Floor jack on rock rails?

gastip · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 1:41 pm

Sorry about the barrage of noobie questions.

I just bought a floor jack and was wondering where is a safe lifting point for jacking KJs up? I've got the mopar rock rails, will that hold it? I should right, isn't that the whole point of the rails? I don't see any frame rails so I'm thinking this things unibody?

I'm just a bit paranoid becuase I had an explorer that I tried jacking up on an uneven shoulder and it bent a pinch weld flat and messed up my fender panel alignment.

Thanks in advance for any info.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 1:50 pm

gastip wrote:

I just bought a floor jack and was wondering where is a safe lifting point for jacking KJs up? I've got the mopar rock rails, will that hold it? I should right, isn't that the whole point of the rails? I don't see any frame rails so I'm thinking this things unibody?

I'm just a bit paranoid becuase I had an explorer that I tried jacking up on an uneven shoulder and it bent a pinch weld flat and messed up my fender panel alignment.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Well first of all the rock rails are for going over rocks, their purpose is not for jacking up the vehicle. And yes it is a unibody. As far as jacking up the KJ it is a fun process

. I have had good success with 4 jack stands on the 4 corners of the pinch welds. go at your own risk. there is a thread in here about using the rock rails as a jacking point, but someone modded a special tool for his hi-lift to do it.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 1:53 pm

I would say find the point where you would jack it up to change a flat tire and then fab a piece of wood or whatever for the new jack you have to support it at that point...which is i think where the rock rails connect to the KJ actually...but not sure :roll:

NetJunkie · **Joined:** Tue May 09, 2006 1:45 pm **Posts:** 78

What's the point of actual rock rails if they can't support the entire vehicle? I know I've had my Rubi slide off something and have the whole vehicle on our rails.

Roachman3700 · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 3:10 pm

I think the point that was tring to be made was that we are not very comfortable with the durablity of the OEM rock rails if they are aftermarket like the Boulder Bars then they can be used as a jack point. I jacked mine up by that all the time.

Thanks,
Daniel

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 3:23 pm

I think the other point is that a rockrail and a jack point have two different purposes in mind

The rock rail is designed to be protection for the bottoms of the doors if the vehicle should need to slide on it. The rails are attached laterally out from a frame rail (large pinch weld on the liberty, I think). Sometimes bolted on, sometimes welded.

Think of it as a plastic shopping bag full of bricks. You can lift it by the handle if you want, but you're better off putting something underneath the center of the bag. I would suggest using a floor mount underneath one of the factory jack points or an obviously-strong place of the underbody. Jacking from the rails should be reserved for a case when there is no alternative - the rail can slide off the jack and fall pretty easily.

gastip · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 4:35 pm

My other issue is that I don't have an owners manual so I don't know what the factory lift points are.

Can anybody help me out with that info? I probably should have specified that earlier.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

I support by KJ on jack stands all the time with the boulder bars. However, with OEM rails it might not be such a good idea. There are plenty of place to lift the KJ though. Even the front factory skid will work as a lifting point if you have a wide base floor jack. Anywhere on the rear axle is fine. The front or center cross members work as well. The front lower control arms also work well if you just need to lift just one wheel. That is all in addition the the factory lifting points.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 4:44 pm

I have a 2005 KJ Rocky Mountain Edition manual if you'd like it...it's from the one I totaled, I have an '06 manual now and don't need it if you'd like it. THe RME was based on the Renegade so it should have all the proper info for ya.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 4:47 pm

RockyMtEditionKJ wrote:

I have a 2005 KJ Rocky Mountain Edition manual if you'd like it...it's from the one I totaled, I have an '06 manual now and don't need it if you'd like it. THe RME was based on the Renegade so it should have all the proper info for ya.

I think the manual is the same for all sub-models anyway

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 5:51 pm

Eddo wrote:

I support by KJ on jack stands all the time with the boulder bars. However, with OEM rails it might not be such a good idea. There are plenty of place to lift the KJ though. Even the front factory skid will work as a lifting point if you have a wide base floor jack. Anywhere on the rear axle is fine. The front or center cross members work as well. The front lower control arms also work well if you just need to lift just one wheel. That is all in addition the the factory lifting points.

All the places that eddo named is where I plane my floor jack. The stock front location on the pinch seam is ok to jack from. I use the front cross-member all the time. Rear pumpkin works great also.

gastip · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 7:13 pm

Thanks for the info everyone that really helps. Like I said I've already mangled one pinch weld so I'm leery of using them. I've got it covered now.

Thanks RockyMtEditionKJ for the offer of your manual I really appreciate that. Perhaps I can offer you some dough for it?

And by the by JeepJeepster, where are you in Kentucky? I was born and raised in Somerset KY which is kinda south easterny.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 7:15 pm

just let me know where to ship it exactly and you can just cover that cost once i find out how much it is +$5 ....if that's cool

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 8:37 pm

gastip wrote:

Thanks for the info everyone that really helps. Like I said I've already mangled one pinch weld so I'm leery of using them. I've got it covered now.

Thanks RockyMtEditionKJ for the offer of your manual I really appreciate that. Perhaps I can offer you some dough for it?

And by the by JeepJeepster, where are you in Kentucky? I was born and raised in Somerset KY which is kinda south easterny.

Its about 3 hours from me.

Kinda cool b/c my bro just got out of college and hes trying to get a job there, cool beans huh?

priell3 · **Posted:** Wed May 31, 2006 9:10 pm

I don't know about using a floor jack on the OEM rock rails, but when i got a flat on a weekend excursion last month this is what it looked like...

Factory jack under axle tube.

fish eye · **Posted:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:57 pm

there are notches in the frame rail (runs lengthwise). its about 12-15 inches in from the edge of the vehicle. And there are brackets that bolt to it from the factory rock rails. The notches in the rail will fit the factory scissor jack perfectly, so look for those.

as for using the factory rr's. don't do it. they will not support the weight of the vehicle.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:50 pm

priell3 wrote:

I don't know about using a floor jack on the OEM rock rails, but when i got a flat on a weekend excursion last month this is what it looked like...

Factory jack under axle tube.

Haha, thought that was under the stock gas skid at first. :shock:

gastip · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:10 pm

Thanks guys, I used the axle tubes and it was fine. I don't know why but I was worried about distoring the tube and messing with the axle. Still gunshy from hosing the fender panels on my last truck, I guess.

RockyMtEditionKJ if you find out how much to ship your owners manual I'll tack on the $5 and send it to you in advance. Just PM me or let me know.

JeepJeepster, good luck to your brother. Hope he gets the job and that he likes the area. Lake Cumberland is good times. Have him buy a boat or make friends with someone with a boat. Small world huh?

krazz1e · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:23 pm

i've jacked up my KJ on RRO rock rails using a torin hi-lift with no problems, you gotta open the door. But when I use a regular jack I put it under the rear axle or the front skid.

Floor jack on rock rails?

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