Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| hi-lift or "farm" jacks How much weight can one realistically lift with a hi-lift or "farm" jack?
I ask because I need to raise our shed about 2 feet and an trying to decide the best way. I could rent 3-4 bottle type jacks and jack it up a few inches at a time, or I could get several farm jacks and raise it about 6 inches at a time (for safety). I also like how the farm jacks "reach under" the edge of the shed rather that me having to excavate a bunch of holes to get the bottle jacks under. I have seen bottle jacks that do this too, but I haven't found anywhere to rent those.
Here is what I am trying to lift:
Wood frame shed, with cedar siding, asphalt shingle roof (gambrel), wood floor. It is 20'x12', so not too small.
It is sitting on 9 concrete "pads" which are nothing more than pavers. the shed pre-dates our house, and I believe they just backfilled the yard around the shed, which left it in a 1-2ft hole.
I would like to jack it up to grade and put it on cinderblock pillars or something similar.
Do you think farm jacks will do it, or do I need to go with bottle jacks?
Aaron
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Douglas Adams: "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." |
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 jjoshuaPremium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ
kudos:3 | Re: hi-lift or "farm" jacks Use the right tool for the job. Not a farm jack. |
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 CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | I would have to agree - to me it looks like the chances of the shed slipping off a farm jack is fairly high - especially if not all jacked at the same time.
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Brian
"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain |
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 LazManPremium
join:2003-03-26
canada | reply to wishera
"Real" hi-lift jacks are good for over 4000# - I was actually reading on the uses of them in a Off-roading mag yesterday, while my truck was in the shop... 
The real variables are the weight of the shed - going to spitball it at 6000# - and that's a pure WAG - and the bearing capacity of the soil or whatever you put under the jacks...
Raising the shed 2 feet is going to be some serious work... And without knowing how the subfloor or frame under the shed is built, or what shape it's in, I don't know if I'd attempt it, myself... That's a lot of weight to suspend by the rim-joists. If the middle drops out, you could have a large cedar-clad pile of kindling... |
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Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to wishera
I did replace the floor a couple of years ago so I know it in good shape, and there is support in the middle.
I do plan to fully support the shed as I lift so it would never drop more than a couple of inches if something went awry.
I think I'll just go with the bottle jacks. I've never used a farm jack, so I don't really have a good idea of their capabilities.
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Douglas Adams: "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." |
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robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | Bottle jack is the correct tool. I have a high-lift jack and while it's useful for it's purpose I don't think it would work for this. |
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 MsradellP.E.Premium
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY | reply to wishera
A Railroad Jack is probably your best choice. The smalls ones are rated for 15 tons and many house movers use them.
»www.elkayprod.com/jacklifts_1.shtml |
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| reply to wishera
A Hi-Lift is a pretty versatile tool, I have used mine to break beads on tires, lift fence post out, pull things, as a clamp, change tires.
It could be done with 4 of them but I would crib it every few inched as they can be unstable.
They can also be pretty dangerous when you are letting something down. Make sure you move the handle all the way or it can snap back on you and come crashing down. Crib both ways.
they are rated at 4600lb each so over 18K for 4 of them.
Don't by the knock offs, they are not nearly as good. |
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Reviews:
·Suddenlink
| reply to wishera
Re: hi-lift or "farm" jacks I've seen a HiLift "miss" a hole while coming down. The truck just suddenly dropped about a foot and the moving assembly of the jack slammed to the ground. Probably NOT what you would ever want a shed to do.  This was a genuine HiLift too, not one of the Chinese knock-offs that are prevalent these days.
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| reply to wishera
Re: hi-lift or "farm" jacks The problem I see is that your need to stack with bottle jacks, railroad jacks or screw jacks. None seem to go higher than 6-10".
So, if you ever lookup home movers or riggers, you would need to lift all four corners (simultaneously or closely), then block and support the shed, then lower jacks and stack-lift and repeat till you are desired height.
FYI, I had a Hi-Lift and it's a great jack but for 4x4s and pulling posts. Lifting a shed, well, kinda wobbly if using 4 of them.
Blind tradesman can do it!
»www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKlOorE2wck
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Splat |
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| reply to HarryH3
Re: hi-lift or "farm" jacks said by HarryH3:I've seen a HiLift "miss" a hole while coming down. The truck just suddenly dropped about a foot and the moving assembly of the jack slammed to the ground. Probably NOT what you would ever want a shed to do. This was a genuine HiLift too, not one of the Chinese knock-offs that are prevalent these days.
That is operator error when that happens, The lever was not fully positioned both ways, you need to go all the way up and all the way down. You also need to keep them lubed. |
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 JonPremium
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL | reply to Msradell
Re: hi-lift or "farm" jacks Those are almost 2 feet closed. |
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robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | reply to rjgogo
said by rjgogo:said by HarryH3:I've seen a HiLift "miss" a hole while coming down. The truck just suddenly dropped about a foot and the moving assembly of the jack slammed to the ground. Probably NOT what you would ever want a shed to do. This was a genuine HiLift too, not one of the Chinese knock-offs that are prevalent these days.
That is operator error when that happens, The lever was not fully positioned both ways, you need to go all the way up and all the way down. You also need to keep them lubed. Operator error or a tool whose design is potentially unsafe. In either case, using four Hi-Lift jacks to raise a shed 2 feet is about the same as applying for a Darwn Award. 
»www.darwinawards.com/darwin/ |
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 leiboldPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-09
Sunnyvale, CA
kudos:6
 ·SONIC.NET
| reply to Jon
said by Jon:Those are almost 2 feet closed.
Only 2.5" toe height (these jacks can lift with head or toe).
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Got some spare cpu cycles ? Join Team Helix or Team Starfire! |
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robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | said by leibold:said by Jon:Those are almost 2 feet closed.
Only 2.5" toe height (these jacks can lift with head or toe). If you look closely at the pic you can see the toe in the middle of the base. That is a lifting point. The only problem is the toe is fairly short so it may be hard to get a substantial purchase on the building frame. |
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| reply to robbin
said by robbin:said by rjgogo:said by HarryH3:I've seen a HiLift "miss" a hole while coming down. The truck just suddenly dropped about a foot and the moving assembly of the jack slammed to the ground. Probably NOT what you would ever want a shed to do. This was a genuine HiLift too, not one of the Chinese knock-offs that are prevalent these days.
That is operator error when that happens, The lever was not fully positioned both ways, you need to go all the way up and all the way down. You also need to keep them lubed. Operator error or a tool whose design is potentially unsafe. In either case, using four Hi-Lift jacks to raise a shed 2 feet is about the same as applying for a Darwn Award. » www.darwinawards.com/darwin/ Depends on the size and how you do it, yeah, jacking up with no cribbing raising one side 6 inches and doing nothing with the other yeah, but if it is small, and you have 4 at each corner and jack each 1" at a time and crib it it can be done. You would need to ensure a flat level stable base on 4 sides, and by level, I mean all 4 level with each other as well. Two feet may be a stretch however. You would also have to ensure that the structure has the support along the sill plate. Without cribbing it would be extremely dangerous.
I've changed a tire with mine on a steep off road incline with no problem, granted, I was tied off on a tree with my winch, and on the side with a friend's so nothing was going anywhere.
The design is only unsafe if the operator is unsafe and not aware of the proper way to use the tool. You could say the same thing about most power tools. |
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 gaforcesUnited We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA | reply to wishera
Lag or bolt blocks to the corner, use any kind of jack or a handy tractor or forklift.
Get it up put your cribbing under, go to next corner.
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Let them eat FIBER! |
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| This is exactly what i've decided to do. . . using bottle jacks.
TY |
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