Where are the best floor jack points on our 4Runner?
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simple
Senior Member
there's a diagram in the owners manual. There's quite a few different places that work.
Uneek
Super Moderator
Front, there's a bump on the skid plate maybe an inch or two behind the wire mesh screen. Use that as the lift point. I place my jack stands on the frame rails near the cross memeber between the bolted tube under the front doors.
Rear, I use the rear diff pumpkin and place the jack stands under the axle tubes as close to the wheels as possible.
Rear, I use the rear diff pumpkin and place the jack stands under the axle tubes as close to the wheels as possible.
truckmike26
New member
The rear diff pumpkin is obvious, but that "bump" in the front undercover (it's too flimsy to be a skidplate -- looks like it's there more for aerodynamics) doesn't look like it'll support much. There's reinforcing above the bump that contacts the frame crossmember but my question is, rolling floor jacks have larger cupped saddles (as does mine) and if I use one, it will deform the undercover in that area. Is that bump meant to be used with a bottle jack instead?
Removing that cover is a P.I.T.A. everytime I need to lift the front end. Every vehicle I've worked on had a deliberate, obvious and sturdy place to lift the front. I don't want to mangle that cover with my floor jack.
Removing that cover is a P.I.T.A. everytime I need to lift the front end. Every vehicle I've worked on had a deliberate, obvious and sturdy place to lift the front. I don't want to mangle that cover with my floor jack.
OrdnanceMarine
New member
I've got this same issue. Every other car I've owned (Honda unibodies) has had the spot on the forward frame rail and then tabs just aft of the front tires. That stock skid plate is not nearly strong enough to handle the lifting and I have the cupped saddle that would end up applying more than enough force to to small of an area to trash whatever metal it ends up pressed up against. Also need to figure out how to safely use my existing jackstands whose saddles aren't as wide as the frame. Any solutions?
truckmike26
New member
What surprises me is so few people have this issue. Buying a BudBuilt skidplate is an option but not one I like -- it should come stock with a point to jack up the front end.
techmen17
New member
I spent an hour today taking my wheels off and on to re-torque my spacers, took me forever because my 2 ton jack isn't tall enough to jack up the rear or barely the front. The only thing that reaches tall enough is the bottle jack in the rear compartment, so I was bent over crankin that bottle jack all day 
For the rear just used the tubes coming from the diff, also my jack stands cupped nicely around those, but the front was a PITA. Not sure if it's the best spot, but I used the bottom of the lower control arms to raise the vehicle. And then used my stands on the frame under the front and passenger doors, as close to the wheel as possible. And no my jack stands don't fit around the frame either in the front. That is one thing I hate with the 4runner, no real good place on the front to jack up the vehicle....
For the rear just used the tubes coming from the diff, also my jack stands cupped nicely around those, but the front was a PITA. Not sure if it's the best spot, but I used the bottom of the lower control arms to raise the vehicle. And then used my stands on the frame under the front and passenger doors, as close to the wheel as possible. And no my jack stands don't fit around the frame either in the front. That is one thing I hate with the 4runner, no real good place on the front to jack up the vehicle....
OrdnanceMarine
New member
I spent an hour today taking my wheels off and on to re-torque my spacers, took me forever because my 2 ton jack isn't tall enough to jack up the rear or barely the front. The only thing that reaches tall enough is the bottle jack in the rear compartment, so I was bent over crankin that bottle jack all day
For the rear just used the tubes coming from the diff, also my jack stands cupped nicely around those, but the front was a PITA. Not sure if it's the best spot, but I used the bottom of the lower control arms to raise the vehicle. And then used my stands on the frame under the front and passenger doors, as close to the wheel as possible. And no my jack stands don't fit around the frame either in the front. That is one thing I hate with the 4runner, no real good place on the front to jack up the vehicle....
Definitely seems like the way to go for the rear end.
I've got one of those big-ol'-nasty stamped steel high-lift floor jacks from Harbor Freight and using it under the frame with a block of wood got the front tire up off the ground no problem. I guess I could put a stand under the lower A-arm since this suspension is pretty stout. I'm just leary of being under my car without the frame being held in place in the saddle of the stand.
Now that it sounds like there's no special secret jacking or stand points I guess I'll have to spend some time looking at it and figuring out something I'm comfortable with.
I got myself some hi-lift jack stands (not the brand, just jackstands made for lifted vehicles). I NEVER work on my rig with just the floorjack holding the sucker up. I also made sure I got a floorjack that lifts pretty darn high. I haven't had to use a wood block on it yet. The rear end I do as was posted earlier (lift by the pumpkin, hold by the axle housing towards the wheels. For the front I lift by the framerails and hold by the frame rails. Ideal? probably not. works? absolutely (many many oil changes and a front diff and transfer case oil change, and an exhaust swap...
I spent an hour today taking my wheels off and on to re-torque my spacers, took me forever because my 2 ton jack isn't tall enough to jack up the rear or barely the front. The only thing that reaches tall enough is the bottle jack in the rear compartment, so I was bent over crankin that bottle jack all day
For the rear just used the tubes coming from the diff, also my jack stands cupped nicely around those, but the front was a PITA. Not sure if it's the best spot, but I used the bottom of the lower control arms to raise the vehicle. And then used my stands on the frame under the front and passenger doors, as close to the wheel as possible. And no my jack stands don't fit around the frame either in the front. That is one thing I hate with the 4runner, no real good place on the front to jack up the vehicle....
Did you not think to use a block of wood on the top of your floor jack? Or underneath if using a bottle jack? Work smarter, not harder.
truckmike26
New member
Update: Last Saturday I figured out that a rolling floor jack can lift the front end just fine at that circular spot provided there's something soft (like a piece of wood) to distribute the load. I can't even take that undercover off without jacking the front up -- there isn't enough ground clearance to unhook the front tab at ride height for some reason. Pass it on.
BlackWorksInc
New member
Its a truck frame... Anywhere on the frame rails should be fine. I personally hate pinch welds, never ever ever trust them, seen way too many of them fail even on newer vehicles.
Axle shafts are a decent place, though I wouldn't feel too comfortable putting that much weight on the axle (its designed to hold the weight of the vehicle distributed through its attachment points not just one spot)
Axle shafts are a decent place, though I wouldn't feel too comfortable putting that much weight on the axle (its designed to hold the weight of the vehicle distributed through its attachment points not just one spot)
truckmike26
New member
The issue here is jacking up the front without distorting the thin sheetmetal undercover. It can be done. The rear is a non-issue.
BlackWorksInc
New member
Oh, must have missed that..
There should be a crossmember near the joints of the two skid plates that should support the vehicles weight, use a block of wood to cushion it when lifting.
JB.
New member
For what reason, cosmetic?
Having used that spot at least 30 times with a floor jack, I have no doubt about the strength of the reinforcement that fills the space between the skid and the cross member directly above. (I'd never use the bottle jack there). Sheet metal distortion around the bump I can't speak to, however. My skid is too distorted everywhere else for me to tell.
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