# Always Look In The Back Of A Truck Before Putting It On A Lift **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913 "2014-05-06T05:34:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/1 "2014-05-06T05:34:34Z")
Hmmm? Cinder blocks or Quickcrete? Tester ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/2 "2014-05-06T05:36:56Z")
Another possibility . . . The frame is so rusty, that it just collapsed when the mechanic tried to rack the truck ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/3 "2014-05-06T06:04:50Z")
I don’t buy that @db4690‌ Look on the floor. When a frame breaks from rust you don’t see just a small amount of debris on the floor. But instead rust dust and what used to be metal showers onto the floor. I live in Minnesota. So I know how much rust can fall to the floor when a frame fails. There was something in the back of the truck that made the frame fail. Tester ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/4 "2014-05-06T06:13:41Z")
@Tester‌ I respectfully disagree with you I’ve worked on plenty of fleet trucks that were overloaded Not once has that happened to me when I rack them ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 6:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/5 "2014-05-06T06:23:07Z")
Well. There was the same image years ago on the net where a Chevy truck was put on a lift and the box collapsed. This guy was a mason. And he had 20 bags of quickcrete in the back along with all his equipment. The result was the same. I had a guy come into the shop with a Dakota that needed rear brakes. Once I found out that the box was filled with cured oak firewood, I told him I wouldn’t raise the truck until the firewood was removed. That’s how you prevent this kind of thing from happening. Tester ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/6 "2014-05-06T07:07:24Z")
I refuse to believe all the mechanics in our fleet are reckless, lucky idiots But you’re free to believe it if you wish I won’t be offended if you do By the way . . . I always look what’s in the bed or utility body before I rack a truck. But in almost every single instance, I literally can’t remove the stuff because it’s bolted down, or I would spend hours removing it. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/7 "2014-05-06T07:13:36Z")
Better it broke in half on the lift instead of at 70 MPH in rush hour freeway traffic. Around here, grain trailers hauling wheat and breaking in half has happened more than a few times. One snapped in two right in the middle of a busy intersection as the driver was making a turn. That pretty much snarled things up for several hours after dumping half a load of grain in the roadway. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 7:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/8 "2014-05-06T07:18:44Z")
“Better it broke in half on the lift instead of at 70 MPH in rush hour freeway traffic.” I agree ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/9 "2014-05-06T07:34:53Z")
I’d sure like to know what’s in the back of the truck that can buckle the frame but not open the tailgate or canopy. ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/10 "2014-05-06T15:07:41Z")
I helped remove a home built wooden flat bed from the frame of a Datsun (which tells you how old it was) pickup a few years ago. The front of the bed had been resting against the back of the cab. About a minute after we had the bed suspended from a chain, there was kind of an odd crunching noise as the frame collapsed without its bed to brace it. It was only held together by the stretched parking brake cable and exhaust. That was the rustiest vehicle I ever saw. ---
**Author:** ![EK\_Hammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/77aa72/32.png) [@EK\_Hammer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EK_Hammer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/11 "2014-05-06T16:23:47Z")
I’m leaning towards the rusted frame. Its a toyota and the frames on those are notorious for rusting in half. It could be a combination of both a rusty frame and heavy cargo too ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/12 "2014-05-06T17:15:44Z")
The biggest clue is that it’s a Toyota truck. My brother had to have his frame replaced because the rust was so bad on his Toyota. He didn’t dare put it on a lift or even go over railroad tracks. ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/13 "2014-05-06T17:32:53Z")
Hijack – speaking of overloaded, do you remember this one from December 2000? [http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Overload.htm](http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Overload.htm) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/14 "2014-05-06T17:52:40Z")
I’ll bet this was one of the rotted Toyota frames. That is EXACTLY where my old '79 broke when it rotted out! Only mine broke in half while I was driving it! ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/15 "2014-05-07T00:44:59Z")
Found another example. > **[Undercover: Uplifting Lessons — Lift Operations -](http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/undercover-uplifting-lessons-lift-operations/)** > > You can only make a few mistakes with a lift before it costs more than the lesson is worth. Tester ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/16 "2014-05-07T00:52:41Z")
Oh, man, that Lotus looks sad! ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/17 "2014-05-07T02:00:08Z")
I think it’ll straighten out again once its on the ground. No harm no foul. Gee, that’s the way it was. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/18 "2014-05-07T02:06:17Z")
@Bing‌ The truck is sitting on the ground. If you look under the truck the arms for the lift are sitting on the floor. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/always-look-in-the-back-of-a-truck-before-putting-it-on-a-lift/84913/19 "2014-05-07T08:21:17Z")
That frame must have been pretty rusted out already. I have been a horseshoer for 35 years and have always had 800 to 1100 lbs of tools, shoes, nails and other gear in my trucks. I’ve had Rangers and Dakota’s for the past 20 years and have never had a frame bend, and I’m one that buys used and I keep them until they are on there last legs.