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Old 01-16-2021, 05:26 PM   #1
Woodworker
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Floor jack

I have a lot of tools that I carry in the basement and I can fix most anything that comes up while traveling. What I lack is a decent jack to raise the truck to change tires. What type of floor jack or bottle jack do you all carry when traveling. I have a 2018 GMC dually that weighs in around 7000 lbs, +/- so the jack needs to be pretty stout.
Please and thanks.
 
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Old 01-16-2021, 05:43 PM   #2
dieselguy
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I just use the OEM screw jack (not scissor) Ford placed on top of the fan shroud. I need its handle to get the spare down anyways. I carry a 6 ton bottle jack for all else.
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Old 01-16-2021, 06:41 PM   #3
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First off, look at my sig, I have the same truck (only Chevy). Trust me, your truck weighs much more than you posted. Mine, with the hitch in/factory sprayed bed liner/tonnue cover/full fuel, etc weights around 9200+lbs with me in it.

Im sure the factory jack would work, or carry a bottle jack.
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Old 01-16-2021, 06:46 PM   #4
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I also carry a bottle jack which can be used for either the TV or RV. And Beeje beat me to it about the weight, I was going to say between 9 & 10K depending on number of passengers and all that might be in the bed.
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Old 01-16-2021, 08:12 PM   #5
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For the last 11 years of full timing we've used Coach-Net for roadside insurance, Mainly because if we have an issue they'll tow both the truck and the rig, but if I need the truck jacked I just call them. It's been several hundred thousand miles since I last rotated tires on a truck and at the same time the Prius gets it's tires rotated every 5,000 miles as part of it's scheuled matainence. Trucks tires last slightly longer than the cars.
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Old 01-17-2021, 05:21 AM   #6
DadsHemi
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I carry a 20ton bottle Jack and a 5ton aluminum for Jack, mainly for when I service the rv bearings, check breaks etc... if I get a flat on my Dually I’ll call road side service, the 5th I would change.
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Old 01-17-2021, 05:30 AM   #7
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Lots of ideas here: https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...highlight=Jack


I would bet that your GM dually is rounding out at about 9000+ pounds since my Ford single rear wheel is 8360 by CAT scale, no hitch and with a half tank of fuel
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Old 01-17-2021, 09:05 AM   #8
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Like others, I use the OEM jack for my truck (only used it one time in last 20 years or so) and a 12 ton bottle jack for the 5er (never used at all except to slightly raise each wheel one at a time in storage to check/adjust brakes and break away switch).

Floor jack would be great if it was something that got used enough to justify the trouble of carrying one.
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Old 01-18-2021, 03:30 PM   #9
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12 ton bottle jack is easy to carry and takes up smallest amount of room. It can handle pretty much any problem you are going to encounter with truck or trailer.
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Old 01-18-2021, 07:53 PM   #10
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Just throwing this out as far as bottle jacks. If you already have say a 20 ton or 12 ton jack, great ... if you are buying ... all you really need is say 6 ton. Just because your fiver weighs 14K doesn't mean you'll be lifting anywhere near that should you place the jack in-between the spring UBolts. I used a load cell atop my bottle jack once while lifting one tire on my 3150 about an inch off the ground simulating a tire change. @ 2800 lbs. The rest of the fiver weight was sitting on the other 3 tires and front landing gear. I will admit ... the bigger the jack, the easier to pump, but 6T works for me.
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Old 01-19-2021, 04:05 AM   #11
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In reality all that is needed is a 2 ton jack.
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:12 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselguy View Post
Just throwing this out as far as bottle jacks. If you already have say a 20 ton or 12 ton jack, great ... if you are buying ... all you really need is say 6 ton. Just because your fiver weighs 14K doesn't mean you'll be lifting anywhere near that should you place the jack in-between the spring UBolts. I used a load cell atop my bottle jack once while lifting one tire on my 3150 about an inch off the ground simulating a tire change. @ 2800 lbs. The rest of the fiver weight was sitting on the other 3 tires and front landing gear. I will admit ... the bigger the jack, the easier to pump, but 6T works for me.
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In reality all that is needed is a 2 ton jack.

I wont disagree about the 6 ton jack though most 2 ton like the two I own have a pretty skinny ram to easily pop off and is generally dang short with a fairly tiny Acme thread if you want to raise the pad some. I like my 12 ton since they have a nice big ram, heavy Acme thread and are a bit taller and take almost no effort to raise if crawling under a trailer stranded with a flat tire along I95 at rush hour. Mine were not a lot more expensive then lighter duty versions at Harbor Freight with coupons.


Your choice, OP
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:43 AM   #13
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I use a little 4 ton from Harbor Freight. 8000 pounds will lift and wheel on the camper or truck.
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Old 01-19-2021, 07:35 AM   #14
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I carry a 6 ton bottle jack.
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Old 01-19-2021, 08:43 AM   #15
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The way I see it any Jack you use only has to have three requirements.
1- The ability to go under the axle when the tire is completely flat.
2- Raise the axle enough so that the new inflated Tire can be put back on.
3- And of course have the capacity to lift it
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Old 01-24-2021, 02:54 PM   #16
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I have used the jack that comes with the truck. It's normally stored behind the rear seat. Used it once to change a flat in my sloped driveway.
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Old 01-24-2021, 06:08 PM   #17
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Buy an American (ex.
US JACK )made bottle jack 20 tons. They are more expensive for a reason. What's your foot or hand worth.
Norco was US but now made in Taiwan It still may be a good jack.
Imports that you see everywhere are cheap ,leak loose pressure etc and should be avoided.
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Old 01-25-2021, 07:19 AM   #18
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I bought a 12 ton bottle Jack at Kmart, 35 years ago when we had a 24ft. Class A Sightseer. I had a flat, and the garage wanted $25.00 to change the tire plus a 3 hour wait. I found the jack was cheaper $20.00, and we are still using it today. What I like about it is, it's fairly small, and it is about 10" tall. Don't know if today's jacks are as good as the older ones were, I never have found new stuff to be built as well as the older things are, except may be tv's, first 50" we had was 150 lbs. and took 2 people to hang it on wall. Our new 50" is about, 40 lbs. hope it lasts as long as the old one did. Time will tell.
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Old 01-25-2021, 08:30 AM   #19
Dave W
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Firebush View Post
Buy an American (ex.
US JACK )made bottle jack 20 tons. They are more expensive for a reason. What's your foot or hand worth.
Norco was US but now made in Taiwan It still may be a good jack.
Imports that you see everywhere are cheap ,leak loose pressure etc and should be avoided.

I would love to buy all US made products, including hydraulic jacks. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a selection and those that are available (do you have any brand names), way too costly 1-2X year use. I have 2 Harbor Freight 12 Ton jacks that work just fine and have for over 10 years. Whatever the brand or country point of origin, I always use at some sort of rigid safety device as I don't trust ANY hydraulic device to remain set in place.
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Old 01-25-2021, 09:42 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
I would love to buy all US made products, including hydraulic jacks. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a selection and those that are available (do you have any brand names), way too costly 1-2X year use. I have 2 Harbor Freight 12 Ton jacks that work just fine and have for over 10 years. Whatever the brand or country point of origin, I always use at some sort of rigid safety device as I don't trust ANY hydraulic device to remain set in place.
I too have a pair of 12 tons , I was thinking they came from Harbor Freight ,along with a pair of 6 ton floor stands . The 12 tons are Torin. I bought them originally over 10 years ago to do the wet bolts on my 2008 Montana. Prior to that when I first bought the 2008 new ,I tried my jack that came with my Ford Superduty 350 to see if it would lift a tire on the fifth wheel to be changed, it lifted it fine . Knowing I didn't have anything at that time . I now carry one of the 12 ton's.

Went out, and looked those Torin, Big Reds are made in China . They have worked very well, and have used them quite a bit for tire rotation ,working on the fifth wheel etc. I bought another pair of those 6 ton floor stands from Harbor freight , used them once ,was reading a forum ,and there was a recall on them , was not heart warming. I did take them back for a refund . The original 2 I have have worked well. The recall stands were grey in color ,these old ones are orange .
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