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What do you guys use to jack up your rigs?

SLO C5

SLO C5

1/2 ton status
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Aug 29, 2007
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Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
I'm used to cars and really low vehicles. 4x4s, not so much. Say you wanted to swap out an axle, so what do you use to jack up the frame and then support it? Somehow, I don't think my 18" jackstands will get it done with the Suburban I'm trying to buy with 12" of lift and 39.5" TSLs:haha:

A buddy of mine told me about a hi-lift? Anyone familiar with them?
 
Jack the axle up at the diff, set jack stands under the frame (buy taller jack stands) and you're there :thumb:

Don't use a high lift.
 
High lift is for changing tires and winching your rig in a pinch . Taller truck jackstands and a large floor jack is what you need .

Take the tires off and the rear end can go low enough for tall jackstands .
 
might not be THE safest thing but i use very huge wooden blocks and or longer 6x6's i put under the jack. This is on a level driveway, works for me.
 
any recommendations for taller floor jacks?

My cheap 3 ton walmart floor jack does not have the reach to get my axle high enough to get my jack stands under it. I use wooden blocks to get it done, but my wife does not like that method.
 
Harbor Freight has 12ton jack stands for less than $75 that are pretty tall. If you want taller/ safer, look at the pipe stands from Rigid. You can can them from Home Depot Special Order for around $125 each. They weren't designed for vehicle use, but they are rated for 2500lbs a piece and I see a lot of chassis fabricators using them.
 
DO NOT use cinder blocks. they can be strong when used properly, but if you have the truck supported by them, and drop a wrench against them or somthing, crack, crash, splat.

one way that is pretty effective and safe is to buy some 2x12s, cut them into roughly 1 sqare foot sections and stack them to the desired height, securing them with nails or screws as you go. in my experience, this is a very sturdy way to go.

offroad, regardless of what type of jack you use, it's good to have a board or something to increase the size of your footprint so that the jack doesn't just sink into the ground.
 
i use a pair of 6 ton jack stands and a 12" x 12" x 5' long piece of construction lumber for building overpasses under the jack stands and its perfect. A regular 3 ton garage jack is all i use to jack the truck up, just place it under the axle and on the driver side use a 4x4 on the jack to get some extra lift out of it. Whatever you do, test your setup (shake the truck) and be positive its secure before you stick you head under the truck.
 
Whatever you do, test your setup (shake the truck) and be positive its secure before you stick you head under the truck.
Click to expand...

great advice. i give mine a few kicks to the bumper before i slide under.
 
I use a HF long reach floor jack and 12 ton jackstands. I also take the 37's off and put on a set of flat 29's. That helps a great deal.
 
I just picked up a pair of 6 ton jack stands at Advanced Auto for like $40 a couple weeks ago for the same reason. I think they go up to about 25". In order to swap axles on my K5 with 38"s and 4" lift, I will still have to jack up the axle, remove the tires, and then lower it back down until the frame reaches the jack stands. The good news it that the axle won't have as far to fall before it lands on my foot that way.
 
Like mentioned before, buy 12 ton stands for $75 a set. Best money spent IMO for tools. Although ryoken would fight you to the death :D about using properly prepared cynder blocks as support, I wouldn't do it. If you need more height than a 12 ton will give you I also use 4X14 wood header beams (got as scrap from local construction sites) cut to 18" lengths to put under my jackstands. Just be safe about what you are doing. I dont have any where to jack my K5 up with a highlift while out on the trail so I carry a 20ton bottle jack with about 3 pieces of 2X8 wood as support in my rig.
 
I made this out of 6X6. Mine is over 50" tall, but I'm sure you could make a couple at any height.
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Here it is under holding up my truck as we speak.
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004-5.jpg
 
when i swapped rears we used short ass jack stands on those driveway pavers, stacked the 2 tires on the body so if it fell it'd land on the tires and save us, or se we hope..and for doing the jack, i dont see a problem with using that jack on a few wood blocks until you get the stands under it...DON'T FORGET TIRE CHUCKS!
 
I have used my hi lift many times to lift the front or rear of my blazer, but I put the jackstands under the frame.

The 3 ton stands from walmart are tall eneugh for the axel but not even close for the frame.

I picked up 4 6 ton stands from tractor supply for 15$ each. Those on top of an 8 x 10 rail road tie work perfectly for the frame.
 
i use a long frame habor freight jack with a set of 12 ton jackstands...i do this for 2 reason..
1.usually if its on stands im pulling axles and i need it up as high as possible..
2.i like leaving my boggers cause they are wide it make for rolling a front axle around a whole lot easier for one person...
 
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