There is ONE stupid question....

[missionpilot]

I know in 5th grade they say there are no stupid questions....but I have one:

It is raining out, dark as the inside of a cow, and my right front tire is 4 inches off the ground....How do you get the stock jack to lower?

I'm gonna go get a bag for my face now. I'll poke an eye-hole so I can read the answer.

[jeepbob]

start motor, put foot on brake, shift into reverse, clear all spectaters from area, lock up transfer case, remove foot from brake and step on gas. Actually, I don't know either as I have never had a stock Jeep jack. If it is a bumper jack, try flipping the little lever on the side of the jack, and then move the tire iron up and down. The jack will appear to go up at first, but will go down as the jack is cycled. If it is a screw jack turn the handle in the opposite direction that made it go up. If these don't work, get another jack or use the first method (then get another jack)

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65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[missionpilot]

Okay, maybe I wasn't so out in left field...

It is the bumper jack.

I switched the "up" labeled lever to down...and pumping the handle does nothing.

As far as I can tell there are no other accessable moving parts, short of prying the catch lever that is under the bumper off of the teeth holding the vehicle in the air. (not my first choice for safety)

[I will get another jack out when the rain stops, but I thought if there was something simple that I was missing....]

[Jake10]

Did you push down hard (on the handle)? You have to get the ratchet mechanism to lift the pawl up off the "hooky thing in there" so it can drop down to the next level. So it's push down on the lever, and then when it clicks you ease it up while the car drops down to the next catch-place. Then it's poush down hard on the lever again.

'course it could be broke... Thats when you clear the area and drive off.

[missionpilot]

Pushed pretty hard, but the rain is something fierce out there right now. And with everything being wet, I didnt want the base to slip and the truck come down on my leg.

It wasnt raining when I jacked it up and climbed under. But the starter still needs to be fixed before I can drive off.

[jeepbob]

Try spraying the mechanism with good ol wd40

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65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[This message has been edited by jeepbob (edited January 18, 2001).]

[fdwyer]

Get big bottle jack under the axle and take it up till the weight is off. Then learn how to use the bumber jack come daylight!

Frank

[nograin]

Hate to be the sourpuss - but that thing is for changing tires.

NEVER go under a vehicle held up by a jack alone. - any jack.

Chock the wheels and put some support underneath. Make sure its something that won't disintegrate (no cinder block).

For what you are doing, you can build a stack of 2 x 12s or cribbing under the front wheels.

Sorry for the rant, but would hate to see anyone get hurt. I'll go get my owners manual and see what it may say about lowering bumper jack.

Peace.


------------------
360 auto select
body by beer (PO)
carries wood inside
no "wood" outside

[Maynard]

My hi-lift is a hard to get down too, when you push down on the handle, tap the jack by the pins with a hammer, screwdriver handle or whatever you got. that works on mine, and when you get it down oil the piss out of it.

------------------
Alex
1976 Cherokee Cheif
383 Chevy, th400, d20
d44 f/r, 4" suspension lift,
Wimpy 31X10.50 at the present
time.

[nograin]

Owners manual says your doin' it right.

"-move jack lever to DOWN position and operate handle up and down fully"

Try pushing down real hard, the handle should practically snap up then.

Only other item of posible note is under warnings..

"Do not use block under jack that would prevent the jack from rising at least 3 inches before contacting the vehicle"

[Robbo]

Also try lifting up the jack handle before
pushing down. I used to have a jack which
required pushing down hard and then lifting it up all of the way.

Robbo

[Ralph]

...and in a sea of good advice, there is also one stupid answer!

Make sure the lug nuts are tight. Knock the jack out of the way with a sledgehammer, hopefully without tearing your bumper.

[missionpilot]

Thanks for all the help.

Rest Assured NoGrain, I had it well supported and chocked before I went under. (Thanks for the concern) But when the rain started and it was time to go...I went higher on the bumper jack, everything else came out easily but the jack only wanted to go up, not down.

Note to others doing prelift jack checks-- I tried it with no load applied and it worked perfectly. (Well at least it went up AND down according to the selecter lever).

[RudyC]

Same thing happens to mine. soak it down real good with WD40.

------------------
"BULLSEYE"
1979 WAGONEER, 360,
Holley 600 CFM carb.
Stock 4bbl Intake,
TFI CONVERSION, TH400, Q-TRAC. 3" ADD A LEAFS, 31" MUD T/A'S (PEP BOYS CLONES).

http://home.earthlink.net/~zzjoecool/index.html

[FSFrank]

Seems everyone's chimed in. Here's my $0.02. Remember that when you push down, you are lifting the vehicle off of the "catch" that holding everything up. Like Robbo said, you may hafta pull the lever up first. The ratchet inside the the jack is just working in reverse.

If you push down and the jack tries to hit you in the face, ya got it right <g>

Frank



------------------
FSFrank
fgeorge@techcom.net
http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge/Image/General/License_1tn.jpg (http://www.ultimatebb.com)

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> 1983 Cherokee Laredo (project truck)
<LI> 1979 Cherokee Chief (organ doner)
<LI> 1983 Moto Guzzi LeMans III (2-wheeled diversion)
[/list]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>If your wife doesn't find you handsome ....
at least let her find you handy. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> (Red Green)

[FSFrank]

Oops. Ignore the previous signature. My first attempt had the jpg incorrectly linked. Here's another try.

Frank



------------------
FSFrank
fgeorge@techcom.net

http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge/Image/General/License_1tn.jpg (http://www.www.techcom.net/~fgeorge)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> 1983 Cherokee Laredo (project truck)
<LI> 1979 Cherokee Chief (organ doner)
<LI> 1983 Moto Guzzi LeMans III (2-wheeled diversion)
[/list]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>If your wife doesn't find you handsome ....
at least let her find you handy. (Red Green)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[FSFrank]

Dang! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/redface.gif Still got the link wrong. This is my last try, (thanks for your patience)

Frank



------------------
FSFrank
fgeorge@techcom.net

http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge/Image/General/License_1tn.jpg (http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> 1983 Cherokee Laredo (project truck)
<LI> 1979 Cherokee Chief (organ doner)
<LI> 1983 Moto Guzzi LeMans III (2-wheeled diversion)
[/list]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>If your wife doesn't find you handsome ....
at least let her find you handy. (Red Green)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[missionpilot]

AND THE WINNER IS......

"OIL the PISS out of it" and "Push Down REALLY hard."

with assistance from

"Use another jack to take the weight off"

After oiling the "PISS" out of it, I used a floor jack to take it up off the bumper jack and the down mechanism went all the way to the ground by itself.

NOTE TO SELF: Get bottle jack and put in trunk for use on tire changes.

Thanks for all the help. The Jeep is now safely in the garage, going back up on jack stands and soon I will be posting for help with whatever I find when I get the starter off. http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
--MissionPilot


'78 Cherokee Chief S
Still Stock (AKA- Still needs everything worked on. :D )
About to get a 'non-stock' but working starter
And apparently (in light of new information) a rear air deflector

"See, the Jeep has a thing called 'MOMENTUM', this is why
a man cannot stop his FSJ from running into the garage by
just pushing against it." --Ancient Alabama Proverb

[jeepbob]

buy a small floor jack

------------------
65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud