Thanks for posting this.I remember you posting this a while back but couldn't find it.ntsqd said:I carry this for flats & related work:
Just a std compact floor jack with the wheels removed and a skid-plate made to fit in their place.
Hi TNA, thank you. It sounds like you've used the stock jack to fix a flat offroad with a FWC. Was it front or back? What were the road conditions? Any thoughts appreciated.
Huck, I have never had to change a tire offroad with the camper. I have had flats and all of them I was able to plug. I keep a tire plug kit under my seat for fast deployment, my wife is pretty rad the last time we got a flat she had the air compressor all set up by the time I got the plug in. I have used my stock bottle jack to jack one side in the front when a rock got wedged under my control arm. I use my leveling blocks under the jack to give it a stable base. You mentioned you were worried about using the stock jack with the weight of the camper, you could just get a larger capacity bottle jack. Again unless your doing some serious off roading and need a Hi-lift as a recovery tool I could not see a Hi-lift having any advantage when changing a tire.
Don't most shop lifts use the frame? My airbags seem fine after I get my tires rotated and I'm pretty sure the truck is lifted by the frame then, not the axle. For a tire change in the field I agree it's much better to lift by the axle, though. As was mentioned, a Hi-Lift is more for getting unstuck than changing tires. The floor jack w/skid is a neat idea, but I just don't have room to stow it without it being in the way all the time.LAWNMOWERMAN said:If you have airbags you will damage them lifting the frame with a hilift. The floorjack with a skid is a great idea!
I think it is the assymetric weight loading on the frame when lifting with a Hi-Lift that can potnetially damage the air bags. No assymetric loading when using a 4 point shop frame lift.Stalking Light said:Don't most shop lifts use the frame? My airbags seem fine after I get my tires rotated and I'm pretty sure the truck is lifted by the frame then, not the axle. For a tire change in the field I agree it's much better to lift by the axle, though. As was mentioned, a Hi-Lift is more for getting unstuck than changing tires. The floor jack w/skid is a neat idea, but I just don't have room to stow it without it being in the way all the time.