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Jacking up front wheels question

3.7K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Jivanshu  
#1 ·
Hello,
I was looking at tohighlander.com and in the section about jack and safety stand use, it says "When jacking up the front wheels, release the parking brake and place wheel chocks only behind the rear wheels. When jacking up the rear wheels, place wheel chocks only in front of the front wheels." Later it says "when jacking up only the front wheels or only the rear wheels, place wheel chocks on both sides of the wheels touching the ground".

I assume when they refer to jacking up the front wheels, they mean using a floor jack at the designated "bumped out" spot in the frame in the front. But, why the distinction in jacking up front wheels and ONLY jacking up front wheels. And why wouldn't you always want the parking brake on?? And, what if you are only jacking up rear wheels with a floor jack?
 
Discussion starter · #3 · (Edited)
Thanks. If jacking up both rear wheels, do you still leave the transmission in Park and, of course, use wheel chocks? I was wondering if there is stress on the parking pawl that way.

It also says "when lowering the vehicle with front wheels jacked up, release parking brake and place wheel chocks only in front of the rear wheels. When lowering a vehicle with rear wheels jacked up, place wheels chocks only behind front wheels".
Supposedly parking brake already released in first scenario, but why not have both sides of wheels not in air with chocks?
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thanks. What's your interpretation of what they say about when lowering the vehicle? For instance, they say when lowering vehicle with front wheels jacked up, to release the parking brake first. Well,,, supposedly that was already released according to their instructions, right? Then, they say to place wheel chock only in front of rear wheels. So with parking brake off, and now no chocks behind rear wheels (as they specified chocks in front and behind rear wheels originally), removing chocks behind rear wheels with front raised up could be quite dangerous - it will roll backwards. Very confusing. Seems you would want wheel chocks in front and back of rear wheels, if parking brake off, when lowering raised front end.