Wrangler JK jacking ?

[demarpaint]

I was discussing with a friend where to jack a Wrangler JK from to get both front wheels in the air and on jack stands. It seems the both of us would like to know the best and safest way to do it for various reasons. I have a few ideas but would like to know from someone who owns one and who has done it. The front pumpkin is offset so that spooks me a bit, I was thinking of trying two jacks one on the pumpkin and one at the jacking point on the axle, but the jacking point is where the jack stand needs to be. I'm not crazy about jacking it from the axle tube. I want the two front wheels off the ground at the same time. There are a lot of conflicting posts scattered about the www. and jacking only one side and not having both wheels in the air at a time seems to be very popular. Thanks.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I would jack up one wheel, support it under the axle tube or control arm mount near the coil spring, then jack up the other wheel, and support it in the same way.

I would probably not jack it using the center of the axle.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I would jack up one wheel, support it under the axle tube or control arm mount near the coil spring, then jack up the other wheel, and support it in the same way.

I would probably not jack it using the center of the axle.


Thanks, the center of the axle scares me too. Where would you place a floor jack that has a large cup? I'd rather not use the OE jack that came with it. Would the lower control arm bracket hold, near the weld to the axle tube? Then placing the jack stands at the jacking points would be easy.

 

[dlundblad]

I wouldnt lift a vehicle by it's differential pumpkin. I've done this (among many many other things) before out of ignorance, but knowing what I know now, I personally wouldn't do it.

Been about 3 years for me on a JK, but with any other solid axle Jeep you have a few options. If both wheels have to come up and if you have 2 jacks, you could jack it up at the lower control arm mounts and high enough to be able to place stands under the frame rails. If you have 1 jack and if everything is skinny enough, you could also jack it as close to the wheels as possible and slide stands in as close to the jack as possible.

I am not sure on the JK since I never had to use it, but many other solid axle Jeeps came with a bottle jack in the spare tire changing kit. This is intended for lifting on the tube.

 

[demarpaint]

The pumpkin is so off center that jacking from there makes no sense to me so I wouldn't even consider it. I have to take another look, the lower control arm brackets look like they might be the key, although I'm afraid of bending the ends. As much as I don't like them a bottle jacket might be the ticket.

 

[dlundblad]

You won't bend the brackets. I do this all the time with my WJ.


With a bottle jack, I would look for a better perch for the contacting surface though. Most bottle jacks just have the piston for whatever to rest on. Actual spare tire changing kits for my Jeep or an older Cherokee have a bent perch for the axle to rest in.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
You won't bend the brackets. I do this all the time with my WJ.


With a bottle jack, I would look for a better perch for the contacting surface though. Most bottle jacks just have the piston for whatever to rest on. Actual spare tire changing kits for my Jeep or an older Cherokee have a bent perch for the axle to rest in.


Yes it's not the bottle jack itself it's the perch. I'll have to start looking around. Or see if I can have my brother make something for my floor jack, a cradle of some kind, that replaces the existing cup. Something the shape of a jack stand cradle would probably work well.

 

[rodinator1234]

I understand the theory of not jacking on the pumpkin multiplied bending force applied in the opposite direction, and in this case the offset pumpkin in the front of the Jeep. But I have jacked up lots and lots of vehicles off the pumpkin or axle tube and haven't bent an axle tube or the rear end of anything. If the rear end was designed to bear the weight of the vehicle, and it's unloaded there is a margin of safety built in for load carrying capacity and I doubt the leverage action of jacking off the pumpkin is more than the load capacity of the axle. What I would do if I were the OP would be to source a thick piece of rubber like a cut tire or conveyer belt piece and lay it on the cup of the floor jack to create a pad and decrease one point or two points of pressure from the jack cup and jack one side up put it on a jackstand and jack the other side up and put it on a jackstand. You can make a wood cradle too if you wanted to out of 2x4's to go on the jack cup and cradle the axle tube. I always have pieces of rubber from conveyer belts around the shop to use as jack pads and jack stand pads to protect the parts of the vehicle even if no one see's a mark under the car I know it's there.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I want the two front wheels off the ground at the same time.

Easy. Floor jack on the pumpkin, then set it down on stands:

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I want the two front wheels off the ground at the same time.

Easy. Floor jack on the pumpkin, then set it down on stands:

A picture is worth a thousand words, thank you! I have jacked many vehicles by the pumpkin, but never a 4WD by the front pumpkin. My Liberty has a cross member which I use. That makes things very easy. After seeing the picture that's how I'll be doing it.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

I'd find a solid piece of oak off of an old pallet and fashion a block to sit inside your jack cradle. That oak pad will outlast that jacke, guaranteed.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
I'd find a solid piece of oak off of an old pallet and fashion a block to sit inside your jack cradle. That oak pad will outlast that jacke, guaranteed.


Thanks. I'm making one out of 1/2" plywood, but come to think of it I might have a piece of oak from a step laying around and might use that.