jack advice

[ozziemo27]

I have a Torin: Big Rad Jack's 2.5 truck jack. It has a nice sized cradle and a small extension tube that I hate using but goes deep into the lifting arm so I don't see it ever failing. Wheel are strong and roll well. I always lift the front of my truck underneath the lower radius arm bolt but the sticker under the hood says to use the lower shock mount. That doesn't seen right to me but that's Ford deal. I usually never jack using the pumpkin. I put the jack as far out the axle tube as I can and still allow me to swap it out for a jackstand. Use as many jack stands as you can and always check the capacity. I bought a couple 6 tons for when I was working on my truck, overkill sure but as they say "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

I use that same big red 2.5 ton too, been using it for a year and usually carry it in my bed toolbox as a factory jack wouldn't have a tall enough travel to work for my truck nowadays. The big red works great. Also have a hi-lift with me just in case.

 

[Mark_88]

Since I lost the OEM jack I replaced it with a scissor jack that my Dad gave me years ago...only I lost the handle and had to replace it with one that doesn't work as well...anyway...it works

As for where to lift...I always use the rear shock mounts...never had a problem with that...and for the front it goes under the radius arm bolt...

Now...if you're running 14" tires and have a flat...make sure you have a jack that will fit under there somewhere...some jacks just won't fit under there...so flatten your tires and test to make sure you can get the jack under the truck...

 

[baxtej44]

still not sure how my stock jack didn't work... maybe it was just rusted shut a little bit or something? or the mechanism was a little tight from not being used for years and years.


but i was to where i thought it was fully extended and it wasn't close to helping me at all.

 

[doorgunner]

I throw bottle jacks & scissor jacks in the garbage when i buy a new/used vehicle. they usually work great for 10,000 lifts....then on the 10,001 lift, they drop the vehicle one way or the other....

I always put a compact/adequate floor jack & a leveling board in the vehicle to replace the other style jacks.....