I know what you’re thinking, but keep reading. This isn’t just another polyurethane handle keeper.
Some time ago I wrote about my homemade Hi-Lift jack keeper, here. It functions superbly in terms of keeping the jack handle secured, with no possibility of the keeper shifting. However, my keeper does nothing to reduce the rattling of a stowed Hi-Lift, which can be annoyingly loud if, say, you have the jack mounted on a roof rack above the driver or passenger window, as many of us do, or vertically in front of a door, as some FJ40 and Jeep owners do.
Enter the Step 22 Gear Silent Jack. The polyurethane handle keeper is more or less the same as a hundred others—although I found it fit tighter (better) than most. The trick to this keeper is the second molded piece that wedges between the base of the handle and the shaft:
This piece locks the entire jacking mechanism solid, completely eliminating movement. Remove the jack’s foot (easy with Step 22’s spring-loaded base-plate pin) and there is no noise, period.
The fit is very tight—I had to squeeze hard to get the handle keeper over the handle and shaft with the wedge in place—but that indicates to me it should stay effective for a long time. You also have an extra piece to keep track of, but that shouldn’t be a big deal. I found it t be a simple but worthwhile update to the standard poly handle keeper.
Step 22 is here. Take a look at their equipment cases too. I’m hoping to try one of their tool cases soon.