Jack Options

[BroncoAZ]

From my rock crawling days in my 87 Bronco, I have two 60” high lift jacks collecting dust in the garage. I have used different high lift jacks numerous times over the years, and my 87 Bronco had a nice dent in the tailgate from one. I’ve seen plenty of people on the trail injured by them, but they certainly serve a purpose. I’m no longer willing to pay the weight/space penalty to keep these in/on the truck.

Most of my wheeling will be on the beach in sand, so the ability to get under the frame if the axles are dug in is a good place for the stock or a larger scissor jack. Scissor jacks are readily available in 24” and 30” heights that can be bolted to the frame under the truck, behind a bumper, or would probably fit in the rear cargo storage area.

Another option is the exhaust bag jacks. ARB is the gold standard, but at $300 I’d be willing to try the knockoff for $114. These can also be powered by a compressor or CO2 tank.

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[The Beaz]

I don't know how reliable a hydraulic jack is for being stored on it's side. They might be ok I just don't know??

The toyota jacks are geared so they never fail. I'll be keeping the factory jack but adding the bottle jack to stow under the seat with a lug wrench.

It's happened to me that I get a nail/screw and need to take off the wheel to plug the tire but the oem jack being under the cargo area I need to unload which is a pita. Happened last summer with my subaru and won't happen again!

I wish jacks were stowed under the hood!

I kept one in the under-mount spare for my 15' Expedition for over 5 years, had no problems being on it's side.

 

[BRBlue]

I went with Safe Jack, here is a link to what I purchased, comes in a cool military-style ammo box which is compact and easy to store. https://safejacks.com/collections/agricultural/products/the-sergeant-off-road-kit

Safe Jack looks like a great product but $$$. I’m going to save some money by buying a 6 ton bottle jack from Amazon and buy the Safe Jack extenders separately.

https://www.amazon.com/Torin-Hydraulic-Bottle-Jack-Capacity/dp/B000CO86EG

 

[Dusty]

Just get a cheap bottle jack and a block of wood, throw them both in your recovery bag with your tow strap and D-rings.

 

[Snappy22]

Those adapters wouldn't be safe for your floor jack.

Instead of a floor jack I'd suggest a unijack. It's safer for working under the vehicle.

You'd want to make sure which ever one you get fits under the frame. The 4,000 lb has a min height of 8 5/8". 6,000 lb has min height of 11".

Yea I definitely don’t go under with the jack. Always put the jack stands and tire under the frame too. I don’t trust any “all in one” solution.

 

[Gtrekker]

From my rock crawling days in my 87 Bronco, I have two 60” high lift jacks collecting dust in the garage. I have used different high lift jacks numerous times over the years, and my 87 Bronco had a nice dent in the tailgate from one. I’ve seen plenty of people on the trail injured by them, but they certainly serve a purpose. I’m no longer willing to pay the weight/space penalty to keep these in/on the truck.

Most of my wheeling will be on the beach in sand, so the ability to get under the frame if the axles are dug in is a good place for the stock or a larger scissor jack. Scissor jacks are readily available in 24” and 30” heights that can be bolted to the frame under the truck, behind a bumper, or would probably fit in the rear cargo storage area.

Another option is the exhaust bag jacks. ARB is the gold standard, but at $300 I’d be willing to try the knockoff for $114. These can also be powered by a compressor or CO2 tank.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/VEVOR-4t...8HjyHGHqU2Oj0yCtO9AaAuqYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I love it!!! Great for the beach or side of the road... Easier to store in the truck an plan to mount a compressor.

 

[broncorik]

X2 on the Safe Jack. I called them to talk jacks and they were super helpful...military discount, free shipping, and they make jacks for the military. Their bottle jacks are meant to withstand being laid on their sides with no leaking. You can buy either an entire kit or just parts for your bottle jack...but because ram sizes vary so much, I just at ate it and went with the kit. Everything fits in the 2 door floor cubby.

 

[EveryDayBronco]

Yea I definitely don’t go under with the jack. Always put the jack stands and tire under the frame too. I don’t trust any “all in one” solution.

Did you look at that unijack? It's a jackstand, same as any other except it has a bottle jack in it. The stand itself is a proper jackstand, the kind you'd use if you're going to work under the vehicle.

 

[broncorik]

Did you look at that unijack? It's a jackstand, same as any other except it has a bottle jack in it. The stand itself is a proper jackstand, the kind you'd use if you're going to work under the vehicle.

I like those but no room for one in my 2door

 

[EveryDayBronco]

I like those but no room for one in my 2door

I agree on that.

Wow that safe jack kit is expensive!!

Is there space under the passenger seat for stowing that jack kit?

I ask because keeping in under the rear cargo area would require removing your cargo to to get to it.

I currently keep my bottle jack kit under my passenger seat so I can have easy access to it. When I get a tire puncture I can often need to raise the vehicle to patch it. For this reason my patch kit and jack kit are both under the passenger seat!

 

[broncorik]

I agree on that.

Wow that safe jack kit is expensive!!

Is there space under the passenger seat for stowing that jack kit?

I ask because keeping in under the rear cargo area would require removing your cargo to to get to it.

I currently keep my bottle jack kit under my passenger seat so I can have easy access to it. When I get a tire puncture I can often need to raise the vehicle to patch it. For this reason my patch kit and jack kit are both under the passenger seat!

Zero usable space under passenger or driver seat. The cargo area has two indented spaces for storage and I use one for my recovery strap and D rings and the other for all the stuff in the Safe Jack kit. It is expensive, but believe me I scoured the internet for alternatives and nothing came close to the price and build quality of the Safe Jack stuff. The extensions are super heavy duty, and would provide enough lift even to do work in the garage that I would need my floor jack and a bunch of wood blocks to get the same height as the Safe Jack extensions. I also have the extra plate on order, that prevents the jack from tipping over...it was expensive, but to have everything I need in one place and to fit it all in the factory locations beats having a hi-lift sticking up someplace or schlepping around a floor jack (with extensions). I wish there was a cheaper way, but too many people report mishaps with those air bag jacks and cheaper versions of other jack combinations. Our Broncos have few if any good lift points for a hi-lift, and hi-lifts earned the name "widow maker" for a reason...I get nervous even walking in the vicinity of one that is supporting anything heavy!

 

[BroncoRick]

Safe Jack adapters + my old Farm & Fleet bottle jack. The most useful Safe Jack adapters IMO are the flat lift plate and the one that cradles the axle tube. Then start with the 3" extension and the much longer adjustable extension, later. You don't need to buy all of them up front, just start with the most useful ones and add more later if you want.

I also carry a hi-lift jack base (the orange one) to use with the bottle jack, for extra footprint and height adjustablity.

Used to carry a hi-lift long ago--they are most useful in recoveries where you are hi-centered on something, but they're just too heavy and take up too much space. Bottle jack is the best option.

 

[EveryDayBronco]

Zero usable space under passenger or driver seat....

I just checked the 2-door at my dealer and it's tight but I think my bottle jack can stow under there with the take-down handle.

I think there's enough space to stow under there and not interfere with the seat being moved up to allow the access for rear passengers.

That's what's nice about the bottle jack, it takes up little space!

 

[broncorik]

I just checked the 2-door at my dealer and it's tight but I think my bottle jack can stow under there with the take-down handle.

I think there's enough space to stow under there and not interfere with the seat being moved up to allow the access for rear passengers.

That's what's nice about the bottle jack, it takes up little space!

I think I could get only a jack off to the side under the seat, but anything that rattles or slides around during normal driving would drive me nuts. I tried to put my sunshade under the passenger side seat and it hit the wiring harness and the slider mechanism. Additionally, even if I was able to get the jack itself under there, the extensions would still need a home. Is yours electric seat or manual?

 

[EveryDayBronco]

I think I could get only a jack off to the side under the seat, but anything that rattles or slides around during normal driving would drive me nuts. I tried to put my sunshade under the passenger side seat and it hit the wiring harness and the slider mechanism. Additionally, even if I was able to get the jack itself under there, the extensions would still need a home. Is yours electric seat or manual?

It will have manual seats

I'm 99% sure I can put the toyota bottle jack under there and I'd use one of those gun socks (cut to fit) to keep it from rattling. My handle/lug wrench are only around 12"-13" long so they' fit too. I got them from a ford ranger which has the same size lug nuts (3/4").

Currently I keep the jack and a compressor under my passenger seat but there's no way I can fit the compressor under the bronco seat. I might have to mount one under the hood??

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