Properly jacking up truck for shock replacements...

993500 said:

Thank you for the pictures, thats exactly what I needed. Do you have pictures of the jack stands on their "final" holding position? I was going to get a pair of these, but not sure the height will work.

​

Click to expand...

That is them at their final position to have the wheels clear of the ground. The height the stands were set at was 14.5'' from the ground with another 1.5'' available but not used - so not at full height.

Hipster said:

Idk, a vehicle sitting on fully extended jack stands can be a bit wobbly when under there yanking on stuff. A piece of wood on the jackstand saddle can make things a bit slippery. This is a recipe for disaster.

Click to expand...

Steel on steel is wholly worse. And, I was working at the wheels - not underneath.

L31MaxExpress said:

I had more of a problem on the upper shock stud nuts on both the Tahoe and Express van. Ended up having to put a jack under the lower control arm, remove the upper control arm and use a nut splitter on both sides of the van. Actually ended up being a good thing because the upper ball joints were wasted.

Click to expand...

In the future, the very top of shock stem is not threaded and can use a socket and breaker bar to hold or vise grips.

Pinger said:

Steel on steel is wholly worse.

Click to expand...

It can be if stuff is not placed correctly, Soft pine can also split/crush/move. Not a fan of wood blocks under the jackstand either. All anybody is saying is be safe. When one falls off a jackstand it can move sideways. A bunch of what if's, but shyt happens. If your head is tucked in the wheel well...it might not work out so well.

I have several sets myself, a couple sets of 3 tons, full set of 6 tons, and 2 12 tons. Jacks can blow seals suddenly so I don't rely on the jack to partially hold vehicles up either. Properly supported no need for the jack to even be in the way.

movietvet said:

In the future, the very top of shock stem is not threaded and can use a socket and breaker bar to hold or vise grips.

Click to expand...

The both rounded off.

L31MaxExpress said:

The both rounded off.

Click to expand...

How and with what?

Hipster said:

It can be if stuff is not placed correctly, Soft pine can also split/crush/move. Not a fan of wood blocks under the jackstand either. All anybody is saying is be safe. When one falls off a jackstand it can move sideways. A bunch of what if's, but shyt happens. If your head is tucked in the wheel well...it might not work out so well.

Click to expand...

I get what you're saying but under the crossmember it is safer with wood than steel on steel.

Hipster said:

I have several sets myself, a couple sets of 3 tons, full set of 6 tons, and 2 12 tons. Jacks can blow seals suddenly so I don't rely on the jack to partially hold vehicles up either. Properly supported no need for the jack to even be in the way.

Click to expand...

The photo only exists as a reminder for me as to which blocks to use to get the height I need hence the jack still being there. Like you, I don't trust the hydraulics of jacks so stands are a must. I'd leave the jack there only for when it comes to lowering. It's entirely superfluous with the stands locked off.

What you saw in the photo looks worse than it actually is. At least in part due to the piece of steel between the jack and block which was an exhaust bracket in a former life repurposed as a load spreader but short of time I didn't cut off the dangling bit that in the photo is between the camera and the jack's threaded extension and makes everything look squint and lopsided. Trust me, I take all of this very seriously.

I’d still use in conjunction with jack stands.

Caman96 said:

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

I’d still use in conjunction with jack stands.

Click to expand...

I just ordered the 3.5 ton Jack Rod at 17". My 3.0 ton floor jack extends about 17.5 inches. Just this weekend I jacked up an independent rear suspension on a 2014 Grand Cherokee and it was difficult getting it off the ramp it was on and still get a jack stand where I wanted it. The Jack Rod would have solved my problems.

I typically keep the floor jack under, after lowering to jack stands, I pump back up with just slight weight on jack. The Jack Rod(love the name huh ) seems to just be some extra piece of mind.