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Under Frame, or under axles, where to place jack stands?

92DripCherokee

92DripCherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tampa, Florida
What's the safest arrangement for jack stands at 4 corners? Got no lift. When the transmission/transfer case comes off the engine block/ crossmember, the jeep will rise a bit?

the jeep sways when its supported under the axles.
It seems firmly supported under uniframe, but easier to slide off sideways.

The jack stand posts don't "cup" the frame, like they cup the axle tubes.

I'm going to be wrenching on it very hard to break loctited flexplate bolts.
 
I do it both ways, but make sure your jack stands are heavy enough and the base is solid. I have a four set of 1/4" thick steel plates I put under my stands. My smallest jack stand is a 3 tons (4ea), my biggest is 7 tons (4ea).
I've seen cheap stands collapse. Had one jack stand break through the concrete (air pocket) then collapse (bent in the middle) and the other stand tipped.
I might buy cheap hand tools, but my ramps, jack stands and floor jack are all first class. One of those lessons I learned the hard way.
When I put it up on stands I often leave the floor jack under a differential, just in case.
Plan for the worst and hope for the best, a little redundancy never hurts.
 
placement of the jack stands depends on what your working on. if im messing with the front suspension i put the stands under the "frame rails" behind the front wheels. this allows me to move the front axle with a jack to allow me more room to work on either side or up and down.

come to think of it, if im using jack stands im almost always working on the suspension because the jeep is high enough to not have to jack it up to work on anything else.
 
I always try to have a couple of stands under the frame even if the vehicle is lifted by the axles. Whenever possible I will use four stands for a two stand job, with a pair doing the holding and another pair set not quite as snugly somewhere under a substantial portion of the frame.
 
Matthew Currie said:
I always try to have a couple of stands under the frame even if the vehicle is lifted by the axles. Whenever possible I will use four stands for a two stand job, with a pair doing the holding and another pair set not quite as snugly somewhere under a substantial portion of the frame.
Click to expand...


x2. you can never have too many. but if youre not messing with the axles, use them since it will lift higher and put some extras under frame just in case.
 
hey guys, thanks for the suggestions.

With the stands under the axles, it feels impossible to nudge them off, even with the body sway. So under the axles they go. I've had the rear up, and front plenty of times. But never all four corners.

Everyone seems to know of a death or injury from a failure or mistake when jacking up a vehicle. I've got a second child on the way, so I'm keenly interested in surviving under the heep!

Back-up jack stands can topple because the vehicle doesn't simply fall in the vertical, it also slides in the horizontal. Wish there was a way to anchor the stands to the slab, and to the axles.
 
It sounds like you might be pulling the trans. When I did a clutch job on mine (manual trans) I ended up using SIX jack stands, 4 under the axles and two to hold the exhaust up because it needs to be dropped to remove the trans. Also a heavy auto scissors jack to hold up the back of the engine without the cross member (used the "exhaust" stands on the crossmember for disassembly / assembly). Finally a trans jack for that task.

Good luck!
 
One of the best safety backups I've seen is, unfortunately, now hard to come by: Steel milk crates. You remember those old heavy wire milk crates? Those suckers are virtually indestructible and have enough footprint that you don't have to worry about them falling over. I've known a couple of people who routinely used a couple of those under the frame as a backup, or even as primary stands.
 
Thats a fine idea. Those crates have scrap metal value, guess they aren't left for the picking anymore.

Now the crates get sent to china, smelted and turned into jackstands!
 
I've started the job, and went with the frame lift points
It's unsafe to muscle on the engine, using the suspension as support.

Only wise to use the axles as lift points when doing brake or bearing work.
 
How strong is the axle tube strong enough to jack the front end up? where is the best place to jack the front end?
 
The axle tubes are strong enough, especially where the suspension arms bolt on. A jack stand can be wedged in directly under the spring perch

I've used the front differential housing to lift and place a jack stand under the driver's side perch, and the passenger side of the axle tube to place the stand under that perch.

Just be sure to chock at least two wheels. And tap all the jack stands with a hammer to settle them.


The only worry is, bending or fatiguing the the tubes by doing this repeatedly. A good reason to weld on some extra lift points, or weld the tubes to the housing.
Or just rig up a lifting cradle.
 
Last edited:
I have gotten into the habit of jacking the front on the dead center of the axle tube. Since it is rounded, I made a heavy wood block with a half-round indentation (bore) to cradle the axle tube somewhat. I raise the block up to a point that happens to be directly to the left of the pumpkin.

Seems to work OK. Provides a center lift point and gives even jacking. I didn't like jacking the pumpkin and being all crooked until I got the jackstands just right.

One of those things that seems to work well... if axle tube fatique is an issue I'll probably find out the hard way.

I have a nice pair of OTC 6 ton stands. However, I can never seem to wedge the top of the stand in between the knucke and the lower control arm bracket... too wide. I also have a pair of Crafstman 3 ton "SUV" stands that have skinnier tops that fit pretty well.
 
rehberg79 said:
How strong is the axle tube strong enough to jack the front end up? where is the best place to jack the front end?
Click to expand...

the axle tubes support the weight of the vehicle when the wheels are on the ground, so anywhere on the axle tube or diff housing is a point that can be lift.
 
What about the differentials?? I've used my hydro jack a few times to change a tire and found it easier to lift the vehicle that way since its the lowest. Never had a problem is it not smart to do that??
 
jeepman121 said:
What about the differentials?? I've used my hydro jack a few times to change a tire and found it easier to lift the vehicle that way since its the lowest. Never had a problem is it not smart to do that??
Click to expand...

differential housing is fine. the differentials(ring and pinion) are in the housing.
 
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