Jacking up a van by the hitch bar

[JackOfDiamonds]

I'm never sure quite how to jack up my minivan. The owner's manual mostly shows you how to lift it at the pinch-welds using the spare-tire jack. That works, but then I still have to put jack-stands somewhere before I go underneath it, and there's not much guidance there. I really don't want to punch through the floor pan or crunch some unibody component. So I guess at something that looks sturdy and hope for the best.

If I'm jacking up the rear end, wouldn't it be optimum to put the jack and jack-stands on the hitch? I have Curt after market hitch that attaches with 3 M12 bolts on each side with sturdy 1/4" plates. It seems like this should definitely be strong enough to jack up the car. So why not put the jack, and/or the jack-stands, directly under the 2" tubular hitch bar? Bad idea or good?

 

[JeepYJ]

I jack up the rear by placing the jack under the center of the hitch.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

I do.

Not nearly as bad on the van as when I drag hitch going down the immaculate roads we have here.