Recommended jack solution

[sebastian323]

Right now, I am carrying my spare tire in the bed of the truck (it wont fit in the spare holder section because of the custom tow hitch the previous owner added). I do not have the original jack that came with the truck and I need some sort of portable jack that can easily raise the truck when I go driving on dirt roads, paved roads, etc. It is a stock height 1996 4x4 with 31.5 inch tires so it is farily high off the ground. I imagine some sort of bottle jack is the recommended solution?

 

[JoshT]

Recommended solution for ease and stability, floor jack. It is inconvenient, but it is portable.

I would recommend this guy but I haven't been able to swallow the price yet myself.

3 Ton Off-Road Jack

Amazing deals on this 3 Ton Off-Road Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

For a more practical solution I'd go one of two ways. Either source the components for the OE jack and put it back in the stock location, or pickup a bottle jack.

I personally would try for the first because I like the fit and finish OE solutions, but tracking down the stuff might take some time and a flat tire isn;t going to wait.

For a bottle jack, you don't need much. A bottle jack is a very simple device and they've been built for so long that it't difficult to mess it up. I would just pick up a 2-4 ton jack from the local auto parts store, harbor freight, or apparently Amazon.

https://a.co/d/9ckvkqv <These here are sold all over the place locally. I'm pretty certain that Walmart and all of the national chain stores in my area carry this same brand.

4 Ton Hydraulic Bottle Jack

Amazing deals on this 4T Hydraulic Bottle Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

2-ton would be plenty for a Ranger, but I'd probably go with the 4-ton. Not much mor money, not much larger in size, but double the weight capacity. Nice having that little extra if you ever need it for a different project. We've borrowed automotive jacks for other projects around the house quite a few times. Probably going to be doing it again before too long to fix a sagging floor at my parent's house.

 

[RonD]

Yes, bottle jack is the smallest, easiest way to do it
Put a couple of shorter 6" 2x4 with it, these can be used under the jack in soft dirt/mud or over the jack so less cranking
Floor mats can also be used under a jack in a pinch, although need to be the thicker versions doubled up, lol

If just carrying 1 spare tire you can used a smaller diameter tire to put on in a pinch, whatever largest diameter size fits in the carrier under the truck will be fine
Won't hurt anything to run ONE smaller tire in 2WD or 4WD, even with Limited Slip in the rear axle

Every time you go around a corner there is a smaller tire on the outside wheel of that turn, it has to roll a longer distance than inside wheel, so spins faster, like a smaller tire would
If you put on an actual smaller tire its the same thing to the differential as going around a corner, so no issue
As for transfer case, as long a one tire on an axle matches the size of the other two tires on the other axle then there is no issue, no binding, the differential on the axle with the smaller tire is already compensating for the rotational difference

 

[franklin2]

I have never had a small bottle jack that would go high enough. I suppose with the wood blocks you could boost it up enough. The factory jack goes very high for it's size. You can find them in the junkyard. Keep them lubed and they work great. They also come with a long handle so you do not have to be under the vehicle when you are jacking.

The handle for my old BII fits along the top of the radiator, and the jack has a little spot on the passenger side quarter near the door jamb. There is a little door it's located behind.

 

[sgtsandman]

The best solution is to see if you can find a factory jack at a junk yard. The next best and keeping pretty compact is a bottle jack the is big enough to lift the truck but will fit if a tire is completely flat. A compact floor jack will be a bit more flexible but will take up more room and weigh more. Any of the three choices, have some wood for a platform to spread the load on soft ground and keep the jack from tipping or sinking into the ground.

Lastly, if you off road, you'll want to consider getting a much shorter bottle jack as well in case you are bogged down and a regular jack won't fit. It may be enough to get the truck up high enough to get a regular jack under the truck.

 

[Josh B]

I like the Ford jacks too, probably got 4 or 5 of them. Picked them up at the wrecking yard at 2.50 apiece.
That long handle Franklin is talking about is good too, you can spin that thing fast as a power wrench.
I don't like the ones that are two piece or that fold
That wood block you want at least 2 or 3 of should be ground contact treated wood, else you'll grab one to fix a flat and it will be rotten, plywood pads also

 

[RobbieD]

I like the stock Ford jacks, too, and also have extras from over the years.

The only thing I carry extra beyond the factory kit, is a 4-way lug wrench in most of my trucks. The wood blocks are also a good thing to have.

 

[Shran]

If you carry a bottle jack to change tires off road, carry two, second one is to retrieve the first when it falls over or won't go down far enough.

The Ford jacks can be found with a very wide base that helps a lot with stability. A few chunks of wood, as mentioned, help a lot too.

 

[Josh B]

I was on the side of an interstate near Dallas, on the side of a hill, on the side of a slope, with at least 20-30mph gusts of wind blasting past, in a 73 Econoline van, with a flat.
Every time, just as the wheel was about to get high enough to swap it out another dang semi would come blasting past and there would go the van, and there would go the jack, and there would go the wheel, right back onto the road.
I would be leaning in there with one hand trying to operate the (old time bumper) jack, the other hand trying to remove the lug nuts, and my shoulder, or any other available parts of my anatomy leaning against the van trying to keep it from blowing over again.

Maybe I didn't have any wheel chocks at the time, I don't know, but it about took me forever to get that dang tire swapped out.

I also highly recommend a couple 4x4x8 treated wood wheel chocks
I have two of them handy in the back of my truck anywhere I go ( most always )

Just ahead the wheel well on both sides there is a wheel chock, beside the water jugs, which need filled with summer coming on.
I prefer to have my Ruger lock on the spare tire (that should make somebody wonder where is my Ruger NO, I don't go armed.

That hard drive magnet is especially handy too when working on some things
Yes it is a work truck, and full time transportation
I still get about 22+ MPG
You could greatly scale this down depending on your needs, but my advice for the room in the space behind the bumper seat would include a 4x4x8 wood chock

 

[Blmpkn]

There are double ram bottle jacks that extend 2x as much as a regular one.

 

[Roert42]

I would not buy a hydraulic bottle jack, tend to leak if left on their side so they need to be stored vertical.
I would stick with a screw jack, can get pretty big ones too to help with the foot print.

 

[bobbywalter]

Amazon.com

i keep this in the full size rigs and sometimes in the ranger as a spare.

 

[oldgeek]

This thread has got me confused. "Bottle" of "Jack" What does those have to do with a flat tire?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

This thread has got me confused. "Bottle" of "Jack" What does those have to do with a flat tire?

View attachment 91035

You drink the bottle of Jack after you change the tire to calm your nerves!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I would not buy a hydraulic bottle jack, tend to leak if left on their side so they need to be stored vertical.
I would stick with a screw jack, can get pretty big ones too to help with the foot print.

I wish I would have bought a half-dozen or more back in the day. Walmart (of all places) had a hydraulic bottle jack with a short bolt for the fill plug. It straight does not leak. Unfortunately I only have one and the new ones they sell now have the stupid rubber stopper.

I use house jacks a lot when working on vehicles. Big screw jacks. I have an assortment (wish I had some matching sizes though), my biggest is about 2’ tall and weighs probably 40# and will lift about 16”