Rear jack points

18923 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Janster, Aug 21, 2017

Justin Dent

Discussion Starter · Aug 19, 2017

Hi

I have a 2016 Colorado 2wd z71. I am trying to jack both rear wheels slightly off the ground so that I can run the truck in a garage to figure out where a noise I'm hearing is coming from. I have attached a picture of where I'd like to jack it (frame in front of rear tires. I have heard some people jack on the rear diff but I'm not comfortable doing that. Can I jack it up on the frame in front of the rear tires? If not where should I jack it up?

See less See more

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

CaryBosse

· #2 · Aug 19, 2017

Ok, now I get to say it: Where does the owner''s manual say to jack it up?

I would never try to run this test on jacks, put jack stands under the rear axle.

Also, I would try spinning the tires by hand before I cranked the engine. May discover the issue without risking injury or damage. Also there are precautions to consider as spinning the tires like this can result in tires spinning faster than design and result in tire coming apart.

You had an issue with rattle from truck, especially when towing. Have you tried removing the hitch from the receiver? My hitch rattles a lot when I just have it in the receiver. I can't drive with it cuz rattle drives me crazy.

Reactions: 3

Justin Dent

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 19, 2017

I should have specified, I will use jack stands but only if I can find a suitable location to do this. It still under warranty so I can take it in to the dealership, I'm just trying to find out more before I do. I don't have a hitch in the receiver right now so that can't be it. Please see my other post here, it explains my issue in depth.

http://coloradofans.com/forums#/topics/356762

madcratebuilder

· #4 · Aug 19, 2017

I would jack at the diff and put stands under the frame in front of the rear tires. I have done this every Saturday and Sunday for years to warm the fluids in the race car.

hyperv6

· #5 · Aug 19, 2017

Put the stands under the rear axle to keep the drive shaft in line with the axle and better similar road conditions. Make sure not to bump the 4x4 knob too.

Reactions: 3

CaryBosse

· #6 · Aug 19, 2017

Justin Dent said:
I should have specified, I will use jack stands but only if I can find a suitable location to do this. It still under warranty so I can take it in to the dealership, I'm just trying to find out more before I do. I don't have a hitch in the receiver right now so that can't be it. Please see my other post here, it explains my issue in depth.

http://coloradofans.com/forums#/topics/356762

I had read your other post, thus my comments. I didn't think we had mentioned the hitch rattling in the receiver, always nice to eliminate the obvious.

On a rear wheel drive vehicle, I always prefer my jack stands under the axle. Hadn't considered @hyperv6 's reasoning, but that does make good sense. (Note, a 4WD vehicle is also rear wheel drive, main thing I am looking for is a rear axle. Not sure of the design of a vehicle like the Ridgeline, but I assume it has a traditional rear axle.)

Looks like owner's manual calls for jacking rear by way of the rear axle. Can be difficult to put a jack stand on the rear axle with the jack in the way. I typically use jack at the differential, but then place jack stands under the rear axle. With my roll around jack, I can usually raise the entire rear of vehicle and not have to re-position jack an additional time to get jack stands placed.

I have also jacked up by the lower shock absorber mount bracket on some vehicles, but haven't tried that on my truck, so need to see if that is a good location before you try.

Another note: The only time I would ever use the OEM jack is on the road in an emergency. Otherwise, I use my roll around or my bottle jack at home. If I am going somewhere with the expressed purpose to work on a vehicle, my tote with my roll around and 2 jack stands goes with me.

See less See more

Reactions: 2

Janster

· #7 · Aug 19, 2017

Take your truck to the dealer especially if you're still under warranty!!

Trying to 'run' the truck while the rear wheels are up in the air - is asking for a death sentence. It's one thing to jack up the wheels and manually turn the wheels by hand......but under power? I would not recommend it.

Jack the truck up from under the rear differential. Place jackstands underneath each axle tube where the leaf spring ubolt plates are / or somewhere near that area. The closest to the end of the axle tubes, the better. Make sure the truck is level. Chock the front wheels (front & back). Put it 'in gear' /Park. The ebrake will not work if you're jacking up the rear.

What exactly are you trying to diagnose? Have you done any google searching or forum searching?

Reactions: 1

CaryBosse

· #8 · Aug 19, 2017

Janster said:
Take your truck to the dealer especially if you're still under warranty!!

Trying to 'run' the truck while the rear wheels are up in the air - is asking for a death sentence. It's one thing to jack up the wheels and manually turn the wheels by hand......but under power? I would not recommend it.

Jack the truck up from under the rear differential. Place jackstands underneath each axle tube where the leaf spring ubolt plates are / or somewhere near that area. The closest to the end of the axle tubes, the better. Make sure the truck is level. Chock the front wheels (front & back). Put it 'in gear' /Park. The ebrake will not work if you're jacking up the rear.

What exactly are you trying to diagnose? Have you done any google searching or forum searching?

With the differential, the tires will spin in opposite directions if you leave it in park, but you are correct, no one mentioned chocks. I have several chocks in the tote with my roll around jack so it is hard to forget. At least two of the chocks are sitting on the jack and have to be removed to get the jack out.

White016

· #9 · Aug 20, 2017

hyperv6 said:
Make sure not to bump the 4x4 knob too.

Yeeehaaa! I guess not! right! lol

prob will get ABS/trac light too.

plastrd

· #10 · Aug 21, 2017

Bueller? Bueller?

I've had no concerns jacking it up at the differential and then putting jack stands under the axle. It saves you a few pumps since you don't have to let the suspension droop before the wheels come off the ground.
Head to a sporting goods department and pick up a stack of cheap rubber hockey pucks. Put one in the "cup" of your floor jack and it'll support the differential without folding over any steel or scratching anything. If I'm putting jack stands under the frame rails I'll put one on each of those too since the fork doesn't usually fit around anything there.

Randall Conway

· #11 · Aug 21, 2017

Darwinism...

Reactions: 1

CaryBosse

· #12 · Aug 21, 2017

I am curious. I have heard people talk about jacking up a vehicle, putting it on jack stands, and then running the engine in gear to check for issues. With over 40 years shadetree mechanic experience working on vehicles, I have never found a need to do that. I thought about it once, but I was able to troubleshoot without taking that step.

How many of you have actually run a vehicle on jack stands in gear?

Reactions: 1

fondupot

· #13 · Aug 21, 2017

This is a ******* accident waiting to happen. Don't run a vehicle on jack stands. Especially if you have to ask where to jack the truck up. If you don't know how, you should not be attempting this. Because if you don't secure the vehicle properly on jack stands it could come loose and fall off and you'll drive right into whatever is in front of you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: 2

TorontoTim

· #14 · Aug 21, 2017

Make sure you run it in reverse while standing at the rear of the truck listening for the noise.

Reactions: 2

White016

· #15 · Aug 21, 2017

CaryBosse said:
I am curious. I have heard people talk about jacking up a vehicle, putting it on jack stands, and then running the engine in gear to check for issues. With over 40 years shadetree mechanic experience working on vehicles, I have never found a need to do that. I thought about it once, but I was able to troubleshoot without taking that step.

How many of you have actually run a vehicle on jack stands in gear?

I'm raising my hand, just had to do that to diagnose a bad pinion bearing in my MB. Just like any time you crawl under the car you need to be as safe as possible. The only difference is you must watch out for spinning tires and driveshaft in this case. While I would describe it as uncomfortable, its not that big of a deal to me when it's just idling. What is scary to me is revving it up in gear. Big things like tires get funny at high speed with no load on them, then the whole vehicle can start to shake, then bad things can happen. Have only had to do that with the car on a lift. At least with a lift you have A LOT more room to safely move around and are in a much better position (standing instead of a laying duck) to run if something were to go horribly wrong.

Maybe this is a case of, if you have to ask where to jack it up, don't.......right? But that being said, jack stands under the diff tubes for sure on our trucks. I also like to leave the jack under it somewhere just in case. That way maybe the jack will save you from being crushed if something slipped or whatever. Like in this case I would probably jack it up at the center of the diff then put the stands under the tubes, lower it on the tubes then leave the jack there, just snug under the center. You know?

See less See more

Reactions: 1

White016

· #16 · Aug 21, 2017

plastrd said:
Bueller? Bueller?

ahahaha yes!

CaryBosse

· #17 · Aug 21, 2017

JScottM said:
I'm raising my hand, just had to do that to diagnose a bad pinion bearing in my MB. Just like any time you crawl under the car you need to be as safe as possible. The only difference is you must watch out for spinning tires and driveshaft in this case. While I would describe it as uncomfortable, its not that big of a deal to me when it's just idling. What is scary to me is revving it up in gear. Big things like tires get funny at high speed with no load on them, then the whole vehicle can start to shake, then bad things can happen. Have only had to do that with the car on a lift. At least with a lift you have A LOT more room to safely move around and are in a much better position (standing instead of a laying duck) to run if something were to go horribly wrong.

Maybe this is a case of, if you have to ask where to jack it up, don't.......right? But that being said, jack stands under the diff tubes for sure on our trucks. I also like to leave the jack under it somewhere just in case. That way maybe the jack will save you from being crushed if something slipped or whatever. Like in this case I would probably jack it up at the center of the diff then put the stands under the tubes, lower it on the tubes then leave the jack there, just snug under the center. You know?

In the same vein, my dad taught me 45 years ago that when you remove a tire, you slide it under the vehicle frame. If the vehicle drops, it lands on the tire and maybe that is enough clearance so you are not crushed.

- Obviously doesn't apply when you are trying to run the vehicle with the tires still on the truck.

Reactions: 1

Janster

· #18 · Aug 21, 2017

CaryBosse said:
I am curious. I have heard people talk about jacking up a vehicle, putting it on jack stands, and then running the engine in gear to check for issues. With over 40 years shadetree mechanic experience working on vehicles, I have never found a need to do that. I thought about it once, but I was able to troubleshoot without taking that step.

How many of you have actually run a vehicle on jack stands in gear?

Amen! I've never had to either (offroading for years/jeeps/Dana 44's etc).

Even as a last resort, I'd rather take the diff cover off and manually spin the wheels and/or take the axle shafts out, etc to peer inside. Or take it to a mechanic.

A decision like that could leave you and your family with serious injuries or death or a truck in the middle of your living room. Not worth even trying it!!

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.