Hands On With ARB’s JACK

TEXT AND IMAGES BY JONATHAN HANSON

It’s been over a century since Philip John Harrah introduced the Automatic Combination Tool, as the Hi-Lift jack was originally known. And for all that time, nothing else matched its versatility and capability. It will raise 4,500 pounds anywhere from 22 to 46 inches in one continuous operation, depending on the model selected. It can be used as a clamp, a spreader, and a (very slow) winch. Its various parts have been employed as bodge fixes on countless broken vehicles—we used the tubular handle of one to sleeve a broken tie rod and get an International Scout back to civilization.

However, for all its strengths, the Hi-Lift has significant downsides. The most critical is that, if used carelessly, it has the capability to break any number of body parts on the user, from fingers to jawbones. When the operating lever is under tension, either lifting or lowering, it is extremely unwise—let’s just say stupid—to stray into the arc between it and the main beam. The Hi-Lift is also heavy, weighing in at 30 pounds for the popular 48-inch model. And it is prone to jamming, if not kept lubricated.