DIY $10 jack extensions

I've been looking for a jack solution since I lifted my truck and without sliders or a bumper I haven't picked up a high lift jack yet. I saw the Safejacks stuff and thought it was too pricey for what it was so I made my own. Using the stock screw jack with the pad removed I use the piece with the angle iron to lift from the rear axle and I use the other ram/shroud to lift from the front frame rail. Takes very little time and effort to get either wheel off the ground. I've used it multiple times now with no issues. Works for me.

1" x 8" pipe
1.25" x 4" pipe
.25" angle iron section

 

Not safe at all

 

And why would that be?

 

will it work - sure
is it safe - questionable
would I use it - hell no


side note - I don't trust those pencil jacks one bit

 

Nice! With the jack bolted to a section of 2x8, that would work well, IMO.

Any thought about selling these to the lowly folks without a welder?

 

Foot print of jack is too small for that much lift just be careful and allways on level ground

 

Be careful with that. I'm sure it would be fine for "ideal" conditions (flat, concrete surface), but at an angle I'd be concerned that the extensions could buckle under load. Most jack components are made of high strength steel but your average length of pipe isn't strong enough to sustain heavy loads. Think of it this way: if you stand on an empty soda can just perfectly and don't move, it will hold you up. Once you shift your weight over to one side, the can buckles immediately.

A great idea nonetheless.

Good luck.

 

That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

Food for thought.
Hospital visit = $???
Right jack type = $???

 

I had the same issue. I went a little different direction.



Even works in the dirt!

 

FTFY

 

Priceless lol

 

My hi lift is next on my list but for now I also bring my floor jack whenever I take a longer trip where I don't want to be up the creek with a flat.

I have used the stock bottle neck jack once off road and I didn't trust that shit one bit, and since I was offroad I just jacked it hi enough to support the truck and used a shovel to dig out under the tire to drop it down and replace.

 

seems to be a lot of hate in here. If you want to see sketchy, lift your truck with a high lift on unlevel ground

 

After the first time I had to use the stock jack, I ditched that POS and got a decent bottle jack. Harbor Freight has a hydraulic bottle jack that I've been looking at. Anybody try this?

 

The material is thicker than whatever they used to make the stock jack, so I'm not really concerned about it buckling. If anything the jack would fail first. All the weight and pressure is still on the ram inside the jack. The block is a given, no one is using these without some kind of blocking underneath the jack. Personally I like the mechanical certainty of the screw jack vs a hydraulic bottle jack, they will eventually fail over time, especially if stored on their side. I've had it happen at the worst time, had to bleed the fluid to get the air out after having someone bring me a floor jack on the side of i45.

All this OSHA talk has me thinking about making an attachment to cradle the frame when lifting from the front, would help keep the ram from slipping off. That being said I haven't had it fail yet, thanks for the feedback. Keep it coming.

 

If it failed you wouldn’t have the ability to post about it.

I’ve had a truck fall on me once.. 3/4 ton Duramax. That’s one time more than it should’ve been.

I really don’t recommend it.

 

I've been waiting for that one to go on sale (below $90). It would work great with my scuba tank that I use for airing up. I might just snag it with the next 25% coupon.

As noted above, always store it upright and it should work for a very long time.