I recognize that many people lift the rear-end of their RWD vehicles using the center of the rear differential. Apparently this is taboo. Thoughts?
The specified rear lift points are also a bit different than I expected.
Pick-up Truck Jacking/Lifting Points
- Thread starter The Critic
- Start date
I recognize that many people lift the rear-end of their RWD vehicles using the center of the rear differential. Apparently this is taboo. Thoughts?
The specified rear lift points are also a bit different than I expected.
I need a better picture, #3 does not make sense.
I've also seen it written many times, don't lift on the diff, and I don't, but I've also seen people mentioning doing it (with a floor jack of course) w/o issue. I still wouldn't unless the manufacturer indicates it's acceptable. It doesn't take that much more time to reposition the jack under the other side of the axle and put in two jack stands if you need the whole rear end up in the air.
I've also seen it written many times, don't lift on the diff, and I don't, but I've also seen people mentioning doing it (with a floor jack of course) w/o issue. I still wouldn't unless the manufacturer indicates it's acceptable. It doesn't take that much more time to reposition the jack under the other side of the axle and put in two jack stands if you need the whole rear end up in the air.
Since it's a drive on ramp, it's pointing to the the actual tires, is my guess.
According to that warning..only if the truck is loaded. If it's not then it seems to be OK.
^ Heh, I was supposed to read the words instead of just looking at the pics ? 
What do they mean by "loaded" ? You might think "has stuff in the bed of the truck" but without a weight value, it's pretty meaningless. In automotive terms, "loaded" often refers to how the suspension can be loaded, i.e. all (4) wheels on the ground and full weight on the suspension.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
"Loaded" is corporate CYA speak. 1 cement block, jack from the diff and anything bad happens they're covered and you're not. Not hard to imagine bending things if one of these newer 1/2 tons would be Ioaded to max payload and you'd jack it up by the diff. It should say use diff only if bed empty.
I've seen FTM elevate F150s from the pumpkin. Good enough for me that it's acceptable.
Plus do any rockcrawling and you're regularly high centered on diff only....
But I've jacked from here on every truck or SUV I've ever owned. Plus as rear coils become more common and axle tubes crowd with control arm brackets and sway bar brackets it's sometimes the only practical place.
Plus do any rockcrawling and you're regularly high centered on diff only....
But I've jacked from here on every truck or SUV I've ever owned. Plus as rear coils become more common and axle tubes crowd with control arm brackets and sway bar brackets it's sometimes the only practical place.
For my 3/4 ton, jacking the truck at either of the rear point one positions will take forever to lift the rear tire because the suspension needs to be unloaded. Jacking at the axle tube ( point two ) immediately lifts the tire.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
The potential problem is if the truck has a heavy load in the bed that weight is sitting on the leaf spring perches or coil buckets. Jack from the diff and it probably puts bending stress on the axle tubes that wasn't designed for. Truck empty, no problem..truck loaded heavy, maybe problem.
Once jacked on the axle tube where do you put the jack stand?
I've always jacked on the spring shackle. Granted, I'm only doing a tire rotation or rear brakes, but I'll leave the jack there and put a stand under the axle tube as a safety stop.
I've always heard that it isn't great to jack the diff, although it happens all the time and causes no damage.
I've always heard that it isn't great to jack the diff, although it happens all the time and causes no damage.
This is a terminology pet-peeve of mine. Hopefully you mean spring hanger. It's also not at all uncommon to put lift pads under the spring hanger/spring eyes (depending upon which protrudes lowest) -- I do it all the time.
I personally wouldn't jack under a shackle. Shackles swing/move. Spring hangers attach to the frame and are stationary. Spring hangers house either a spring eye or a shackle eye.
Furthermore on trucks with shackles in tension you wouldn't physically be able to even touch it with a jack.
I usually have have just enough room outboard of the Jack.
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