Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Jack Choices (One Jack to Rule Them All)
| Jack Choices [message #79628] |
Wed, 07 April 2010 19:59  |
jcurran
Messages: 52
Registered: May 2009
Karma: 0
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Folks,
I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have not been able to make a clear decision from that.
I have the original jack, chain and crowbar. In the event of a flat, I'd like to simplify lifting the coach, carry a lighter jack as well as minimize the chances of damaging my motorhome or myself.
Things that bug me about the stock jack are that it is heavy and I have to remove the T-skirts to lift the rear. Also, if I need to change a front tire, I have to lift from the front bumper, which seems rough on the coach.
I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many available hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack ?
3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
Advice appreciated.
Jim
Jim Curran
1976 Palm Beach
Alexandria, OH
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| Re: Jack Choices [message #79639 is a reply to message #79628] |
Wed, 07 April 2010 20:33  |
idrob
Messages: 645
Registered: January 2005
Location: Central Idaho
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| jcurran wrote on Wed, 07 April 2010 17:59 |
Folks,
I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have not been able to make a clear decision from that.
I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many available hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack ?
3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
Advice appreciated.
Jim
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I very much liked the jack hook from Bob Rosenburg, which is now handled by Applied GMC. It will hook in the front or rear and uses a bottle jack for lifting. For front use, some say there is a danger of cracking a windshield, but I never had any problems. If you are worried about that, get two, one for each side and jack them equally.
No coach is safe with just the jack under it. Always use jack stands as well as the jack itself. No exceptions, ever, when working under it. With very firm footing for the jack itself, you might change a tire without jack stands, such as on the road.
Rob Allen
former owner of '76 x-PB
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79642 is a reply to message #79639] |
Wed, 07 April 2010 20:49 |
zhagrieb
Messages: 676
Registered: August 2009
Location: Portland Oregon
Karma: 0
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I carry two bottle jacks and the hook adapter for the rear suspension. One
of the jacks is a short double extension that will fit under a very low
coach if needed. The other is standard height. I raise the front by
placing one of the jacks under the reinforcing plate where the frame rail
meets the front cross member. To raise the entire front I place the jack
under the middle of the front cross member. Have had no trouble with
slippage but *always* put blocking under the coach after it's raised.
Glenn Giere
On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 6:33 PM, Rob Allen <profmail@wildblue.net> wrote:
>
>
> jcurran wrote on Wed, 07 April 2010 17:59
> > Folks,
> >
> > I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have not
> been able to make a clear decision from that.
> >
> >
> > I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many
> available hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
> > 1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
> > 2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack ?
> > 3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
> >
> > Advice appreciated.
> >
> > Jim
>
>
> I very much liked the jack hook from Bob Rosenburg, which is now handled by
> Applied GMC. It will hook in the front or rear and uses a bottle jack for
> lifting. For front use, some say there is a danger of cracking a
> windshield, but I never had any problems. If you are worried about that,
> get two, one for each side and jack them equally.
>
> No coach is safe with just the jack under it. Always use jack stands as
> well as the jack itself. No exceptions, ever, when working under it. With
> very firm footing for the jack itself, you might change a tire without jack
> stands, such as on the road.
>
> --
> Rob Allen
> former owner of '76 x-PB
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
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Glenn Giere, Portland OR, K7GAG
'73 "Moby the Motorhome" 26'
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| Re: Jack Choices [message #79643 is a reply to message #79628] |
Wed, 07 April 2010 21:00 |
Michael Bozardt
Messages: 367
Registered: January 2007
Location: College Station, Texas
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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My advice-forget the stock jack. The Maintenance Manual states that you need a 4x4 placed under the front end - - and never jack the GMC using the bumper-you will simply bend the bumper.
To change a flat on the road(which typically has a sloped shoulder and traffic whizzing by), I advise letting the pros do it, you know, the guys in the truck with the big air comressor and air tools and big jacks.
If you insist on doing it yourself, get the jack hook that attaches under the bogie center and a 2.5 ton quality floor jack like Walker. You can remove the handle and store the jack either inside, maybe under a dinette seat, or better yet, in your towed vehicle. A jack of this type will lift both rear wheels on one side as well as one front tire when placed under the large crossmember under the engine-not the crossmember up front with all the holes in it and located just behind the bumper. With the 2.5 ton jack, you can reach the main crossmember without getting under the GMC
Another point, if you have the stock steel wheels, the book says to torque them to 250 ft lb. While I think this is ridiculous and I never got mine that tight, you will need a large "cheater" bar to get a lot of torque on the wheel. Then you need a torque wrench that will go to, say, 200 ft lbs. Plus, a socket that will fit the lug nuts and a short extension. Then, I'll bet you can't break the torque on the lug nuts.
If you have Alcoa wheels, you still need a torque wrench to torque 140 ft lbs. as stated on the lug nuts You will also still need a breaker bar(I use a 3/4 inch bar vs the 1/2 inch in my normal tool box. I cannot muscle the lug nuts loose, but I can "stomp" on the breaker bar and that works against the 140 ft lb torque. I have a 150 ft lb Craftsman torque wrench that clicks when the torque is reached. Oh, and don't forget the one and an eighth(1 1/8) 3/4 socket for the lug nuts and torque wrench-actually 2 sockets since the torque wrench is only 1/2".
As I said earlier, let the pro tire guys change your tire. I do not carry a jack or any of that other stuff. I do change/remove tires at home to work on other things and I do use these things when at my shop............Michael GEMRECS
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79645 is a reply to message #79628] |
Wed, 07 April 2010 21:03 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Jim,
In response to your questions:
1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member?
Below are links to jack hooks made by members of the GMC community /
reputable vendors that I believe would not break.
None of the hooks attach to the cross member.
The following hooks go into the rectangular slot in the bottom of the rear
bogie:
http://www.bdub.net/paulbennett/index.html
http://www.bdub.net/curtis-unlimited/
http://www.ragusarv.addr.com/ Click on Tools
The following hook will hook into the rectangular slot in the bottom of the
rear bogie and attach to the front part of the frame as well.
http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/625
2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack?
The bottom of the front crossmember is not flat, it is curved which is not
the best surface for the small pad for a bottle jack to be sitting on.
Considering that the handles on bottle jacks aren't very long I think you
would have to crawl under the coach to pump it up and I wouldn't do it.
3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
Here's a link to a good quality bottle jack that is short enough to go under
the front part of the frame and center of the front cross member. It has a
double ram that extends 9 1/16 inches:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200318933_200318933
Disregard the 2 ton rating on the photo, this part number is a 4 ton.
Regards,
Rob Mueller
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion-The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion-Double Trouble TZE365V100426
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Curran
Sent: Thursday, 8 April 2010 10:59 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: [GMCnet] Jack Choices
Folks,
I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have not been
able to make a clear decision from that.
I have the original jack, chain and crowbar. In the event of a flat, I'd
like to simplify lifting the coach, carry a lighter jack as well as minimize
the chances of damaging my motorhome or myself.
Things that bug me about the stock jack are that it is heavy and I have to
remove the T-skirts to lift the rear. Also, if I need to change a front
tire, I have to lift from the front bumper, which seems rough on the coach.
I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many available
hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack ?
3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
Advice appreciated.
Jim
--
Jim Curran
1976 Palm Beach
Alexandria, OH
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79689 is a reply to message #79639] |
Thu, 08 April 2010 07:24 |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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After using two others, that is the one I have decided to keep in the
coach. I got mine from Jim K also.
On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 6:33 PM, Rob Allen <profmail@wildblue.net> wrote:
>
>
> jcurran wrote on Wed, 07 April 2010 17:59
>> Folks,
>>
>> I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have not been able to make a clear decision from that.
>>
>>
>> I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many available hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
>> 1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
>> 2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the jack ?
>> 3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
>>
>> Advice appreciated.
>>
>> Jim
>
>
> I very much liked the jack hook from Bob Rosenburg, which is now handled by Applied GMC. It will hook in the front or rear and uses a bottle jack for lifting. For front use, some say there is a danger of cracking a windshield, but I never had any problems. If you are worried about that, get two, one for each side and jack them equally.
>
> No coach is safe with just the jack under it. Always use jack stands as well as the jack itself. No exceptions, ever, when working under it. With very firm footing for the jack itself, you might change a tire without jack stands, such as on the road.
>
> --
> Rob Allen
> former owner of '76 x-PB
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Steve Ferguson
'76 EII
Sierra Vista, AZ
Urethane bushing source
www.bdub.net/ferguson/
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79766 is a reply to message #79628] |
Thu, 08 April 2010 13:00 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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On Apr 7, 2010, at 6:59 PM, Jim Curran wrote:
>
>
> Folks,
>
> I know that jacks have been discussed in past postings but I have
> not been able to make a clear decision from that.
>
> I have the original jack, chain and crowbar. In the event of a
> flat, I'd like to simplify lifting the coach, carry a lighter jack
> as well as minimize the chances of damaging my motorhome or myself.
>
> Things that bug me about the stock jack are that it is heavy and I
> have to remove the T-skirts to lift the rear. Also, if I need to
> change a front tire, I have to lift from the front bumper, which
> seems rough on the coach.
>
> I see there is the bottle jack route that requires one of the many
> available hooks. My concerns center around lifting the front:
> 1) is the hook likely to break when lifting on the cross-member ?
> 2) could I be reaching too far under the coach to safely work the
> jack ?
> 3) jack quality seems to have gotten sketchy lately
>
> Advice appreciated.
>
> Jim
Jim
Check out this picture. http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1956&cat=3187
I still haul the original jack with me but haven't used it for a
number of years.
By raising my propane tank 3/4" with some small 3/4" plywood pieces
that fit under the two "legs" I was able to move the tank back far
enough to fit two bottle jacks in front of it. There is a sloping
piece to the left of the tank so it has to be raised in order to move
it back.
I moved the tank back so that the bolts that hold the tank in place
just go through new holes drilled into the two supports under the tank
area floor.
One bottle jack that is in the rear of the one visible in the picture
is short enough to go under the front cross member or under the rear
bogie center. I lift the front up enough so that my larger bottle
jack will fit under the crossmember. If lifting the rear I use the
small bottle jack if the tire is flat so that the larger jack will fit
under my jack hook that fits into the slot under the bogie.
Raising the tank also allows space below the tank for my spare 25'
piece of hose that extends my maserator hose if it is needed. There
is also room under the tank for my two jack hooks, blocks that slip
under the rear arms when lifting them and for jack handles.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM
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| Re: Jack Choices [message #79789 is a reply to message #79628] |
Thu, 08 April 2010 17:50 |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Guys, I've had good luck lifting the front at the center of the crossmember and the rear either between the tires on the bogie block or on the frame in front or behind the rears. All using my 3 ton floor jack and a couple of jack stands...
I'm thinking of putting a steel box in the bumper to hold it all, but right now it fits in my basement which is the space ahead of the propane bottles. I removed my 40lb tank and retrofitted two BBQ grill tanks. I extended the remaining space into the space where the water tank used to be. This will be for my slide-out kitchen some day, but for now makes a good trunk.
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79792 is a reply to message #79789] |
Thu, 08 April 2010 18:41 |
zhagrieb
Messages: 676
Registered: August 2009
Location: Portland Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Chris. Where'd you put the water tank?
On Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 3:50 PM, Chris Choffat <cchoffataz@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Guys, I've had good luck lifting the front at the center of the crossmember
> and the rear either between the tires on the bogie block or on the frame in
> front or behind the rears. All using my 3 ton floor jack and a couple of
> jack stands...
>
> I'm thinking of putting a steel box in the bumper to hold it all, but right
> now it fits in my basement which is the space ahead of the propane bottles.
> I removed my 40lb tank and retrofitted two BBQ grill tanks. I extended the
> remaining space into the space where the water tank used to be. This will be
> for my slide-out kitchen some day, but for now makes a good trunk.
> --
> -Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
> 77 Ex-Kingsley 455, Power Drive, 3:21 FD U S S Kobiashi Maru: The
> Engineer's Motorhome
> S T I L L - U N D E R - C O N S T R U C T I O N
> Scottsdale, AZ
> Photosite: Chrisc "It has Begun"
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
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Glenn Giere, Portland OR, K7GAG
'73 "Moby the Motorhome" 26'
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| Re: [GMCnet] Jack Choices [message #79801 is a reply to message #79795] |
Thu, 08 April 2010 19:51 |
zhagrieb
Messages: 676
Registered: August 2009
Location: Portland Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thanks. Nice work. Glenn
On Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 5:04 PM, Chris Choffat <cchoffataz@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Across the Back:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=10408&cat=3625
>
> the custom tank:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=10404&cat=3625
>
>
>
>
>
> zhagrieb wrote on Thu, 08 April 2010 16:41
> > Chris. Where'd you put the water tank?
> >
> > On Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 3:50 PM, Chris Choffat <cchoffataz@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> --
> -Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
> 77 Ex-Kingsley 455, Power Drive, 3:21 FD U S S Kobiashi Maru: The
> Engineer's Motorhome
> S T I L L - U N D E R - C O N S T R U C T I O N
> Scottsdale, AZ
> Photosite: Chrisc "It has Begun"
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Glenn Giere, Portland OR, K7GAG
'73 "Moby the Motorhome" 26'
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