How much weight does a floor jack need to support a 1999 Tahoe?

[jimmycaps12]

Hello,
I was considering trying to fix my own oil leak but I don't have a jack or jack stands to get under the front end of my Tahoe easily. I'm definitely a noob, but what tonage should the floor jack support? I see the curb weight of the vehicle is between 4500-5200lbs. Most floor jacks I see support 3-4 tons. I imagine a 4 ton jack is fine as you aren't lifting the entire vehicle with one jack. I would be lifting the front with a 4 ton jack and then place 3-6 ton jack stands on the sides.

Thanks in advance for your help!

--1999 Chevy Tahoe

 

[gooffeyguy]

1 ton is roughly 2000lbs (2200lbs actually), so a 4 ton jack can lift 8000lbs.

I think a 4 ton is a bit overkill to lift one end of a truck, but bigger is always better when it comes to Jacks I think.

 

[B-train]

That'll do just fine. Make sure to put the stands on the frame rails near the front because you'll need room by the oil pan area for disassembly.

 

[BlaineBug]

Standard floor jacks of a reasonable size are 3, 3.5, 4 ton. You're typically only lifting 1 corner at a time for slipping in a jack stand, so even a 2 ton jack would work, but they're typically smaller and not as widely available as a 3 ton.

 

[iamdub]

+1 for not settling for just "what would work". I'd recommend a 3 ton at minimum. The stronger the jack, the less stressed it will be and the easier it'll be for you when lifting your Tahoe. 3 ton is a very common size. I have a cross beam on my 3T and it'll easily lift one whole side of my Tahoe.

 

[NoReverseYukon]

The thing I check is how much lift the jack has. To make things not so cramped you should get one with 20" lift +/-.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

^^^x2^^^

Harbor Freight has 3 ton jacks with lift heights over 20" at reasonable prices.

 

[OR VietVet]

A good combination would be a 3 ton jack with the 19" to 21" lift capability and IMO, I like overkill for jack stands and I would use 6 ton stands at the corners. The heavier weight rating of the stands allows for a higher lift support. Sometimes you do the lifting and setting of stands in stages to keep from severe angles and possible shifting movement of the vehicle on top of the stands. You said you are a "noob", so have an experienced person there to help lift and support the vehicle. Since you will be working at the front area, I would set the stands at the frame just behind the front wheels and you can cradle the rear at the rear axle tube close to the brake backing plates. What oil leak would you be tackling?

 

[89Suburban]

I have the the 4 ton Daytona jack from Harbor Freight that throws my Tahoe around like it's a toy. Love it.

 

[Stbentoak]

I don't use a floor jack for anything I'm going to be under and jackstands just get in the way. Get a good quality set of car ramps. You'll have more room and never worry about anything being suspended or held up.

 

[OR VietVet]

I don't use a floor jack for anything I'm going to be under and jackstands just get in the way. Get a good quality set of car ramps. You'll have more room and never worry about anything being suspended or held up.

I use floor ramps as well but they typically do not get the height that the jack and stands do. I have some plastic ones from HF that go about 9" and I have a pair of steel ramps that go about 12" but the steel ramps sometimes don't allow for front air dam clearances needed. The disadvantage of the ramps is that all the weight is on the ramps and you cannot take a wheel off or work on alot of the front suspension or steering linkages. Brake work is a no go on ramps, except for the obvious brake work when the wheel dos not need to come off.

 

[gooffeyguy]

I don't use a floor jack for anything I'm going to be under and jackstands just get in the way. Get a good quality set of car ramps. You'll have more room and never worry about anything being suspended or held up.

Or get 2 sets....

 

[OR VietVet]

Or get 2 sets....

View attachment 394118

View attachment 394119

Have done exactly that with my two sets of ramps. Hell, I use a set of ramps just to get the engine bay higher to work on. I am 6'4" tall.

 

[BlaineBug]

I'd say ramps are the way to go if you're going to be working beneath the vehicle, less "scary" than jack stands. But they take up a lot more space to store, and if you're going to have a jack and jackstands already, it's a lot of extra stuff to buy and store as well.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Or make your own set of folding wood ramps rather cheap....

 

[Dewally]

1 ton is roughly 2000lbs (2200lbs actually), so a 4 ton jack can lift 8000lbs.

I think a 4 ton is a bit overkill to lift one end of a truck, but bigger is always better when it comes to Jacks I think.

In the USA 1 ton is 2,000 lb EXACTLY

1 METRIC ton is 2,204 lb

 

[gooffeyguy]

Yes, but which one does the jack manufacturer use when rating it. Could be either depending on where it's made. That's why I said about 2000lbs

 

[BlaineBug]

That's good to know, because occasionally I've heard the term "a metric $hit ton" and now I know that it's actually more than 2,000 pounds of $hit.

 

[YukonRog]

Just be safe. My Auto Shop teacher made us try to shake a vehicle off the jack stands before we went under. If you can't, it's safe.

 

[OR VietVet]

Just be safe. My Auto Shop teacher made us try to shake a vehicle off the jack stands before we went under. If you can't, it's safe.

I do the same thing, always when on stands. My girl is not happy if I would not do that.