Doing entire front end, best way to jack up truck?

[CatBee]

I have a '93 Ranger 4x4 and I'm going to be redoing the entire front suspension, all the bushings, all the bearings, all the seals, all of it. I anticipate I'll probably have to take the spring out and drop the arms, so how should I jack the truck up that doesn't involve the jackstands on the actual beams. I have some big 6-ton jacks and they seem wide enough to put the frame on them and I was looking at putting the jackstands just behind the radius arm mounts on the frame. Is the frame strong enough to put the jackstands there without bending it? Or is there some better place to put the jacks to support the truck safely.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Hmmm, I remember using some homebuilt wood sawhorses under the front of the frame rails to support the front while I fixed some rot on the frame. There may be pics in my build thread for the low buck race truck. But I wouldn't reccomend making some... I think your idea should work fine. Just be slow when you release the jack. You don't want to taco the frame...

 

[scotts90ranger]

I think the 6 ton behind the radius arm crossmember is what I've done in the past, I've since obtained some taller stands that I use in front of the axle but either works.

 

[Curious Hound]

I put tall jack stands under the frame right behind the bumper and a second set for safety behind the radius arm mounts. I have extended radius arms. So, putting the jack stands only behind the radius arm mounts leaves me nervous about the weight of the engine cantilevered way out in front of that. Never had a problem. I just don't like it.

 

[RobbieD]

So, putting the jack stands only behind the radous arm mounts leaves me nervous about tje weight of the engine cantilevered way out un front of that. Never had a problem. I just don't like it.

Same here.

It may seem OK, but then you climb up on the front bumper to reach something in the engine bay, and suddenly you find yourself on a very un-fun teeter-totter.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Easy enough to cut a 4x4 to jam under the front frame rail. Or buy/make a taller Jack stand to put under the front.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ve put 6-ton stands on the frame behind the front bumper frequently. No harm to anything. Just block the rear wheels good. And don’t set the rear on jackstands at the same time as the front. Ask me how I’ve learned. Or better yet don’t ask.

When I’ve needed extra height in the front I have two cut sandstone blocks that I set the jackstands on. Or you can use cribbing. I don’t have a solid surface to work on so I level with crushed stone and set the sandstone blocks on top. Various methods to get it high enough to set the frame on stands, usually on a TTB if I don’t have the benefit of equipment to lift the front I’ll put something across the frame to jack from or use one jack on each axle beam and work them both.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I made 4x4 about 12" long with a piece on the bottom that fits in the jack-hole. This will catch both arms so you only need one jack.

PS, I love the name jack-hole...

 

[lostranger2026]

I got most of the car suspended on a collection of cross-wise stacked 6x6x2' drops and I also used a bunch of cut off railroad tie's and even a few cinder blocks and smaller pieces of ply to make sure the car is flat and very well supported. I used the welded on lift spots, the frame and the frame behind the bumper giving me 5 solid support points. I used the frame behind the bumper to lift from with a 22ton house jack. Every time I work on a wheel/arm I built a new little 'tower' to support the knuckles / calipers. There are 2 jacks in use which have been set to just kiss the frame, they're not the main support, just a back-up and they move whereever I work. I have two more jack stands left which don't really reach properly, so I always place somewhere in a 'just in case this suddently drop it ain't gonna drop very far'.

Always do a thorough, thorough shake test. My hardest challenge was finding out where to properly support the car so I could work on the suspension. I'm a weekend mechanic at best, so it took me a while. Make sure that you really chock any wheels that are left on the ground in both directions.

 

[RobbieD]

Good.

Glad to hear that you're being careful . . .

we don't want to see you like this:

 

[SenorNoob]

That illustrates my usual method. Of course the front hitch makes it a little easier. At that height, I had room to install the 4" lift and keep the tires off the ground afterward. Unless I used my weight to stretch the springs. Never felt unstable. Too bad it's not that tall all the time. LOL

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

That illustrates my usual method. Of course the front hitch makes it a little easier. At that height, I had room to install the 4" lift and keep the tires off the ground afterward. Unless I used my weight to stretch the springs. Never felt unstable. Too bad it's not that tall all the time. LOL

I'm not sure what you had under the concrete block, but if doing this on grass or even gravel, make sure you have plywood or 2x12 under the block. You want to make sure an edge doesn't start sinking.

 

[SenorNoob]

Just grass, but I did hunt a bit for a VERY solid patch of ground. I could see how that could be a problem. I wish I had a concrete pad to resolve that problem. I'm hoping to eventually build a garage where that mobile home is now. I'd probably do a pad with a tent style building at first.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Just grass, but I did hunt a bit for a VERY solid patch of ground. I could see how that could be a problem. I wish I had a concrete pad to resolve that problem. I'm hoping to eventually build a garage where that mobile home is now. I'd probably do a pad with a tent style building at first.

Yeah, at the very least one of those solids should have been on the ground or if the block used is a “termite” block (solid top, webbed bottom), put it solid side down. Better to be on 2x12 or plywood though. Even doing it that way it’s still a little risky. I’d love to have a solid slab to work on but that’s likely a couple years down the road.

 

[IRKillroy]

You can do some cribbing that can get under the frame and or tires and allow safely hold the vehicle up. The link below shows how to safely perform cribbing.

Heavy Equipment Cribbing Safety Guide

rubber-inc.com

I hope this helps!