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| | | | Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,289 Moderator for Tons o' Fun , Co-Moderator Driveline Forum | | Moderator for Tons o' Fun , Co-Moderator Driveline Forum Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,289 | Is it ok to jack up the rear end by placing the floor jack under the differential ? Its the way I've done it for decades on trucks, jeeps and SUV's.
Read an article this morning , unrelated to AD trucks, cautioned against using this method. Article suggested jacking under axle tube on each side seperately placing jack stand under the one side then move to the other.
What say the experts?
Ron - - Dusty53 1954 Chevy 3604In the Gallery Forum "You can't dance with the Devil and then wonder why you're still in Hell."
"They will forget what you've said, and they will forget what you have done but they will never forget the way you made them feel." | | | | | Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 362 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 362 | What reasoning did the article give? | | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 899 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 899 | I've always jacked my vehicles that way and never had a problem. And I'm old and been doing it for a lot of years.
Brian
1955.2 3100 Truck
The older I get the more dangerous I am!!!!! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,772 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,772 | I've been doing it both ways since high school. No problems ever.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,772 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2021 Posts: 6,772 | The only reason I can think of not to do it from the pumpkin is that if you aren't on a level surface, the car will fall off the jack or the will jack tip over, etc.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,289 Moderator for Tons o' Fun , Co-Moderator Driveline Forum | | Moderator for Tons o' Fun , Co-Moderator Driveline Forum Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,289 | What reasoning did the article give? Article ( again not for AD Trucks ) reasoned damage to the rear axle housing/tubes. Seems to me to be one of the strongest points in the driveline? I was curious as to what others thought on this, so I asked the question. I think I'll keep on doing what I have for the last 52 years since I owned my first car with a solid rear axle ( 55 Chevy two door Belair Hardtop ) and's that's to lift it from the pumpkin , place the jackstands and let it down. Thanks to everyone for the input.
Ron - - Dusty53 1954 Chevy 3604In the Gallery Forum "You can't dance with the Devil and then wonder why you're still in Hell."
"They will forget what you've said, and they will forget what you have done but they will never forget the way you made them feel." | | | | | Joined: Feb 2016 Posts: 1,987 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2016 Posts: 1,987 | I wouldn't jack a heavily loaded truck from the center section, if it's empty then I don't see an issue with it. Theoretically you could bend the axle tubes at the center section if you were lifting from the center. Jacking from the axle under or as close to the spring perch would be preferred.
1957 Chevrolet 5700 LCF 283 SM420 2 speed rear, 1955 IH 300U T/A, 1978 Corvette 350 auto, 1978 Yamaha DT175, 1999 Harley Davidson Softail Fat Boy
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 892 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2014 Posts: 892 | If I'm loaded my floor jack simply won't pick up that much on the rear, aside from the potential damage issue. Then, I use a 12 ton bottle jack under each spring saddle. The axle housings are pretty stout but there are limits. Empty I'll jack under the diff though.
1951 3800 1-ton"Earning its keep from the get-go"In the DITY Gallery1962 261 (w/cam, Fenton headers, 2 carbs, MSD ign.), SM420 & Brown-Lipe 6231A 3spd aux. trans, stock axles & brakes. Owned since 1971. | | |
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