Any tips for jacking trucks in soft ground?

[gsr46r]

Had to change a steer that kicked my ***. It’s a huge sidewall and a heavy truck in soft dirt. Steer was completely flat, so I used a stubby bottle Jack (10”height) and kept lifting it by the leaf springs, then putting heavy duty Jack stands under the leaves, until I could get the bottle Jack under the axle. Prob took me an hour.

The old tire came off easier cause it was flat.

The shop I worked at used flat, thin rectangle Jack boards to put under the Jack, but I don’t think they would make much difference in this type of dirt, as the footprint is not much bigger than the bottle Jack.

I use 6 X 2 boards normally. They’re thick, but the truck was so heavy they started splintering.

I ordered a 5” bottle jack that would’ve fit under the axle. I could have put my 10” stubby under, then prob made headway.

My questions are;
- any ideas on doing this better?
-is it safe to use jack stands under leaf springs? I always have
-what supports do you recommend to put under the bottle Jack? Once I put the 6”x2” boards together they supported the weight without sinking

Thanks and here are photos. I just ordered the yellow jack. It’s only 5” tall. Gonna call it Tom cruise

 

[Spud McGee]

Sounds like the perfect excuse for an offroad jack.

 

[RTM]

Look for old wood. The millwrights I use at work have really old blocks of wood they use all the time. Much denser than the new stuff you get at HD.

My Hilift jack has a special plastic pad you can purchase to increase the footprint, maybe look for something that fits yours?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00042KJQ4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Back the rear tire up on some dunnage can help.
4x8 pressure treat scraps.

 

[Zewnten]

3/8 steel plate and a two stage jack is what I've used. Some times I jack up on the axle, then about 6 inches to the side I put a taller jack in.

 

[bwringer]

Sounds like the perfect excuse for an offroad jack.

Big truck laughs at this puny little girly jack...


I think air bag jacks are often used in these situations, but one big enough to pick up the front of a semi will be pretty damn expensive.

 

[geojag]

It wouldn't help with the clearance, but outrigger pads like they use on boom trucks might work. If they buckle do two thick. Some are reinforced polymer. I know you are going for making the process easier, but it might be good to dig out a bit of dirt to get clearance. I have one I picked up off the side of the road, cut in half, that I use with my stock Toyota bottle jack for my small truck.

 

[809]

If this is done often, or if you just want to be prepared, welding on some appropriate brackets for something like a hi-lift jack to grab onto, on various points across the truck. A couple of 6"x6" pieces 3/4" plywood would be enough to support the hi-lift jack. Once, truck is up, use 4x4 cribbing to hold it up.

 

[humber2]

My tip is to carry a pack of cards, I know there are 4 jacks in each pack.....

 

[mogandave]

Make some nice 2" thick pads by laminating plywood glued and clamped.

 

[jonesg]

Make some nice 2" thick pads by laminating plywood glued and clamped.

thats what I did, 2 12x12 ext grade ply. I use it on asphalt in summer too.

On cape cod you can't drive on the sand without 4wd and a 3 foot sq jack pad.

 

[Firebrick43]

If this is done often, or if you just want to be prepared, welding on some appropriate brackets for something like a hi-lift jack to grab onto, on various points across the truck. A couple of 6"x6" pieces 3/4" plywood would be enough to support the hi-lift jack. Once, truck is up, use 4x4 cribbing to hold it up.

Did you look at the pictures? Did you notice the size of the truck? Are you aware of the weight rating of a high lift jack(7,000lbs)?

Using a highlift jack in this case is an exceptionally bad idea.

 

[geartow]

Move the truck to solid ground it is not going to hurt anything to move it a short distance. That is not heavy at very most it is 6000 lbs .

 

[demarpaint]

Move the truck to solid ground it is not going to hurt anything to move it a short distance. That is not heavy at very most it is 6000 lbs .

That's what I would do. Safety comes first.

 

[bwringer]

I think a lot of folks are missing the fact that this is a TRUCK truck, not a pickup... you're gonna need something a lot sturdier than 2" of wood, a hi-lift, or a 3 ton hydraulic jack to safely pick up a semi.

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

Oak or any hardwood. 2X12. Layered up. If can’t get one under then dig. If it’s that soft shouldn’t be too bad. Key is to use hardwood

 

[johninct]

I think a lot of folks are missing the fact that this is a TRUCK truck, not a pickup... you're gonna need something a lot sturdier than 2" of wood, a hi-lift, or a 3 ton hydraulic jack to safely pick up a semi.

We has to do an old payloader tire (As big as your tire) in a muddy area so we drove it to a good spot to work. Also, if the jack is sinking, I do not think it would be a safe thing to do in a bad spot.

 

[mogandave]

I think a lot of folks are missing the fact that this is a TRUCK truck, not a pickup... you're gonna need something a lot sturdier than 2" of wood, a hi-lift, or a 3 ton hydraulic jack to safely pick up a semi.

I drove truck and leveled equipment for 12 years, and a good 2" glued together plywood pad will be fine to support a bottle-jack.

Sure, thicker is better, but you do have to carry it, store it, and get both it and the jack under an axle with a flat tire.

 

[strutaeng]

I've used 2x12 scraps to support jackstands so they don't sink into the wet soil. But this is regular 2500 or 3500 trucks, not semi-trucks.

I would say 2 layers of 2x12s, one on top of the second layer oriented 90 degrees. That will help with the tendency of the wood wanting to shear along the grain. Glued and screwed together would be better, maybe 12" to 16" long. As long as the ground can handle it (it looks like a flex-base, so probably.)

 

[809]

Did you look at the pictures? Did you notice the size of the truck? Are you aware of the weight rating of a high lift jack(7,000lbs)?

Using a highlift jack in this case is an exceptionally bad idea.

How about a super-sized hi-lift jack?

 

[Firebrick43]

How about a super-sized hi-lift jack?

That you are going to buy where?

 

[809]

That you are going to buy where?

Make it.

 

[nadogail]

Plywood is your friend. Use it liberally.

 

[Firebrick43]

Make it.

Why would I make it? Your the one who suggested it. There are hydraulic jacks that work better and are not liable to kill you like a handyman jacks (aka "farmer killer) are

 

[geartow]

Semi driving on the rd has a gross weight allowed by law of 80000 lbs on 5 axles.(yes there are exceptions). But going by 80000 you can have 12000 on a steer or 6000 on a tire. Drive axles are allowed 17000 or 8500 on 2 tires . A 10 ton jack will do. In the work truck I have a 20ton shorty and a 12 ton standard . No issues lifting any legal corner.

 

[dchawk81]

I have some old 6x6 cutoffs that I use as cribbing and a longer 2x6 that works as a sand shoe. Pretty sure they're oak. I often have to jack my truck up in my dirt/grass yard or gravel driveway. Similar low profile bottle jack for under the axle.

 

[LOW1]

I have some old 6x6 cutoffs that I use as cribbing and a longer 2x6 that works as a sand shoe. Pretty sure they're oak. I often have to jack my truck up in my dirt/grass yard or gravel driveway. Similar low profile bottle jack for under the axle.

I think historically white oak was the preferred wood for this. Common, hard and more tolerent of water than other oaks. Slapping some used motor oil on it or leftover deck finish would give it some cheap protection.

 

[RTM]

White oak is a good outdoor wood, red oak not so much.

 

[bwringer]

I drove truck and leveled equipment for 12 years, and a good 2" glued together plywood pad will be fine to support a bottle-jack.

Sure, thicker is better, but you do have to carry it, store it, and get both it and the jack under an axle with a flat tire.

Good point -- as you and others have remarked, you can't do this with a couple of pine 2xwhatevers. You need something laminated and/or thicker hardwood.

 

[Jgaz]

I made this laminated plywood base for a smaller vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, but you could use the same idea and upscale the base plate as required.

I made the size of this plate to fit in the bottom of a Husky tool bag that holds other jack attachments.

 

[Sycan]

I've had to use the crane on my service truck to pick up a front corner before when I couldn't get a jack under it. I sure wouldn't trust getting under it, but you can change a tire that way

 

[mogandave]

I've had to use the crane on my service truck to pick up a front corner before when I couldn't get a jack under it. I sure wouldn't trust getting under it, but you can change a tire that way

You can often pull/back the flat up on a block to get the jack under as well.

 

[mogandave]

I made this laminated plywood base for a smaller vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, but you could use the same idea and upscale the base plate as required.

I made the size of this plate to fit in the bottom of a Husky tool bag that holds other jack attachments.

Nice!

 

[Firebrick43]

I made this laminated plywood base for a smaller vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, but you could use the same idea and upscale the base plate as required.

I made the size of this plate to fit in the bottom of a Husky tool bag that holds other jack attachments.

Very nice

 

[pelletman]

thats what I did, 2 12x12 ext grade ply. I use it on asphalt in summer too.

On cape cod you can't drive on the sand without 4wd and a 3 foot sq jack pad.

Anytime I have been on the beach on the Vineyard, they haven't checked. You should see some of the idiots out there getting stuck..

 

[flyingblind]

I carry a couple 4x6x 12 Inchers and a couple 2x6x 20 Inchers and stacking them works for Jacking or Chaining or replacing a drive tire right off the rim.