I did a Google search on this without much luck, though I suspect it's been covered.

I want to jack and block up on jackstands my 2001 F-250 with 7.3 diesel so that I can pressure-wash the salt out from underneath it to prep for undercoating.

The diesel engine is so heavy, I'm thinking the center of gravity of the truck when it's on level ground isn't too far behind the front wheels.

So to jack it up and get it on jackstands, I'm thinking this is the way to go:

1. Block rear wheels so it won't roll backward.
2. Jack up one side of the front and put in a jackstand.
3. Jack up the other side of the front and put in a jackstand.
This should move the center of gravity rearward. Then:
4. Jack up one side of the rear axle so that it's at same height as front. Put in jackstand.
5. Jack up the other side of the rear axle to same height and put in jackstand.

If it needs to go higher, jack up and raise the jackstands on the front first, then bring the rear up to be level with the front.

Does that sound right to you all?

My concern is that I don't want to get the center of gravity so far forward (by lifting the rear of the truck higher than the front) that it wants to go forward and tip over the front jackstands. So I figure it's best to jack the front first – moving the center of gravity rearward – and only then jack the rear, which will put the center of gravity back where it started when the truck was level.

Does this sound right to those of you who have done this? Or am I overthinking the whole thing?

 

I thunk you are over thinking it. I ust had mine up yesterday, I jack up the front right, place jackstand under front axel, close to wheel, than do left front and jackstand ubder axel by wheel. I than jack up the left rear, jackstand under axel and right rear with jackstand under axel. You could do the procedure in reverse if you wanted but I nose the truck into my garage so I start with the front.

-Nick

 

welcome to FTE.
if i do all four off the ground, i do each front one at a time with jack-stand as close to wheel under the axle as i can get it. then i jack up under the rear differential and lift both wheel off the ground at the same time, and place jack-stands under axle as close to wheels as i can get them.
i also put a steel plate and piece of 3/4 plywood under each jack-stand. the steel plate is a little larger than the jackstand, the 3/4 plywood is 6 inches larger on all sides to help distribute the weight so nothing sinks into the ground, or hot asphalt.

 

Thank you for the replies. Just FYI, I did see in my search that you shouldn't jack under the differential pumpkin, though I'm not sure why. Seems like it should be strong enough but they say not to do it.

 

i would have to say they say do not jack up by the diff because if you do not look at what you are doing like most people do these days, you take a chance of bending the diff cover and can cause a leak. i have been jacking the rear of vehicles with a floor jack under the center of the diff for over 45 years without ever doing any damage.
but i have had a few vehicles come into the body shop for repair with leaking diff covers.


i have also heard people say you can not lift a vehicle from the side rails, but i do it all the time. look for a solid point a little short of mid way back, and lift both side wheels off at once. this way you can do tire rotation front to rear with one jack outside the building instead of tying up the 2 post lift inside the bays.

 

If Tom says it, you can make book on it being right. He knows his stuff and has several of these trucks.

 

I put a chain on each front tow hook and pick it up about 10ft with my backhoe, then pressure wash. Never miss an inch. Lol. Never had a problem jacking though. I lift one whole side at a time, jack stand under each wheel, then same other side. No rolling then, and no need to block tires if brakes on too.

 

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate your help.

 

Welcome to the forum and I see by your username your blood runs True Blue?

 

As a more direct answer to the center of gravity reference: The center of gravity concern needs to be placed on the jack stand, not the truck. You can have the truck out of balance all over the place, but the jack stand needs sure footing and the load centered on it.

 

come on now Jason, just because i am older than dirt does not mean i know everything and have never been wrong!!!






















why i remember once just a few days ago when i was discussing with Henry water circulation issues the model "T" was having......and i was wrong when i told him he had to have a water pump on the engine.

 

i do the same thing here at home. hook the gantry crane to the front tow hooks, or the trailer hitch on the back and up she goes.

 

Ya I just do it because its fast and it gets it way up there so its easy. Honestly its not very safe and I try to stay out from underneath as much as possible in case a line bursts or something. A crane would be alittle safer being cable and winch.

 

Thanks, BigB56. Yes, but kinda old-school (I likes me some transformers).

 

You are correct. I had tires put on where they did this. No leak before tires--leak afterwards. When I took it to ford to fix diff leak, they had to grind down the jack marks where it bent the diff cover when they jacked it up. It deformed the cover and case. Both had to be grinded. However, using some thick rubber pad on the jack before jacking could have made a difference.