How do you lift these things - with a helicopter?

[PlainWhiteXJ]

I'm new to the XJ unibody world. Factory manual and what I have been able to find here indicates that trying to jack up an XJ with a hi-lift jack is likely to be troublesome.

So, what do you do? Spend a grand on bumpers and nerf bars? Anybody tried one of the hooks that go on the jack and grab the rim? Air bag between the frame and a big skid plate? Aerial rescue?

 

[juicexj24]

I use my Hi Lift to jack it up if and only when I need to and not to work on it. I place the jack right under the bumper mounts and make it as fast as possible to change a tire. Juice

 

[ChiXJeff]

It's not really the uniframe that's the problem, it's the damned stock tinfoil bumpers that are more of an issue.

For stock vehicles, like Juice says, jack on the bumper attachment brackets, and don't leave it there. Although, at least making the attempt with the puny stock bottle jack may be wise, it'll at least be more stable.

 

[slujeeper5]

yeah when i need to change tires, i have my CH-53E pick it up. makes it real quick haha

 

[woody]

Under normal conditions, I WAY prefer using my 12t or 6t bottle jacks and I tote them both as well as a jackstand or two if I have room.

Anymore my 4' hi-lift is too short for the front end and it's close out back...

I've a question about that hi-lift attachment that engages a wheel: Ok, we got the junky corner jacked up. Now how do we get that wheel off? Get the camcorder out for that last lug nut...

I think the hi-lift type is crazy unsafe when used alone, and not much better with a spotter/holder. Be Very Leery. If the situation allows 'em, I way prefer using bottle jack(s) & a stand.

 

[sidriptide]

the wheel attatchment on the hi-lift is really for recovery.. but i bet there will be a story by the end of the summer about someone pulling their wheels with it attatched... for driveway i have a 5 ton floor jack and jack stands, but for the trail i use a bottle jack...

mike

 

[PlainWhiteXJ]

Sorry - wasn't clear.

In the driveway, anything but a floorjack and jackstands is the wrong answer in my book. Bottle jack is better than Hi-Lift, but still not ideal. I too have seen vehicles fall off of bumper jacks, fall off of bottle jacks, collapse jack stands, etc. Back in my EMT days, I knew a guy that rolled on a call where somebody had tried to use a cinderblock as a jackstand. DON'T DO IT. Camaro brake drum in the forehead is fatal.

I was talking about recovery / unplanned tire changing in bad conditions.

Thanks for the inputs - sounds like it's not as bad as I thought, just lift by the strong part and be done with it.

Removing the last lugnut to change the tire sure would be amusing/spooky to watch!

 

[sidriptide]

its a lil harder to mount but i'm glad i went with the 60" hi-lift... with my trail rig i barely get a wheel off the ground with a 48" jack.... i am going to mount it across the base of my hood on the hinges..

mike

 

[Rob Mayercik]

In the driveway, anything but a floorjack and jackstands is the wrong answer in my book.

Since you mention it, where do you put the saddle of the floor jack on an XJ? I would assume the axle tube like the OEM bottle unit, but the floor jack's saddle doesn't have the same contours as the little bottle. Or do I need to make/buy an adapter?

I'm going to be pulling my front wheels off this weekend to see if I caused a problem replacing my lug nuts last week, and I am a little worried that the floor jack's saddle will damage the axle tube. So far, all I've used my floor jack for was holding up the gas tank skid plate when I installed it.

Rob

 

[XJEEPER]

I'm new to the XJ unibody world. Factory manual and what I have been able to find here indicates that trying to jack up an XJ with a hi-lift jack is likely to be troublesome.

So, what do you do? Spend a grand on bumpers and nerf bars? Anybody tried one of the hooks that go on the jack and grab the rim? Air bag between the frame and a big skid plate? Aerial rescue?

Hi-Lift also makes a bumper hook that wraps around your stock bumper lower lip and then hooks onto the jack so you can safely lift on a stock sheetmetal type bumper, but of course, HD bumpers are better!

 

[RichP]

Since you mention it, where do you put the saddle of the floor jack on an XJ? I would assume the axle tube like the OEM bottle unit, but the floor jack's saddle doesn't have the same contours as the little bottle. Or do I need to make/buy an adapter?

I'm going to be pulling my front wheels off this weekend to see if I caused a problem replacing my lug nuts last week, and I am a little worried that the floor jack's saddle will damage the axle tube. So far, all I've used my floor jack for was holding up the gas tank skid plate when I installed it.

Rob

I never use a floor jack on the axle tubes, not a good idea. Instead I take a block of 8"x8"x2 3/4" wood on the 6" diameter plate of my floor jack, put it under the lower control arm and lift there, then I put a jackstand under the frame rail and repeat on the other side. I also chock the wheels, BOTH back wheels if I'm working on the front. I also got rid of those cheap stamped metal jack stands. One of my sons friends borrowed 4 of them to work on his camaro and one of the damn things collapsed putting a nice hole in his garage door when it slid off the other 3. I've had those stands for many years so I was shocked and had a chill, remembering all the times I had my 1/2 ton dodge van off the ground, all 4 tires removed for rotating while I went from bumper to bumper on a creeper, lubing, cleaning and checking out the bottom of that truck. Went out and bought two pairs of Mack truck brand 3 ton stands. Would have bought 5 tonners if they had had them..

 

[Rob Mayercik]

I never use a floor jack on the axle tubes, not a good idea. Instead I take a block of 8"x8"x2 3/4" wood on the 6" diameter plate of my floor jack, put it under the lower control arm and lift there, then I put a jackstand under the frame rail and repeat on the other side. I also chock the wheels, BOTH back wheels if I'm working on the front.

I'm puzzled here - how would a jackstand under the frame rail help me with getting the tire off of the ground? Maybe I'm being dense or something, but wouldn't the suspension droop down until the tire is back on the ground, unless the jackstand is like 2 feet tall?

I'll see about hacking off a hunk of 2x4 for my jack - the plate is smaller than yours - something like 3 inches, IIRC.

Rob