i blew my rear end last week. i have a replacment out of a 2003 f250. i was planning on starting this in my driveway. can i do this with a few sets of jack stands?

 

Sure but you will need some help handling the rear end, it's not lite by any means. I would set the stands up forward of the rear end and start unbolting it. Make sure your jack stands are weight rated for the truck, I've sqished a set of those cheesy sheet metal stands>>>never again.

 

and if its an asphalt driveway, you will want something under the jackstands to keep them from sinking into the surface..

I would jack from the diff until you get the tires off the ground. then use jackstands against the frame forward of the axle.

this will let you get the axle closer to the ground as you disconnect the springs, shocks..
(and the brake line hose)

I would have two more jackstands for the axle tubes when you go to reconnect..
nothing like the axle wiggling around on you while making connections..

Sam

 

i have some metal plates i am goign to put under the jack stand. i have a few jacks and a motorcycle/atv jack to use to get the rear end up .

what rating should the jackstands be?

 

I get carried away, and have 8-6 tons stands.. mostly for the height..
(I was able to hold a mustang almost 3ft off the floor for a year while I worked on it.)

I would guess 2-3 ton should be fine. lift height will be the problem (holding the frame up high enough on trucks, specially if lifted, can't tell on yours)

Sam

 

truck is not lifted. but frame is very high off the ground. i think i may go pick up another set of high stands. 2 sets to hold truck and i will use my short set to steady the driveshaft.

 

When I lifted my '03 I borrowed jack-stands from work that we use on Tractor-Trailers, they sit about 20" fully down.

You will need to lift the truck so the rear wheels are a good 8" off of the ground, then remove the tires to allow the axle to drop enough to allow the springs to arch-out. I would disconnect everything (shocks, brake lines, breather line, parking brake cables) prior to lifting it up in the air.

While the jack is under the rear, loosen the u-bolt nuts but not before the jack-stands are in place.

 

careful with jack stand ratings... if you buy a pair they usually plaster the COMBINED weight rating all over the box. Divide by 2 to get the individual rating.

 

If I understand him correctly from another thread, he's replacing the leaf springs and rear end, all as one assembly.

He likely won't be loosening his U-bolts at all.

Oio

 

I used decent 2.25ton stands under my axle last weekend (on cement), and it worked just fine. Weight probably won't be your issue - height will as lower rated stands won't be tall enough. You need to support on the frame, right near the spring attachment points. Problem you will run into is getting the rear of the truck high enough so that the wheels will still be off the ground while it is held up by the frame (assuming you start jacking on the rear axle). You need to raise it waaay up for that to happen.

 

ive used extra sets of wheels and tires a few times as jack stands. raise the truck up till the tires are off the ground barely. then use a jack to support the axle. the easiest way to go is to unhook the axle with the tires still attached (remove ubolts, brake lines, ujoints, electronics, etc) lower the axle down and roll it out. if possible this will make it a one man job instead of trying to wrestle or drag a 300+ lbs axle around

 

I would pull the wheels and tires then use jackstands on the chassis as low as you need to, to get the axle out on the jack (at the pumpkin).
then the other back in and then back up tp put the wheels back on..

you don't need to fight the wheels and tires too, especially with that loaded axle connected..

sam

 

i am planning on putting all the springs in from the 03.

once i have all the old suspension and axle out. and i have the new unit in place. will i need to compress the the leaf springs to get the bolts to line up?

 

should not.. the rear of the leaf springs usually has a connector called a shackle.. the shackle is designed to absorb the spring length extension when the spring is compressed.. so, you should remove the bolt thru the spring and leave the truck side connected.. then when you jack the spring up, its rotate the shackle to line up the bolt hole and slide the bolt in.. (least thats what I do on my older trucks)..
the other end of the spring is a fixed position.

Sam

on edit.. assumption is the springs are the same length.. if not, that might force you to take axle off springs..
anyone know if the springs are the same length between these two years?

 

i have a few sets of stands and a few jacks around in case i need to move things around.