Where should I lift my truck with my floor jack in order to get jack stands in place in both the front and back of my truck?

I know where each of the jack stands should go based on where the owner's manual instructs you to place the scissor jack for replacing a flat tire, but the manual doesn't mention where a floor jack should be used to get jack stands into those locations. I would like to find a safe place other than the differential (since the manual specifically advises against this).

The lift point of my floor jack has an open cup shape. I assume there is some logic behind the crater, but I don't know where that shape would fit well (other than the differential).

I've heard of floor jack adapters that marry the floor jack to a specific point under a vehicle. It looks like I could swap the cup part of my floor jack with something else. I've done some searching online, but haven't found an adapter that looks promising for my F-150. I've found some gel looking pad that you put on top of the cup that protects the truck from the floor jack, but nothing else.

So... how do you lift your truck?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

On the rear I just jacked mine up under the differential and put the jack stands under the rear axle, it was fine. the rear isnt very heavy anyway. On the front there is a jack point for a floor jack on the front of the frame, then I put the jackstands back on the frame on each side. I've seen many,many trucks get jacked up with a jack under the pumpkin(rear diff) and never seen problems.

 

I lift trucks all the time by the rear differential and the front end I just go on the frame on each side leaving room for a jackstand

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

I did some more searching online before I saw your responses and came across one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Capacity-Cross...0346347&sr=8-2

I assume this lets you jack up the back end by applying pressure to the axle vs the differential. Is that the purpose of this thing? If so, is there anything wrong with lifting the axle between the diff and the u bolts?

Thanks guys.

 

Isn't that meant to hit the frame instead of the axle tubes? I don't see how you'd get the pads on that up to the axle tubes with the diff being in the way. It only gives you 3" of height adjustment.


EDIT: Found a few online. Looks like that cross beam is to be used on the side to lift one side at a time, not the front or the back simultaneously. Left or right side only.

 

On my little 1.5ton jack, I replaced my cup with a square piece of 4x6 wood. For my 3ton jack, I put a piece of wood on top of the cup. I've been jacking up the front right on the frame rail. I jack up the rear right on the axle tube where the shocks /u-bolts are mounted. Should be ok, I guess.

I seem to remember reading somewhere saying not to jack up the truck using the bottom of diff.