Jacking up the front

[Choppski]

Hello,

i just wanted to check some logic here...

I'm jacking up the front of my van using a hydralic jack positioned under the front shocks and then placing the axle stands under the front jacking point holes....is there a better/ safer way to do this. I have to jack it up the the max as the suspension drops a long way....

I've looked in Haynes and it simply says place axles stands where it won't go thorugh the floor...er duh yes i get that....is there a neat tip anybody would like to share?

Jacking to back is easy, using the rear cross bar support next to the rear jacking point, but of course the front doesn't have this!

[tencentlife]

You didn't say what style of jack you have (hydraulic? That's any jack worth using) but assuming it's a floorjack (aka "trolley jack"), then jack under the crossbeam that the spare tire clamshell hinges on. It doesn't look that substantial but it's plenty strong. Put your jackstands under the lifting points just aft of the fron wheels, or inboard under the main chassis beams.

It's always safest, if you want to raise the entire front or rear axles evenly, to lift along the vehicle centerline if possible, rather than lifting one side and then the other, so you don't have sideloading trying to tilt your jackstands when you lift the second side.

When I need more height, I have a knotty piece of pressure-treated 4x4 post about 6 inches long (PT wood is like a hunk of iron) and lay that on top of the jack cup. If I'm lifting under a chassis rail like the front crossbeam or the engine support beam, I lay the wood block so its grain is across the beam. But the hunk of wood is knotty so it would be almost impossible to split it anyway.

On a 2wd van the forward trans mount is also a very strong way to lift the rear, jackstands go under the jack points or under the big rear crossbeam just forward of the rear tires. I remember some dolt claiming that that trans mount wasn't strong enough and would collapse or something, but he apparently never looked at the thing.

[R0B]

Can i suggest a visit to specsavers

You didn't say what style of jack you have

I'm jacking up the front of my van using a hydralic jack

[jamesc76]

Can i suggest a visit to specsavers

You didn't say what style of jack you have

I'm jacking up the front of my van using a hydralic jack

think he means is it a trolley jack or bottle jack both are hydraulic but act in different ways!

[R0B]

Ahh.That would explain it then.I was thinking along the lines of hydraulic or mechanical

[tencentlife]

(hydraulic? That's any jack worth using)

think he means is it a trolley jack or bottle jack both are hydraulic but act in different ways!

bingo. carry on.

[Choppski]

Can i suggest a visit to specsavers

You didn't say what style of jack you have

I'm jacking up the front of my van using a hydralic jack

think he means is it a trolley jack or bottle jack both are hydraulic but act in different ways!

I was referring to a hydraulic trolley jack...bottle jacks just look way too dangerous for me.

[Choppski]

You didn't say what style of jack you have (hydraulic? That's any jack worth using) but assuming it's a floorjack (aka "trolley jack"), then jack under the crossbeam that the spare tire clamshell hinges on. It doesn't look that substantial but it's plenty strong. Put your jackstands under the lifting points just aft of the fron wheels, or inboard under the main chassis beams.

It's always safest, if you want to raise the entire front or rear axles evenly, to lift along the vehicle centerline if possible, rather than lifting one side and then the other, so you don't have sideloading trying to tilt your jackstands when you lift the second side.

When I need more height, I have a knotty piece of pressure-treated 4x4 post about 6 inches long (PT wood is like a hunk of iron) and lay that on top of the jack cup. If I'm lifting under a chassis rail like the front crossbeam or the engine support beam, I lay the wood block so its grain is across the beam. But the hunk of wood is knotty so it would be almost impossible to split it anyway.

On a 2wd van the forward trans mount is also a very strong way to lift the rear, jackstands go under the jack points or under the big rear crossbeam just forward of the rear tires. I remember some dolt claiming that that trans mount wasn't strong enough and would collapse or something, but he apparently never looked at the thing.

BTW Tencentlife thanks for your reply..i'll have a look