truck lift

bobsmanstuff

bobsmanstuff

Senior Member
I want to lift my 1930 pickup up and put it on jack stands. Is it safe to lift it up with a floor jack under the pumpkin? Thanks
 
Yes it is, that is the best place under the rear. the front put the jack under the center of the axle.
 
I do it all the time , I like lifts under under my wheels in place of jack stands,more clearance to work. Just my 2 cents.
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And don't forget the "two redundant means of support" when working under a vehicle.

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych comes to mind.

Joe K
 
Hi Ayers

I have a motorcycle jack to pick up the front end under the axle and also works on the rear under the rear end.
It works perfectly!
31 pick up
31 coupe
 
Joe K said:
And don't forget the "two redundant means of support" when working under a vehicle.

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych comes to mind.

Joe K
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Please elaborate on "two redundant means of support", never heard that one before.
 
katy said:
Please elaborate on "two redundant means of support", never heard that one before.
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Simple thought. When using a jack - back it up with a "jack stand" or a second jack such that if the first jack should fail, the load is taken up by the second. The jack stand need not even carry any load initially - but "be there" in case of a failure.

Having a single jack under four corners of a vehicle may not cut it by itself. Sometimes when one means of support fails, it cause other supports to be "out of line" or otherwise less than optimally applied and fail successively.

The failure of a "skywalk" at a Hyatt Regency Inn a few years back comes to mind. Any single support of that reinforced concrete was enough - more than enough - to support that single section alone. But when used in combination, a failure of a single support caused a "cascade" failure of the rest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse

I have the typical Harbor Freight type hydraulic pump jacks - yunno - the ones that look like a baby brother to a "real" garage jack. I frequently use two of these, one under each side at one end of the car. A failure of one of these might give one a start - but probably won't drop the car on top of you being supported as it is on the other side. Still, I am known to put up the el-cheapo "jackstands" (you know - three legs and a telescoping top with a cross pin to hold it to size) adjacent to the Harbor Freight devices.


Joe K
 
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I do plan on putting 4 jack stands under the truck. Just wanted to make sure I could jack it up under the rear end. Thanks
 
Joe K said:
Simple thought. When using a jack - back it up with a "jack stand" or a second jack such that if the first jack should fail, the load is taken up by the second. The jack stand need not even carry any load initially - but "be there" in case of a failure.

Having a single jack under four corners of a vehicle may not cut it by itself. Sometimes when one means of support fails, it cause other supports to be "out of line" or otherwise less than optimally applied and fail successively.

Joe K
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We do it the other way around. Put the car on good jack stands and leave the jack under the car 'just in case'. Never get under a car depending on a jack.
 
katy said:
Joe K, thanks.
Ditto
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You both and my Dad would be in agreement.

I may be getting "lazy" - but not stupid yet.

Thanks for the reminder.

And need I mention the stability difference between the three-legged "telescoping" jack-stands and the more substantial (and costly) four legged ratchet version.

Telescoping
jack_stand_obsolete.jpg
jackstandf1.jpg



Better
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And even the better design can be compromised. Hence the two visible means of support.

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Dad had a saying "The best tools are none too good." Considering the challenge of ANY job, its best to have the best available to do it with - and eliminate at least that possible failure path.


Joe K
 
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Many years ago I remember seeing axle stands made from Model T rear axle housings. They were non adjustable. "one size fits all" sort of thing.
 
I was a reporter for 17 years, and saw a lot of ugly carnage. One of the worst was the guy doing work beneath a double-wide trailer that had been using concrete blocks and no backup. Aaaagh!
 
Osage Orange said:
I was a reporter for 17 years, and saw a lot of ugly carnage. One of the worst was the guy doing work beneath a double-wide trailer that had been using concrete blocks and no backup. Aaaagh!
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I was about to say something here about using blocks under the car and your post highlights what I was going to say.
I sometimes use big blocks of wood as a backup. The wood must be solid and dry. Wet or green wood can slip. I NEVER use masonry of any kind. If it so much as cracks, its strength is reduced to zero.
Fortunately, I've never needed the backup and hope I never do. I would feel nervous about crawling under a car without knowing some other support was there for me.
 
Joe K said:
And don't forget the "two redundant means of support" when working under a vehicle.

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych comes to mind.

Joe K
Click to expand...


I had to look up "The Bird".
Some interesting statistics there:

“According to the report, in 2007 more than 168 people were killed by falling vehicles, and more than 10,000 people were injured in hoist or jack incidents."

So there were just less than 10,000 with some bit of their anatomy turned to strawberry jam.
 
I thought it was just me being a little sissy.

Before I got my lift I always used 4 - 6 ton stands, 2 under the front axle and 2 under the rear axle and a jack under the pumpkin and a jack under the middle of the front axle. Just in case a stand let go.

Also, for those that have slanted garage floors. It is a very good idea to chock the front wheels before lifting the rear end with a jack.
 
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