Looking at my manual, it states not to jack up the truck from under the rear diff. Well, just a couple weeks ago mine was jacked up at a LesSchwab from just under the rear diff.
So are you doing it? What is the reason the manual says not to use the diff? Is it safety concerns, or the possibility of damage?

 

I did when I painted my brakes and rims and nothing bad has happened that I noticed

 

I jack from the rear diff all the time and have been doing it for years, as for damage you could mess up a bolt head if you hit it with the jack but other than that i wouldnt be worried about it. and as far as the owners manual saying not to, it prolly is because you would be jacking from a single point in the center of the vehicle and it could cause it to teeter back and fourth. so just jack it up and put jackstands under the rear axle and lower the truck onto them.

 

I do it all the time, its about the only way to do it if you want to put it on jack stands. Just keep the jack pad off the diff cover.

 

They say that in the owners manual due to the surface on the supplied jack is too small and can allow the jack to twist or fall over, its not meant to support the entire rear axle. Now a floor jack is different, it has way more surface area than the vehicle jack, which sucks by the way.

 

That is a good point, I would never use the stock scissor jack under the diff so yeah, refer to your manual for use of that jack.

 

Makes sense, thanks guys!
I have heard opinions that lifting the truck by the diff could bend the axle, seems a bit extreme I would think.
Good point on the scissor jack. I would never attempt to lift both sides of the truck at the same time with the stock jack.

 

Just keep the jack cup away from the diff cover.

 

So when you guys are jacking, are you using one or both hands lol

Sorry, I'll never make another post again. I'm ashamed of myself.

Good night.


Lol

 

I was a little concerned about lifting the rear of my truck with a floor jack under the differential after reading the owner’s manual. Back in the day, Salisbury axles with their pressed in and plug welded tubes weren’t as strong as drop out center section axles. I owned several GM trucks whose axles leaked at the tube / carrier junction. Maybe the trucks had been grossly overloaded…