How can I use jack stands when the jack is in the only jacking point under truck?

[Old Aviator]

I want to grab these but I'm leary because of some of the comments about the build quality. On my next tire rotation this summer or fall, I want to remove all 4 wheels, clean and ceramic coat them. I don't want to worry about my truck falling off of the stands.

If you read the comments most all the the issues relate to fit up issues and not construction. I assembled every one of them and found some minor clearance issues but a bench grinder solved them all as it seem the notched black pieces were hair too long at the top. It appeared this was caused by some weld debris and/or the piece was slightly longer than spec'd. The added length above the pin hole was keeping the pin from aligning. And there no need to worry about precision of the material removal since the load is carried by the lock pin and not contact at the top of the square receiver tube on the cross piece.

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[Lightning Rod]

If you read the comments most all the the issues relate to fit up issues and not construction. I assembled every one of them and found some minor clearance issues but a bench grinder solved them all as it seem the notched black pieces were hair too long at the top. It appeared this was caused by some weld debris and/or the piece was slightly longer than spec'd. The added length above the pin hole was keeping the pin from aligning. And there no need to worry about precision of the material removal since the load is carried by the lock pin and not contact at the top of the square receiver tube on the cross piece.

This sounds very promising. Did you use them on your Lightning yet? I may just grab a set.

Thanks!

 

[Old Aviator]

Have not used them on the Lightning but for grins I just checked and top bar with legs extended to bottom notch is above the bottom of the truck body and I don't think you need to jack the truck anywhere near that high to remove tires.

 

[Charles Juedemann]

Rotating tires is a waste of time.

 

[K6CCC]

Rotating tires is a waste of time.

That's my general take. All tire rotation does is largely guarantee that you have to replace all four (or five) tires at the same time - a quite expensive proposition. Then if you have a tire damaged enough to require replacement at some other time, you are right back to not having even wear on all the tires.. I usually replace mine two at a time and usually put the new ones on the front.

 

[Charles Juedemann]

That is ok but consider this. Many times you can get a deal on four tires, buy three get the fourth free, and you have to make two trips instead of one, and usually the four tires are near the life span anyway. Just replace all four at once and be done with it and save a day of your life.

 

[RickKeen]

Generally for a truck, jacking on the frame tends to require jacking it up quite a bit to let the suspension travel go slack. If you know what you are doing, jacking on the outer end of the suspension lower control arm, you only need to jack up that one wheel about an inch to get the tire off the ground.

BIG WARNING "BUT"
The top of the supplied jack is likely not suitable for jacking on the lower control arm - it could easily slip off.

The supplied instructions are in reference to the supplied jack.

A differing jack, like a floor jack with a cup shaped top may be able to securely and safely engage the outer end of the lower control arm without slipping off and without damaging it.

Also, do not jack up by the suspension and then start disassembling the suspension itself. Duh!

 

[Charles Juedemann]

I am not saying this will work but there is a frame member directly connected to the jack point frame member that you might be able to use. I am not a stress analysis engineer so it may not be a good idea considering all the rules about jacking up an electric vehicle. But I think I would try it. I work alone so I never work on a car without some kind of safety block under the vehicle when it is jacked up. I add some kind of safety. It may not work as a 7000lb falling object may go wherever it wants to go, but it is an added safety. See photos. I just changed the two back tires one at a time. My local tire shop charges $15 to mount and balance a tire so I buy used/take off tires. (the orange paint is so that I can find the jack point easier next time)

 

[mrau]

The Powerbuilt Unijack may work. Only one jack point needed.

 

[Maquis]

The Powerbuilt Unijack may work. Only one jack point needed.

Four of those would make tire rotation a breeze.

 

[Lightning Rod]

The Powerbuilt Unijack may work. Only one jack point needed.

Was about to buy 4 of them, and then I saw the warning...

FREQUENTLY RETURNED ITEM

Evidently, it's not what it's cracked up to be.

 

[Charles Juedemann]

You can buy four 4 ton bottle jacks cheaper.

 

[Lightning Rod]

I've thought about bottle jacks but I liked the U-shaped rests on the jakstand jacks. I'm not a fan of the small contact points of the bottle jacks.

I may reconsider and take another look at the bottle jacks though.

 

[Lightning Rod]

For about 40 years, I ALWAYS used jackstands after I jack my vehicles up. It's just a major safety thing with me. This design ford has about only one jacking point is kinda stupid and very unsafe. This is a terrible design on ford's part.

 

[21st Century Truck]

I just put my Craftsman pyramid floor jack right next to the OEM jack under the frame rail. This works. 2 inches' placement difference on the F150 frame rail won't affect anything.

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