A hi-lift jack is a great piece of gear to have in your arsenal since it can get you out of trouble in a jiffy. However, they don't nickname it the Widow maker for nothing. I have personally BARELY escaped serious injury from one and would rather only use it if ABSOLUTELY necessary.
Another option is the new exhaust jack from ARB called the X-Jack Bushranger. Despite the fact that it sounds like a bad porno movie, the Bushranger is extremely easy to use. I can tell there is going to be some snickering as I write this so let's simply call it the X-Jack from here on out.
http://www.arbusa.com/exhaust_jacks.php
Since I know the folks at ARB, they asked me to review it and post my findings to the Xterra community so here we go!
Please note: I wasn't stuck nor did I have a flat tire. This write up is for instructional purposes only.
The carry bag is durable and sports tough carry handles so you don't drop it when you are carrying it to help out a buddy. Let's face it, you never get stuck right?!! :compress:
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Okay, now where in the hell are my sunglasses! Seriously! Notice the hefty black spiky feet on the bottom of the X-Jack for stability.
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AWESOME! They included a beer bong! Attach the beer bong hose to the X-Jack.
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Dang... it actually ISN'T a beer bong
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This is really where the cone attaches.
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Turn on the truck and start filling up the bag with tasty, tasty fumes.
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One of my pit crew.... WAAAASAAAAAAP!!
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The cone is a bit tight on the pipe so you will want to hold it in place for a better seal.
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The X-Jack also has handy valve stem incase you want to fill it up with a compressor. We gave it a whirl and it did great!
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Now the truck is fully lifted and stable enough to change a tire, stack rocks, or toss annoying kids under there for traction.
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The deflating process is pretty simple. You simply turn exhaust hose valve at the bag and the fumes escape. It's best to face away from the fumes as they escape or you may be destined to lose your teeth, wear a wife-beater, and crave Pabst Blue Ribbon. No offense to you exhaust huffing, toothless, wife-beater wearing, PBR drinking folks out there.
The bag itself is made of extremely thick material that is puncture resistant. Just think of a thicker version of a high end river raft and there you have it. The bottom material that makes contact with the ground is thicker than the rest of the bag. For added piece of mind, you can put a floor matt in between the bag and the frame to all but eliminate the possibility of a puncture.
Having worked with another exhaust jack in the past, X-Jack is far easier to put back in it's carry bag for transport.
Where can you get one you ask?
The cheapest I have found one is $216.99 at Central 4WD.
http://www.central4wd.com/category.aspx?page=id|34875
More expensive than a "widow maker", but it definitely has its place in sand, snow, and any other terrain that is uneven or soft. It's also a great option for those of you that aren't cool enough to have rock sliders to use a hi-lift on :blackeye:
Another option is the new exhaust jack from ARB called the X-Jack Bushranger. Despite the fact that it sounds like a bad porno movie, the Bushranger is extremely easy to use. I can tell there is going to be some snickering as I write this so let's simply call it the X-Jack from here on out.
http://www.arbusa.com/exhaust_jacks.php
Since I know the folks at ARB, they asked me to review it and post my findings to the Xterra community so here we go!
Please note: I wasn't stuck nor did I have a flat tire. This write up is for instructional purposes only.
The carry bag is durable and sports tough carry handles so you don't drop it when you are carrying it to help out a buddy. Let's face it, you never get stuck right?!! :compress:
Okay, now where in the hell are my sunglasses! Seriously! Notice the hefty black spiky feet on the bottom of the X-Jack for stability.
AWESOME! They included a beer bong! Attach the beer bong hose to the X-Jack.
Dang... it actually ISN'T a beer bong
This is really where the cone attaches.
Turn on the truck and start filling up the bag with tasty, tasty fumes.
One of my pit crew.... WAAAASAAAAAAP!!
The cone is a bit tight on the pipe so you will want to hold it in place for a better seal.
The X-Jack also has handy valve stem incase you want to fill it up with a compressor. We gave it a whirl and it did great!
Now the truck is fully lifted and stable enough to change a tire, stack rocks, or toss annoying kids under there for traction.
The deflating process is pretty simple. You simply turn exhaust hose valve at the bag and the fumes escape. It's best to face away from the fumes as they escape or you may be destined to lose your teeth, wear a wife-beater, and crave Pabst Blue Ribbon. No offense to you exhaust huffing, toothless, wife-beater wearing, PBR drinking folks out there.
The bag itself is made of extremely thick material that is puncture resistant. Just think of a thicker version of a high end river raft and there you have it. The bottom material that makes contact with the ground is thicker than the rest of the bag. For added piece of mind, you can put a floor matt in between the bag and the frame to all but eliminate the possibility of a puncture.
Having worked with another exhaust jack in the past, X-Jack is far easier to put back in it's carry bag for transport.
Where can you get one you ask?
The cheapest I have found one is $216.99 at Central 4WD.
http://www.central4wd.com/category.aspx?page=id|34875
More expensive than a "widow maker", but it definitely has its place in sand, snow, and any other terrain that is uneven or soft. It's also a great option for those of you that aren't cool enough to have rock sliders to use a hi-lift on :blackeye:
