Jacking by the tow bar

[MudSurfer]

Is it safe, in the collective opinions of the gathered masses of cleverness, to jack the Surf up on the tow bar?

I need to get the back in the air, as I've smashed the OSR shock over the weekend, and toasted the brakes, and the A/T oil needs to be replaced.....

I can't get the back jacked up enough from the side, and need it in the air - can anyone help?

TIA

[darkdezigns]

it will prob work,but i wouldnt do it to mine,i rely to much on the towbar,it would worry me towing the caravan with it afterwards,id use trolley jack,if not enough height the put bits of scaffold board on the jack

[gwh200]

I jacked near the towbar once,copper said it was public indecency... No sense of humor

[Apache]

Cant you get at the diff with your jack?

[hiroler]

i have a trolley jack you can use should go high enough for what you want!

[MattF]

use trolley jack,if not enough height the put bits of scaffold board on the jack

Cant you get at the diff with your jack?

Either of those are the method you want to use. I'd personally agree with BDT about not jacking on the towbar itself. Should work fine, but wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

[Albannach]

,if not enough height the put bits of scaffold board on the jack

Under the jack, not on the jack.

[darkdezigns]

Under the jack, not on the jack.

either or,i use both depending on what im jacking/how flat wood is

[Albannach]

either or,i use both depending on what im jacking/how flat wood is

Never on it if you're lifting a vehicle, it's unstable.

[MattF]

either or,i use both depending on what im jacking/how flat wood is

Albannach does have a valid point though. Wood on top of the jack is dangerous. I had mine slip off the jack the other week due to jacking up under the front crossmember and the wood slipping out with it being a curved surface on the crossmember. Fortunately, I only suffered a slight scuff on the steering damper from the jack when it dropped, so I was lucky. Not something I would care to try again though.

[darkdezigns]

Albannach does have a valid point though. Wood on top of the jack is dangerous. I had mine slip off the jack the other week due to jacking up under the front crossmember and the wood slipping out with it being a curved surface on the crossmember. Fortunately, I only suffered a slight scuff on the steering damper from the jack when it dropped, so I was lucky. Not something I would care to try again though.

it takes a little common sense to check what yr jacking up you see,hence i use both methods,if i need to lift an axle,i have a nice little bit of sleeper with a semicircle cut out

[MattF]

it takes a little common sense to check what yr jacking up you see,hence i use both methods,if i need to lift an axle,i have a nice little bit of sleeper with a semicircle cut out

I'm merely saying that it can catch you out. Using wood underneath the jack won't. I've never managed to slip the jack in all these years until that once the other week. No matter how safe you think it is, or how well suited the piece of wood may be, it's more liable to slip when it's on top of the jack. Simple fact.

[gwh200]

I'm merely saying that it can catch you out. Using wood underneath the jack won't. I've never managed to slip the jack in all these years until that once the other week. No matter how safe you think it is, or how well suited the piece of wood may be, it's more liable to slip when it's on top of the jack. Simple fact.

Oh shut up you tart.....

i have just looked at the map matt...........and imin stockport all day tomorrow..........im only 35 miles from your barnsley........feels weird........
like im having my soul sucked out !!!

[MattF]

im only 35 miles from your barnsley........feels weird........like im having my soul sucked out !!!

[Albannach]

it takes a little common sense to check what yr jacking up you see,hence i use both methods,if i need to lift an axle,i have a nice little bit of sleeper with a semicircle cut out

Yep, and common sense will dictate that if you're lifting something heavy, put the spacers under the jack. If you use wood on a jack, it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong.

Think about what happens when you lift something with a trolley jack, think about how much the jack (or the thing being lifted) moves as the jack goes up. Then think about why the cup of the jack is the shape it is. Once you get your head round that, think about what would happen if you had a bit of wood on the jack. You've introduced 2 pivot points above the jack and removed the cup. Even with a shaped piece of wood, there's still extra pivots above the jack.

Supporting an engine or gearbox on a jack, with wood as protection, is a totally different thing.

That said, WTF do I know?