Floor jack punctured frame (weak spot?)

[loudnproud]

So I had a 2011 ram 1500 and one time I went to jack up the driver side rear to replace the brake pads and while jacking it up ( from the frame rail, forward the rear tire) the jack punctured the frame rail clean through. I chalked it up to a rusty/rotted frame section even though the rest of the frame was in good condition.

Fast forward 3 years later to today.

I now have a 2013 ram 1500 and went to Jack up the rear end to change the brake pads, put the Jack in the same spot, began to jack it up and heard a crunch sound! I lowered the back to find the exact same thing happen. It began to cave in the frame and punctured it a bit. This frame is in excellent condition with only surface rust here and there. I'm only lifting up the rear driver side tire how can this be enough weight to push a hole in the frame? Crazy!

 

[cammed]

I guess you could use a 2x4 block or metal plate set on jack head that way it will be a flat smooth surface pushing upwards

 

[Daw14]

How about jacking it up under the axle housing ? It appears you are under the rocker panel , that will smash every time , even brand new. I see blue paint ,frames are black.

 

[CalDad14]

In terms of the rear of the truck, I've only ever put the jack under the axle tube, just clear of the shock mount. Might've even gone directly under the shock mounting bracket a time or two. Never thought of using the frame, not sure if your manual would recommend that?

How much weight was in the truck at the time of this incident?

Maybe in the future, don't jack up your truck in "that" spot! Not tryin 2 b a smart...guy. Just saying out loud. Hopefully the frame is still road worthy? Good luck.

 

[CalDad14]

How about jacking it up under the axle housing ? It appears you are under the rocker panel , that will smash every time , even brand new. I see blue paint ,frames are black.

I agree. I see the blue too. I can't see an everyday floor jack being able to crumple a frame? No matter the weight in the vehicle.

 

[Wild one]

So I had a 2011 ram 1500 and one time I went to jack up the driver side rear to replace the brake pads and while jacking it up ( from the frame rail, forward the rear tire) the jack punctured the frame rail clean through. I chalked it up to a rusty/rotted frame section even though the rest of the frame was in good condition.

Fast forward 3 years later to today.

I now have a 2013 ram 1500 and went to Jack up the rear end to change the brake pads, put the Jack in the same spot, began to jack it up and heard a crunch sound! I lowered the back to find the exact same thing happen. It began to cave in the frame and punctured it a bit. This frame is in excellent condition with only surface rust here and there. I'm only lifting up the rear driver side tire how can this be enough weight to push a hole in the frame? Crazy!

As stated quit using the rocker panel to jack up the truck,the first truck should have clued you into that fact. Crawl under your truck and you'll see the actual frame of the truck is farther inboard of the rocker panel.Why you're jacking the truck up to get one tire off the ground using the frame or rocker panel is beyond me,when you have a diff to use.For one thing,most floor jacks don't have enough lift to get the tire off the ground using the actual frame to jack from,when you factor in suspension droop. Going under the rear axle/diff bypasses the suspension droop,and you won't need to lift the truck near as high to get the tire off the ground.

 

[crash68]

Yeap, completely the wrong spot to pick the truck up with a floor jack. The head of floor jack should always straddle the frame rail completely and in the rear of the truck it should be located just in front of the trailing arm mount.

 

[mrack]

OP clearly is using the actual frame. The “blue paint” is merely the lighting coming through the crack between the bed and cab. You can see in the first pic one of the holes in the frame and part of a body mount, among many other clues. That’s not hard to figure out fellas

Now why the thing crunched like a soda can, is beyond me. Best guess would be, it looks like the OP only put the jack under the edge of the frame, having the weight concentrated on a smaller point might have been enough to do it in? When jacking up by the frame I always center the cup like contact area of my floor jack under the frame.

 

[Redfisher1974]

Looks like its right at seam weld on frame… need a wider angle pic to see actual location. But a rubber pad mount thing on jack probs would help.

 

[18CrewDually]

Lift with a jack on the axle tube near the tire.

 

[A_mod_too_far]

OP clearly is using the actual frame. The “blue paint” is merely the lighting coming through the crack between the bed and cab. You can see in the first pic one of the holes in the frame and part of a body mount, among many other clues. That’s not hard to figure out fellas

Now why the thing crunched like a soda can, is beyond me. Best guess would be, it looks like the OP only put the jack under the edge of the frame, having the weight concentrated on a smaller point might have been enough to do it in? When jacking up by the frame I always center the cup like contact area of my floor jack under the frame.

The pictures dont show anything, they could be from a toyota, this is just another troll post

 

[loudnproud]

How about jacking it up under the axle housing ? It appears you are under the rocker panel , that will smash every time , even brand new. I see blue paint ,frames are black.

No blue paint, that's a reflection from the sky.

 

[crash68]

The pictures dont show anything, they could be from a toyota, this is just another troll post

In the one picture it looks like the trailing arm perch, Toyota is the only other truck manufacturer to use rear trailing arms and that started with the '23 model year.
It's a good idea to not throw out Troll accusations, it could be construed as member bashing which is against forum rules.

 

[GTyankee]

The trucks frame is at the top of the image, it is made of thick steel

The rocker panel is 2 thin sheet of sheet metal



same area, taken from different angle

 

[Wild one]

With a closer look,it does look like he's using the frame,but still isn't where he should be jacking to lift one tire off the ground

 

[18CrewDually]

The trucks frame is at the top of the image, it is made of thick steel

The rocker panel is 2 thin sheet of sheet metal

View attachment 528394

same area, taken from different angle

View attachment 528398

WRONG END. He said rear. No rocker at the rear, just pickup bed.
Anyone that laid under a RAM in the last 10 years should be able to tell that the damage, and where he put the jack, was on the frame. Also his truck has some age so it's not far fetched to say the frame is rusted inside from moisture that is held by dust and debris that settles. Toyota has their vulnerable spots along with Jeep, GMs, and Fords (specifically older F150s entire rear frame). I've repaired them all. This may be a blessing and not to late to clean it and treat it before it rots holes all the way through it.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I always use the rear diff. And if I ever use the frame or a pinch weld (other cars) I use a sturdy piece of 2x4 to distribute the load. That just makes good sense.

I've watched various people jack up cars over the years, and man(!!), some people have next to zero common sense where and how they put the jack...nor respect for the ramifications if it should slide off. (not saying the OP is in that category ...just saying as an aside).

 

[EdGs]

+1 on the rear diff.

 

[GTyankee]

i use a jack pad, i don't like to scratch anything, more than i have to

 

[1 MEAN66]

I also agree, looks like your using the rocker panel (body) of the truck. If your doing brake work, I also would assume you will doing brakes on both sides. Do not know what kind of "jack" you are using - bottle or floor? If using a bottle jack Harbor Freight has some inexpensive 3 ton "floor" jacks. I have one that is 25 plus years old, just bought a second one (one of their low/long reach 3 ton to use under Rebecca's Vette. It also sounds like you do enough work to make it worth wild? Put it under the center of the axle, pick up both sides at the same time. Put jack stands under the frame (where the front of the rear springs attach to the frame) for safety. You can pick it up high enough to sit on the stands and lower the actual jack, which will let the axle assembly drop a bit to give you even more room to work.