Lifted trucks are best known for off-roading and having an aggressive overall outlook. However, as these trucks are primarily used for off-roading, it means that you will need to take proper care of them. If you do not, you can not expect them to offer optimal performance for a prolonged time.
Now, when it comes to maintaining these four-wheelers, it is crucial to know how to jack up a lifted truck. And no, learning the normal process of lifting a truck with a jack is not going to cut it.
You will need to learn a particular procedure for these trucks, which we will break down in this guide. So, stick till the end if you want to know it all!
9 Steps To Jack Up A Lifted Truck
You might think that you will need to go through tons of hassles to learn how to jack up lifted truck. But the case is really the opposite. Do not believe us? Just follow these steps and find it out by yourself:
Step 1: Ensure Safety While Using
The first step for jacking up a semi truck or a lifted truck would be to ensure safety. Safety should be your number one priority when carrying out the process. And working carelessly will not make you get any further on how to jack up a truck. Instead, you will get yourself injured.
That said, when it comes to safety, you first need to ensure that you have the right jack for the job. Check the load capacity and match it with the weight of the truck.
If you are wondering what size jack do I need for my truck, remember that the capacity should be higher than the truck's weight. The same thing applies to the question of what size jack stands for truck.
We would highly recommend using high-quality floor jacks to carry out the project. Those will be more capable of lifting heavy weight trucks.
For detailed instructions, check out our guide: How to use a floor jack
Step 2: Find A Suitable Area To Jack Up Lifted Truck
Whether you want to jack up the rear of truck or the front, your second priority should be finding the right place to work. Now, if you are wondering where do you jack up a truck, we recommend picking a hard, asphalt, or concrete spot. The concrete floor of your garage will also work in this case.
Step 3: Prepare Your Truck
The third step would be to get your four-wheeler ready for the lift. For this, you will need to set your truck's transmission into the parking slot. Then, engage the handbreak.
After getting the handbrake engaged, work on the wheels. You should chock the ones that you do not plan to work with. For example, if you plan to work with the front wheels, chock the rear ones. The opposite will be applicable if you plan to work with the rear wheels.
Step 4: Find the Jack Points
Once you are done prepping the truck, you should work on finding the right points to place the jack. The part you will be using to jack the vehicle up must be solid and durable. To find the appropriate spot, you can take the help of the owner's manual.
Nonetheless, if you do not want to go through the pages of the manual, the jack points are basically on the frame. How do we know that? The frame holds all the weight. And when you are lifting it, you are basically lifting the whole truck.
Now, if you look around the truck's frame, there will be two points around the rear wheels and two near the axle side of the rear wheels. Also, there are two jack points in between the rear and the front wheels. Those are the points that you will need to set up the jack.
Wondering how you will choose which point you should set the jack on? It will depend on which portion of the truck you plan to lift. For instance, to lift the front wheels, you should work on the jack points that are on the front.
Step 5: Set Up the Jack
After selecting the right jack points, placing the jack should be a piece of cake for you. You just have to slide the jack under the right points. On that note, the lifted truck has a good amount of ground clearance. The clearance you will get will eventually make it easier for you to set the jack.
What’s more, the clearance will provide you with enough room for a bottle jack, hydraulic jack, and other jack types. Bottle jacks usually require more ground clearance. And as you are getting plenty from the lifted trucks, there will be no need to worry about the setup.
That said, you should not place the jack under any fragile components. That include the exhaust pipe, pan, and steering rack. Those points will not be capable of holding the weight of the truck and will eventually break when you try to lift the vehicle. So double-check where you are putting the jack.
Step 6: Raise the Jack
You should raise the jack a little once you get the jack set up. The jacks will not make direct contact with the points without a bit of lift for the lifted trucks, even for the bottle jack. For that reason, you will need to raise the jack a little and ensure that the upper saddle has a proper grip with the jack points.
Step 7: Raise the Truck
At this point, the jack should have a proper grip on the jack points. And to raise the truck, pump the jack a few times. Stop at that point when there is enough clearance to put a jack stand under the car. To ensure a smooth process, keep a fair idea of how much room you need before pumping the jack.
Step 8: Slide the Jack Stand
You will need to slide the jack stand to get a little pressure off of the jack. Keep the same rules of placing a jack to place the jack stand. In other words, choose a point that is durable and solid. We do not recommend using the jack only to keep the car at the lifted state. If the jack gives in and collapses, you will be in danger.
After placing the jack stand, lower the jack a little and let the points rest on the jack stand. Before you remove the jack, you need to ensure that the jack stands have a good grip. If they are not supporting the truck's weight, you should not remove the jack.
When you notice that the jack stands are supporting the truck's weight correctly, lower the jack and remove it.
Step 9: Work On The Car and Lower the Lifted Truck
After step 8, your truck should be resting correctly on the jack stands. And the elevation should offer you enough clearance to work under the vehicle. Once you are done with the maintenance and repair, you need to put the jack back into the previous state and lift the truck a little.
Get the stands out of place and ensure that there is no obstruction or objects under the car. Lowering the truck with anything under it will cause damage to the vehicle. So, double-check whether there is anything under the car or not. Then, lower the jack slowly and get the truck resting on the ground again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you put the jack on a lifted truck?
There are designated jack points under the car. Usually, it is around the frame. To be sure regarding the jack points, you should look at the owner's manual.
What kind of jack do you use for a lifted truck?
The thing about lifted trucks is that they offer a significant level of clearance. That will eventually allow you to hook up a bottle jack, floor jack, and other types of jack under them.
Can you use a floor jack on a lifted truck?
Yes! You can easily slide a floor jack under the lifted truck. In fact, the clearance they provide will allow you to use a bottle jack.
How do you jack up a lifted 4x4?
Lifting a lifted 4x4 is pretty straightforward. But that would only be true if you follow the proper steps, which we have already gone through above.
Final Words
See? Learning how to jack up a lifted truck is not as hard as you might have thought. You just need to go through the proper steps and carry those steps out properly. Also, do put appropriate emphasis on the jack points of your truck. Finding the correct jack points is very crucial for this project.
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