Hello,

I'm thinking about trying some maintenance tasks that will require use of a floor jack. I do have two 12-ton rated jack stands that I think should be OK. Getting the truck high enough to use them is the problem I am trying to solve. I would appreciate any recommendations of floor jacks that work well for the truck.

Thank you.

 

I wouldn't go below 3.5 ton on a floor jack. Even those can give you a workout. You'll want a full sized big body jack too. None of those little guys that fit in a suitcase, big is stable small is tippy. If it's an option you might return those 12 ton stands and get the 6 ton instead. They are not quite as tall which makes them easier to use. The only time I've ever used the 12 tons and actually needed them was for replacing the springs and even then I was getting nervous. That was supporting the frame, I don't think you could even use them to support an axle. Not while it was under the truck anyway.

 

Look for long reach floor jacks.




The two long reach floor jacks seen in the photos have a saddle height of 31" when fully raised. That's pretty darn high. They are rated at 2.5 tons each, so when used in pairs, that is 10,000 lbs lifting capacity raising only half of the weight of the truck, since only half the truck is raised at a time.




Long reach floor jacks may not have as high of a rating as other floor jacks, but if the goal is "getting the truck high enough," then long reach will do that job. The weight capacity can be resolved by getting two floor jacks, and using them simultaneously. Twin floor jacks not only better distribute the truck weight... they also keep the truck frame and body from racking into a helix during the duration of the lift.




If the full length of the truck needs to be raised in the air, then twin floor jacks can be used to raise the front end, which can then be supported by jack stands, and then the twin floor jacks can be rolled to the rear of the truck, to raise the aft end, whereupon two additional jack stands can be added. Thus the entire truck is now raised fully in the air, while still parallel to the ground. Lowering the truck is the reversal of this procedure.





You'll have to ignore some of the inapplicable annotations in the photos below that illustrate my floor jacks. While my exact jacks are over 20 years old and might not be made any longer, any alternative long reach floor jack with a saddle lift height of 26" or higher would be satisfactory. I always use two floor jacks simultaneously, and always have four jack stands handy.









The saddle cup can be removed and replaced with steel blocks having locator pins that drop into the saddle pin holes to keep the block from flipping out. These blocks help consume the vertical travel distance between the floor jack's saddle seat and contact with the underside of the chassis. That way, more of the floor jack's lifting height capacity is actually applied to raising the truck, rather than consumed by simply raising the saddle seat up to meet the underside of the truck.

 

Wow, thanks very much for all the excellent information, pictures, and recommendations. I really appreciate it. I especially like the pictures of how and where to jack up the truck. The diagrams I've seen were not all that clear to me. I get it now. I will look into 6-ton stands. I never thought about height but yes, it's definitely an issue. Thanks, again!

 

I bought a Daytona long reach floor jack from Harbor Freight a couple years ago. It has performed well during the times I have needed it. I bought it from Harbor Freight with a 20% off coupon.

 

Below are the Ford diagrams depicting where to raise and support a 2002 F-250 4x4. I agree that the diagrams are difficult to decipher.

Let us know if you have a 4x2 with twin traction beams up front, as those are different, having support pins that many do not recognize.

If you raise the front of the 4x4 truck by the outer ends of the front axle axle tube, near the welded "C" ends that hold the steering knuckles, then you may position your jack stands under the frame at the following points:

Point of View = From being crouched down on the roadside (driver's side) of the truck, looking from out board of the frame, as if laying below the driver's door, with the front of the truck on the left hand side of the diagram:



Note that the drawing of the frame is intended to show the outside bending radius between vertical web and lower flange. The way the illustration attempts to show this bend radius can confuse viewers into thinking it is the inside bend radius instead. But it is the outside bend radius.

Next illustration:

Point of View = From being crouched down on the curbside (passenger's side) of the truck, looking from out board of the frame, as if laying below the passenger's door, with the front of the truck on the right hand side of the diagram:



Observe the insanity of this drawing, which shows what appears to be a portion of the transmission support crossmember depicted in the upper left hand side of the illustration , similar to the actual and accurate transmission crossmember depiction in the upper right hand corner of the previous illustration of the frame support point on the roadside.

But in the present illustration on the curbside, that structure is not the transmission cross member at all. In fact, it is not in any way attached to the frame. In reality, it is a running board L bracket that is attached to the lower rockers of the cab body.

The illustrator who included the running board bracket detail failed to recognize how the perpendicularly positioned structure in the drawing could be misinterpreted as the removable frame crossmember that supports the transmission, which then disorients the viewer as to what they are looking at, and from which direction the point of view is.

I've been wanting to rant about these silly illustrations for decades, and finally just now got around to it. Thanks for the motivation.


Custom modification to ease raising and supporting front half of the truck by the frame:

In lieu of putting jack stands directly onto the frame, I added radius arm brackets, and pressed large hardened steel bushings from earthmoving equipment into short pieces of radiator hose, and retained these cushioned bushings with Property Class 12.9 metric bolts through the holes where the radius arms would normally be anchored.

This allowed me to lower the support point to as low as the front leaf spring shackle, which reduces the amount of height extension that a jack stand must be raised to not only meet the frame when the tires are on the ground, but also meet the frame when the truck is raised.

A corollary benefit is that the pressure on the lower flange is relieved and distributed to the vertical web of the frame.

Another benefit is that the round bushing allowed me to take advantage of the curved seat of the 6-ton jack stand adjustable castings, where the curve of the jack stand seat acting on the round bushing is inline with the pitch angle of the truck as it is raised up and down from the front or rear, ensuring solid support at any angle in which the truck is raised or lowered.






Be careful when raising the truck by the axles...

Ford suggests avoiding the use of the differential "pumpkin" to raise and support trucks, due to possible deformation of the stamped steel axle cover, that could cause an axle lubricant to leak out when "pumped" by rotating gear movement, unbeknownst to the operator. This can happen if any part of the lip of the cover extends below the casting of the pumpkin.

Ford illustrates raising and supporting axles by the tubes.

 

Thanks for providing very helpful and useful information. My truck is indeed a 4x2 with twin traction beams up front. I appreciate any more help understanding how to jack-up the front of it. I feel much better about not understanding their diagrams.

 

How invested do you want to get in equipment. The sky is the limit so it's depending on what your budget is, your storage space and how often you'll be using any of it. You can build a set of ramps if you're just wanting to get under the truck for general maintenance. If I were to buy a new floor jack I'd probably buy the Harbor Freight top of the line jack that compares to the Snap-ON, but the slightly cheaper ones they sell seem to do well also. Don't ever get under anything unless you have jack stands under it no matter what jack you use. My 2 ton Blackhawk will pick up one wheell of my dually at a time and I can put stands under each to get it all off of the ground.

 

Each twin traction beam has a pin mounted to it, and this pin is designed to be a support point for either the included OEM crank jack that shipped with the truck, or a jack stand, if some other means is used to raise the truck.

The montage of photos below was to help two different members who did not understand the purpose of the pins.

The pin locations are indicated by the blue arrows.

The red arrows signify other things unrelated to the pins, and were drawn by the owners of the members presenting questions, not me.

The photo with the red jackstands and silver floor jack shows a member using jackstands to support the twin traction beam, without realizing what the pins were for.

Since the forged traction beams themselves are tapered, supporting the tapered bottom of the traction beams can lead to a slip off, as the combination of the taper plus the pivot range of the beam that floats with the coil spring can change the purchase between the jack stand and the traction beam.

On the other hand, the round pin can seat deep in the valley or slot of the adjustable cast jack stand head, and the end cap of the pin helps prevent it from slipping off.

The lower right photo is from the Ford Owner's manual, showing the OEM crank jack acting on the pin embedded in the twin traction beam.

 

Very good question... and one I've been trying to answer given what I'm now learning. I am trying to do more stuff myself with the vehicles I have. I have two HF floor jacks already but they are only rated at 1.5 tons, which work fine for the little light car. I have homemade ramps (a few 2x12s stacked, screwed, and with angles cut to go up) which have worked fine for the car and the truck, too. I've done brakes on the car and I'm thinking maybe to try the same on the truck when it's time. It is almost time to change the oil in the truck, which I'd like to try doing myself (it's another story itself). I can use the ramps for that. With the truck, I would just like to be able to take a wheel off if ever needed. I need to think more about all this. I may start with one 3 or 4-ton floor jack and see how that goes, and if it's low enough, I may also get rid of one 1.5-ton floor jack. Thanks for the feedback!

 

@Y2KW57 - thanks very much for sharing details for my truck! I really appreciate you sharing the pictures which I understand. I'm looking forward to getting under the truck to see if I can find those pins. Frankly, I surprised those pins are used to lift it - that's pretty amazing.

 

Sooooo... would you say you're all jacked up?

 

I was born jacked up.

You, on the other hand, must be pretty jacked by now, huffing all that steel around in your garage.

Not sure why you bothered with the battery trailer mover. You could probably pick up the trailer by the jack handle and walk it in using your own guns.

(with emphasis on the last syllable)

 

Another recommendation for the HB Daytona jack. I've been happy with this 4 ton model.



Daytona™ Heavy Duty Car Jack (harborfreight.com)

 

I picked up a HF Daytona the other weekend and like it better than my old Napa 3.5 ton floor jack. The quick pump on the back is amazing. I also use 6 ton floor stands on my diesel (F350) and haven’t have any concerns, even when doing the front leaf springs, but others may have different opinions.