Nuyota

I have some work planned for my 3" lifted 87 4runner sr5. I'm a noob to trucks but not a noob to cars and turbos. Gonna do brakes, struts, steering, bushings, etc. Do I need to buy a jack for this, all of mine don't even touch the front subframe unless I used a large brick or wood or something. What's the best way to just get the front into the air with normal jacks then set it on jack stands so I can work on it safely? Is the truck normally supposed to come with an OE jack, I don't see one.

TrikeKid

Floor jack usually works for me, lift it under the arms (close to the wheel as you can get in the front one side at a time if you have to, rear you gotta have some pretty big meats to not get to the axle, I am nowhere near maxing out even my little bottle jack and I'm on 35's. Oh, and they're shocks, not struts for what it's worth.

MKtaco_98

I just use a floor jack on the pumpkin of the axle, then put 3 ton jack stands on the frame rails for the front use the ifs brace where the skid plate attaches

dcole

like this:

edit: of course, adding jack stands underneath to actually work on it would be a requirement...

edit #2: yes, I was wearing a single flip flop when I took this picture...

OliveYoter85

lmao i like the single flip flop detail. to do lift the rear of my truck one time, i raise my jack stands a couple pegs and leaned them against my rear axle, put my truck in 4low and crawled forward until they dug into the yard and my rearend pivoted up on it, i found my jack burried in the shed an hour later

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

That is just about the dumbest thing to do for working on your rig. NEVER use a hi lift jack for anything but emergencies and recovery on the trail. They are not stable and can and will slide out from the rig.

Buy a good floor jack with a good lifting hieght 20" or so and get a atleast 2 jack stands. Lift it right, support it right and you'll live another day.

CodyX36

I usually don't lift lifts on lifted trucks... But when I do, I use a lift that lifts lifted trucks in need of lifting.

dcole

boy its a good thing I said use jack stands too then... otherwise you might have made a valid point


in other words: please, explain to me why lifting a vehicle (or anything that needs lifting for that matter) in this manner is so dumb/dangerous if one was to properly support the vehicle afterwards?


what danger does it pose to me rather than using a traditional floor jack when you don't have access to a traditional smooth/polished garage floor?

toyota4x4907

Yo dawg, I heard you like lifts, so I put a lift on your lift so you can lift a lift while you lift a lifted lift.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

I usually use a floor jack under the middle of the axle, raise up high enough to slide in tall jack stands under the frame, then remove the wheels and lower the jack down - that is the key step, keeps the height of the frame lower. I usually side the wheels under the frame just in case things go wrong.

I usually need a bit more height for the jack stands, so I made bases for mine out of 4 lengths of 2x4 lumber sort of laid out like a log cabin:



Gives the stands a solid base and adds 3" to the height.

And the factory bottle jack will be in the back, driver's side compartment behind the roll bar. Handle is usually in the green factory tool bag that is usually in the passenger side rear compartment. I've used the bottle jack in a pinch but a 3 ton floor jack is much better, just roll it in under the axle and lift away.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Nice job using a metal plate pad thingy for the little tiny hi-lift base to stand on. On cement. Cocked over to one side. Bad. Idea. Get a floor jack.

I hope that chain is there for looks. Worse recovery strap ever. Bad. Idea.

Also, you're missing a turn signal.....

And wear something other than flip flops jacking.

Toy3sgte

iTrader: (1)

..but seriously though I want an exhaust air jack!

dcole

1: All I had access to... and it worked fine, is there some super secret way I'm not aware of to make a single farm jack stand straight up instead of leaning toward the vehicle when jacking a vehicle up FROM THE CORNER? It sure looks like the base of the jack was designed to pivot to me?

2: The chain has served its purpose time and time again. I have straps for when they are needed too.

3: I appreciate you're concern in my choice of footwear, but I managed to keep all my toes that day. I think I'll be fine.

Edit: 4: The truck hasn't had turn signals since I bought it. I'll get around to it one day.

dcole

So much win sir, so much win...

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

When you change the angle of the base vs the vehicle, its going to slide out. This is very very unsafe, regardless of whether it worked for you or not. All sorts of unsafe things work "until they don't". That's how people get dead. Having jackstands won't do any good if you are under the 4Runner setting the stands and the hilift slides out or tips over.

OP:

Get yourself a good quality floor jack. My 4Runner has 37's and I use a 3 ton floor jack that lifts it just fine. Get good quality jack stands. I use 6-ton jack stands because they are heavy duty and taller than the cheap 2-ton stands.

dcole

Of course it will slide out ... if it gets pushed past the angle it was desgned to piviot then the jack base would tip, making the already tiny footprint even smaller.


When kept within its designed limitations I don't see the problem, but that's just my opinion. Also the way I'm lifting the vehicle requires that the wheel is on, so it couldn't really fall past that point.


I would've never thought so many people on this site dislike using mechanical jacks so much.

I use them on a daily basis both at work and around the house... I've. Never had an issue.

bone collector

I personally wouldnt lift a truck like that. the possibilities of bending a rim, and the extra stress on cv shafts, ball joints etc makes it a no no for me

TrikeKid

It's no more stress on anything than the truck sitting there off the jack.

The fear of hi-lifts on the internet always cracks me up. You guys do what you want, but if you know how to use a hi-lift it is an amazing tool.

westjohns yota

x2 ^ a hi-lift is prob the best jack out there because its simple design.....

dcole

+1



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