Thread: New Jack option.

Originally Posted by g5k

I speak on behalf of all the newbie D4 owners like myself reading how the supplied jack is useless and then following this thread spiralling deeper and deeper into greater confusion on what would be a good solution. Can someone pleeeeease tell us what to get to lift the behemoth safely to change a tire. TIA

Here here! Has anyone actually safely changed a tyre on the side of the road using only the supplied jack?

For the confused....IMHO:

• Any jack is unsafe to use when extended to the height required to get the tyre off the ground using the chassis rail. Even more so when not on level ground. Jacks are not designed to cope with the sideways stresses this introduces.
• Don't jack using the chassis rail
• Jack using the control arm - it is faster and safer
• when the tyre is flat, there is not much room to fit the jack between the control arm and ground, drive the wheel on to a rock or block to get the clearance to fit the jack in.
• The jack head should be placed into the indent pressed in to the control arm. The ideal shape of the head would be convex.
• As always make sure the jack is placed perpendicular to the load it is lifting, level the ground or chock it if necessary
• any 2T jack would be suitable, the shortest closed height one you can get with a stroke long enough to match the profile of your tyre +50% (so you can fit the new one on)
• at a stretch, even the OEM jack could do this job easily and its closed height will allow it to fit under the arm when a tyre is flat.

Note that unlike the chassis rail, the control arm has no hole to positively engage the head of the jack so you need to make sure the jack head is correctly placed in the indent to reduce the chance of slipping.

PS I have done all four corners using the EOM jack on a garage floor, it was hard work, time consuming and nerve-racking.

I appreciate the trolley jack is both heavy and large to store within a 4WD but after some experience changing wheels on our farm 4WD's ( LC and Colorado with lift kits) in paddocks and fire trails , I can assure you the trolley jack is by far an easier and more stable jack than a bottle jack - particularly 4WD with lift kits and heavier off road tyres which require a greater lift.


I guess the perfect world is to have a camper trailer and store the trolley jack in there.


p.s. and usually trolley jacks have a larger pad to lift with

Originally Posted by Milton477

Has anyone actually safely changed a tyre on the side of the road using only the supplied jack?

Yes - twice now. Once in WA and once in Tasmania (on sloping ground).

Not an ideal situation to be in - but I do not use the OEM jack on the chassis rail. As others have suggested, it is much safer to use this jack under the control arm - the OEM jack fits under easily even with a dead flat tyre, and you do not have to "extend" the jack anywhere near as much in this position to lift the wheel / tyre clear of the ground as you would if lifting the vehicle from the chassis rail.

These days, I always have two jacks in the car. The OEM jack resides in its normal position, plus I have a three tonne and a four tonne bottle jack, both of which will accept the "adaptor" made by LandyAndy's son. One or the other of these jacks sits in the back in the gap alongside my set of drawers.

Originally Posted by Babs

So what is the step by step process using air suspension and Llams with the bottle jack

Sean & Brian have summarised the overall situation well but here's some extra info that may help regarding the use of the air suspension.
This is what I have done, both on the driveway and out in the wilds when jacking the suspension arm.

1. Place bottle jack under suspension arm indent as per Sean's post.
2. Raise vehicle to higher suspension level if required to fit jack under arm.
3. No need for open doors or anything else, just switch vehicle off.
4. Use jack's screw extension to adjust jack head to be touching arm indent.
5. Start extending jack slowly.
6. Vehicle will self-level in small increment.
7. Repeat steps 5 & 6.
8. After a few self-levelling movements (~4-5) the wheel will lift off the ground.
9. Change to spare wheel.
10. Lower jack (and vehicle).

Vehicle will drop all the way down close to bump stops on this corner and the jack may not be removable.
I found that the jack was removable by lowering the jack's screw extension all the way down but for some jacks it may still be too tall.
However, once the vehicle is started the suspension will raise to the correct height immediately and then jack can be removed.

I prefer doing it this way rather than lowering suspension onto the jack because I can keep an eye on things at the jack without worrying about going into the cabin or messing around with doors. Plus the vehicle is switched off for the whole operation once the jack is positioned under the arm.

Regards,
Scott

PS ..... I haven't detailed the usual safety steps required for any jacking operation, including choking wheels etc.

Thanks guys, very informative and now makes sense.

From that info I think I will stick with the OEM Jack.

I always carry my cordless gear, rattle gun, drills etc. I'm thinking this could come in handy when using the OEM Jack. I'll have to test this theory out.

Cheers, Babs Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Originally Posted by Babs

I'll have to test this theory out.

This would be my number 1 suggestion, change a couple of wheels in the comfort of your driveway without any time pressures.
It was so much better to have done it all before when I needed to change a flat for real.
All went smoothly, no issues with wheel winder or getting spare off its carrier or using the jack or actually getting a wheel off (hub stuck/frozen to spigot).

Cheers,
Scott

Originally Posted by Milton477

Here here! Has anyone actually safely changed a tyre on the side of the road using only the supplied jack?

Sort of,used it under the carport,when I first looked at it I knew it was an absolute POS

Anyway,it did its job,and haven't had to use it since.