Off-road vehicles are equipped with accessories and features specifically meant to enhance their adaptability to the tough terrains they usually cruise through.
The high-lift jack is one of the most common accessories carried by off-road vehicles and is known for its versatility in recovery tasks. It is a special type of jack designed with the capacity to lift heavy machinery up to five feet high.
In most cases, this type of jack is mounted on the vehicle's rear as it is designed with different mounting options hence ensuring easier mobility.
Conventional high-lift jacks are made of cast steel which equips them with the requisite firmness to support heavy vehicles such as off-road Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and other machinery as opposed to the regular jacks.
A typical high-lift jack will usually come with a long handle with grooves, and a movable rack that is placed over the handle capable of moving up and down or remaining in a fixed position at the convenience of the user.
Applications
In off-road driving, the high-lift jack comes in handy in situations including when your car is stuck in the mud.
Using this device, a driver is able to winch his vehicle high and place a recovery board under the wheels to give the vehicle a firm grip.
In addition, the high-lift jack can be applied as a makeshift recovery mechanism in situations where the vehicle is stuck in rough terrain.
This can be done by wrapping a chain around an anchor point and connecting it with a shackle to the stuck vehicle. By engaging the jack mechanism, the vehicle is gradually pulled out from the stuck position.
Moreover, the jack is considered more appropriate in situations where the driver needs to change a tyre or during maintenance requiring one to work under the vehicle.
Its high lifting capacity gives the car more height so that the repairer can comfortably fix the wheel in an appropriate position.
Another possible application of the high-lift is in situations where the vehicle is stuck in a rocky terrain especially when the bumper is held against the rocks.
Using the lift, the driver can lift the chassis to give it higher clearance enabling it to manoeuvre through the situation.
Dangers
Despite the versatility of the jack, experts in the automotive industry warn that it should be used with great precaution.
The manufacturers of the jack warn that the tool should be adequately maintained to prevent accidents. It is capable of inflicting serious injuries when in use owing to the weight of the load lifted.
In addition, engineering standards warn that the jack should be used for its specific purpose. In particular, users are warned that it is not designed to hold weight and hence one should come with a support base to hold the load after lifting.
In addition, the user should ensure that the jack is supported by a firm base to give the requisite grip.
