain block hasn't failed yet as a cheap hand winch, would be better than a high lift.

[Charlie]

I used my hilift once as a winch and while it defintely works its unlikey your'll find an anchor point 5m in front of your truck.By the time you but two chains ,wire rope etc etc you can just go and buy a handwich .
Regards Charlie

[EricB]

Chain block hasn't failed yet as a cheap hand winch, would be better than a high lift.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 03981&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 19822&rd=1

Do you mean like one of the above?

[bogged]

Chain block hasn't failed yet as a cheap hand winch, would be better than a high lift.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 03981&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 19822&rd=1

Do you mean like one of the above?

No, they are shit.

like this
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

[EricB]

Cool, is that yours

[MQ080]

Here's a spiffy trick for winching with a hi-lift:
http://www.j8g.co.uk/landy/hilift/winch.html

Brent

I like this idea, but couldn't find anywhere with these types of hooks or links. Tried Bunnings, Elders, etc. Do I have to go through a truck supplies place for rigging such as these or will a 4WD shop have what I want?

[fightara]

I am lookin at an exhaust jack bag... One of them things that pumps up while your engine is runnin. Heard good things about em and they are very compact, wich is good for cause I own a SWB.

My parents had one of these a long time back. Buggered if we could make it compact after its first use! They are very unwieldy to pack in a vehicle after use, and usually very muddy (unless you've got a hose out floor, this is never cool).

They do, however, work well.

My problem with them is accessibility in a heavily-packed 4b. I like to have all my recovery gear either in the drawers, or securely bolted to the outside of the truck. I like the idea of the dude who just bolts the handle and frame of the high-lift to the bullbar - I'm going to try that myself .