Abstract: A mast and carriage assembly for a lift truck of the type having a stationary mast section fixed to the truck, a movable inner mast section reciprocable within the stationary mast, a fork carriage movably associated with the inner mast section, a hydraulic jack having an extensible and retractable rod, means operatively connected to the rod for moving the inner mast section relative to the stationary mast section and having a sheave rotatably mounted thereon, a flexible chain trained over the sheave and having one end attached to the carriage, and an elongated chain rod having one end attached to the other end of the chain and its other end loosely fastened to the stationary mast, with the improvement including a bracket attached to the hydraulic jack adjacent its upper end and a resilient link having one end fastened to the bracket and its other end fastened to the chain rod for normally positioning the end of the chain rod relative to the lift jack while permitting limited relative movement therebetween.