2x? Under a jack stand or floor jack

[Donald]

Cannot move everything to new house like my pile of wood to put under a jack. And now I have asphalt to not damage.

So how wide a 2x? do I need under jack stand or floor jack wheels to be both safe and not damage asphalt when jacking my F-250?

I am thinking 2x8

 

[demarpaint]

I use 3/4" Plywood, cut in squares a little bigger than the jack stand. You can even double them if you need a little more height. The jack stands do sink into them a bit, but I've never had a problem with it.

 

[Warstud]

No Garage with concrete floor ?

 

[Donald]

No Garage with concrete floor ?

There is an area like a garage attached to the house. Wide door, concrete floor. But filled with OPE, shelves full of tools, several floor tools like table saw, drill press and 60 gallon air compressor and huge crate for huge dog.

If all of that was removed then one might say I have a garage with concrete floor.

 

[Donald]

I use 3/4" Plywood, cut in squares a little bigger than the jack stand. You can even double them if you need a little more height. The jack stands do sink into them a bit, but I've never had a problem with it.

I thought the goal was to spread the weight over a much larger area than the base of the jack stand and that is what a 2x8 would do?

 

[atikovi]

Cannot move everything to new house like my pile of wood to put under a jack. And now I have asphalt to not damage.

Umm.....wood is softer than asphalt I would think, at least pine lumber.

I use a 6x12" scrap 1/8 thick steel plate under the wide roller

As for stands, don't yours have protective feet?

 

[demarpaint]

I thought the goal was to spread the weight over a much larger area than the base of the jack stand and that is what a 2x8 would do?

You are, the 3/4 plywood is cut bigger than the base of the jack stands by a few inches [ to clarify a little bigger], acting as a pad not to damage the driveway. IMO a 2x8 would be too narrow, and too soft, and they can split. 3/4" Plywood won't split, and is a little harder. I also have 2x10 Microlam scraps from a construction project if I need a bit more height.

 

[Donald]

I see some pads made to go under the stabilizer jacks of an RV that are sold on Amazon.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

@Donald do you need to jack your truck up? I made ramps out of 2x12 for getting under my truck to under coat, grease and change the oil.

I don’t think I’d use wood under a jack stand. Can you take your jack stands to a local fabricator to have steel plates welded to them?

We used something like this when racing. We use to pit on gravel or grass so we needed a solid base.
Jack stand


Just my $0.02

 

[Donald]

@Donald do you need to jack your truck up? I made ramps out of 2x12 for getting under my truck to under coat, grease and change the oil.

I don’t think I’d use wood under a jack stand. Can you take your jack stands to a local fabricator to have steel plates welded to them?

We used something like this when racing. We use to pit on gravel or grass so we needed a solid base.
Jack stand


Just my $0.02

I can crawl under my truck to change the oil with it sitting in the drive. But to work on brakes I need a wheel off.

Large plate under jack stand might help but what about under the wheels of floor jack?

 

[Exhaustgases]

3/4 or thicker treated plywood cut the correct size works fine.
Depending on if drive way has a slope or not, metal can be slippery when wet, the wood is best for no slip.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

I can crawl under my truck to change the oil with it sitting in the drive. But to work on brakes I need a wheel off.

Large plate under jack stand might help but what about under the wheels of floor jack?

I don’t see why that wouldn’t work as well. Probably a PITA to move but I’d think you would want 3/16” or better to avoid a problem.

Just my $0.02

 

[JHZR2]

I have a collection of 1/2 and 3/4 plywood I use. I have some long narrow strips I use to put under the jack too. No jack I’ve ever owned has rolled particularly well on my asphalt driveway.

At my one property which has a gravel driveway I’ve used scrap t1-11 which has worked fine if doubled up.

 

[blkwtr]

There is an area like a garage attached to the house. Wide door, concrete floor. But filled with OPE, shelves full of tools, several floor tools like table saw, drill press and 60 gallon air compressor and huge crate for huge dog.

If all of that was removed then one might say I have a garage with concrete floor.

What is OPE?

 

[Donald]

What is OPE?

Outdoor power equipment. Lawn mower, snow blower, etc.

 

[eljefino]

Don't weld to your jack-stands, you can add stresses they weren't engineered for.

3/4 plywood is the best solution, it won't split along any grain because of how it's made.

 

[Donald]

Don't weld to your jack-stands, you can add stresses they weren't engineered for.

3/4 plywood is the best solution, it won't split along any grain because of how it's made.

If I get a 1'x3' piece will it allow a floor jack to roll slightly as it lifts up the vehicle? Yet spread the load out from the wheels?

 

[eljefino]

That would be fine. Give yourself six inches of rolling room plus another couple as a buffer.