Safe jacking points on the 2003 Escape?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2015
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Safe jacking points on the 2003 Escape?
Are there safe jacking points on the 2003 Escape so I can get both front or rear wheels off the ground at the same time with a floor jack? I suspect not, but I thought I'd ask.
Also, where are safe places to put jackstands? More often than not, factory manuals tell you to put the jackstands in the same place you're putting the jack, which is obviously useless.
Also, where are safe places to put jackstands? More often than not, factory manuals tell you to put the jackstands in the same place you're putting the jack, which is obviously useless.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: St Louis
I do it all the time on our 07.
There's a unibody channel that I put the floor jack under, just a bit forward of the front door handle. That works for me. Mine's a 4X4 so, if yours is a FWD, the balance point will be a bit different.
There's a unibody channel that I put the floor jack under, just a bit forward of the front door handle. That works for me. Mine's a 4X4 so, if yours is a FWD, the balance point will be a bit different.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,911
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From: Burleson, Tx
With my big floor jack I put the cup right between the rear wheels under the housing for where the rear end would go. It'll evenly lift both sides. Then stands can be put where the manual says.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Warren, MI
Sometimes a real PITA but just use the listed support point for a jack stand and place my jack also as close as I can to that same point.
Mine is a 4WD and IIRC, support point doesn't differ from a FWD.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Burleson, Tx
I'm also not using the factory jack (that has never been out of the vehicle) which I am sure fits into some groove at the factory lift point.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Warren, MI
True, but been using it for 12 years and 295k miles. I can't see it failing to use it long enough to put stands underneath when I use it and leave it while rotating tires.
I'm also not using the factory jack (that has never been out of the vehicle) which I am sure fits into some groove at the factory lift point.
I'm also not using the factory jack (that has never been out of the vehicle) which I am sure fits into some groove at the factory lift point.
I could maybe see their point on a FWD not lifting at the center of the rear end but not on a 4WD.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2015
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Mine is a 4WD. Can I lift the rear end with the jack under the diff?
I don't like lifting one side at a time. I used to do that (before I discovered that it was safe to jack my Jeep on the rear diff), and after I'd set the first stand and was jacking the other side, I'd sometimes see the first stand start to lean. Scary. I much prefer to set both stands at the same time.
I don't like lifting one side at a time. I used to do that (before I discovered that it was safe to jack my Jeep on the rear diff), and after I'd set the first stand and was jacking the other side, I'd sometimes see the first stand start to lean. Scary. I much prefer to set both stands at the same time.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Warren, MI
Mine is a 4WD. Can I lift the rear end with the jack under the diff?
I don't like lifting one side at a time. I used to do that (before I discovered that it was safe to jack my Jeep on the rear diff), and after I'd set the first stand and was jacking the other side, I'd sometimes see the first stand start to lean. Scary. I much prefer to set both stands at the same time.
I don't like lifting one side at a time. I used to do that (before I discovered that it was safe to jack my Jeep on the rear diff), and after I'd set the first stand and was jacking the other side, I'd sometimes see the first stand start to lean. Scary. I much prefer to set both stands at the same time.
I had my 1978 Corvette on jack stands, wheels off installing calipers and was trying to bleed the master cylinder. It wasn't level so I was either going up or back down. On the right front side, coming down on the stand when I lowered it kind of quickly, the frame touched the stand, floated up about 2" before coming back down. In between I almost soiled my shorts!!
Jacking must have lifted it right off the stand on the left rear corner for whatever reason.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2015
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I've been a DIY wrencher long enough to know that what the book says, and what you can safely do, can be two different things 
The book for the Jeep ZJ says that you should only jack at specific points on the frame rails. In fact, you can safely jack under the front or rear diffs to get both wheels off the ground at the same time. So much better than lifting one side at a time.
The book for the Jeep ZJ says that you should only jack at specific points on the frame rails. In fact, you can safely jack under the front or rear diffs to get both wheels off the ground at the same time. So much better than lifting one side at a time.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Warren, MI
I've been a DIY wrencher long enough to know that what the book says, and what you can safely do, can be two different things
The book for the Jeep ZJ says that you should only jack at specific points on the frame rails. In fact, you can safely jack under the front or rear diffs to get both wheels off the ground at the same time. So much better than lifting one side at a time.
The book for the Jeep ZJ says that you should only jack at specific points on the frame rails. In fact, you can safely jack under the front or rear diffs to get both wheels off the ground at the same time. So much better than lifting one side at a time.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,534
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From: Warren, MI
Yep, you are correct. I must be still thinking about the Ranger. In that case I place a question mark about lifting at/on the center diff housing.
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