Compressed air/Exhaust air jack

[Ratbag]

Gidday Folks

I bought one of these last week:

https://www.princess-trade.com.au/cart/4-tonnes-4wd-4x4-off-road-exhaust-air-jack.html

This type of jack is highly recommended in the WA Police Academy "Aids to Survival" publication.

It came complete with padding felts for top and bottom; attachments for use with either exhaust gas or an air compressor; repair kit; gloves (!); and a decently strong carry bag that comfortably fits all the bits into it.

This type of jack is both more flexible than a wallaby jack (high lift jack, etc), and far less dangerous to use. I have used wallaby jacks in my youth, and they will remove fingers or hands very easily, either when jacking or when supporting. Wallaby jacks are great as bling, and for lifting tractors, just too flaming dangerous for "normal" use IMNSHO.

This just about completes my recovery kit. All I really need now is a long handled spade (Bunnings, when I am feeling better).

 

[NachaLuva]

Looks good & would be easy to use plus easy to store. I wonder how easy it is to deflate?

I wouldnt trust how stable it is. IMO it would be more stable than a high lift jack but any load on top would still like to roll off, just like sitting on a big beach ball

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday NL

I don't trust ANY jacks for stability, and the manufacturers specifically state not to get under the vehicle unless supported on chassis stands. At least the thing itself is not downright dangerous, as is the case with high lift jacks.

As for deflation, there are two ways. The slow way is to stick something in the (compressor) inflation valve. The ordinary way is to slowly back off the bayonet mount inlet in either case. Should collapse like a bag of wet mice ... :iconwink:.

Seems to me that the best thing about it is the ability to elevate the vehicle from an uneven, less than stable surface. There is also no necessity to excavate huge amounts in order to be able to pack under the bogged wheel or wheels. One at a time, if needs be.

 

[taza]

Yeah been looking to buy one of these. Would certainly help when your bellied out.

 

[Ratbag]

Will let you know how well it works, Taza.

Seems to be well made.

From my Batphone

 

[taza]

I have to agree witj high lift jacks. They are absolutely dangerous. The only good thing about them is they can be used as a hand winch. .
Keen to see your opinion on it.

 

[Dedman]

I though about getting one of these for a while so I will be interested to see how it performs for you particularly in terms of stability.
One would never replace my high lift jack though as high lifts are absolutely brilliant devices and can be used for so so so many things both car related and not. Dangerous if you are not thinking about what you are doing and have the draw back that they are really only suitable for reasonably strong people but whilst im fit enough to use one I will always have one.

 

[Ratbag]

^ & ^^ Gidday Taza and DM

I will post a review of the thing in the "recovery gear" sub-forum when I have a chance to take some proper photos of it, and have given it a test run.

The base and top are about 600 mm in diameter. Because it is so large in diameter, I expect it to be reasonably stable when inflated. Unlike a beach ball, it is pretty flat on the ends, specially when it is under load.

 

[havachat]

Hey Ratbag,
I agree that you try it out before you need it. On a club trip at Christmas two of these failed. So there is a degree of danger with these.
Cheers

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday HC

The instructions are pretty clear about avoiding hot bits, sharp bits, etc, at both ends of the device.

They are also very clear about using the (supplied) pads over each end of the device.

Like everything, these things can fail. It is why I am so un-trusting of jacks (etc) in general. I have had all types collapse in use. I have had a car supported on chassis stands fall sideways off them (user error - mine).

Bull bags get a wrap from the WA Police Academy because they are more flexible and safer than most other forms of high lift jacks (i.e. wallaby jacks).

Wallaby jacks are highly dangerous in all aspects of their use, IME. Sure, there are valid uses for them (I have used them for such), but it is not a device that I enjoy seeing attached as bling to lots of 4WD vehicles, knowing full well that almost none of the owners of those vehicles have a clue about how dangerous they are, and can be; nor do they have any idea of how to use them safely (if there can be said to be such use ... ).

I have been there when a Jackaroo (under supervision and instruction) very nearly lost fingers or a hand when one collapsed during normal use, in almost ideal conditions.

 

[admin]

Hi RB - how much does it weigh and what dimensions for stowage?

PS - it's Kevin BTW

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Kevin

I guessed that ... :lol:.

It's about 550 x 250 x 350 mms, and weighs 4.4 Kgs in its carry bag. That's without squashing it. I don't want to do the latter ATM, as it has a very sharp ended band clamp around the exhaust pipe fitting funnel. This needs to be properly bound up so that it doesn't chafe or puncture the bag in transit. Seems to be the single part that's not really up to what appears otherwise to be a good quality product.

The tube from the exhaust pipe appears to be made of some kind of high temperature material. This is about 6m+ long.

Folded up properly, the air bag by itself is about 370 x 270 x 130 mms.

The carry bag is a very loose fit, even with everything in it. Not one of those that you need a factory machine to re-insert it once it has been removed and used ... :biggrin: . Of course, the zipper is the weakest part of it.

If it weren't raining and cold here - and if I felt somewhat less like warmed over dog vomit - I would be giving it a test run today.

The bearing area is such that it would appear to take some rough usage to puncture it, just IMHO. It seems to be quite strongly made. Only time will tell with this, of course.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks RB (I forgot I was in "admin" mode when I posted the question)

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Folks

Some photos of using the bull bag to lift my trailer off its springs.

This thing is amazingly stable! Having a big footprint at each end helps, I guess, but it really is amazingly stable ...
It's like lifting the back of the trailer up onto a table!

It inflates very quickly using my compressor. I didn't try the exhaust inflation. Deflates as slowly or as fast as one wants it to. Is very easy to deploy (but watch out for sharp bits and hot bits at either end). I did not use the felt pads that come with it, as the trailer bottom is quite flat (unlike most cars) and it was in the driveway, so a flat, even ground surface as well.

 

[kiwifoz]

Certainly looks the part! I've heard mixed reviews of these, people have had them explode under Land Bruisers and the like - but for a light Subaru they seem like an easier and safer alternative to a high-lift jack, so long as you avoid the aforementioned hot/pointy bits.

Speaking of jacks, about a month ago I had an interesting experience... Was hunting with Dad in his Pathie, and we slit the sidewall of the GT radial H/T tyre. Didin't notice it was flat until a few kms down the road and we kept dragging over small humps... So up went the jack, swapped on the spare and kept going.
About 10kms later, still offroad, there was a bit of a nasty crunch and the truck stopped dead, back left corner on the ground... Yes, my genius father had forgotten to tighten the lugnuts and the wheel fell off. Luckily, all the lugnuts had come off within a metre of them all and we found them all. Unfortunately, the centre of the wheel (alloy 17") had been damaged and two of the steel washer things had popped out! They didn't want to go back in either... As well, the edge of the left rear panel was folded in and the previously damaged bumper skin was again half off (hit it crossing a creek in reverse last August)
So, we cranked out the jack and got to work. HOWEVER. About halfway up, the jack seized. Just stopped jacking. It was just one of those crap scissor-type ones and it had clearly had enough as the thread stripped. So in order to refit the now-damaged spare, we had to dig a sizeable hole in the road. Which was complicated by the rock-hard baked Central Otago dirt. Luckily the stakes for the hand winch (no trees in Central to winch from) proved good for breaking ground before shovelling. Took 30min to dig a big enough hole to fit the wheel in. Bolted it on with 4 nuts not 6 and drove out.
Was a slow and careful trip back out after that... Didn't want another puncture.

TL/DR - do up your lugnuts and tighten them when you drop it off the jack!

There's now a hydraulic bottle jack in the car. Like the one supplied from the factory with our old R50 JDM Terrano.

 

[Ratbag]

^ Extremely highly recommended by the West Oz Police Force in their handbook "Aids to Survival", and far less dangerous than any kind of wallaby jack (high lift mechanical jack).

I have used the latter, but one needs to be very careful - they remove fingers faster than any surgeon can, will break wrists, arms or any other parts within reach, will fail catastrophically if not used correctly with every stroke ... etc, etc.

My bull bag is designed and made in Oz, and has a rated capacity of 4 tonnes GVM. Unless one is stupid or careless enough to place it wrongly, this will easily support a fully loaded Land Bruiser balanced on it ... :biggrin: .

I could rock my trailer fairly violently from side to side with it sitting on this thing (I was also a tad skeptical ... ) and the front jockey wheel. The trailer would barely move sideways at all, in spite of my efforts. It was like having it sitting on a big strong table!

 

[kiwifoz]

Sweet, sounds pretty ideal then! I must say they look pretty comical though, like one of those inflatable 'feet seat' footstools or whatever they are.

The other problem with a high-lift is you need proper, reinforced points to lift from.

 

[MiddleAgeSubie]

I have said this elsewhere but came across this thread by chance so will repeat here.

Air jacks also need proper support points or rather space. Good luck using one in the rear, especially with dual exhaust. Maybe with a hitch, depending on style and mounting.

In the front it works well WITH skid plates. But even just using it to replace a rear tire on a trail would be quite painful. But, hey, it is great for trailer tires!