Jacking tips

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Jacking tips

baddog8it
I've always done my own maintenance on my vehicles, so I had the usual floor jack and jack stands.  Today's project included my first attempt at jacking up THE BEAST.  I was able to lift it high enough to do the work I need, but it failed to get daylight between the tire and the ground.  In the future, if/when I need to remove a tire, I'll be out of luck.  The range of my current equipment is just not enough to get a tire off the ground.

For jack stands, that's a no brainer.  I just need taller ones.

Any suggestions for a new jack?  I see a lot of the "hi lift" jacks, but not really sure how or where to engage them on an old truck.  Should I just stick with the hydraulic floor jack, just something with more range than my current one?

A new floor jack doesn't solve the problem of when I'm out on the road.  THE BEAST still has the stock jack under the hood.  I haven't played with it yet, but I can't imagine from it's looks that it can can get much elevation.
THE BEAST - '85 F350 2WD (non dually) Crew Cab, 460 carbureted, C6 tranny
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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
On the rear I jack under the axle housings, as close to the wheel as I can get.  On the front I jack on the swing arm/axle, again as close as I can get to the wheel with the jack.  Granted it isn't exactly parallel with the ground, but I've never had a jack slip there.  However, I always use jack stands before I get under the truck.

Jacking that way doesn't require jack with a lot of lift as 1" of jacking gets you almost 1" of wheel lift.  And you can use the factory jack in the same way.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

85lebaront2
Administrator
In reply to this post by baddog8it
The stock screw jack will surprise you, it has 3 sections if I remember correctly and will get it pretty high. Carry a 12X12 plate probably 1/4" thick steel if you are on Asphalt or soft ground so it will not (a) sink or (b) tilt and drop the truck. It isn't real fast, but mine still works after 32 years.
Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

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Re: Jacking tips

Dyn Blin
This post was updated on .
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Not specific to the Bullnose, but works well given one may be more likely to find themself with a flat on muddy or soft ground--

I cut and keep a circular marine plywood board stacked on/under my spare tire (on all our cars) to use as a platform for the jack.  I've thought about cutting another "round" to stack for kneeling on for a tire change.

Sonoma County,CA
1982 F150 Flareside XLS
NP435 4x4
351W Motorcraft 2150

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Re: Jacking tips

grumpin
In reply to this post by baddog8it
I have driven on a 2x6 to give me just a little more.

You could also screw two 2x6's on top of each other and cut them at an angle to drive on.

We used to do that to change Learjet wheels and tires. Pull one on the 2x6's and the other would be off the ground, dual wheels of course. Then they took it out of the service manuals. Mechanics would crack axles doing it with too much weight on the aircraft, i.e. too much fuel.

I've also put my bottle jacks on 2x6's if it would fit.
Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona
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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
In reply to this post by Dyn Blin
Dyn - I really like that idea.  I'm going to see if I have some of the 1" composite flooring left and cut a piece or two of it to fit.  
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

Dyn Blin
If your luck is like mine, you'll be dressed in Sunday Best when it happens.  

I wrap our spares in that stretch plastic wrap for pallets on our vehicles that carry them exposed under the rear. It's easy to cut and remove when needed, and lets me come out of the event a little cleaner.
Sonoma County,CA
1982 F150 Flareside XLS
NP435 4x4
351W Motorcraft 2150

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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
That's yet another great idea.  I have plenty of the plastic wrap, so can do that as well.

As for luck, yes that's the way it usually happens.  I'm reminded of the trip in 1969 or '70 when we took the VW van to Arkansas.  Sunday morning, with a white shirt on for church, we had a flat.  I wasn't very clean when the spare was on.  
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

Dyn Blin
In reply to this post by baddog8it
Good morning BadDog.  Upon re-reading your questions, I see we suffered from "thread creep" after the 2x6's suggestion by Grumpin..

I have friend that has a ridiculously lifted early 90's 4Runner, and given the clearance, we rarely have to jack up the monster to work under.  However, his "monster" trail jack is secured to the tailgate, and almost as much of  pain to remove to use as it is to change one of his tires.  Changing wheels, tires, brakes, bearings were always a pain using that to get it high enough for jack stands to do the rest.

To "lift" his floor jack (a cheap but workhorse Harbor Freight special) we extended it to full height and measured how much more we'd need to lift the tire an inch off the ground.  We picked up some ABS pipe from the hardware store (I can't recall the diameter, but brought along a hockey puck to measure the ID of the pipe, as those seem to match the saddle/lifting plates perfectly on floor jacks).  We cut it to size (about 5 " if I recall correctly) set it vertically and filled it with Quickcrete 1101, leaving enough space below the lip of the top so the hockey puck would sit in the top of tube's head space stably after cure & extend about 1/3 an inch proud of the tube.

We set this vertically on the saddle/lifting plate of the floor jack, and it's worked well for years.  It's very stable on a flat surface, but I religiously use floor jacks, never trusting the stability of any jack on it's own.

In thinking about it, if you wanted to build it to work with an axle, you could find a PVC pipe of at least equal diameter to the axle, cut a section in half length-wise, and set it horizontally at the top of the vertical ABS pipe, letting it sit in 2 notches cut on opposite sides of the top lip.  Fill it to the top with 'crete and then the axle can sit in the the embedded PVC "cradle".
Sonoma County,CA
1982 F150 Flareside XLS
NP435 4x4
351W Motorcraft 2150

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Re: Jacking tips

baddog8it
Thanks all for the input.

I'm going to make it a point to pull out the OEM jack and play with it a bit.

The hockey puck is a great idea.

I really like the idea of stabilization plates that fit with the spare - that's brilliant!
THE BEAST - '85 F350 2WD (non dually) Crew Cab, 460 carbureted, C6 tranny
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Re: Jacking tips

Danny G
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
We keep a military poncho (heavy material) in every vehicle. I have used it more as a ground cloth for roadside work then a poncho.

actually they are these guys.

1986 F-150|Standard Cab|4x2|300Six|C6Transmission w/3.08 rear|Name:TBD
2021 Ranger XLT Super Crew
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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
Good idea.  But I'd expand the subject to include towing.

When you get a vehicle on the trailer, as I did last Saturday, there is likely to be antifreeze, oil, or just dirt on the trailer.  And laying down in that to put at least two chains on the rear and two ratchet straps on the front isn't pleasant.  So I carry a roll of left-over marine carpet.  Roll it out and scoot up cleanly under the vehicle.

And, if you find that the vehicle is so low that the chains/boomers are going to be banging on the deck of the trailer, just cut off a strip of the carpet, roll it around the chain/boomer, and tie it with duct tape or a bungee cord.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

Steve83
Banned User
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
These are the factory-recommended jack points:



An abbreviated version is on the core support of every '80-96 F-series/Bronco I've ever seen:



It's not apparent under the snatch block between the bottle jack & bolt cutters, but I keep a junk crosstie plate as an off-road jack base.



They're easy to find loose by walking a few feet along a rural train track.  Some are significantly larger & heavier than others, so don't settle for the first one you come across.
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Re: Jacking tips

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Much to my dismay I found the Ford under-hood jack will raise the axle enough to get a flat off, but will not let you get an inflated 235/85-R16 back on.
I ended up driving up on a curb to swap the tire back then.  

I have since carried a chunk of 12/4x12 mahogany in the bed at all times.
At 2 3/4" dressed it is tall enough to get the spare on and low enough to fit under the axle with a flat tire.
The 12" square pad also makes the screw jack more stable and less prone to sinking is soft ground.

If you have bigger than stock tires you may need more, but be sure to check the jacks range is more than the sidewall, or you'll be stuck for sure.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
That's a REALLY good tip!  I haven't carried a slab of wood for that purpose, but I do have a 2x4 in that the spare tire sits on which could be used.

However, I have a 6 ton bottle jack in the tool box, and hopefully its range is adequate.  If not, surely with the that and the Ford jack I can get the job done.

(I'm not going to mention the HighLift jack that I hope to be carrying, as most people won't have that as an option.)

Anyway, I'll slip a good-size chunk of wood in the tool box.  Thanks.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
I used mahogany just because I had a bunch of thick offcuts laying around the shop.
I'm sure you could screw 2 squares of pressure treated 2x12 together for similar effect.

I'm not one to carry a high lift jack (though they are good for pulling fence posts)
Neither will you see me rolling 20's with a light bar and shovel strapped to my hood or a snorkel on my A pillar.

My truck works every day.
It doesn't park on the curb at the mall or get to play off road.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Jacking tips

Gary Lewis
Administrator
Both Blue and Big Blue have done their share of work, if towing Chevrolets is work.  (Maybe that's fun for a Ford?  )  But not every day.  Typically they sit and wait for another chance to shine as we have more efficient vehicles for the mundane stuff.

But, hopefully Big Blue will get to do some long-distance trips next year, as well as some "off-roading", although that will be limited to going places rather than seriously testing the mettle of the vehicle and/or driver.  In any event, places where the high lift jack might be useful.

Light bar, not likely.  However, I will say that lots of the ranchers around here, and there are a lot of ranches and ranchers, have light bars on trucks that are USED daily.

But 20's with little rubber bands wrapped around them are a bent wheel or blown tire waiting to happen.  No thanks!  
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Jacking tips

salans7
In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk
I had issues with my Ranger due to the 4" suspension lift and 35's. None of my jacks would come close to touching it, and using wood blocks is sketchy for floor jacks. I found the below jack while walking around Rural King one day, and it works perfect for my Ranger. It extends out for taller trucks, so you're not wasting a significant portion of the ram just to reach your truck. Of course, I doubt this works on a fullsize that is lifted 4" or more, but for you stock height guys, it might be an option.

https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-640912-Black-All-Bottle/dp/B003ULZGFU/ref=asc_df_B003ULZGFU/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584138858682395&psc=1


As for Light Bars, I despise them. The lights on either side of my winch light up the night more than I could ever need, and that's coming from a part-time cattleman. Any rancher running a lightbar bigger than 12" is just following fads.

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Re: Jacking tips

Steve83
Banned User
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
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Re: Jacking tips

Danny G
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Gary Lewis wrote
Both Blue and Big Blue have done their share of work, if towing Chevrolets is work.  (Maybe that's fun for a Ford?  )  But not every day.  Typically they sit and wait for another chance to shine as we have more efficient vehicles for the mundane stuff.

But, hopefully Big Blue will get to do some long-distance trips next year, as well as some "off-roading", although that will be limited to going places rather than seriously testing the mettle of the vehicle and/or driver.  In any event, places where the high lift jack might be useful.

Light bar, not likely.  However, I will say that lots of the ranchers around here, and there are a lot of ranches and ranchers, have light bars on trucks that are USED daily.

But 20's with little rubber bands wrapped around them are a bent wheel or blown tire waiting to happen.  No thanks!

I know more than a few guys who really like the remote control roof mounted spotlights for early morning or late night field work.
1986 F-150|Standard Cab|4x2|300Six|C6Transmission w/3.08 rear|Name:TBD
2021 Ranger XLT Super Crew
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