Two tire rotation questions

[slim_pickens]

Hey guys, just did my first 5-tire rotation on the Jeep last night and had a couple questions.

First, I bought some jack stands with the idea of doing the approach a lot of guys talk about for tire rotations, where the Jeep is put on four stands and all the tires are rotated at once. However, I was surprised to see mentioned in my new jack stands' instructions the following: "Do not use automotive jack stands to support both ends or one side of a vehicle. Use only one (1) pair per vehicle."

Is this just overblown lawyer legalese talking here or is putting up the Jeep on four stands to do rotations a bada idea? I ended up just lifting one corner at a time last night.

Second, if I DO end up doing this four-stand approach in the future, I see people debate the pros & cons of jacking up by the pumpkin in the rear.

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[Zandcwhite]

Why do far more jacking than necessary? Start with the location the spare moves to. Swap that tire 1st. Move to the location that tire moves to and so on. You never need to lift more than 1 corner of the Jeep. Less work, less risk, and less time. I don’t see any benefit to putting all 4 corners up in the air, but maybe that’s just me?

 

[Dyolfknip74]

I feel like you could have chosen a better title for this thread. Lol.
Never heard that using 4 is bad. I guess it's not as stable. Regardless, I do mine with 2 stands in the front and jack at the diff in the rear concurrently. Probably not the safest method but ebrake is on and it's in park so I'm happy with it. YMMV.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

I am an older fruck (73 yo) .... For years and years, on various vehicles I used / would use the pumpkin.. Never an issue.. I have Jay Walked for years too, and so far have not been run over...

SURE, there are times, no foul if you use the pumpkin.... but to be honest when I teach/explain to young guys and gals these days, I tell them it is best to avoid the pumpkin as there are far better ways to do the deed..

See, problem is depending on the vehicle, you can get into real issues using the pumpkin, even if the vehicle has a pumpkin that is high enough up to get a floor jack under.. Also, there are lots of vehicles that you do not dare jack up using the pumpkin..

Anyway, I just tell guys/gals... in general.... that unless you really have a clue lets say .... just avoid using the pumpkin is best... .....There are better points use..

Last young guy I told this too, called me two weeks after I told him to avoid using the pumpkin... He decided to use the pumpkin and of course, somehow in the process... he really damaged the lip/bottom of the cover on his rear diff....

As for using 4 jacks stands for a tire rotation.... Not worth the effort of doing this... and there are valid reasons and concerns for the caveat the jack stand manufacturer gave. I know i would never tell someone to use 4 jack stands for a tire rotation.

CAREFUL...... The friggin vehicle can and will fall on you, regardless how you jack it up. Always, always keep this in mind... Lots of guys get killed each year ... or lose a leg(s) doing tire rotations and lifts and such.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I feel like you could have chosen a better title for this thread. Lol.
Never heard that using 4 is bad. I guess it's not as stable. Regardless, I do mine with 2 stands in the front and jack at the diff in the rear concurrently. Probably not the safest method but ebrake is on and it's in park so I'm happy with it. YMMV.

The e brake is on and it’s in park…while you lift all 4 tires off the ground? Does your jack have an e brake and park function? Not questioning the safety assuming you aren’t getting under the Jeep just found the statement as comical. When I do 1 corner at a time I don’t even use jack stands unless I need to get under the Jeep while the tire is off. Roll jack under LCA bracket, jack until tire is just off the ground, replace, set down, torque, move to next location. Fastest, easiest, and most efficient method I’ve found.

 

[slim_pickens]

I feel like you could have chosen a better title for this thread. Lol.

LOL. Now that I reread the title, you're probably right. Yikes.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

The e brake is on and it’s in park…while you lift all 4 tires off the ground? Does your jack have an e brake and park function? Not questioning the safety assuming you aren’t getting under the Jeep just found the statement as comical. When I do 1 corner at a time I don’t even use jack stands unless I need to get under the Jeep while the tire is off. Roll jack under LCA bracket, jack until tire is just off the ground, replace, set down, torque, move to next location. Fastest, easiest, and most efficient method I’ve found.

Lmao. True. I guess it helps if I explain my procedure.

I put on ebrake and jack up the front, place stands. Remove front passenger. Then move to rear take off spare. That is where I like have the ebrake on even though she really won't move at all in park. There is a smidge of transmission slop where she will move though. Then I raise the rear on pumpkin and start my 5 tire swap. I have this thing my spouse got me called the Jack and Jill tire changer thing. It's at its limit with my 35s but works well enough. So with all tires off the ground I just shuffle them all with that and put spare on at the end.

Ebrake on also helps because I'm a moron and usually forget to loosen lug nuts until all 4 tires are off the ground. Lol.

 

[Mikester86]

Two jacking questions

 

[slim_pickens]

Two jacking questions

OK, OK... I get it! Thread title is now officially changed to something much more mundane.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

OK, OK... I get it! Thread title is now officially changed to something much more mundane.

Lmao. You're not new here, you had to know

 

[Mikester86]

OK, OK... I get it! Thread title is now officially changed to something much more mundane.

????? That’s awesome! Couldn’t resist! ???

 

[OrneryBear]

Nothing wrong with using 4 jack stands, but when if you're new to jack stands, maybe avoid it because it's not stable if you get it wrong. I like to keep a jack with light pressure on the front and rear jack points (not pumpkin) while it's up on 4 stands, and I also throw the wheels and tires under the rockers while I get up under there. Can't be too careful. But that's only on a job that justifies it. If I don't have to lift the whole vehicle, I don't.

To explain why some say use the pumpkin, some say don't. It's vehicle and job dependent really. Some vehicles they actually designate the pumpkin as a jack point, and the casting will accommodate a stable and strong spot to put your jack. Some might not designate it but it's a strong cast iron case and you can stably and safely use it. The key is to avoid having the jack touch the diff cover, no matter what as you can bend it or crack it depending on what it's made of.

The job you're doing might justify using it, like when trying to get the tires off the ground, but if you're going to be doing suspension work, you might want to use the jack point instead, so that you get full droop out of the suspension to make it easier to work with and all the clearance you need, depending on what the job is.

When to absolutely avoid using the pumpkin would be when there is no safe stable point to jack on, OR if the pumpkin cover is how it mounts to a subframe, like in independent suspension axles. Another reason would be if the diff has a separate "oil pan" on the bottom, which is often aluminum, and you don't want to use it.

 

[No IFS]

I don’t believe in the five tire rotation.

 

[slim_pickens]

Thanks to everybody for the replies!

Maybe one quick related follow-up... when changing my first tire last night, I was a bit dense and struggled a bit while I figured out the technique to cleanly get the new one on the studs. I ended up scratching up the interior perimeter of the wheel pretty good in a couple spots.

Apart from crushing my soul a little, is there any cause for concern here? I think these XR wheels are aluminum so presumably no rusting issues? From the exterior you can't even really see these at all unless you're looking for them.

 

[Reinen]

Pro Tip: While a 4 tire rotation requires jack stands, a 5 tire rotation doesn't require any jack stands.

This process is easier, faster and safer than putting the entire Jeep on jack stands:

Remove spare.
Jack Pass Rear, remove Pass Rear tire, install Spare tire. Lower.
Jack Pass Front, remove Pass Front tire, install Pass Rear tire. Lower.
Jack Driver Rear, remove Driver Rear tire, install Pass Front tire. Lower.
Jack Driver Front, remove Driver Front tire, install Driver Rear tire. Lower.
Put Driver Front tire on the Spare tire carrier.
Done.

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