lift points on '05

[kowaliga]

I want ability to rotate tires and P. M. undercarriage. I will buy a hydraulic floor

jack and jackstands. I'd appreciate advice on these tools and what lift points to use. After my only Walter-Market tire rotation ( on a cradle lift of the front

end only ) I'll definately do it myself hereafter. I appreciate the weight of this SRW ,LWB, '05, 4x4 but am cautious of an un-balanced lift attempt and less than capable tools. I can't afford to hurt myself because I live way,way out and alone. Thank you, gracias, merci.

 

[testraub]

I have a sears 3 ton jack that I bearly trust to lift the front the 3. 5 Ton jack stands seem fine. If I had a good way to keep a 5 ton floor jack (which I borrowed from a local garage to install my KORE system) I'd trust that to lift my truck. As for "lift points" open owners manual and see where they recommend. I to have a LWB 4x4 and always make sure that no matter what... CHOCK THE WHEELS! Play it safe and enjoy There isn't much we can't do to these trucks with a safe game plan.

 

[TKingsbury]

I always jack under the axles and put the stands under the axle as far outward as you can find a spot. A good jack is key, most little jacks are way over-rated. Napa and sears have some good jacks, but get the higher end ones that look like what you'd see at a professional shop.

Travis. .

 

[opjohnny]

I put the back on heavy jack stands and lift the front one side at a time for my rotation. I get nervous around that heavy front axel! I show it a lot of respect.

 

[MLee]

As stated read your owners manual I have a older truck and it states not to jack on the pumpkin middle of the axle. jack outside ends only. The axle is vulnerable to be bent. All tire jockies will--and do single jack the center of the axle when working on your truck,--Cause its faster. I've had to bring this to the attention of a few managers and they got right on the worker.

Marv.

 

[kowaliga]

Experience is the best teacher ( I don't want no bad 'sperience) and I appreciate your sharing yours with me. I'll read my manual, get two stands for the rear axle and work

the front one side at a time. MLee is correct : the Walter-Market ( pathetic creatures )floor-jacked the rear differential while the front end was cradled at each lower swing-arm pivot. I'm learning.

 

[rbattelle]

As stated read your owners manual I have a older truck and it states not to jack on the pumpkin middle of the axle. jack outside ends only. The axle is vulnerable to be bent.

Interesting. I jack my rear end by the center pumpkin - there's what looks to me like a jack pad back there. Plus I figure the rear end is so light the chances of bending a tube are remote, at best. Am I wrong?



Up front, of course, I never lift by the pumpkin. I usually use the lower control arm mounting brackets (axle end, not frame end).



-Ryan

 

[Thunderbolt]

Good jack stands are a must. Also be aware that the metal wheel chocks that come with many "jack combo packs" will slide easily on a concrete floor. I use heavy rubber chocks. They DON'T slide.

 

[Mhannink]

Interesting. I jack my rear end by the center pumpkin - there's what looks to me like a jack pad back there. Plus I figure the rear end is so light the chances of bending a tube are remote, at best. Am I wrong?



Up front, of course, I never lift by the pumpkin. I usually use the lower control arm mounting brackets (axle end, not frame end).



-Ryan

i also want to know if its ok to jack the back up by the pumpkin of done it on trucks before but just on the back never on the front. so is the back ok becaue its so light

 

[kowaliga]

I purchased a hydraulic floor jack from SEARS. Advertised as three ton capacity, it would not lift one rear tire when positioned on the axel between the shock mount and the wheel. Frustrated, I removed the in-cab bottle jack (first time) and attempted to use it. Fully extended, its cradle wouldn't reach the axle. I don't mind criticism so please tell me how stupid I am while explaining the proper way to employ this lifting device. I was parked on a level concrete driveway. Mine is a LWB SRW 4x4.

 

[rbattelle]

I purchased a hydraulic floor jack from SEARS. Advertised as three ton capacity, it would not lift one rear tire when positioned on the axel between the shock mount and the wheel. Frustrated, I removed the in-cab bottle jack (first time) and attempted to use it. Fully extended, its cradle wouldn't reach the axle. I don't mind criticism so please tell me how stupid I am while explaining the proper way to employ this lifting device. I was parked on a level concrete driveway. Mine is a LWB SRW 4x4.

Oh, brother. Don't you just love it when things don't work anywhere near as nice as they do in the little picture in the instructions?



We know the truck doesn't weigh 3 tons in the back (it actually weighs around 2300 lb, give or take), so your 3-ton jack should easily lift it. When you say the jack wouldn't lift the truck, what happened? You mean you couldn't physically push the handle down once the pad contacted the axle?



-Ryan

 

[kowaliga]

The 3-ton floor jack would not lift after contacting the axel. Pump,pump,pump... nada. Returned to SEARS and swapped for a 12000 lb. bottle jack which I tested in their parking lot. Having closed the air valve and put it in position it lifted one rear wheel easily with index finger/thumb power only. The floor jack must be defective, however the bottle jack is more easily used and stored in the tool box. What really puzzles me is the lack of owner manual precaution/instruction that the supplied jack requires augmentation to work effectively. Maybe I just missed reading some fine print. And Ryan,however much I plan ( I'm paid to do so ) some little projects become big ones.

 

[ZHutton]

It seems a bit common for jacks or other items to not work when new if they are the "cheaper" brands. I once tried to buy a cherry picker, bought one and took it home and its bottle jack would not pick up a load and even under no load it raised poorly and slowly dropped when you stopped pumping.



Returned it and went and bought a commercial quality napa cherry picker, first one was from an autozone type store, and the napa one still works great.



As far as the factory jack, I have not tried it but some blocks would help raise it in height.



But I bought a bottle jack just for my truck and I keep some wood scraps in the truck bed for this and that and these wood scraps can handle getting the bottle jack into position or the original jack as well if I want to try it.



For a quality floor jack you can take a spin down to your local sam's club if you have one. They have a 3. 5 ton rated floor jack I think, the one I go to only has one. It is well built and it will lift 3. 5 tons but you have to push hard on the handle to do it.



I have yet to jack my truck up but I read the owners manual while waiting for a store to open one day and I think the axles just make me feel better since today's truck frames are not like car frames of the 70's where you could lift the whole side of a car by putting a jack on one side of the car in about the middle of the vehicle and then proceeding to just jack away.

 

[kowaliga]

I put a two foot 2x8 scrap in the box today. My bro said he'd pick up some DC-10 landing gear chocks from work. My tool box will be filled with tire changing gear soon (got a 6"x12' braided stainless steel tow strap of DC-10 capacity too). Will attempt rotation, again, tomorrow and hunt for that front prop shaft lube point as well. SAM's is nearby. . but its so busy I'd have to pack lunch. The axels are stout and I'm wary of the tonnage that's on 'em. Thanks.

 

[ZHutton]

If you start looking around you can find similar priced floor jacks to the sams version.



Some folks like the 20-30 dollar floor jack walmart and other places sell. The thing is about the size of a 2 liter of soda if you squared off the 2 liter bottle. It is skinny and unstable and cheaply built.



Now if using it on a honda, it would be acceptable I guess.



But my floor jack cost 80-90 bucks over a decade ago and sams sells a very similar one in about the same price range so that is why I mentioned it.



Overall anyone wanting a floorjack for this size truck needs something about the size of a shoe box for a pair of tall hiking boots. I see specials on sale with a couple jackstands for this type jack now and then, but normally it is the skinny little jack and I don't even know if I would trust it to jack my spare tire up since it is so wobbly when at an extended height.



Sounds good on the dc-10 stuff, I have never seen it but it has to be pretty substantial to do that job.

 

[kowaliga]

Mission accomplished. Prior to any lifting I used the provided tire tool to 'break' loose all lug nuts. A real b**ch for all 32. As previously stated, W Mart applied anti-seize and torqued to 135#. Never ever allow that. I'm not a physically weak person and have trained with heavy weights all my life, but these suckers wore me out. I chocked one front wheel and successively lifted each rear just enough to clear the floor and insert a jack-stand. I elevated the un-chocked front wheel just enough to clear the floor . An air wrench would have been real nice to have at this point 'cause those lug nuts don't spin off. . anyway. . repositioning/mounting of wheels/tires was dirty but easy compared to breakdown. Snug the lugs. . set the front back down. . re-chock the other front. . lift its opposite front. . move the tire/wheels. . set the front down. . remove both jack stands. . torque all lugs to 135 ( feathery light effort compared to removal ) and my e. t. was about two hours. I now know what it takes. Caution, a level surface and plenty of soap and water. Too tired/hot to look for the grease fitting.

 

[jdooner]

Sams Club.

I too was eyeballing the healthy looking jack, I eyeballed it closely and it's made in China.