Changing a flat tire, could not use the included jack

[RickKeen]

An old, old pickup truck trick = keeping a 2 x 2 square of 3/4 inch plywood in the bed, as a wide slip-resistant base for just this type of use. The plywood could well be scrap plywood that many of us have. It spreads the weight of even a loaded truck bed very well over soft ground, even sand, and usually prevents the jack's base from shifting. It's either a pretty cheap or a completely free solution, depending on what scraps are lying behind the garage .

A couple of short (10-12") scraps of 2x6 treated lumber tend to ride in the bed of my truck. They get used under trailer tongue jacks, to chock trailer wheels, and would be handy under a tire jack if needed.

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[Lucky Larry]

You may want to pack a 1/2" breaker bar, a 1/2" torque wrench, 2" x 1/2" extension and a 21 mm socket with you as well because the Lug nuts are torqued to 150 lb feet and are hard to remove with out a breaker bar. If you are running aftermarket wheels you may also need to take 6 oem lug nuts with you to use with the spare tire.

 

[21st Century Truck]

You may want to pack a 1/2" breaker bar, a 1/2" torque wrench, 2" x 1/2" extension and a 21 mm socket with you as well because the Lug nuts are torqued to 150 lb feet and are hard to remove with out a breaker bar. If you are running aftermarket wheels you may also need to take 6 oem lug nuts with you to use with the spare tire.

I use Powerbuilt's Billy Club Universal Lug Wrench... had it since the late 1990s. Fits every car I've had since - it has four lug adapters stored within its handles. IMHO it's the last lug wrench / breaker bar you'll ever need.

It does just fine torquing the Lightning's lugs to 150 lb feet.

Google "powerbuilt billy club universal lug wrench". Many sellers including EBay and Amazon.

 

[Heliian]

I used the included kit to change a spare last weekend, on a gravel logging road.

I was surprised how well the scissor jack worked. The lug wrench is nice and long and worked well and the spare tire came down effortlessly.

Any oem spare kit is generally barely useable but I found this one heavy enough for the job.

 

[gregoryhcain]

I have had four flats in two years. AAA’s service provider’s jack worked fine. The other three I did myself in under 20 min with the included Ford jack. I did use better chocks on the other wheels. One was on a hunting trip on frozen ground. I had to dig a flat spot for it but it worked great; easy up, careful tire exchange and easy down and back in the trail in no time. Since then I keep jack stands in the truck to add a safety margin for sliding on an icy surface. I’m very happy with the little jack so far after using it for three of my four flats

 

[LHR]

I had a flat as well during the summer. Front right and when I used the jack, it twisted twisted like a pretzel, could not lift the vehicle at all. I contacted ford to let them know and they ignored my email so I gave up. I will rely on road assistance IF it happens again.

 

[Basalt]

Maybe I did something wrong. I was on asphalt that seemed like it was flat, at least to my eye. Every time I cranked on the handle, the jack moved on the pavement rather than lifting the truck. Each time, I had to reposition it back to the jack point. After about 30 minutes of that, I gave up on it.

Maybe softer ground allows it to sink a little bit and bite into the ground, and thus stay in place?

I don't know, but I have the high lift jack now anyway so I'll just use that if needed.

Just turn the screw by hand until it contacts the truck. that will stop all movement. Changing a tire is sometimes dirty. Get dirty.

 

[Warp Asylum]

Just turn the screw by hand until it contacts the truck. that will stop all movement. Changing a tire is sometimes dirty. Get dirty.

That's what I did, and it did not stop the base of the jack from moving on the asphalt. I think the other suggestions of using a wood block underneath the jack may have worked.

 

[Calvin H-C]

We discovered a year ago when my wife had a tire blow out that the jack may not be trustworthy to safely lift a 3-ton vehicle unless under the most optimal conditions.

The tow truck driver that eventually came reaffirmed that as well.

Just to point out, we get free Roadside Assistance for 5 years / 60,000 miles.

For those that find themselves in the Toronto area, when on a 400-series highway, you will have to call 511 to get help, and Ford Roadside Assistance will tell you so. You will have to pay for it and seek reimbursement from Ford which will take a few weeks. They will cover it, and explain in the accompanying letter that they usually limit the coverage to $100, but covered it in full because of "unique circumstances". You're looking at $160 with taxes.

One other thing: be sure to pull over while on the highway. Do not pull over on an off ramp as they are a no-mans land where the 511 operators can't cover and all others won't get to.

 

[Adventureboy]

I carry a hydraulic bottle jack, a plywood square for stability and a tire inflator. Need it for the trailer and carry it for the truck if needed. So far, all I've needed is the tire inflator for the truck to get me to the shop to repair the hole. I needed the bottle jack for the trailer and I'm glad I had it.

Flat tires suck - especially on the highway.

 

[LazyLightningATX]

I was able to get the jack to lift the front for me ok, but it wouldn't go high enough the get the spare on!? After 20 minutes of searching, I found a piece of landscaping stone large enough to go under the jack to get the height I needed. That sucked having to crank that thing up twice, especially since it was like 104 that day. Have since bought a bottle jack to keep in the truck and also some scrap wood bits for good measure. Can't believe that they put such a cheesey jack in there.

 

[Warp Asylum]

I really like the bottle jack + plywood square base solution. We looked at bottle jacks initially but they seemed like they would have the same issue as the included jack where the base shifted, and I think the plywood square base will solve that. It would certainly be a lot easier to carry that combo on a road trip than the floor jack.

 

[Zprime29]

The bottle jack does seem like a good alternative. Anyone have a recommendation? 2 ton enough? Doesn't seem like it's much more to get a 4 ton which would be over kill but I suppose it might come in handy in an unforeseen circumstance.

 

[Heliian]

2 ton enough? Doesn't seem like it's much more to get a 4 ton which would be over kill

I would go at least 4 ton but I doubt a regular bottle jack is capable of enough lift, they aren't that stable at full extension either.

 

[Heliian]

it twisted twisted like a pretzel, could not lift the vehicle at all. I contacted ford to let them know and they ignored my email so I gave up.

Not very user friendly, if you don't have the handle straight then it will bind and you end up twisting the shaft. Has happened to several users.

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