Jacking rear of vehicle from hitch receiver mount?

[Forestpatrol]

I am trying to jack the rear of the vehicle to get it up on ramps and so i need to jack it both sides at once. If I position my jack directly on the bottom square part of the receiver, can it handle that type of weight?

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[gatornek]

I was thinking about doing this the other day. My disclaimer is this is the first time I've owned a vehicle with a hitch.

I was being lazy the last time I changed my oil, and only put the front up on stands. Towards the end, I felt the angle wasn't allowing for a good amount of oil to drain, so ... while it was on front stands ... I was simultaneously thinking about jacking up the rear end at the hitch, so the whole rear end would go up at once.

Ultimately, I felt making my BS perform its version of a handstand, would be a bit much, and decided that a little swish of old oil within the 5+ quarts of fresh oil that I just put in, was not a big enough deal to warrant such risk.

However, if you're on the front tires, I'd might be more obliged to give it a go, if I had to. You're talking a point that is dead center and attached to the frame. So in my opinion, it should be good to go.

 

[Forestpatrol]

However, if you're on the front tires, I'd might be more obliged to give it a go, if I had to. You're talking a point that is dead center and attached to the frame. So in my opinion, it should be good to go.

My only concern is the leverage since I would have to get a bite right under the receiver which sticks almost proud of the rear of the vehicle and therefore the weight, meaning it will be essentially multiplying the actual weight.

 

[davidg4781]

Can you just drive it onto the ramps? Can you use jack stands?

 

[Forestpatrol]

Can you just drive it onto the ramps? Can you use jack stands?

Don’t quite have the ground clearance to get it up on 4 ramps at once and I could use jack stands (although you run into a similar problem)but ramps are just more sturdy in the stone drive. I’m going to get the bottle jack / jack stand combos for now I think.

 

[Bucko]

I do this quite often with my F-150, but the hitch is attached to the frame. Not sure if the Bronco's hitch would be acceptable to jack up from.

 

[mikldom]

I do it all the time. I change oil every 4k miles and rotate tires. When changing oil drive front on to ramps. When rotating tires use 3 jacks. No issues and my 17 month old 22 BS is up to 69,000 miles.

 

[Mark S.]

I jacked up the rear using the hitch, but I didn't leave it sitting on the jack. I only jacked it long enough to get jack stands under it. I don't believe I would rely on a single jack point to hold the vehicle while working underneath it.

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/installed-air-lift-helper-springs-on-bronco-sport-badlands.7471/

 

[Bucko]

I jacked up the rear using the hitch, but I didn't leave is sitting on the jack. I only jacked it long enough to get jack stands under it. I don't believe I would rely on a single jack point to hold the vehicle while working underneath it.

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/installed-air-lift-helper-springs-on-bronco-sport-badlands.7471/

When I was younger and more stupid then I am now, I would lay under a car with just a jack, and that was the old bumper jacks.

Now that I have a grandchild, I use more common sense.

 

[gatornek]

When I was younger and more stupid then I am now, I would lay under a car with just a jack, and that was the old bumper jacks.

Now that I have a grandchild, I use more common sense.

I'm not gonna lie. I may have done this on occasion. But yeah.....sketchy each time.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Although it isn't the best idea to use a single point like the hitch to jack the car regularly, it can be done, but on these unibody vehicles I'd be paying very close attention to any deflection.

Get good jack stands under the sides as soon as you can and before you do anything else to it and as alway never rely on the jack to support the weight of the vehicle if you're under it.

Far as sketchy shit with a jack, the first time I jacked up my e46 I was a bit alarmed that it was suggested to use the rear differential as the jacking point. Then I read a BMW tech manual and that was indeed the case. Still doesn't feel right, same as when I use the front cross member to get the front end up but that is the proper method to get jack stands under the proper frame pinches.

And then there's the Hi-Lift Jack, guaranteed to cost you at least a broken jaw or nose at best if you use it wrong.

 

[Bucko]

With all these good points, why risk yourself?

 

[Forestpatrol]

With all these good points, why risk yourself?

I was only worried about risk to the vehicle because my intent isn’t to use this as a means of accessing the undercarriage; merely to get the wheels off the ground simultaneously so as to slide 2 ramps underneath. I would absoutely never work under a vehicle using any type of jack or single jack point. I don’t even change tires without another tire underneath.

 

[sajohnson]

Lifting the rear end from the hitch is fine. It is incredibly strong -- thick steel, nice welds, and it's inserted into the unibody version of 'frame rails', and secured with 2 high grade bolts on each side. Impressive.

It is rated for 2,000 lbs. (2,240 on Badlands) but that is just what Ford has determined are the safe towing limits for the vehicle itself. That hitch is overbuilt for the application.

Initially, when we were first looking at the BS BL, I thought $540 was a lot for a hitch. Afterall, you can get a hitch for <$190, and most just bolt on. But by the time you add the wiring (~$100?) and installation (DIY or paid) including trimming the cover piece, the actual savings isn't that much, and the aftermarket hitches I've seen do not have the same construction and secure mounting as the Ford hitch.

Our '97 RAV4 has an aftermarket Curt hitch. The hitch itself is pretty well made, but it just bolts up to the threaded holes that were originally used to mount the tie down loops. I've used it to jack up the rear end several times.

 

[ATLAS BLUE BADLANDS]

Don’t quite have the ground clearance to get it up on 4 ramps at once and I could use jack stands (although you run into a similar problem)but ramps are just more sturdy in the stone drive. I’m going to get the bottle jack / jack stand combos for now I think.

Could try 2x lumber to drive onto and raise the tires enough to get up the ramp. Heck the Uhaul car transporter video recommends that for low vehicles.

Really don't like ramps - they like to slide - and are not for working under - you still need jack stands.

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