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Mine are 3.5 ton along with 4 ton floor jack from northern tool. Also bought northern's 500lb capacity yard cart to haul the tools to my front yard to work on our vehicles. 125 year old live oak now blocks access to back yard for anything larger than a golf cart/smartcar sized vehicle.
I've got the floor jack covered. I got a few from small to large. With my new garage and concrete driveway I can finally service my own vehicles. I've got all the other tools covered just never thought much about the Jack stands. I've got some 2-1/2 ton ones that were fine for the smaller vehicles.
6 Ton here also and try to always use two more than you think you need, just like any other type of insurance, you hope you never need it but it sure is good to have have it when it is needed!
I was working on a Buddy's Torino in the driveway when I was younger. All I had was a jack under it when I was changing his starter. I was under it and the seal to the jack slowly gave out. I was so busy working on it and didn't notice that the car was dropping till it was laying on my chest. Thank god the jack still had some strength to it and with my body and the jack it wasn't smashing me too much but it was getting hard to breath. I was lucky to have a few friends over so that one friend lifted on the bumper while the other was jacking the car with the weak jack and another pulled my legs to slide me out. That was 20 years ago and I learned a lesson that sticks with me.
If I'm going to be under mine I use (for each wheel that's off) one 3-ton under the axle and one 6 or 12-ton under the frame. 4 wheels off and I'm under it qualifies as completely different than working one corner at a time. My all 4-wheels off set up is a 3-ton on each axle, two 6-tons on the front frame and two 12-tons on the rear frame. Need the 12-tons if you're lifted to get to the rear frame without using a spacer or extending the jack stand to it's maximum. Just changing a tire or working on brakes you are going to fine with a 3 or 4 ton on one axle, just get them big enough that you can keep them set pretty low. Extending a jack stand to its maximum height IMHO is not a good idea.
If I'm going to be under mine I use (for each wheel that's off) one 3-ton under the axle and one 6 or 12-ton under the frame. 4 wheels off and I'm under it qualifies as completely different than working one corner at a time. My all 4-wheels off set up is a 3-ton on each axle, two 6-tons on the front frame and two 12-tons on the rear frame. Need the 12-tons if you're lifted to get to the rear frame without using a spacer or extending the jack stand to it's maximum. Just changing a tire or working on brakes you are going to fine with a 3 or 4 ton on one axle, just get them big enough that you can keep them set pretty low. Extending a jack stand to its maximum height IMHO is not a good idea.
What brings this question up is I'm planning on doing my lift myself. I'm going to have to get it up there stable and safe.
What brings this question up is I'm planning on doing my lift myself. I'm going to have to get it up there stable and safe.
Then if it were me I would be using the setup I mentioned. You will need at least one good floor jack since you are going to need to be able to go up and down with axles and springs, instead of having stands. So that makes those frame stands even more important. I would go with 6's and 12's all around, the taller and wider the better.