Jack Stance?

[superds]

I might do that, and just weld a flat piece of 1/4" thick plate steel to the top. (Have scrap from a friend's project at school)

Why would you weld something to the top? I've never had to do that to a jack.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

My trucks all carry a stock crank-up jack. And a milk crate full of various pressure treated wood blocking along with a hydro bottle jack. And if I'm expecting to need to have it off the ground for an extended period of time, I take jackstands.

I had originally started replacing the stock jack with a hydro bottle, but twice now I've had need of a second jack (don't ask), so now I carry both.

A bottle jack with the right blocking works just fine, even on my choptop. I carry a 6-ton bottle most of the time unless I'm in the F-350 or using the trailer, then I take the 12 or 20 ton. I carry a couple 4x4's, a 6x6, a couple 2x4 and 2x6, piece of 5/4 decking, some 12" squares of 3/4 ply, and some squares of 2x10. If you have to use more than two of those to jack something up, find a different ground contour.

 

[Ranger Kip]

My trucks all carry a stock crank-up jack. And a milk crate full of various pressure treated wood blocking along with a hydro bottle jack. And if I'm expecting to need to have it off the ground for an extended period of time, I take jackstands.

I had originally started replacing the stock jack with a hydro bottle, but twice now I've had need of a second jack (don't ask), so now I carry both.

A bottle jack with the right blocking works just fine, even on my choptop. I carry a 6-ton bottle most of the time unless I'm in the F-350 or using the trailer, then I take the 12 or 20 ton. I carry a couple 4x4's, a 6x6, a couple 2x4 and 2x6, piece of 5/4 decking, some 12" squares of 3/4 ply, and some squares of 2x10. If you have to use more than two of those to jack something up, find a different ground contour.

I had this in mind fore my jack:

Black is the stock hydrolic bottlejack. Red is thick plate steel. Blue is thick band iron supports.

EDIT: This is to give the jack less room to fall over with force, and more area on bottom to prevent sinking into mud, soft ground, or gravel.

 

[superds]

Before you go modifying the jack, do what lil_Blue_Ford does (and me too) and carry some pieces of wood to support the jack and prevent it from sinking into the ground.

I also don't think welding a plate to the top is necessary, and probably more dangerous than anything since it would allow you to support the vehicle offset from the center of the jack and the jack could come out allowing the vehicle to fall to the ground.

 

[Ranger Kip]

Before you go modifying the jack, do what lil_Blue_Ford does (and me too) and carry some pieces of wood to support the jack and prevent it from sinking into the ground.

I also don't think welding a plate to the top is necessary, and probably more dangerous than anything since it would allow you to support the vehicle offset from the center of the jack and the jack could come out allowing the vehicle to fall to the ground.

I agree now that I think of it

 

[Surrey]

I usually carry 3 jacks offroad... The stock one, which doesn't get used much, an 8-ton bottle jack (I choose it because it had a nice lift range) and a 2-ton floor jack. The floor jack will be replaced with a Hi-lift soon (went on sale at Canadian tire for $50, so I got me a raincheck the other week...) but between the 3 jacks and a few peices of 2x4 and plywood, you can jack up pretty much anything, in any situation.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Hi Lifts are best used for recovery operations and repairs on the trail. A traditional jack is much more desirable for changing tires.