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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

I have what I call a ratchet winch - a very old small bulbous casting
with a handle and chains coming out each side. I've used it in the past
for lifting the engine out of a boat. I'd forgotten I had it but found
it today when looking for parts of a scaffolding tower in the garage
(poss question about that coming up later!).

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a trailer but
I think this winch would probably do that job.. In the past we might
have attached a rope to the Land Rover in low range, but the "children"
are telling me we shouldn't be doing things like that these days and I
need them to help as a second pair of hands/eyes.

My question is which device would give least danger and most precision
in use. I've never used a farm jack, so I don't know anything about
them. Are the cheap ones from ebay like

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3503326732...X:IT&_trksid=p
3984.m1423.l2649

any good. Would that also work as a jack for a Mk 1 Disco, or would it
need attachments for that job?

--
Bill
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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

Bill wrote:

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a trailer


I've carried Hi lifts for more than 20 years and they're not very useful for
pulling as you tend to use a lot of the active length in taking up slack. I
also have a 5 tonne chain and ratchet winch which is much more controlable.

Hi Lift jacks do require a lot of care in use because of their inherent
instability.

AJH
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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

On 29/12/2011 19:04, andrew wrote:
Bill wrote:

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a trailer


I've carried Hi lifts for more than 20 years and they're not very useful for
pulling as you tend to use a lot of the active length in taking up slack. I
also have a 5 tonne chain and ratchet winch which is much more controlable.

Hi Lift jacks do require a lot of care in use because of their inherent
instability.

AJH


Agreed. Also, the one I have (Machine Mart, istr) isn't very easy to use
because you have to maintain something like 50 pounds plus of load on it
while you are starting, or the mechanism doesn't work at all. Presumably
there is a "knack" in using them, or perhaps it is easier with two people.

But I think I would go along with Andrew and say the chain hoist is
intrinsically stable. The other gadget of mine which gets more use is a
wire rope ratchet puller (cheap as chips). You can't use it as a hoist
because it only goes one way, but it's fine for "dragging" jobs.
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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

Bill wrote:

I have what I call a ratchet winch - a very old small bulbous casting
with a handle and chains coming out each side. I've used it in the
past for lifting the engine out of a boat. I'd forgotten I had it but
found it today when looking for parts of a scaffolding tower in the
garage (poss question about that coming up later!).

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device
for a couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a
trailer but I think this winch would probably do that job.. In the
past we might have attached a rope to the Land Rover in low range,
but the "children" are telling me we shouldn't be doing things like
that these days and I need them to help as a second pair of
hands/eyes.

My question is which device would give least danger and most
precision in use. I've never used a farm jack, so I don't know
anything about them. Are the cheap ones from ebay like


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3503326732...X:IT&_trksid=p
3984.m1423.l2649

any good. Would that also work as a jack for a Mk 1 Disco, or would
it need attachments for that job?


I have a hi-lift for the Disco, we off-road a lot .. you can see it on
the back at 30 secs+ http://youtu.be/vX6EkDuYYOg

It's use as a winch is only 'cos we can't afford a proper winch, or
decent tackle. Winching is a long process and you need a set of
chains/hooks to hold the load while you re-jig the pull.

It's use as a Jack is useful, it's got me out of three situations,
twice when alone, and has paid for itself many times over. It's a jack
of all trades but not great at any of them singly but completely useful
when you need it. It's so adaptable it's used for loads of things, not
just off-roading related. I've used it to Jack fence posts out of the
ground at school, spread/tension wire fencing around a pasture, hold a
roof up for a while, like an Akro-prop, squeezed chassis rails together
while a tightly fitting steering guard was bolted on, broke open
(legally) a small safe by jacking the exposed hinges off ..

I find it pretty safe to use, but I take precautions, and make sure it
works before I need it to, IYSWIM! If used wrongly they can be
incredibly unsafe, but overall I like 'em.

When we do get a winch I'll still take it off-roading .. it's use to
spread tree-branches or pull dead-weights away across lanes, where the
vehicles and winches can't get, is ideal.

For pulling a boat onto a trailer though, I'd suggest your existing
winch/tackle would probably be easier, safer and faster.

--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011
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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

In message , andrew
writes
Bill wrote:

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a trailer


I've carried Hi lifts for more than 20 years and they're not very useful for
pulling as you tend to use a lot of the active length in taking up slack. I
also have a 5 tonne chain and ratchet winch which is much more controlable.

Hi Lift jacks do require a lot of care in use because of their inherent
instability.

AJH


They can be lethal if not used correctly particularly when lowering the
load.
--
hugh


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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch


"hugh" ] wrote in message
...
In message , andrew
writes
Bill wrote:

I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs, one of which is pulling a boat upright on a trailer


I've carried Hi lifts for more than 20 years and they're not very useful
for
pulling as you tend to use a lot of the active length in taking up slack.
I
also have a 5 tonne chain and ratchet winch which is much more
controlable.

Hi Lift jacks do require a lot of care in use because of their inherent
instability.

AJH


They can be lethal if not used correctly particularly when lowering the
load.


I have both a high lift and a Tirfor winch. The Tirfor is by far the best
tool for pulling anything. I bought it for self recovery but have never
needed it for that. I have however had good use out of it for pulling up
tree stumps, positioning a mobile home, pulling trees in the right direction
when felling, and have used it as an engine hoist.

Mike


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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

Bill wrote:

In message , Paul - xxx
writes
I have a hi-lift for the Disco, we off-road a lot .. you can see it
on the back at 30 secs+ http://youtu.be/vX6EkDuYYOg

I assume that the Disco in that video has some non-standard places to
use as jacking points. My rear bumper has a big rust hole in it (I'm
being told the bumper is "just decorative") and only last week I had
to have the offside running board mounting welded back up after it
collapsed under me. It looks as though an adapter for a high lift
jack would add about 50% to the cost of the jack?


Yup, we have rocksliders where there were sills, (roughly 150 x 50 x
5mm box section) and use, as you say, an adaptor onto the hi-lift for
side jacking. We've actually found it easier to use the front bumper
mount areas to lift the front though.

Those were some of the other types of job that were attracting me to
one of these jacks. My son has bought a house with a garden that
needs work on fences, trees etc.


The fence posts I pulled were 4" square, 2" deep and post-creted in. I
just used an old strop wrapped around the wooden post and lifted, strop
tightening down on itself to grip and it brought them up a treat, no
effort at all, compared to jacking the Disco!!


--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011
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Default High lift jack vs ratchet winch

On Dec 29 2011, 6:52*pm, Bill wrote:
I've been dithering about buying a high lift farm jack type device for a
couple of jobs,


Don't. Terrifying beasts. Clumsy to use, really awkward for winching
and potentially lethal for lifting. Mine has a mud-cover wrapped
around the "works" which includes pockets for a small wooden mallet
(reverse direction without losing a finger), the instructions
(essential reading before use) and a padlock & chain to stop anyone
else "borrowing" it who doesn't know how to work it.

Get a Tirfor instead.
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