jackstand placement.

funkingonutz · Nov 9, 2007

today, i brought my truck(95 Ford ranger 4x4) up to my high school's Autoshop (proud Auto 1 and 2 graduate myself) to simply get the tires rotated, so i go out there to see how they are doing and i wanted to make sure they put all the jackstands in the right places and jacked it up the right way and stuff, because ya know its my truck and there is OTHER people working on it...it makes me nervous. Anyways the rear jackstand placement was fine, but i did'nt like the way the front was sitting...they put the stands under the radius arms(i think thats what they are called) so the wheight of the truck was on these two rad. arms, i was pissed :pissedoff:

. But im not sure if i have the right to be pissed, could putting jackstands in these areas bend, break, or warp the rad. arms? I looked at them after the truck was done and they look ok, not dented, or bent or anything. So i dont know, could someone tell me?

ZMan · Nov 10, 2007

They're not any more susceptible to bending than your frame is, I usually put my stands right where the radius arm bolts to the beam, but putting them on the radius arm is fine.

edit: I went ahead and moved this to GD and retitled it

Bent Bolt · Nov 10, 2007

Jack stands on the arms won't hurt them at all. But, be careful. As the truck is lifted by the floor jack, the suspension unloads and the arms swing down in an arc ( pivots at the radius arm bushing at the frame ). When you set the jack stand under the radius arm and lower the floor jack, you start to load the suspension and the arm will move in that arc As a result, the top of the jack stand will start to tip while the base wants to stay stationary. The same thing can happen if you try to set a car-- or truck -- with A arms onto stands. It can be very unstable when you think it's safe.

Just a matter of making sure the stands are square and stable before someone gets under the vehicle. I have stopped on the street and told complete strangers that I see crawling under their vehicle supported by a scissor jack. Sends chills down my back.

I know you didn't have any control over the placement of the stands in this case. It's just a major, major peeve of mine.

funkingonutz · Nov 10, 2007

yeah OTHER people than me working on my truck is a major peeve of mine.

Will · Nov 10, 2007

I never put them under there for the reason Bent Bolt stated. I put it under the axle beams or under the frame if the suspension is coming off.

samsonitesamsonite · Nov 10, 2007

ditto that Will, I also make it a point not to allow others to work on my truck.

du510 · Nov 10, 2007

Will said:
I never put them under there for the reason Bent Bolt stated. I put it under the axle beams or under the frame if the suspension is coming off.

Exactly. If you just need to lift it up, throw the jacks under the beams, directly under the coils. If youre workin on the suspension, throw them on the frame just aft of the radius arm mount, and block the rear tires.

Black_Splash · Nov 10, 2007

Where would the proper place be for jack stands on the rear of the truck?

samsonitesamsonite · Nov 10, 2007

under the axle tubes, or if you're doing suspension work, on the frame.

Black_Splash · Nov 10, 2007

samsonitesamsonite said:
under the axle tubes, or if you're doing suspension work, on the frame.

If on the frame, would it be to the front of the axle?

JFA_Spyderman · Nov 10, 2007

Well, it could have been worse...

Bent Bolt · Nov 11, 2007

Those are the one's that make me shake my head. Why do some people risk their lives or serious injury to save a few bucks???

Potential Darwin Award winner there.

Robin Hood · Nov 11, 2007

I just use the frame personally.

michowski · Nov 11, 2007

at least that guy put a big rock behind the tire so it doesnt roll away on him lol.

samsonitesamsonite · Nov 11, 2007

Black_Splash said:
If on the frame, would it be to the front of the axle?

I prefer behind the axle for more stability, but I have had to do it in front at times.

jackstand placement.

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