02 Suburban Rear Jacking

[JPVortex]

Hey folks, this thread is going to make me look very very stupid. but I don't want to end myself by having a truck land on me. Having troubles with solidly jacking up the rear end of thee vehicle.

I'm too lazy to type this all out so I took a video explaining everything.

Here's that video.

Thanks guys!

 

[Scottydoggs]

ive jacked from the diff, then put the stand at the frame in front of the wheels, like under the back doors, front end, jack from the K member and place stands at the frame up front there.

make sure the jack rolls, if the jack cant move when lifting or lowering it will transfer the weight of the car. when the jack can move the cup of the jack comes straight down.

be safe out there.

 

[JPVortex]

ive jacked from the diff, then put the stand at the frame in front of the wheels, like under the back doors, front end, jack from the K member and place stands at the frame up front there.

make sure the jack rolls, if the jack cant move when lifting or lowering it will transfer the weight of the car. when the jack can move the cup of the jack comes straight down.

be safe out there.

Thank you! I did notice the jack wasn’t really rolling at all.

I tried putting the jack stands as far back as I could and farther up by the doors and it did the same thing.


Got any tips to keep the jack rolling properly? I have a super uneven crappy concrete driveway that makes rolling very difficult. I do have a giant half inch sheet of wood I can put underneath though? Not sure if it’d crack or not.

 

[OR VietVet]

You should be using 6 ton stands, the bigger the jack stand-the wider the base, and set them under the axle tubes, on each side of the center diff. Set the stands so the round axle tubes set in the dipped/round part of the saddles. If you are using 3 ton stands, you likely have to stretch out the arms too far and then leverage works against you. If you do jack up at the diff, that is a safe place, you can set the stands on each side at the frame and be under the doors. Because when you let the weight down and the weight is shifted forward because of the angle of the back up in the air, you should extend the stand arms only enough to keep the tires off the ground when you take the floor jack from under the diff. Use blocks, front and rear of the front tires to keep the vehicle from wanting to move.

If you ever set stands at front and rear frames, so the front and rear suspensions hang, jack up and set stands in stages, a little at a time on the stand arm extensions.

 

[homesick]

You should be using 6 ton stands, the bigger the jack stand-the wider the base, and set them under the axle tubes, on each side of the center diff. Set the stands so the round axle tubes set in the dipped/round part of the saddles. If you are using 3 ton stands, you likely have to stretch out the arms too far and then leverage works against you. If you do jack up at the diff, that is a safe place, you can set the stands on each side at the frame and be under the doors. Because when you let the weight down and the weight is shifted forward because of the angle of the back up in the air, you should extend the stand arms only enough to keep the tires off the ground when you take the floor jack from under the diff. Use blocks, front and rear of the front tires to keep the vehicle from wanting to move.

If you ever set stands at front and rear frames, so the front and rear suspensions hang, jack up and set stands in stages, a little at a time on the stand arm extensions.

^^^I would add to this^^^...

If the jack's not freely moving [to keep itself centered] then definitely use the sheet of plywood under the jack. If needed, use two. You do not want the truck tipping the ******** balance.

joe

 

[JPVortex]

You should be using 6 ton stands, the bigger the jack stand-the wider the base, and set them under the axle tubes, on each side of the center diff. Set the stands so the round axle tubes set in the dipped/round part of the saddles. If you are using 3 ton stands, you likely have to stretch out the arms too far and then leverage works against you. If you do jack up at the diff, that is a safe place, you can set the stands on each side at the frame and be under the doors. Because when you let the weight down and the weight is shifted forward because of the angle of the back up in the air, you should extend the stand arms only enough to keep the tires off the ground when you take the floor jack from under the diff. Use blocks, front and rear of the front tires to keep the vehicle from wanting to move.

If you ever set stands at front and rear frames, so the front and rear suspensions hang, jack up and set stands in stages, a little at a time on the stand arm extensions.

Thank you! 6 ton stands are what is being used. Here’s a picture of where I have the jackstands right now by the axle. Just don’t like how the surface of the jackstands isn’t totally engaged, only half of it is. Even putting the stands under the doors makes them want to tip, which I think may be due to the jack not rolling. I’ll put my hardwood sheet under the jack and see if it rolls properly.

 

[JPVortex]

^^^I would add to this^^^...

If the jack's not freely moving [to keep itself centered] then definitely use the sheet of plywood under the jack. If needed, use two. You do not want the truck tipping the ******** balance.

joe

Appreciate it! Would the jack missing the circle plate lead to it not rolling either? It’s missing the top plate. Threads stripped out on it when I pulled a transmission with it. I had pulled the plate out and stuck a transmission jack adapter that galled the threads up.

Works just fine without it. Just need to make sure I’m centered on whatever I’m lifting on

 

[blondie70]

I have heard to never jack from the differential .
Don't remember the reason, but I never do it.

 

[JPVortex]

I have heard to never jack from the differential .
Don't remember the reason, but I never do it.

not sure, I’ve done it on every truck I own without issue though.

 

[JPVortex]

not sure, I’ve done it on every truck I own without issue though.

Upon research, seems like that’s more for vehicles with rubber rear differential bushings. These rear ends are pretty solidly mounted, on the Tahoes and Burbans with the rear sway bar links and pretty thick shock bolts.

 

[OR VietVet]

I will not jack a differential at the tubes unless right at the ends, as far out as can. Otherwise, jacking at the diff is fine.

Thank you! 6 ton stands are what is being used. Here’s a picture of where I have the jackstands right now by the axle. Just don’t like how the surface of the jackstands isn’t totally engaged, only half of it is. Even putting the stands under the doors makes them want to tip, which I think may be due to the jack not rolling. I’ll put my hardwood sheet under the jack and see if it rolls properly.

View attachment 456249

Need to turn the jack stand 90 degrees. The round axle tube should be down in the rounded part of the saddle.

 

[JPVortex]

I will not jack a differential at the tubes unless right at the ends, as far out as can. Otherwise, jacking at the diff is fine.


Need to turn the jack stand 90 degrees. The round axle tube should be down in the rounded part of the saddle.

No matter which way I put the jackstands I can’t seem to get it to a great spot. By rounded part of the saddle do you mean on the jackstands? I don’t think they’re curved enough to really grab it super well.

 

[OR VietVet]

The weight of the axle will set it down in the rounded part of the jack stand arm saddle. Are you on level ground? Does all 4 wheels of the floor jack roll smoothly?

 

[JPVortex]

The weight of the axle will set it down in the rounded part of the jack stand arm saddle. Are you on level ground? Does all 4 wheels of the floor jack roll smoothly?

Oh so are you saying that I should try to get the jackstands to grab the entire diff area and not just the small circular area I put it on? The area I put the stands is a bracket that comes out of the differential where the sway bar brackets go. Can’t go right on the axle tube because the sway bar is in the way.

 

[JPVortex]

Yeah, there’s no way for me to get the jackstands over the whole area on the diff. Sway bar is way in the way.

 

[JPVortex]

The weight of the axle will set it down in the rounded part of the jack stand arm saddle. Are you on level ground? Does all 4 wheels of the floor jack roll smoothly?

Here’s a video of what I’m talking about.

 

[homesick]

Get some stands to set the tires down on/in. They come both with, and without, ramps. What's wrong with the 'stands under the frame rails' idea.

The way the stand vs axle positions in your video looked to me, there's no effin way I'd crawl under there.

The stand's 'saddle' does not need to 'grab' the axle. If you get the axle centered in the stands, weight and gravity will keep the axle from sliding up hill off the stands.

And lube those wheels. Work them so they'll roll and swivel.

joe

 

[JPVortex]

Get some stands to set the tires down on/in. They come both with, and without, ramps. What's wrong with the 'stands under the frame rails' idea.

The way the stand vs axle positions in your video looked to me, there's no effin way I'd crawl under there.

The stand's 'saddle' does not need to 'grab' the axle. If you get the axle centered in the stands, weight and gravity will keep the axle from sliding up hill off the stands.

And lube those wheels. Work them so they'll roll and swivel.

joe

Yeah there's just no way to get the jack stands where they need to go. Only reason I went under is because the jack was supporting it as well as the stands. Will lube the wheels, what do I do, just smother a ton of grease all over them and roll them? They still swivel just don't roll like they should.

And whats wrong with the stands under the frame is that that I literally can't get them to not want to tip over. It's very weird.

 

[OR VietVet]

Ok, first you are using an unsafe floor jack with no pad and the wheels will not move when rusted. Way unsafe. You are asking for a problem with that floor jack. You should not be lifting this with a jack like that. You ask for safe procedures and then you show the messed up floor jack. Get that out of there.

Second, inner parts of the tubes, where they come out of the diff have enough room where the sway bar bend is to allow for the stands to be placed as I stated. Or at the very ends of the tubes where the sway bar ands may allow enough room. If none of this works. Spread the stands out to the ends and set the sway bar itself in the curved stand arm saddle. Or, set the rounded part of the sway bar attaching bracket in the curved saddles. If the sway bar is directly below the axle tubes, setting the stands under the sway bar or the brackets, will not hurt it. If the sway bar is offset and is either forward or backward of directly under the axle tubes, do not sent the stand saddles under the sway bar.

 

[homesick]

WD-40. Grease. Motor oil. Something. They need to roll and swivel. Work it in, don't just cover the outside.

And I've seen too many floor jacks bleed down to trust one with me under the truck.

joe