How to jack up a cruiser (1 Viewer)

[drohweder]

Got a FJ55 and looking for a floor jack that will adequately lift the truck. I got a 6 ton bottle jack but even with the extensions all the way out it only lifted the truck up 1/2 inch. So I need a good floor jack but how big and how much money do I need to spend. Do I need at least a 3 ton to lift the 55? Where do I jack it up, I was thinking on the pumpkin and then using jack stands?

Any thought and your experiences are appreciated. Thanks for helping me out, someday I might stop asking questions and give a few answers. All I can offer now is free prostate exams for anyone over the age of 40 Any takers

NO JUNK! Tell your mama she doesn't have a prostate!

 

[73lndcrsr]

I use one similar to the attached. Jack up the 40 from either the pumpkin or the u-bolt skid plate and put jack stands under it.

 

[REZARF]

drohweder-

I know you said a floor jack, but a high lift may help you get some lift under the truck so you could slide some jack stands under your rig. Cheap and fast, but it might not be what you are wanting.

Drew <><

 

[IDave]

I have a Sears 3 1/2 ton heavy duty floor jack. Invaluable. Don't forget the jack stands: they go on the axle between the pumpkin and the ubolts, and you need at least 2. Floor jack will slide, and you are too expensive to waste under your 55. My billing clerk's minister, a long-time amateur mechanic who should have known better, died that way this past summer.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

You need a floor jack. A nice big one with a good lift-18-24 inches. I have the 3.5 ton from Kragen that despite being made in China is decent. A previous one from Harbor Freight was junk. I just saw in the paper this morning that the Kragen one is for sale for $79. There are excellent ones US made around but they cost somewhere around $400. The Kragen 3.5 ton works great and for $79 you can throw it out when it stops working, but mine has been good for a couple of years. You also need big jack stands-get the 6 ton ones for working on the cruiser.

I don't reccomend using the high lift for shop work. One of my friends did this, jacking on the slider, it slipped and bashed in the passenger door on his 80.

A set of 4 wheel chocks is useful too.

 

[alia176]

If you're near a Costco, they happen to have a real nice one for less than $100. It's long and wide, providing good stablity when you're maxed out on the range of the jack. Also, it has a very low profile under the cradle, great for lifting cars made these days!

Ali

 

[ParadiseCruiser]

I also have one of those Chinese made "PowerBuilt" 3.5-ton floor jacks that Kragen sells. The first one blew a seal on the first day, but they cheerfully took it back and gave me a new one.

The second one has performed flawlessly for nearly two years now lifting my 5500# Cruiser. I also use a pair of 6-ton stands, and a backup pair of 4-ton stands. No such thing as overkill here.

Cheers, R -

 

[Brentbba]

Ok, stupid question, flame suit on - what are you referring to with a 'pumpkin'? Legit question from someone just learning. Pics for stupid auditor types are helpful (comment for Cdan).

 

[fsusteve]

[quote author=Brentbba link=board=14;threadid=10582;start=msg95996#msg95996 date=1075226627]
Ok, stupid question, flame suit on - what are you referring to with a 'pumpkin'? Legit question from someone just learning. Pics for stupid auditor types are helpful (comment for Cdan).
[/quote]

Differential (think ring and pinion).

 

[IDave]

That big Pumpkin-shaped growth in the middle of each axle. Don't worry, I have trouble with the techno-speak sometimes, too.

 

[Brentbba]

Reason I asked is that on the front axle on my '94, the 'pumpkin' is NOT directly in the center. It's a little over towards the PS of the truck. Jacking up the DS and placing a jack stand is no problem on the axle itself. Jacking up the PS is a different story. If I put the jack on the flat portion of the axle, there is no room left to place the cradle of a jack stand. If I lift the PS from the differential housing as this thread initially asked about, then I've got room to place a jack stand.

I don't think the initial question regarding the saftey of putting the jack under the 'pumpkin' has really been answered. Is it safe?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Totally safe to jack up the axle under the pumpkin. If you jack just towards the DS from the differential, you can lift both sides more or less equally. I put the jack stands under the axle right at the base of the knuckle "ball" and have never had a problem. I usually lower the jack, cruiser on the stands, then shake the truck as hard as I can, then remove the wheels and tires. If I go under the truck on the stands, I put a second set under the frame and stack up wheels/tires under the truck as well. But then, I'm paranoid.

 

[drohweder]

picked up a Craftsman 3 ton floor jack for $49! Works like a charm. I am using 6 ton jack stands uder the axels and then taking down the jack. Wife is scared to death so I am being extra careful . Perhaps I should get a couple of extra jacks stands and wear my titanium, steel reinforced exo-skeleton for the windy days when the garage door is open.

Seriously, is it ok to jack up the middle of the axel since the dif is off-set.

 

[drohweder]

picked up a Craftsman 3 ton floor jack for $49! Works like a charm. I am using 6 ton jack stands uder the axels and then taking down the jack. Wife is scared to death so I am being extra careful . Perhaps I should get a couple of extra jacks stands and wear my titanium, steel reinforced exo-skeleton for the windy days when the garage door is open.

Seriously, is it ok to jack up the middle of the axel since the dif is off-set.

 

[Poser]

You will be alright with jacking the truck up there.

 

[Poser]

You will be alright with jacking the truck up there.














Just had to!

-Steve

 

[IDave]

You can say that again.

Again.

I have always jacked each side independently, but as long as you have both the tires on, I think it makes sense to do it all at once.

 

[Brentbba]

Thx Guys! Have a Craftsman 3 1/2 ton jack and a pair of 3 1/2 ton jack stands. Sounds like I'm paranoid as well. The 3 ton models at Sears and elsewhere just didn't look like they had enough beef to me.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I had the whole truck up on four 3 ton jack stands in the driveway when I put the lift on. One jackstand at full extension per corner under the frame. It worked fine. My main caution would be to make SURE that all legs of the jack stand are bearing. Sometimes it will tend to "walk" when jecking it up and you'll need to reposition the stands once the truck is in the air. That happens usually when you're using more than one jackstand.

 

[CruisinGA]

I use 2 3 ton jacks and 2 sets of 4 ton stands-all borrowed (yes I'm a cheap bastard).
I also have a 10 foot 6x6 cut into 1 foot lengths- I stack them underneath framerails when doing a lot of work, or stack under jack stands when added height is needed.