Jackin' Around! Dropped straight axle jack tech.

I've been looking around for a jack that will go under the center of my 4" dropped axle so I can jack the whole front end up at once, without having to raise one side, block it up, and then go to the center. Speedway has a nice aluminum racing jack but they're mighty proud of it. As I was parting out an '87 Firebird for my latest '53 Chevy pickup project, I came across this little scissor jack, in the secret spare tire compartment. It's less than 3" high!



I drilled it here on both sides and made a pad that is compatable with the dropped I-beam.



Here's the parts for the special pad.



It works like a champ under the straight axle and under the banjo rear end as well, if you place it right next to the drain plug.



In the back, you can actually run it up and down with an air ratchet. The front takes a little more umph; a 1/2" drive ratchet to run it up, but the air ratchet will bring it down. Happiness is a jack that you don't have to horse up and down more than once!

pigpen

 

Good tech!
I've probaly changed tires on an early Ford more times than most on here...
The problems: Front and rear axle differ quite a lot in distance from ground, which distance approaches zero on a dropped front axle with a flat and is real damn high on rear axle with no flat. Some early Fords really need to be jacked from frame, too, under some circumstances, like the '46-48's with rear fender opening smaller than tire.
Most versatile rig is scissors jack, but I would include with it one or two stable blocks of wood as elevators/load spreaders, something like one foot lengths of railroad tie type 6X6 or 4X4. This gives additional height for quick jacking at frame side if front axle is all the way down or for jacking at rear axle tube, gives you a load spreading pad if jacking against something that still has good paint on it, and gives you an extended footprint if jacking in mud. The blocks also serve as on the road wheel chocks, safety blocks if you need to get under, anvils, work bench, etc.
Early V8's typically came with jacks that had two different lifting pads for front&rear axles, but they don't go low enough for dropped axle cars.

 

Look in 80's F-150's for a sweet bottle jack. It goes from about 6" compressed to 18" extended. Jack should be behind the seat; crank is attached to the radiator support.

HTH,
Ed

 

All my years at the tire dealer and I never thought of these. Great (and cheap $$) idea.

 

I've always had a Ford Transit van Scissor jack.
It packs away well, but its got a real high lift as my 'A' is at stock height. Another advantage is that because it was designed for a van its alittle beefier than a car version and has a real big foot plate to give you that little bit more stability.

 

The price was definitely right!

pigpen (Also known as El Cheapo!)

 

Another source for a scissor jack is the Ford Aerostar van. My old '87 had one that is 4-1/2" tall. I kept it and the handle when I traded the van. It will fit and work great in the '29 RPU. And the handle folds in half.

If you want a little bottle jack-shaped screw jack, check the early Ford Ranger pick-ups. My old '91 had one that was stored under the hood. It was about 6" tall compressed. My '98 Explorer has a similar one as well. But the handle for it is a two-piece thing where each piece is about 30" long.

Lots of OEM stuff out there if you just look for it. Its not fancy aluminium or stainless, just painted carbon steel, but who cares.