I don't do this for a leaving but i take my safety seriosuly. Don't know if it's camera thing but i don't like how that setup looks. I'd think you'll need to take the axel shafts out ? so you should be able to put those jacks in the axels tubes instead (taking the tires off)

I normally use 4 jack stands when i work on the Jeep depending on what i'm doing, Two 6 ton ones at the frame front or rear and two of those 3 ton ones on the axels. Mosly overkill but my driveway is also at a little incline and jack stands are not that expensive. If i'm doing brakes for example i just use two 3 tons on the axel tubes and a 3 floor ton jack as backup right in the middle.

 

Absolutely agree with your statment! No way I’d crawl around under that jeep with that set up... no way!! There’s numerious bad things that could happen with that setup. Only takes a micro-second and someone is DEAD! You’re suggestions are spot on.

 

6 ton floor jacks from Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply, etc. will get your axle tubes up 23" off the deck. In this case the heavier jacks are for height rather than weight.

 

If I was getting under it to work there would have to be a redundant "safety" in addition to the jack stands. I usually have 4x4 or 6x6 blocks 2-4 ft long laying around behind the shop from receiving steel shipments, drivers usually throw them off their flatbeds when the steel bars get unloaded.

Anyway I would be cribbing up with 4x4 or 6x6 under the rock rails or pinch weld seam or frame rails if you don't have rock rails. Would place just forward of the rear tires on both sides as a secondary safety so if anything happens to your primary support it will keep the jeep from crushing whatever is under it. Stacked kind of like this photo. It doesn't have to be holding any weight but should be touching or very near so that if needed the jeep rests on it. Be sure those front tires are well chocked both sides as well. We lost a guy in our community a couple of years ago to a paving machine he was working on without cribbing. Make it so if it falls it can't fall you know? That way you can push / pull sideways or front or back and worst case it comes off primary stands. Google "cribbing under jeep" for more ideas but don't trust your life to a jack stand weld.

 

When I push and pull on the rear fender I’m not seeing any movement of the jeep. It seems very sturdy.

To echo others, redundancy is always the best policy.

 

I usually slide the inflated rim and tire(s) under my vehicles (assuming they need removal) along with 6 ton jack stands. Don’t think you can be to safe enough when working on a vehicle where the tires have been removed and the crush space would equal death if something went wrong.

 

Thanks to everyone for your replies! It helped me make a decision that hopefully I will never know was the correct one.

In order to jack the jeep under the frame, in front of the rear wheels, the stand needed to be about 24 inches. I went to Harbor freight to look at the 6 ton stands and they were slightly shorter at 23 inches I think.

But the 12 ton stands were much bigger, much more sturdy because of the wider base, and max out at 30 inches. That will keep me from needing to go to their maximum height which will leave the stand much safer than the ones in my first post at max height sitting on 2x4s.

And a pair was only $150, so I bought them.

 

Might end up being the best $150 that you ever spent and hopefully will never know.

 

I use tires and floor jack with 6 ton jack stands that have keys.
On my sons Toyota I use backup jackstands on the frame.

 

Here’s one of the new 12 ton jack stands next to one of the 3 ton stands that was holding up the Jeep in my original post. These will be placed under the frame and be much safer for sure.

 

NO no an hell no,!
Block the FRAME up first. Pain in the arse I know but if anything happens with the frame solidly blocked the whole Jeep doesn't end up in you lap!

Then stabilize the rear end.

 

What? So you don’t think the new jacks on the frame are safe enough? Why is that?

 

The only picture I saw:

 

Gotcha. I guess I had assumed you read the thread before replying to it instead of just the first post. No problem.

 

I have seen Harbor Fright issue at least 2 recalls over the years on those "ratchet" type stands. The design depends on the precision of the locking mechanism being made correctly and held to appropriate tolerances. Since the main post is cast and not machined, the precision is just not there and has been the root of the problems over the years. When you look inside at the engagement of the pawl, the post is so loose that there's no way to guarantee repeatable engagement. So, I just don't do ratchet style stands. I look for the ASME-PASE compliance marking on stands. I know Harbor Fright claims their stands are compliant. But they have a history of manufacturing quality problems with their stands.

Last year I bought some well made 6 ton tube-pin type stands that have done what I need. 6.6-Ton Jack Stands - MJS-6T - Martins Industries

Yes, to leaving your tires under the vehicle to gain a bit of backup safety. Also, leave your floor jack(s) under it where you can. Chock the tires both directions. You'll be fine.

 

I have seen Harbor Fright issue at least 2 recalls over the years on those "ratchet" type stands. The design depends on the precision of the locking mechanism being made correctly and held to appropriate tolerances. Since the main post is cast and not machined, the precision is just not there and has been the root of the problems over the years. When you look inside at the engagement of the pawl, the post is so loose that there's no way to guarantee repeatable engagement. So, I just don't do ratchet style stands. I look for the ASME-PASE compliance marking on stands. I know Harbor Fright claims their stands are compliant. But they have a history of manufacturing quality problems with their stands.

Last year I bought some well made 6 ton tube-pin type stands that have done what I need. 6.6-Ton Jack Stands - MJS-6T - Martins Industries

Yes, to leaving your tires under the vehicle to gain a bit of backup safety. Also, leave your floor jack(s) under it where you can. Chock the tires both directions. You'll be fine.

Those issues have been addressed.

 

You might also take a pressure washer to the areas around where you are going to open the axle, to prevent dirt from getting into it. I go to a self-service carwash and go around the top of the cover and around the backing plates before opening it up.

 

You might also take a pressure washer to the areas around where you are going to open the axle, to prevent dirt from getting into it.

GREAT suggestion!!! Definitely will get under there and clean it well the night before.

Thanks!!

 

Having been a mechanic for over 40 years, may I suggest that you turn the stands 90 degrees so that they cradle the shock mounts and chock the front of the front wheels also. The way they are now means a little side movement and the Jeep could slide off. Never put the jack stands where the load sits on top of the stands cradle, seat the load into not on top of the cradle as metal to metal is easy to move.

 

I’ll be using the larger 12 ton stands that I mentioned in post number 10 of this thread, holding the frame right in front of the rear tires, which will also have been removed by that point. It’s no longer going to be the situation in the original post.

And as I did mention in the original post, the front tires have chocks front and back.

 

In a situation like yours, I prefer to run the front end up on a set of sturdy ramps and then jack the rear end up and put my 12 ton stands under the frame. Going on the theory that the weight will be more evenly distributed to all 4 bearing surfaces. Lessens the "slide" factor on the rear stands. Also make sure all the wheels on your floor jack are well lubed and rotate freely so that the jack will move with the vehicle when going up and down. A clean floor also helps with this.

 

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You've had a lot of good feedback regarding your post and taken steps to improve the safety so I wont beat that horse. FWIW, my concerns with the original idea are the lack of frame support and using "narrow" boards under each side of each jackstand. When placing something under the jackstand, I prefer that what ever is placed under the jackstand extends well beyond (several inches) past all points on the base. I've seen/had setups like that shift just a little and "spit" one of the boards out to the side and then the jackstand fall over. Fortunately it happened when no one was under the vehicle.