i own 2018 f150 xl,4wd,reg cab,std bed,3.3l.what size floor jack would i need?a 2 or 3 ton jack.thx man
For safety sake the three ton, cost difference is negligible.
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A 2 ton floor jack should be sufficient however the lift height of a cheap floor jack may be disappointing. Compare the lift height of the floor jacks you are looking at.
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Agree, many 2 ton floor jacks may not go high enough to lift your 4x4
I am not recommending these jacks, just using them for pictures.
This 2 ton only has a lift height of 12 3/4 inches from the floor
Where this 3 ton has a lift height of 18 1/4 inches from the floor,
Each brand will have different models that have different lift heights.
From my experience, if you buy the 2-ton jack, the measly 12.5" lift height will frustrate you.
If you get the 3-ton jack with the higher lift height, you’ll be so glad you did.
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Something I have never heard anyone say- my jack has too much lifting power…
Get the most expensive and capable jack you can afford. You’ll be living with it for decades more than likely. I just retired a hydraulic jack I bought in 1980s. Tried rebuilding with new seals but couldn’t find exact fits.
Go BIG or don’t go at all!
Your truck weighs almost 3 tons. You’ll only be lifting a little more than 1/2 at a time… so 1.7 tons or so.
That is a bit too close to the 2 ton limit. So 3 ton it is!
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No you won’t. You usually lift one corner at a time. If it’s a front wheel then it should be less then half the overall weight,
A regular cab F 150, 6 cylinder, 4WD weights 4330 lbs.
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Huh? In what world?
A floor jack is designed to lift an entire end or side. On my truck, I have only jacked a single corner when I had a flat tire. Every other service was a full rear or front or even sides.
I do the same with my cars. Lifting an entire side at the same time on the pinch weld at about the horizontal CG point.
No it isn’t. In fact the lifting points on the side of cars only allows you to lift the corner. Maybe if you lift it high enough the rear tire might go off the ground. Every vehicle I’ve owned in the past 30 years - my floor jack only lifts that one corner.
I’ve been side lifting and end lifting my cars for as long as you have been corner lifting.l
These folks think end lifting is OK …
Eric thinks it is OK, too. But he starts off showing your way.
We’ve each been doing it our way for decades. Since both of us are still here to disagree about it, so I’d say both methods are equally effective.
I usually lift an end or side vs a corner. The vehicle is more stable with equal height stands than a single corner higher than everything else. No extra work with a proper sized jack with a long handle…
There’s a lot to consider besides the weight capacity. The width of the base and size of the wheels make a big difference. My old 3 ton will lift an F150 at the chunk from either side and allow me to pull and push the truck from side to side safely. And my 3 ton is nearly 30 years old.
I can lift the front of my Ram from the frame between the front tires, less than 2 tons, the OP’s Ford has an aluminum body.
I can’t reach the front-center frame or the rear differential with a compact floor jack, must use a full size jack.
A full size floor jack is best for shop use but difficult to carry and load into your car or truck. If someone needs a jack for occasional mobile use a compact floor jack may be more convenient.
Your method is effect. But for some vehicles (like my wife’s Lexus) the best place to lift from is from the side. If you have access to lift the whole vehicle and you want to … then yes you NEED a jack that can lift more then half it’s weight. But you don’t NEED one if you’re only going to lift one corner.
I agree but if someone is on the web asking how much lifting power they need then it is best to say more then they need . You can almost count on a large percentage of people asking equipment to do more then it was designed to do.
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"It’s better to have “it” and not need it than to need it and not have it comes to mind.
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just to change a tire