What size floor jack do I need for a F250 Super Duty? Will 2.5 ton do it? I think I read somewhere that the front end of F250 is 5000 lbs. What size floor jack do you use?

 

That is what i use but I don't try to life the whole front end or rear end at once. Plus I have a V10 so my front end is going to be lighter then you diesel fella's.

 

I have a 6 ton bottle jack, easily lifts the whole front end. Where did you hear 5k? That seems way high to me.

 

The front of mine is 4700 pounds. A 2.5 ton will work, 3 ton would probably work easier. Also be sure to support it with appropriately rated jack stands if you are going to be under it.

 

I use a 3 ton and it works fine. But as Cart stated, always use jack stands for safety if you're going under the truck.

 

I use a 4 ton floor jack from Sears. I had a 3 ton floor jack from harbor freight and the 4 ton jack makes lifting the truck easy.

 

My dad has a 4 ton at home too, way easier than the smaller 3 ton we have.

 

My 1.5 ton speed jack will not lift my diesel off the ground. Even if a 2.5 ton gets it off the ground there won't be enough safety margin for my comfort. I'd be conservative and go with a greater lift rating.

I rarely use a floor jack anyway. I use ramps whenever possible. Easy, good height, and safe. You don't want to work under a truck that is sitting on a jack. Always block it up on the frame, and block the wheels so it doesn't roll.

 

On another note, when/if you use jack stands make sure they have a wide, four point base. Had a local guy recently get crushed by his car when replacing a drive axle. Apparently he was using jack stands with a small circular base and during the course of tugging/pulling and the drive axle the jack stands shifted and the car dropped to the ground.

 

3 ton jack - jack one wheel and jack stand .. then the other .. 3 ton jack stands ..

 

3.5 ton works well. I only do a corner at at time and then put in the jack stands. I could probably lift the whole front end off the ground at once, but that's not necessary, and not likely safe.

 

I'm going to be installing shocks soon and the floor jack would take the weight off. Unless there's a better way?

I have 6 ton jack stands.

 

Not neccesarily how big but how good. Buy a quality jack and not necc a cheap one. I've found that a better made floor jack at a lower rating will work better and hold better and last longer than a cheap one with a higher rating. It might get the load it states off the ground once, but not always easy or for long.

 

I use a 3T craftsman all the time to lift my whole front end up. I put the jack stands under the axle near the shock mounts. Then I go to the rear and lift the pumpkin and jack stand by the shock mounts on the rear. Never had a problem yet. I do use HD 4 point jack stands rated to like 3-4T. Plus my shop floor is level, not like a sloped driveway.

big

 

X2 on this! 6000 pounds and above is a great start, but a heavier jack will lift the truck corner easier.

Get a quality jack, the best you can afford. Look for the widest base you can get, the most lift length and the sturdiest frame. Floor jacks are great, but also look at heavy bottle jacks. They can be used in almost every situation, are usually less expensive than a good quality floor jack and are easier to store when you are not using them.

Try to stay away from the NASCAR style jacks you see at most stores. While they look nice, it's mostly marketing.