Air jacks can be an alternative to a Hi-Lift. Admittedly not as macho, air jacks are safer, easier to use, less dangerous, but are they as effective? Andrew St.Pierre White and John Rich show us how.
So underrated the exhaust jacks. Prob the best bit of recovery equipment out there. Used with a set of ‘tracks’ they’re so effective. If you’re with another vehicle use their exhaust, save you digging for yours if underneath. Brilliant
I used an exhaust Jack thirty years ago, it worked well. With the invention of the Maxtrax it would work even better. As with any jacking device, all care should be taken to ensure it doesn't fall over. Good honest video boys !!!.
As the video started I scoffed at the air jack. By the end, I was intrigued. Strengths and weaknesses, to be sure, but any piece of equipment is like that. This is an interesting bit of kit.
Nice video on the use of an air jack. I like the idea of the safety valve and the quick connect valve (same as inflatable boats) plus the schraeder valve. Only time I've needed the air jack many years ago, I didn't have it with me.
I like these better for non 4x4 lifts. I've helped people get cars unstuck from old farm roads. Usually people get stuck trying to turn around. There is hardly any clearance except what you dig, no points to hook a High-Lift. Hard to winch or pull because they are 90 degrees to the recovery vehicle and usually no place for a snatch block. I think they would work well if you get hung up in snow. Yes I have 2 High-Lifts but when it sub zero F a steel jack is not much fun to work with even with gloves.
While "air jacks" are a useful tool and a cool idea when you're off the beaten path, there's just no comparison to a Hi-Lift. I chose Hi-Lift over an air jack because it offers way more than an air jack can. With a Hi-Lift you get reliability, durability, winching, spreading, take up less space, can get you off the trail for further repairs, numerous other uses and to top all of that they're repairable with in minutes; if the bag blows... it's done and you can thank your lucky stars if your still around.
+Justin Phillips until it pops a valve or you dont let all the gases out and you die from poisoning? ill stick to my hi lift because the only way it could hurt me is if i were stupid
+saph Hi-lift jacks are inherently unstable, which air jacks are not. A vehicle falling on you is worse for your health than a bit of carbon dioxide that may or may not be inhaled. As for me, I have never seen a vehicle bogged down inside before, so I'm not sure that's much of an issue.
+4xOverland It can not do any damage to an engine ever, at all, ever. It runs at a fast idle. Twin exhausts are designed for an engine to run at max revs, max power and max load. We use one exhaust operating at .01% of power output. How can that damage an engine?
Some of us are old enough to remember when all cars came with the hi-lift type of jacks and we've changed quite a few tires or changed oil a lot of times using them. If you do stupid things though, you can get hurt with *any* jack.
i have seen where air bags have been used to up-right semi-trucks and locomotives here in the US. everything can be googled, look them up for a dealer.
I enjoy these videos although I am not an overlander or even have money to buy a 4x4 truck, I am happy with the Hyundai i30 Station wagon I have for the family, but this gentleman is so interesting and classy with knowledge and not just bla bla ble stuff and he always have guests in his video whom are even more interesting...
1) If you have an older vehicle, does the airbag jack increase the risk of blowing out an old exhaust component? 2) How did Andrew managed to stay clean in the mud bog?
I find a hi lift far more practical. As a jack not only can it go higher but it will indefinitely work. Plus if jacking up the vehicle didn't work a hi lift can be used as a winch. It also seemed like a bit of a faff setting up the air Jack especially as the vehicle was only on sand. A hi lift is dangerous if used improperly but I would feel safer jacking up a vehicle with a large lump of metal than a balloon. Especially as using an air Jack you have little control of the direction the Jack makes the vehicle fall. Lastly reliability a hi lift relies on muscle which every adult should have enough to use a hi lift. But this air Jack required a compressor or an engine both of which could fail. It's a good idea and I think okay to use in mild off-roading. But to replace a hi lift? I don't think so. Very good video tho Andrew as always
This was very interesting. I don't understand where all these negative comments are coming from. Yes a hi-lift serves more purposes like a WINCH( I don't think you can use them as a wench though😉) but don't most overlanders/off-roaders have a Winch? Yes a pressurized bag could be dangerous but it has a relief valve. Also you can get them in the states? Yes, They're called X-jacks I believe. I like the idea because it looks much lighter than a jack and covers a larger surface area making it more stable. We use air bags as a first responder albeit they are very different and don't go over 118 psi. I have one question though. Can you use these on duel exhaust vehicles such a discovery 2,3,4? I've heard rumors that you can't build enough pressure with duel exhaust with a x or h pipe. Thank you.
I can think of 3 different ways a hi-lift jack could've gotten that truck out quicker and with less effort. 1. Jack up and fill holes 2. Use as winch in conjunction with recovery strap 3. Use as anchor in conjunction with winch
Well, I have used a hi-lift for decades, and all of you suggestions require a lot of effort. A hi-lift used as a winch, is fine in theory, but a huge challenge in practice, and if there is the slightest stretch in the rope, it does not work at all. A hi-lift does not work well as an anchor in practice. Jack and fill the holes, takes as much, if not more effort, and is more dangerous. But very effective.
Er...are there any comments "gone"? Concerning compressors for pumping up an AirJack: no problem at all, as the pressure is very low. I did it with a really small one, overheating is impossible. Whereas the exhaust is a pain in the ass: probably not sealed any more, second outlet - or it is vanished in the mud or snow, or has an oval shape or pointed angle, you will have to kneel behind that stinking tube in the dirt, the plug does not stay in to reach the pressure, the hose is kinked...just forget that for most cars. With a compressor one could use a pressure limiter and dose the lift by mm. Then it's much safer and very convenient and healthier concerning exhaust gases.
I had quite the chuckle reading the comments on this video. So let me give you my speel. There more trouble then there worth. That recovery would have taken them half the bloody morning way longer then is needed. As for being dangerous yes but no more then a hi lift jack and certainly NOT SUICIDAL. Now im not a fire fighter / 4x4 recovery expert or have 50+ years experience but i do own a pertty big farm and my advice would be buy a good winch. There are so many applications that a winch can offer that the bag simply can't.
I'd prefer to have a tool that pull me out the crap and up the hill. An air bag just doesn't offer that and i can't think of any situation where id prefer it other then maybe changing a tyer.
The bag might only be at 3 or 4 psi, since the large area of top of the bag pressures like 4 psi would mean a lift capacity of more than 1800lb. which is more than enough to lift the back of a small truck like in video and if it explodes it would only make a large bang, not shrapnel.
interesting video. I have this idea use in the United States but only lifting overturn semi-trailers by specially train emergency personnel. Do they have a company to sell the United States cusomers?
This product will not damage an engine...and more less a Diesel engines with had a bigger compression ratio than gasoline engine and are beefier built....unless you are off roading in a two stroke one cilynder engine
I'm not really sure how just putting through the mud works for you guys, idk what's so different from there than the USA. The way we seem to like to go through mud is lots of momentum and speed.
WheelieTime AU Not at all. if the back pressure becomes too much, the engine will stall. The pressure inside the bag is very low, as it is the volume of air that does the lifting, not the pressure.
because the bag pushes against such a large area the pressure doesn't have to be very high. If the bag is two feet across, every pound of exhust pressure will lift just over 450 pounds and I would expect 10+ psi of backpressure under light load wouldn't cause a problem for the engine.
The Surface it was tested on was too soft what do you expect from a sand like surface so it was bound to falter at a few attempts on a solid surface like a road .. It would work first time imo... He should have put a wooden board down to give it some sturdyness .That's what I would do .. But i wonder if you can connect 2 together to use at the same time .. ?????????
I have a question. Why on earth would one want to use it on a solid surface? Its meant as a recovery tool on soft ground. This is its strength! And a wooden board is a bad idea. It is utterly unnecessary. This was a real world test, not set up to look good, as it would have been had we demonstrated it on hard ground. It would have been pointless.
what is max air pressure inside this air jack? if you do not reach exhaust pipe there are plenty of mechanical or electrical air pumps you can use with this kind of connection valve - it is standard in inflatables like SUPs or boats
Andrew what of jack have you used in the past if not the hi-lift jack? I've searched jacks on your channel and I see no reviews of jacks other than his air jack.
I have a question please, in your opinion if I already have a winch and a ground anchor (similar to pull pal), do I need a farm jack/x-jack/bottle jack at all? Meaning for recovery, not changing tyres. Wondering if I should invest on one or not. Thanks
What brand is this jack? The only ones I can find on amazon are just bags which loom like they are made of shower curtains, I like this one much better because of its pads and rugged construction.
what happens if im out wheeling and say bounce over a rock or a big peice of wood or something and i get an exhaust leak and end up needing to use this lift to get off of said rock or wood or any normal trail materials that could cause a exhaust leak or puncture in my exhaust pipe will this bag fill or will the bag do nothing
I find it far inferior to the high lift for the simple fact that its not nearly as rugged. He said it had to be put somewhere with no sharp points, and that the sides are not as heat resistant. You can pour gasoline on on a highlift, light it on fire, beat the crap out of it in almost every way, and it will still work. It also doesn't rely on engine power. its good old fashion muscle. I feel the 70-150$ for the different models of the highlift make it far better, and with proper education on how to use your jack, it is a far more versatile tool.
jking6155 I agree with you. But have you considered that this jack can be used on almost any vehicle. The vehicle needs no special mounts, bumpers or rick sliders for the air jack to be effective?
Traction pads or planks would have been faster and easier to get out of that mud. The first spot where you got stuck looked as if you took it out of 4x4 to get stuck on purpose because that was a rock/sand loam. You should take that truck into some real mud with no sand/rock loam and see if you can back fill that.
benekaiwi1 That is correct. This was specifically to test the air jack as a means of recovery. That mud was deep enough to bury the vehicle to as the weight was on the chassis, and not the wheels. Which it what we wanted.
Is that a standard dmax rear bumper? It's quite skimpy (although you can stand on it), but how in the world can you jack it up from there without bending anything?
I'm not a fan of the airlift jack you can't use it for as many things as the highlift including a hand wench if you don't have a wench on the side you need it
I remember seeing one of these used at the beach, really impressed the carload of females who stuck their dads car in the loose sand, all were wearing bikinis.
4xOverland ...What? Now that's just asking for lawsuits from engine damage. The lift alone is bad enough, but blocking off a factory installed second exhaust port? Many vehicles have true duals, with no connection between the two outlets. You plug the other and you are basically trying to destroy your engine with this product.
I'd hate to try and do this on my own whilst traipsing boggy shit in and out of a new 4wd. These new vehicles just look too shiny and out of place for the real unbeaten track.... best left to a Rover or Cruiser anyday!
47 the isuzu kb has a very utilitarian interior, really easy to keep clean. Just as capable as cruiser.. Not sure I'd be brave enough to go out of cellphone signal with a rover tho - lol
Give me a nice flexible stainless steel wire rope 50 feet and 2 dynema rope 50 foot with eye splices 4 snatch blocks and a high lift.... I'll pull you out of that mud in 1 or 2 pulls I will not get so dirty I will hardly. work.... I'll use my brain... instead of all that digging... and crawling under And that shovel should be replaced with 2 us army issue entrenching tools.... Are entrenching tool is tiny yet gets the jobs done.... It functions as a ground anchor and you Bury one with the other after you both dig..... With 4 snatch blocks and a few hundred feet of dynema I'll put your Isuzu 25 feet up in the trees lol.... I'll bring the high lift because it has too many uses... Air bags are neat but are limited in their uses.... Nothing will ever be better than snatch blocks and rope.... And if you do not have snatch blocks truckers hitches prusick knots and elbow grease will get you up a tree a cliff face or out of almost everything.... But nothing can replace knowledge and problem solving skills.... The other thing is knowing how to make a Spanish windlace and how to pull out with A frames
Lets be honest, a hi-lift jack on the car used in this video is useless. On my land cruiser i much prefer the hi-lift jack, i got bull bar, rock sliders and rear tray to lift from. Also its so much easier to carry around especially when dirty.
I don't think an air Jack can ever replace a hi lift. The hi lift is reliable, proven, and versatile. The air bag is dependent on a running engine, or an air compressor to work, so I don't think you can consider it reliable and it is a %100 purpose built tool.
Admittedly not as macho, air jacks are safer, easier to use, less dangerous. Lets retype this properly shall we. Air jacks CAN be safer, kind of easier to use as you show, MORE dangerous because they are FILLED by carbon monoxide and other things from the process of combustion. Please don't lie to viewers in your description or videos.
+saph monoxide? i think its safer that the monoxide is in the bag opposed to outside where you can breath it. The surface is so large that barely any pressure builds up in those bags and are very unlikely to leak or even explode.
Yeah it does. But not much. Maybe a few PSI/KPA. Force=working presure X effective area. So if the there is 600 sq inch of area, the pressure will be low to allow a truck to be lifted.
You obviously have never used one, or you would not have this opinion. Its less complex, safer and easier to use that a hi-lift. I have used both - a lot.
