high-lift jack

[Bird]

OK, now I understand the reasoning behind having the tire standing up, but I think I'll pass on using that method myself. I've worked on a few tires that were a bit of a nuisance to get seated, but never one that I couldn't get seated without resorting to explosions./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[rdbrumfield]

for sure. sometimes a chain and binder will get one to spread enough to seat it.

 

[BillyP]

Those air tanks they use to get truck tires to bead scares the heck out of me. It's just like an explosion. 170 psi unleashed in a split second. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Billy

 

[Bird]

BillyP, I guess those are necessary, and are OK as long as you don't have a defective tire. Several years ago, one of my brothers was airing up a large motorhome tire (rated for 100 psi) and had it in the proper kind of cage, but unfortunately the cage was not anchored down to the floor; just sitting against the wall. The bead seated properly, but the tire itself exploded at 80 psi. It knocked my brother unconscious and blew him several feet out into the middle of the shop floor. I don't have any great ambition to use the kind of air tank you're talking about either, but if I had to, I'd sure want a good cage securely anchored.

 

[Hoeman00]

I don't have any great ambition to use the kind of air tank you're talking about either, but if I had to, I'd sure want a good cage securely anchored.

I used to ether to blow truck tires on and this is a LARGE
pain.
the local tire shop uses the air tank w/ ball valve to seat
tires so I decided to build one.
On large shop air compressors have a 2" plug and I reduced
it to 1" and put on a ball valve.
Had a pc of 1" hydraulic hose 14' long and mounted
another 1" ball valve w/ bell reducer.
Then took a 1 1/2" x 12"L nipple, cut threads off one
end then heated and flattened to a 1/2" opening (this is nozzle end that gets put between tire and rim).
The valve at tank is an extra safety if u want get one
that has the lock on it to keep kids OUT.
Mount tire and make sure bottom bead is seated, if u
have to lay rim on 2x4 blocks to keep tire off floor for
good seal.
Put some soap on nozzle end and insert between rim and
tire,have valve at tank on and PPE (earplugs and
safety glasses or goggles) on.
Put tire chuck (lock on prefered) on valve stem and
w/ a quick twist turn air on and off at end of hose,
tire is on rim and inflating.
I've never had a tire that couldn't be inflated wheel
barrow tires to large ag and R-4.

 

[GlennT]

I have one of these jacks; I purchased it from Harbor Freight for about $30 on sale. I suspect that I got what I paid for. I was using it to pull wooden fence posts out of the ground and I bent the upright and now I don't trust the jack. I know--it's probably my own fault. The base of the jack probably wasn't sitting squarely on the ground; the jack probably wasn't as close to the post as it should have been and the direction of pull was at too much of an angle; I wasn't as attentive as I should have been and didn't notice the upright starting to bend. Anyway, I've got a jack that isn't trustworthy. I've looked at the Northern Tool jacks, but they seem to be of the same quality. I would like to buy another one, but I want one with some more temper in the upright.

 

[Timd]

The Harbor Freight jack is probably a cheap knock-off of the Hi Lift jack. If you want a better jack, Hi Lift manufactures two: the red jack is cast iron and more durable, while the black jack has some stamped steel parts to reduce cost. If you want to buy one farm jack to last the rest of your life, I'd go for the Hi Lift red, details and parts at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hi-lift.com/>http://www.hi-lift.com/</A>.

I have seen the genuine Hi Lift jacks at Pep Boys and some Agway stores which might be one way to pick one up without paying the high shipping costs for something this heavy.

Since they sell the upright bars from the parts list on their web page, you could also buy a longer or shorter upright...a lot of people buy the shorter jack to fit in a vehicle and then later wish it was a foot longer...

The Hi Lift upright might fit your Harbor Freight jack, but no guarantee you'd be that lucky.

Timd

 

[gerard]

I bought one at the local farm store, think it was TSC, $50. I've used it for pulling fence posts that the loader wouldn't budge, as a spreader when re doing horse stalls to "persuade" the lumber into place, and again as a spreader to shove rubber horse mats into place when form fitting to stalls. Not used really often but awful nice to have when you need it. Also works well as a really powerful clamp by using the top jaw. I'll stick with a hydraulic floor jack for lifting things though........