Floor Jack - Lift points

[Dr.Kayak]

I’m looking for a floor jack for my 4x4 Ram. The owner’s manual shows jack points on both axels. The Shop manual shows using the frame to lift with a floor jack. If I have to lift from the frame a floor jack with a 20” lift is not going to be much use. Where do you guys lift the truck with a floor jack? Is a 20’ lift sufficient?



Thanks

 

[work2muchplay2little]

Dr. Kayak, for better or worse, when I need to really lift it, I've used the front and rear differentials. My floor jack is a 3-ton, 20" lift and has worked fine.

 

[CRuD]

I too use a 3 ton floor jack. I also use the front and rear Dif. I also use a 2x4x4 as a spacer/cushion. Up front I have to move the jack to raise the right side.

See Ya

Chris

 

[Dieselnerd]

I also use the differentials front and rear.

 

[B9Mile]

Jacking Points

I cut down a piece of hard wood so it will fit in between the threaded portions of the rear axle spring U-bolts. Then I use that as a spacer between the floor jack's lifting pad and the axle.



I use the same setup on the driver's side on the front axle. I put the block right up inboard of the axle tube U-joint yoke. On the passenger's side I use the bottom of the lower link-coil mount, with a thick piece of rubber acting as an anti-chafing pad between the jack and the mount.



I'm always a little leary of using the differential housings. Not knowing that much about their strength, I'm concerned about maybe permanently deflecting an axle tube 0. 010" or so.



On the rear axle, this shouldn't be a problem due to the minimal weight on the rear of the truck. On the front axle, we have 1,100# of engine and all of the other stuff to lift too. I'm not too keen about using the lower link-coil mount as a jacking point, but its better than that tube coupling area of the front axle disconnect.



I weighed my truck (empty) once with me in it and with a full tank of fuel. There was 4,750# on the front axle, which is rated for 4,850# (I wonder why the DC Bean Counters didn't try to save a few more pennies per unit and try to get a 4,800# front axle). There was 2,000# on the rear axle.

 

[TomGolden]

I do basically the same thing as B9Mile, except I don't use the coil spring mount, I use a 2x2x2 hunk of wood under the axle directly on both front sides.



I would never have thought you could lift by putting the jack directly under the diff's



I just rotated my tires this morning actually. I have a 2 1/2 ton floor jack, plus a 2 ton and a 6 ton regular jacks that I carry in my tool box in the bed. Floor jack stays in the garage.



Tom

 

[OILBRNR]

Rear, I use the pumpkin.



Front, I go for the lower control arm mounts, one side at a time. Jack stands all the way around. I'm not sure I'd try the front at the pumpkin on a 4x4 as that Dana 60 is about at its' max as it is. But it's your call.



Regardless of how you raise it, don't use anything other than jack stands that are rated for the job. No cinder blocks or chuncks of wood or the floor jack itself.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

I use about anyplace handy to jack from. The hog heads, or the frame. Just find a nice flat spot on the frame to jack on, I jacked on the frame to lift the truck to have more room when chaning the axle oil.

 

[Duraque]

Jacking up

Hi guys, just . 02 dollars from a design engineer's point of view... .

The first time I crawled under my truck I was amazed at the axle design. Pieces of pipe, pressed into a differential housing..... hmmm.

My suggestion: NEVER jack up under the diff. housing. Specially in front. Reason: lifting your front (or rear) end could possibly flex the axles at the assembly joints. You have a lot of additional leverage between the diff housing and outer flange where the actual axle load is transferred. For what it's worth.

 

[Joe G.]

I've been jacking my '95 up by the differentials for oil changes, repairs, or whatever since I bought it. No problems that I can see. I strongly suspect that running thru a pot hole at 80MPH is a lot harder on the axles and suspension than jacking it up. Has anyone messed anything up by doing this? If someone had I'm sure they would have spoke up by now.