I went and took mine out just and and you're right it was a pain in the A$$. I keep a floor jack in the back of the truck so I completely removed it, but kept the hardware to remove the tires. Though I have a waranty and AAA so I shouldn't need it anyway.

 

Ahh nothing like a jack on the rocks while waiting for roadside assistance or better yet a 24 of MGD!!! .

And no Wal Mart does not sell the jack your thinking of.

 

LOL

Lenticular came out of the woodwork to flame me and I haven't even made the obligatory smartass remark yet! What a jackass. Get it? jack*** hahaha............

 

Yes...very funny.

Cough, splutter, choke.

I must admit I have resisted on lots of occasions recently...especially the one about the width of your head
vis a vis (Get it?), the overhead bins.

I must be bored or something !

 

Those state troopers might ask you to take part in "jack removal" if they see you with your bottle of JD!

 

I agree 100% with your suggestion. Anyone buying a new vehicle (or new to them) should become familiar with the vehicle. Where is the oil filler, where is the fuse panel etc.

If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere in the dark and can't figure out your jack, then it is your own fault.

Apparently, $40,000 only buys a truck. Common sense is not an option that any manufacturer includes with a vehicle.

 

Make sure you know where the 710 cap is located also...

 

That's were you put the windshield washer fluid...right?

 

The other day I was in the local auto part store. A lady comes in and asks for a seven ten cap. We all looked at each other and said, "What's a seven ten cap?"

She said "You know, it's right on the engine. Mine got lost some how, and I need a new one."

"What kind of a car is it on," they asked?

Now I'm thinking maybe an old Datsun Seven Ten, but no, she said its a Buick.

"OK lady, how big is it?"

She makes a circle with her hands about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

"What does it do?," we asked.

She said, "I don't know but its always been there."

One of us gave her a note pad and asked her if she could draw a picture of it. So she makes a circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and in the center she writes 710. The guys behind the counter are looking at it upside down as she writes it... and they just fall down behind the counter.

 

ain't that the truth!

 

Hey Blitz, the 710 post was great a good haha to read....
I have to agree with the original theme of this thread, it was a hassle to use the stock jack handle. For me, it's more of a hassle to get the damn thing back in it's cheapy bag and back secured in place.

 

Yeah, that 710 bit is too funny Blitz.

But Lenny and his continuing lame attempts at insulting other members; while trying to sound like the erudite scholar he fancies himself to be; is truly laughable. For an old man Lenny, you sure have a lot of growing up left to do.

Getting back to the topic of the problem jack...

Familiarizing yourself with the location and use of your jack, before you have a need, is always sound advice -- as is periodically checking the air pressure in the spare. However, the OEM jack is nothing more than the cheapest costing, smallest space using solution the mfg can get by with. It is serviceable, but only barely so.

If you take your truck off of paved roads, and find yourself needing to change a tire, most would be cursing Ford. A better idea IMO, is to replace the OEM POS with a real jack. Do yourself a favor and invest $60 in a Hi-Lift jack. While they are a bit ungainly, it does not take much imagination to find a sutiable place to mount one. Lots of different mounting brackets can be found, or you can fab something yourself. If you like something to stow the jack in, you can buy a plastic case called a Jackguard. This is what they look like:



We had a previous thread on jacks and I posted several related links there. See this thread.

 

wow, thanks for the links FoMoCoFoMe. that was very informative. i've always seen those jacks out in the desert when 4 wheelin' but I never needed one. they look pretty plain, but you are right that they do the job very well. one thing i would also add would be to carry a small piece of ply wood, at least 12" x 12" to give a pad to stand the jack on when using it on soft ground for distributing the weight. otherwise the jack might sink a bit and sometimes be unstable. the wood will probably break when you use it, but it will last long enough to change the tire and get back to a safe place. the wood is expendable when you have a flat off road.

 

Glad you found the links of interest BrewMaster. Your point about a base is a good one. The Hi-Lift company (www.hi-lift.com) came out with something to address that problem. Looking at the picture below, the way the jack's base plate fits into the plastic would seem to be a better solution, as does the materials advantage in maintaining strength when wet.

 

So what does that have to do with a bottle of Jack?