The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Front jacking point

Good morning,
I am going to be periodically jacking up my truck in order to use a rolling car dolly under each wheel, and was curious about a proper jacking point for the front of the truck. I'm a little hesitant to put the jack under the front axle. Can anyone help me with a good jacking point?

If you're using a bumper jack, jack at the bumper bracket attachment location. If you're using a floor jack use the frame rail or cross member. It would help to know what vehicle you're referring to.

Sorry, 1953 3100. I have a 3-ton low profile floor jack. What cross member are you referring to?

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/53129.htm If you're not comfortable using the front cross member use a frame rail and put the dollies on one side then the other as opposed to front vs rear.

I figured that was the piece(s) you were talking about, I just wasn't quite comfortable jacking at that point under the engine.

Is there a problem with using the center of the front axle?

I got tired of jacking both ends of my vehicles up to put them on dollies. I got a set of lifters from Harbor Freight when they were on sale. I use my dollies for engines and transmissions now.

I use the center of the front axle on my 1954 3604, never a problem.

Yea I've seen those at Harbor Freight, they are about double the price of regular dollies, that's my only hesitation. I didn't know if using the center of the axle was a good idea or not.

You can haul a 1000 pound engine and transmission down a road with knee deep pot holes and never harm the front axle---I wouldn't worry about lifting with a jack. In 1953 this truck was designed to haul rolls of wire, steel fence posts, and you name it down unpaved roads and across farm fields. They are not delicate flowers.

A lot less jacking if you use the center of the front axle. If that would cause any kind of damage whatsoever, we should all just shove these trucks in the ditch right now.

We lift school bus and trucks all day long in the center of the axle.

Yes my jack will reach the center of the front axle pretty easily. Sounds like I got my answer!

I always lift the of my 50 4100 from the center of the front axel, but I use a short 2 x 4 to spread the load out a little. The rear is more difficult since the diff is offset from center.

They are definitely not delicate, not fragile in any way. Pull up my posted picture of 54 Chevy T boned new 1996 Suburban. That was at 53 or 54 m.p.h., still has the same front axle. That old 3100 almost tore the 3500 Suburban into. When I was a kid the pulpwood people would get the front axles from 55.1 back to use as end trailers to carry extra long pine trees in the woods. They would weld the steering knuckles, put two heavy drag chain's on welded hooks and drag HEAVY stacked pines lying on them until they got to a dirt road. If one has ever seen the back Piny woods and palmettos in Florida you know its rough. I still have one in the back pasture. Did not mean to make a narrative here but when one goes to a car show you may see one Ford of the same era and 15 of our old boys. I always jack mine up at the axle and spring cross. Doc.

This is a little off the original topic but relates to the mention of dollies. I purchased the kind that you used a jack to lift the vehicle on first and was not happy with that whole process or how hard it was to move the car once on. I sprung for the HF go jack version. I must say I am very pleased with them. Even pushing the 3800 around is easy by myself.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WrHyKXakyut886SS7

Billy, the link doesn't work for me?..........and I wont to see it!!

Sorry about that, it should be OK now.

Opens for me.

Ed