Two and a half tons and lifts

[2A Bob]

Hello everyone! I am new here and also new to forums.
I am planning a pole barn, and would like to get into two and a half ton trucks.
I have a question .
Looking at these trucks I do not see a good way to lift them with a two post lift?
I t would appear that the first tandem axle would be very much in the way?
As I am in the planning stages for a building I was going to include a two post lift. That would be for more than just military vehicles.
Any thoughts on this would be very much appreciated.

 

[m715mike]

Not a two post lift, but Northern Tool used a bobber in their advertisement for a four post lift.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/mv-spotted-thread.62008/post-1848686

 

[simp5782]

You won't lift it very safe with a 2 post lift.

Military uses HETRA units. So do most big shops. They are mobile and can lift cars to cement trucks to HEMTTs.

 

[M35fan]

Not a two post lift, but Northern Tool used a bobber in their advertisement for a four post lift.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/mv-spotted-thread.62008/post-1848686

That ad from Northern lists the 4 post lift at 12K pounds. I know that a bobber weighs less than a stock deuce, but I wouldn't want to be under it. Sounds like a painful way to go.

 

[Mullaney]

Hello everyone! I am new here and also new to forums.
I am planning a pole barn, and would like to get into two and a half ton trucks.
I have a question .
Looking at these trucks I do not see a good way to lift them with a two post lift?
I t would appear that the first tandem axle would be very much in the way?
As I am in the planning stages for a building I was going to include a two post lift. That would be for more than just military vehicles.
Any thoughts on this would be very much appreciated.

The dollars that to purchase a lift for a Deuce would be several times the cost of the truck. A first class ten ton floor jack and lots of 6x6 or 6x8 or 8x8 wooden blocks (cribbing) would be a safe way to block up your truck. Pictures below for rubber cribbing and a big floor jack...



So, that fancy stack of twelve pieces of rubber cribbing (blocks) sell for about $2100 shipped. The floor jacks that I looked up on Amazon were between a $1000 and $1800.

If you are willing to do a little more "grunt work" and use big blocks of wood and big (read that as heavy) bottle jack you could come in at under a grand for something to lift with and maybe 40 blocks of wood... Be sure to stack the blocks correctly - picture below.

 

[18operator]

I use a 20 ton bottle jack and 6 ton jack stands. Oh and I do have hard wood cribbing that I picked up for free from a steel erection job.

 

[frank8003]

Just use a six ton floor jack and good cribbing and put Her all up on blocks, total cost forever is about 125 bucks, sounds like a lot of money. You are playing with over seven tons.
The game is to do work safely.

 

[SCSG-G4]

I thought the deuce BII specified a 10 ton bottle jack. That is what I have in each one of mine, correct or not.

 

[frank8003]

Yes, 10 ton bottle jack is NOT overkill. Use the best stuff You got always.

 

[Mullaney]

I thought the deuce BII specified a 10 ton bottle jack. That is what I have in each one of mine, correct or not.

I am looking for the TM just so we can have the "official" word, but so far I keep falling on my face with the search...

Found a post (below) for the Deuce Jacking Procedure:
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/deuce-jacking-procedure.200008/post-2329846

Unfortunately, no mention of the tonage required for the jack. Having a 10 ton bottle jack should be more than enough when a 10 ton lifts both wheels on all axles easily - in my opinion.
.

 

[simp5782]

M35a2 - 3 ton bottle jack
M35a3 - 8 ton bottle jack

 

[2A Bob]

Thanks everyone. I was planning a 20K lift. all of you that replied seem to have agreed with my assessment of looking at photos of 2 1/2 tons.

 

[Tow4]

Just jack it up and put it on jack stands. If you are working on an unimproved surface, cribbing might be better. These trucks are pretty high off the ground sitting on the wheels so clearance is not an issue. Every truck I have owned has spent time sitting on jack stands with all or some of the wheels off while I was repairing something. I can't imagine needing a lift to service them.

Of course if you have the $ to spend, or just want it (my universal excuse), then go for it.

 

[Crf450x]

4 post is the way to go.

 

[m715mike]

What is the benefit of having a four post lift like that? Is it simply to prevent you from crawling on the ground or getting on a creeper?

I’m not trying to be a smart a$$... I’ve never had the opportunity to use a lift and don’t know what the benefit is.

It seems that everything I’ve needed to do on my Deuce, I could do with all 6 tires on the ground. That is, except for working on tires/axels and the four post lift pictured above would not help with that since the tires are resting on the lift. If I need to remove a tire, I just get out the bottle jack and jack stands.

 

[Crf450x]

What is the benefit of having a four post lift like that? Is it simply to prevent you from crawling on the ground or getting on a creeper?

I’m not trying to be a smart a$$... I’ve never had the opportunity to use a lift and don’t know what the benefit is.

It seems that everything I’ve needed to do on my Deuce, I could do with all 6 tires on the ground. That is, except for working on tires/axels and the four post lift pictured above would not help with that since the tires are resting on the lift. If I need to remove a tire, I just get out the bottle jack and jack stands.

It’s 1000 times easier to work standing up than it is rolling around on the ground. And typically you’ll have rolling jacks on a 4 post lift for when you need the tires off the ground. I don’t know of any situation where you’d “need” a lift but you only need to use one once to understand why people buy them.

 

[M35fan]

M35a2 - 3 ton bottle jack
M35a3 - 8 ton bottle jack

I apologize for the sidetrack, but why such a drastic difference between A2s and A3s? I would think they weigh roughly the same.

 

[fleetmech]

I apologize for the sidetrack, but why such a drastic difference between A2s and A3s? I would think they weigh roughly the same.

I cant say about the difference, but my 3.5 (or maybe its 4?) ton Napa trolley jack is plenty to lift a complete rear axle up, or one front corner. Frankly, it could probably pick the whole front up, but I didn't bother.

Thats how I did my complete hub service a few months ago. For cribbing, I grabbed my chain saw and cut some big ol' timbers out of a roughly 36" red oak trunk.

I've been looking at 2 post lifts myself for all my other stuff, sadly there's no good way to fit a deuce on one.

 

[V8srfun]

What is the benefit of having a four post lift like that? Is it simply to prevent you from crawling on the ground or getting on a creeper?

I’m not trying to be a smart a$$... I’ve never had the opportunity to use a lift and don’t know what the benefit is.

It seems that everything I’ve needed to do on my Deuce, I could do with all 6 tires on the ground. That is, except for working on tires/axels and the four post lift pictured above would not help with that since the tires are resting on the lift. If I need to remove a tire, I just get out the bottle jack and jack stands.

It is simply convenient more than anything. It takes time to put the truck up on cribbing and the lift will get the truck in the air in about half of a minute.

 

[Mullaney]

4 post is the way to go.

I don't have the (1) concrete pad or the (2) steel building - so I won't be installing a lift any time soon. Definitely until those two things get done first!

Any idea about a rough cost might be for a 4 Post Lift?

.