QUICK & DIRTY: Floor Jack & Jack Stands

Not all of us have the coin for a lift. And while lifts are getting more and more affordable, nothing is cheaper than a floor jack and jack stands.
Congratulations on clicking the QR code on using a floor jack and jack stands. Show this sentence for a free bonus mark because YOU are resourceful! Be safe!

[@terryzak1742]

Love your content. I've been working on cars for a hobby for some 50-years, but was taken back working on my sons 2010 V6 Mustang, where the procedures stated to "never" jack the vehicle from under the differential. This was a big surprise to me and while I've jacked in that location dozens of times, the procedure still nagged at me. Are axle tubes made so thin these days that you have to worry about disturbing the press-fit between the axle tubes and the differential housings?
I jacked from under the differential housing as I've done in the past, and used a jack stand under each end of the axle tubes; just as you showed. But is there something I'm missing?
Thanks in advance!!

[@GregWellwood]

Interesting. Is this stated in the owner's manual, pertaining to the use of the factory jack? I would NOT lift a vehicle by the differential with the factory wee jack. I would be surprised if the axle tubes cannot handle the lifting load, what with full engine torque through 1st gear, through a final drive gear, all through the axle tubes to sticky tires, on hot asphalt, hauling all your buddies and a picnic basket has got to be; must be some significant forces going in there.... I'm not going to stress it, but I'm willing to be proven wrong.

[@terryzak1742]

@@GregWellwood in reference to lifting with a floor jack. The comments were from my Alldata subscription.
My son helped me remove the rear and we rebuilt the differential and replaced all bearings.
I'll look up the procedure again and may send a screenshot of it.
Thanks

[@GregWellwood]

Quite the rabbit hole in Googling answers on this. LOTS of opinion. If Ford says "don't," there's probably a good reason not to; they likely wouldn't tell you otherwise unless there was a problem. Thanks for bringing this subject up!

[@samd8054]

Thanks for putting this up!

[@thefixerofbrokenstuff]

Leave the jack under the crossmember so that the coroner doesn't have to waste half a day extracting your mangled corpse when the rig falls off the stands.
Shake the rig like a dog passing a peach pit before you get under it!

[@billsmith2212]

One note when you put the jack under the pumpkin or differential , make sure the raised saddle edges don't contact the cover or backplate . I recently purchased low profile , long reach floor jack from Harbor 😱 FRIGHT . Try putting a standard jack under a low vehicle with a flat tire . You have your hands full . Unfortunately , some people have zero common sense , no mechanical ability and are dangerous in a shop . However , step back and listen so you will learn what to do .

[@greenghost6416]

Thats why channels like this are important. Instead of putting people down build them up.

[@lgd_avit]

There will come a time when you're recognised for your specific style of teaching. It can't be easy trying to explain the stupid out of stupidity. But you seem to have a knack.

[@friendofvinnie]

❤

[@hannahranga]

Thanks for the video. How do you feel about lifting from the diff pumpkin when it's offset (front of a 4x4 or rear of older landrovers)? I've always been a tad 50/50 on it but there's no other good alternative on my disco other using the factory jacking points on the radius arms (which need an adaptor if you want to use a floor jack)

[@GregWellwood]

When I can't get the thing to sit balanced, I just lift one side at a time.

[@kennethcarver9687]

Bruised not brushed

[@mapp0v0]

You don't need a low profile jack., 🙂

[@kennethcarver9687]

Many years ago when I was a late teenager I lifted a car and used a cement block on each side under the brake drum, I wanted the gas tank for another car, l bet you can guess what happened, yep,the blocks broke, luckily I didn't get seriously hurt,only brushed, NEVER,NEVER, EVER use cement blocks to use as blocking or jack stands under anything, It never happened again,lesson learned!🧰

[@GregWellwood]

Yes, there are horror stories with those. Accidents happen best when we take chances.