Handyman all purpose jack Warning

muleman51

Member
Be careful with those jacks. I got cold cocked in the side of the head with the handle this afternoon, I stayed upright and didn't go down but it was close. I can open and close my mouth and have all my teeth. I will probably be black and blue tomorrow, kept ice on it for three hours' Just make sure those pins pop in all the way.
 
I have been using them since I was old enough to lift one but yes they require a lot of respect biggest thing is trying to keep your head out from between the handle and the jack but that can be hard to do when you are working the handle and trying to pry the pins out with your finger trying to get the thing to lower
 
I worked for this farmer some. Seen this handyman jack in the iron pile cut up in foot length. Ask him what happend and he gave me the same story as what happened to you. He said nobody else is going to use it and get hurt.
 
Just seen one under the bumper of a fullsize Chevy Tahoe, guy had the back side up and had a rear wheel off of it. Should have checked later to see if the bumper was still attached. He would have to have that jack totally extended to get the tire back on.
 
Those jacks are like hand cranking a Model T or spittin in the wind. Gotta know what your doing.
 
can be really handy, but also an accident waiting to happen. I have one on my jeep and another in the shed. I also have wheel chocks in the jeep for if I have to use it. I just used one to tip the header on swather, going down it bounced a couple times but I was out of the way. Not the best thing to use but on some jobs they are the only thing that works.
 
I learned years ago that those jack where a good way to get hurt so I have NEVER owned one my dad had one and I junked it after a problem where I almost got hurt.
 
As a kid growing up we always had one but somewhere along the way it disappeared. Never noticed it was gone until I started thinking about it. I always hated using it. The pins wouldn't seat, the jack wasn't perfectly straight, cranked the lever too fast, the load was uneven... It didn't take much to cause irreparable damage. Some might like them but I haven't found a problem where I couldn't use a safer floor jack or bottle jack with blocks for bracing. Be careful out there.
 
I have several of the original Handyman jacks. They are of a much higher quality than the newer copies. Keep the pins clean and oiled and they work well. Let then get rusty an bent and they are a death trap.
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Thanks for the warning. I keep one on my trailer all the time, it works good. I just lubed the pins a couple days ago. I have another one that has never worked. I guess it should be in the iron pile. Stan
 
(quoted from post at 22:21:40 06/08/19) Be careful with those jacks. I got cold cocked in the side of the head with the handle this afternoon, I stayed upright and didn't go down but it was close. I can open and close my mouth and have all my teeth. I will probably be black and blue tomorrow, kept ice on it for three hours' Just make sure those pins pop in all the way.

Is that brand even made anymore?

Is there a connection between HiLift and Handyman?
 
NEVER, NEVER stand, sit or kneel beside one. ALWAYS operate from directly behind the jack. They almost always kick out to the side. If it's kicked out backward, up or down, you've misused it. Speaking from 50 years of using them.
 
I have one I use frequently real handy,but the rule is when raising or lowering always keep a firm grip on the handle also when you let it set pull the mechanism up
in the raise position that sets it to raise or lower.Also as said make sure its lubed good so the pins slide in and out like they should.
 
Yep, I have a story too. Ended up with stitches in the side of my head because I was in too big of a hurry to find an oil can and lube the jack pins. But I did learn a lesson from the experience that has served me well. You always have time to maintain and make sure equipment is working properly.
 
We had 2 of them,kept pins oiled.
Jacked front axle up on 1 side on my vac case.for some unknown reason it went SNAP as i went to get my lug wrench.it dropped the vac as light weight asit is,both jacks are cut up too
 
Yes' they can be dangerous, but if you keep them oiled and use them carefully they are a wonderful tool. They're like a come-a-long, if the pawls don't click loudly when you're using it there is something wrong. Biggest problem is they both get hauled around in the back of a truck on dusty roads and then expected to work flawlessly in an emergency!
 
Dad had one of the original ones, got it around 1960. By 1961 it was relegated to the back junk pile in the side shed of the barn. Lube the pins? How about pour a quart of oil all over the beam and pin mechanism before each use? We'd use a log chain on the loader before we would use that "accident waiting to happen". Got in a heated argument about them 10+ years ago on another forum. Guess the guy got stuck under his Jeep or something when his Jack malfunctioned, haven't seen him post anywhere in years.
 
They can be handy but you have to be especially careful around them. I have to be more than especially careful with mine. I loaned it to someone and it came back bent.
 
yes ur right, watch the pins to make sure they engage all the way and are lubed. I have seen those pins worn on an angle from tons of use. that's the danger part. plus make sure the roll pins are straight. I been using those "jack all's" as we call them, all my life. properly maintained they are safe, handy and work good. on one I even had a bigger pad bolted to the bottom. carry one around in my truck also.
 
Hi-lift is handyman. HOWEVER patent has ran out . Sever copies are made , many in china. Most are
weak and yes can be dangerous. A true hi-lift made in Bloomfield Indiana is a well made jack and
used with common sense is an excellent tool.
 
I got three of them and I respect them the same as a rattlesnake, I?m always extra cautious when using one
 
In just the limited amount of time I have used them, I have had them kick out on me or one time had the thing I was jacking break. Fortunately I have backup bracing so I was in no (immediate) danger, but it is stark how fast it can go south. Never got hit by the handle though.
 
Here they have always been sold and known as "Jackalls". I've got 3 maybe 4 of them accumulated over the years. Would not want to be without them but as others have said, keep those pins and other moving parts freely moving and not sticking. I pour a little diesel on mine once in a while. Never been hurt by one yet. Always stay clear of the "strike zone" of that handle. And I always keep a hand on the top of the jack to feel if its trying to lean one way or the other. Never used one as a bumper jack but I've lifted some heavy pieces of machinery and small buildings over the years. Ruined one by running over it with the tractor.
 
The handyman jack can be a good reasonably safe tool if used properly and respected. Like any machinery it needs to be properly maintained to function right. I always store them inside out of the weather and I keep them oiled so the pins have a better chance of moving dependably. The jacks I have aren t used much because they are clutzy and are like a trap ready to snap but they do have their place. One good use is when I use them to jack up something like a ceiling joist with a pipe slid over the top of the jack. The jack cant fly away with the pipe over the top but that handle can still getcha.
 
(quoted from post at 13:55:23 06/09/19) Hi-lift is handyman. HOWEVER patent has ran out . Sever copies are made , many in china. Most are
weak and yes can be dangerous. A true hi-lift made in Bloomfield Indiana is a well made jack and
used with common sense is an excellent tool.

I would add, if it is cast steel/iron vs fabricated steel as the current company also makes econo models.
 
About fifteen years ago my boss was driving to work when he passed the neighbor out in his field jacking up his pickup. He happened to go home for lunch that day and there was the neighbor still out in the field. He stopped to see if things were okay and the poor neighbor had been standing there for 5 hours with his hand pinned between the top of the jack and the tailgate on the pickup. He wasn't hurt bad but his cell phone was in the cab out of reach. They can be a great tool in the right place but be careful.

Steven
 


I have several of the hi lift type jacks. I wouldn't be without them. They are indefensible on the farm. I don't know how anyone can get by without one if you actually farm. Maybe they are the type that call the tire service truck to come out and change a tire in the field! As with buzzsaws, radial arm saws and exposed blade brush cutters, they seem to get a real reputation as a "mankiller", mostly earned by tall tales told from barstools..... :roll:
 

My next door neighbor got smacked in the head last year with one. He had a concussion, lots of bruises.
 

AKA WidowMaker...

Several states have issued special safety bulletins just about these jacks due to repetitive injury and death reports.

Please respect the dangers of using this type of jack, and be prepared for a kick out, or kick up... either one can be deadly.

[b:b3c5967462]ALL[/b:b3c5967462] vehicle manufactures have gone from a bumper style jack to an under-axles style jack due to deaths and injuries. So an under axle jack does not extend the body up so high due to spring dropping. [u:b3c5967462][/u:b3c5967462]
 

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