What size tools?

[jsiress]

I just realized that a deuce would probably max out my jackstands and floor jack. What size do you recommend? I would think 3 tonners would be a little wimpy. What do you guys use to work on axle bearings or hubs?

 

[gunboy1656]

The BII (Basic Issue Items) list in the TM says 8 ton.

 

[DieselBob]

I use 6X6 timbers cut to 18" for cribing to support the deuce, works great even on soft ground, and a 8 ton bottle jack to lift it.

 

[m16ty]

I'd go with a 20 ton bottle jack. Those things are way over rated anyway.

I'd get some good hardwood blocks instead of using jackstands.

 

[motorolanut]

on the 6x6 cribbing blocks.....
You are not relying on a small pins or toothed notch on a jack stand. The cribbing blocks won't fall over as easy. Plus the block store themselves (at least in my M813 passenger side toolbox. They double as the perfect wheelchocks too!

 

[hemichallenger]

I cut up good railroad ties for blocks.

 

[319]

I use 5 ton stands and a 12 ton bottle jack. I use a 3/4" plywood base beneath the stands when on asphalt. I like the idea of the wood blocks kept on the truck because there is no practical place to store the stands.

 

[Jake0147]

I just realized that a deuce would probably max out my jackstands and floor jack. What size do you recommend? I would think 3 tonners would be a little wimpy. What do you guys use to work on axle bearings or hubs?

The eight ton jack that is BII will lift the whole truck. Realistically, you'll never lift more than one wheel end at a time with it. It's overkill. A three ton jack is way more than adequate to lift one wheel end. It's not durable, and the range is probably limited a bit if it folows the "not standard but somewhat standardized:" size patterns.
My recommendation, better than 3K, sized so that it will fit on a piece of your chosen cribbing (or just one block for this purpose) so that you can get it under the axle and have enough lift to get a flat tire off of the ground AND have enough room under it to install a properly inflated spare. My solution to this involves a 20 ton jack with the screw adjusted top (not two stage), a four by four block to drive the flat tire on to for a "head start" so I don't have to jack it so far, a block (that ('d have to measure the thickness of...) but I think is about nine by eighteen by five inches high. That gives the jack a good "foot".

As far as stands... Watch where and when you'll be jacking. Don't have malfunctions at inconvenient times if you're looking at conventional jack stands. My suggestion is cribbing versus stands. You should own enough (IMHO) to keep the front or the back of the truck off of the ground for maintenance, but you would only need to (IMHO) carry enough to support one wheel end for a road trip.
The reason I don't like "regular' jack stands is this- You're out of the Honda Accord range of vehicles here. If you take the regular flat metal four legged version and put it on anything but concrete, it's not safe. Well, maybe cribbing, but not boards or plywood). They're more than strong enough if they're rated appropriately, but the PSI at the foot is insane, it'll push right through asphalt in just a couple of hours. Gravel you might get away with some days, not others depending on the moisture in it, the alignment of the stars and what not. I really like cribbing though, much more forgiving..