Jacking bent the crossmember (1 Viewer)

[l3n0x]

Hello All!

I'm looking for ideas why jacking my truck up at the jacking point under the engine crossmember - in the middle where the one bash plate bolt goes into, but bash plate was off the truck - managed to bend my cross member upward?

Thanks!

 

[l3n0x]

 

[nukegoat]

Did you use the OEM bottle jack?

 

[l3n0x]

Did you use the OEM bottle jack?

No, I’ve used a crocodile jack

 

[2001LC]

That is a jack point, used for floor jacks, typically placed under the skid. The skid does spread the weight a bit. A bottle jack would only press on very small point. I suppose it could be possible to bent it with just bottle jack or small surface jack point on cross member/frame. I use that point a lot. But I do place wooden block on my floor jack when skid off. Just because I need the extra lift.

But now you've got me wondering. I'll be looking at some to see if factory bent/indentation for skid.. Could be that your rig took hard hit on skid and you just now noticed it. Could be just not strong enough for a small point lift and weight needs spreading..

 

[Manhattan]

Is it possible you bent it ('wheeling) prior to jacking the truck - and just noticed it?

 

[l3n0x]

Is it possible you bent it ('wheeling) prior to jacking the truck - and just noticed it?

Could be. It’s a 20 y/o truck afterall. And I’ve bought it 3months ago.

 

[l3n0x]

Okay the question is if it’s safe to use the truck with this frame? How about wheel alignment?

 

[l3n0x]

That is a jack point, used for floor jacks, typically placed under the skid. The skid does spread the weight a bit. A bottle jack would only press on very small point. I suppose it could be possible to bent it with just bottle jack or small surface jack point on cross member/frame. I use that point a lot. But I do place wooden block on my floor jack when skid off. Just because I need the extra lift.

But now you've got me wondering. I'll be looking at some to see if factory bent/indentation for skid.. Could be that your rig took hard hit on skid and you just now noticed it. Could be just not strong enough for a small point lift and weight needs spreading..

View attachment 2076811

Although the plate of my jack is pretty big (5 times bigger than the factory jack at least), I can imagine that I’ve bent it because the skid plate was off. I’ve now took a look at the skid, and can see how that distributes the load

The bend is totally originating from the witness mark (circle) of the jack, so this kind of leads me to the direction to think that it was not bent prior to this.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Huh, I'm now realizing I do not use the fatory jack point when I lift the vehicle. I have been using the diff bracket a little bit forward of the intended factory location. That bracket has held up really well.

Okay the question is if it’s safe to use the truck with this frame? How about wheel alignment?

I think it's 100% fine. That very small amount of movement in the structure shouldn't be an issue unless it's a symptom of a greater problem throughout the frame.

 

[l3n0x]

I've found this "before" picture from a couple weeks back. It almost looks like it was already bent?

 

[l3n0x]

Huh, I'm now realizing I do not use the fatory jack point when I lift the vehicle. I have been using the diff bracket a little bit forward of the intended factory location. That bracket has held up really well.




I think it's 100% fine. That very small amount of movement in the structure shouldn't be an issue unless it's a symptom of a greater problem throughout the frame.

Are you the guy who makes YotaMD videos? Like the one about replacing the front diff bushings?

 

[suprarx7nut]

Are you the guy who makes YotaMD videos? Like the one about replacing the front diff bushings?

Yes sir, that's me! I do videos when I have time to edit and I make the titanium key fobs you may have seen.

 

[l3n0x]

Yes sir, that's me! I do videos when I have time to edit and I make the titanium key fobs you may have seen.

Yes! Your videos are awesome and thank you very-very much for them, especially the one with the bushing replacement!
The fobs are awesome, too bad shipping & taxes & import duties are heavy to get it to europe

 

[gatormark91]

I've found this "before" pictures from a couple weeks back. It almost looks like it was already bent?

View attachment 2076851

Safe bet says it was bent before you got it. I've jacked mine up with a floor jack plenty from that point. The skid pate is sheet metal, the cross-member is welded up from pressed plate steel. It'd take a lot more than 3000 pounds of weight (the front half of the car) gently lifted to dent that. Money says an accident or someone dropped the front on a rock or something. That piece takes a lot of the forces of the front suspension, I don't see how you could have bent it.

 

[l3n0x]

Safe bet says it was bent before you got it. I've jacked mine up with a floor jack plenty from that point. The skid pate is sheet metal, the cross-member is welded up from pressed plate steel. It'd take a lot more than 3000 pounds of weight (the front half of the car) gently lifted to dent that. Money says an accident or someone dropped the front on a rock or something. That piece takes a lot of the forces of the front suspension, I don't see how you could have bent it.

Yeah it sure is strange.. I can imagine it can bend if jacked at the middle and not near the front or rear edges where it has more structural support (the jacking point on the skid plate also transfers the forces to the rear of the crossmember where it is bent upward & has the extra structural support of the 90deg bend). The strange part is that it seems like the whole bottom part of the crossmember is bent, even at the front 90deg bend, not just the bottom sheet - which IMO can only come from an accident. But the diff crossmember and the front most crossmembers are not bent, and they also set the distance between the two frame rails.. So it's a mystery really.

 

[abuck99]

Lift from the diff-drop cross member not the steering cross member

 

[l3n0x]

Lift from the diff cross member not the steering cross member

Yeah, it’s just that it hurts that the damage is already done and unfixable

 

[suprarx7nut]

Yes! Your videos are awesome and thank you very-very much for them, especially the one with the bushing replacement!
The fobs are awesome, too bad shipping & taxes & import duties are heavy to get it to europe

I'm glad the videos are helpful! Yes, European import taxes are incredibly high. It really discourages business from foreign countries, unfortunately.

Yeah, it’s just that it hurts that the damage is already done and unfixable

Meh, it's fine. Beat it up some more on trails so this little bend doesn't bother you.

These are tough trucks built to handle abuse. Decades of abuse. Hundreds of thousands of miles of abuse. Drive on, friend.

 

[l3n0x]

I'm glad the videos are helpful! Yes, European import taxes are incredibly high. It really discourages business from foreign countries, unfortunately.



Meh, it's fine. Beat it up some more on trails so this little bend doesn't bother you.

These are tough trucks built to handle abuse. Decades of abuse. Hundreds of thousands of miles of abuse. Drive on, friend.

Thank you very much for your kind words!