Where not to put the jack

I'm confused (nothing new there.) and maybe just dumb.

Jeep FSM and Haynes don't recommend jacking on the axle tubes. But you can't get the wheels off the ground jacking on the frame rail as they suggest. FSM sez to use a lift for axles. As soon as I win the lottery, I'll get one of those.

On the front of my '01 there's little room to jack on the outboard end of the front axle on driver's side and still get a jack stand under there. Should I put the jack under the lca's on the front? What about on the rear?

I know you see guys putting the jack everywhere, even on the punkin, but what is the best location for safe, secure, no-damage jacking of the axles?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I don't want to break anything while I'm wrenching.

Sounds to me like you need a better jack and jack stands.

I got a cheap 2-ton floor jack and 4 jack stands. ALWAYS use the jack stands!!

If I have to change a tire with just my bottle jack I put the jack under the LCAs. Be sure to use a bock of wood so the jack doesn't slip off.
I must also mention that I have aftermarket LCAs, so I don't know if it will work so well on stock stuff.

The floor jack and jack stands are fine and beefy. I asked where to put the jack, not if I should crawl around under the Jeep when it was up on a 2x4, guys.

Fish'nCarz said:

The floor jack and jack stands are fine and beefy. I asked where to put the jack, not if I should crawl around under the Jeep when it was up on a 2x4, guys.

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You never said you were using these. My floor jack has enough lift to get my stock tires off the ground on a reasonably level surface. I have also jacked on the axle tubes near the spring mounts and on the LCA axle mounts. Depending on what I'm working on, I put my jacks stands under the axle as far outboard as possible or under the frame rails.

Okay. I re-read my post and yer right, it's ambiguous.

I always use the jackstands. But I have a big, round saddle on the floor jack that eats up lots of space, so jacking and then putting the jack stands in is difficult because of the geometry of the jack and the stands on the driver's side.
The Haynes book and my fsm say don't jack on the axle. Well, how the heck do you raise up the wheels? I was lookin' at the LCAs but didn't want to brake or bend anything, so I'm asking where is it safe to use the jack to raise the wheels up?

I told you I was dumb.

I have used a jack on the tubes, under the LCA mounts, on the LCAs, under the punkin, and on the frame.

I would put it where it works, the axles are plenty strong to jack on.

Rev

Rev Den said:

I have used a jack on the tubes, under the LCA mounts, on the LCAs, under the punkin, and on the frame.

I would put it where it works, the axles are plenty strong to jack on.

Rev

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That's what I thought, but I've thought some really dumb stuff was okay and it ended up costing me money!

I like to use the axle tube front and rear. I jack the differential in the back and place the two jack stands as far outboard as possible.
In the front Ijack it on the right side of the diff to bring both wheels up and then I place the jack stands as far outboard as I can. The right (passenger) side is no problem, on the left I don't have enough room to place the jack stand and I end up placing it a little bit crooked next to the LCA mount.
The bottom line is that I need a better way to support the front end on jack stands.

axle tubes are fine to put a jack under. hell, if they can be dragged across rocks while supporting the weight of the vehicle, i really don't think jacking from them is gonna cause any problems

Same here...axle tubes.

Pumpkin on driver's side, axle tube on the other.

whether you can or can't, you can.... i wouldn't, not to say it can't be done, but visions of my autoshop teacher smackin me a good one for doing that to the school f150 way back in the day stop me.

i use a block of 6x8 under my jack and my stands do just fine the same... if it's going to slip off of a chunk of wood that big, you're in trouble. you CAN damage the axle by doing this (raising from the pumpkin), although like said previously, never seen it myself, but then i'm uber-careful with my xj anyway.

go as close to the lca's as possible, and i definitely steer clear of the pumpkin to raise both wheels up. use blocks of wood between the jack/stands and the axle...


This is how I do it....
jack each side first then insert jack stands under frame rail with wood block under the stand if necc. once its in the air, use the jack under the pumpkin to raise the tires off the ground without the whole weight of the vehicle on the pumpkin.... much safer that way... and my shop teacher won't smack you one....

Well, seems as though I have been doing it wrong for over 40 years. I'll stick a jack or forklift or prybar or what ever under an axle in a heartbeat, I'll be on jackstands, have the wheels removed and looking for the problem that brought me here before you guys even get through reading what not to do. Jeez, if they are that delicate I don't want my life sitting on them on a trail or in a mall parkin lot.