Safe Jack- Review

[SOAZ]

We put together a little unboxing and review video while we're on the road. Although I hadn't used it out of necessity as of the videos completion we've now had a flat (Big chunk of metal from the Mexican highway) and we used it down in a wash a minute later to change a flat. Worked well for us. The jack was short enough to get under our solid axle and lift it and the truck up to swap onto our spare.


safejack, bottle jack, offroad jack, recovery jack

 

[Oogs]

Good jack added one to my kit including the base and extensions. The stock jack that came with my van felt marginal at best with a 4x4 and camper conversion during a tire change in the soft sand.

 

[toddz69]

Good review!

Todd Z.

 

[sn_85]

Thanks for sharing this. I've been looking for something more compact and safer than a Hi-lift. This looks like it fits the bill!!!

 

[waveslider]

I’m wondering if this would be a good candidate for a full size expedition vehicle - such as a GXV, ER or Unicat? I see they have a (edit) 20 ton model that uses the same kind of extensions and baseplate for flexibility that the video demonstrates.

Anyone have thoughts/experience with that?

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Re full-size rigs, I'm experimenting with using the SafeJack pads and accessories on a Hummer H1 scissors jack. The SafeJack accessories are designed to fit over a 1-1/4" diameter bottle jack post and the H1 scissors jack has a 1-1/8" post on top to engage the H1 control arms (my rig is a Dodge 2500). I measured the outside of the H1 jack post and the inside of the SafeJack pad cups and both are within a thousandth or so of posted dimensions. So I'm planning to get some short pieces of steel or aluminum tubing with wall thickness of .060" or .062" and either slip them over the jack post or inside the cups on the SafeJack bits. Should be a friction fit, but I can add a dab of epoxy if necessary. I discussed this plan with Bogert before I ordered the SafeJack stuff and they think it will work safely (Bogert also makes hydraulic jacks for the uparmored Hummers, so they are familiar with the scissors jack). Their website specifies 1/2" minimum engagement on the bottle jack post and I'll have 1" on the H1 jack, so should be good to go, just need to find short pieces of the right tubing. I ordered the SafeJack frame cradle, axle cradle and flat pad. Will still carry my Hi-Lift but the H1 jack will work where the Hi-Lift is dicey, and the H1 jack has a big steel skid welded to the bottom for the sand I'm usually in. I had an ARB Bushranger inflatable jack explode on me and drop the truck suddenly a few years ago, so looking at the H1 jack as a safer substitute. The H1 jacks are available on eBay as NOS or new Chinese manufacture at a wide range of prices.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the 20-ton stuff from Bogert won't fit the H1 jack because their cups are way too big. My Bogert stuff is all 6-ton, the truck is about 8500# fully loaded and I think the jack itself is rated for 8000#.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

When testing the Safe Jack on my 80 series (pictured on the left) I could not get the jack under the axle when the tire was flat making Safe Jack worthless for changing a flat tire. I will stick with the factory jack and a Jack Adapter.

 

[toddz69]

When testing the Safe Jack on my 80 series (pictured on the left) I could not get the jack under the axle when the tire was flat making Safe Jack worthless for changing a flat tire. I will stick with the factory jack and a Jack Adapter.

Wow - inability for it to accomplish task #1 it was designed for - not good.

My LandcruiserPhil jack adapter works really well on the front axle of my non-Landcruiser as well.

Todd Z.

 

[Umbrarian]

When testing the Safe Jack on my 80 series (pictured on the left) I could not get the jack under the axle when the tire was flat making Safe Jack worthless for changing a flat tire. I will stick with the factory jack and a Jack Adapter.

You need 24 inch wheels....

But you bring up a good point, read the specs on the jack and make sure it will fit your vehicle.