Do you need to replace a tire on your Ram 1500, and do you want to know where you can safely place the jack on it? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
For the 2021 Ram 1500, if you need to jack the front wheel, place the jack under the rear part of the lower control arm. If you need to jack the rear wheel, look for the rear lifting point and place the jack under it.
However, if you’re using the scissor jack that came with your Ram 1500, you need to position the jack in a specific way before you can jack your 1500. Find out how in the succeeding sections. Read on!
How to jack up a Ram 1500?
Always check the user manual for the correct lifting points for the Ram 1500 model that you have. Different Ram 1500 models can have different lifting points. The steps below apply to a 2021 Ram 1500 DT.
Preparing To Jack Up Your Ram 1500
- Park your Ram 1500 on a level and stable ground. Never park your Ram on a slippery surface or surface with ice. A soft surface like grass or gravel is also not ideal.
- Place your Ram 1500 on “Park (P)” and set the parking brakes.
- If you need to change your tires and you are parked on the side of the road, turn on your hazard lights. Place an EWD (early warning device) at least 20 feet from your Ram 1500 to maximize visibility.
- Turn off the engine. No one should be inside the vehicle before you start jacking up your Ram 1500. Never let anyone get into the Ram 1500 once it is up on the jack. And never start the engine when your Ram is up on the scissor jack.
- Place chocks on the front and rear of the wheel that is diagonally opposite the wheel that you need to jack up. For example, you need to jack up the front left wheel, then place the chocks on the rear right wheel. If you need to jack up the rear left wheel, place the chocks on the front right wheel.
A chock is a block of wood, rubber, or similar material that has a wedge shape and is placed under a heavy object or a wheel to prevent it from sliding or moving.
Camco wheel chock is available on Amazon through this link.
Preparing The Tools
- Get to the front passenger seat and locate the tool cover under the seat.
- Reach inside the cover and press the lock while pulling the cover towards you. Once the cover becomes loose, pull it towards the front of your vehicle to remove it.
- Locate the wingnut that secures the jack and tool pouch. Remove the wingnut and take the jack and the tool pouch.
- The tool pouch will contain three extension rods. One end of the extension rods looks like a hollow square, while the other end will have a ball lock. Connect two extension rods. The ball lock goes into the hollow square. Make sure that the ball lock will go into the correct socket to lock the extension in place. Repeat the procedure for the third extension rod.
Preparing The Spare Tire
Follow the steps in this section to get the spare tire of your Ram 1500. If you’re not replacing your tire, skip this section and proceed to the next section.
- Insert the three extension rods into a hole under the tailgate. There is a small cap that covers this hole in some models. Flip the cap upward to open it. Insert the end with an opening into the hole. There is a nut inside the hole that fits the tip of the extension rod assembly. Feel inside the hole using the rods until the hollow end connects with the nut inside the hole.
- Connect the opposite end of the rods into the hole near the other end of the lug wrench.
- Rotate the lug nut wrench counterclockwise to release the spare tire and get it to the ground. Keep rotating the lug nut wrench until you get enough slack on the steel cable.
- Tilt the retaining rod from under the spare tire to slip it out of the hole.
- Bring the spare tire close to the tire that you need to replace.
- Loosen the lug nuts using the lug wrench and complete a single turn of the tool. Loosen all the lug nuts before you jack up your vehicle. Some models have locking lug nuts. You need to use a special tool to unlock them or loosen them.
Positioning The Jacks Under Your Ram 1500
- Position the screw jack directly below the lifting point before you connect the extension rods.
- Use your fingers to raise the jack by turning the screw of the jack clockwise. Keep turning until the lift point is securely seated in the middle of the jack. The axle's centerline should be in the centerline of the jack, which looks like a slot. Never position the jack at an angle because the axle's centerline will not fit into the centerline of the jack. Doing so can also damage your jack.
- Connect the hook attachment to the jack and connect the other end to the extension rod assembly. If you need to jack the front tires, the extension rod assembly should point to the back of your truck. If you need to jack one of the rear tires, the extension rod should also point towards the back. Secure the lug wrench to the other end of the extension rods.
- Rotate the lug wrench to raise the jack. Support one end of the extension rod with one of your hands while you rotate the lug wrench with the other.
Replacing The Tire
Follow these steps to replace your tire. You can skip this section if you’re not replacing a tire.
- Raise your Ram 1500 until you have enough distance from the tire and the ground. Do not raise your truck too high. A quarter of an inch to half an inch is enough to replace a tire.
- Remove all the lug nuts on your vehicle and set them aside.
- Lift your tire off the vehicle by positioning one of your hands behind the tire and the other in front. Remove the tire using a pulling motion with a slight lift.
- Set aside the flat tire.
- Roll the spare tire to your truck and place it on your Ram 1500 with the valve stem facing out. If the tire is too heavy, sit on the ground and position the soles of your shoes facing the tire. Roll the tire slightly to one of your feet and then move your other feet to fill the space created between the tire and the ground. Keep doing this until you achieve the correct tire height so you can get it on your vehicle.
- Tighten the lug nuts on a star pattern. Start with one lug nut, then move to the next lug nut opposite. Keep doing this until you complete the star. For wheels with six lug nuts, form a triangle, then move to the opposite nut to create the next triangle.
- Carefully lower your vehicle. Remove the jack from under it.
- Tighten the lug nuts once more, following the same star pattern.
- Bring your Ram 1500 to a dealer so that they can tighten the lug nuts on your wheel using the correct torque. Applying only the right torque prevents the lug nuts from stripping the screw and ensures that your wheel is secure. You can tighten your own wheels if you have a torque wrench.
EPAuto half-inch drive-click torque wrench is available on Amazon through this link.
Can you jack a truck up by the leaf springs?
You can if your leaf springs can handle the weight.
Leaf springs are dated suspensions on older vehicles—especially for the rear wheels. It is made of several horizontal strips of metal with varying lengths, although they all meet at the center of the spring where the wheel axle is connected. This gives it the shape of a leaf that is cut in half.
The horizontal strips of metal are held together by pairs of vertical strips of metal positioned on opposite ends.
Jacking on the leaf spring is possible. However, you need to stop when you see the leaf spring bend too much as you lift your truck. If the leaf spring bends too much, the horizontal strips of metal can pop out of the vertical strips that hold them together, ruining the leaf spring.
Additionally, jacking your truck on the leaf spring has the disadvantage of taking up the entire space. Thus, you will not be able to place a jack stand in the same area afterward.
The center of the leaf spring is usually only narrow enough for the jack to lift your truck on that spot. It will not be able to accommodate a jack stand.
Conclusion
It is best to always consult your user manual to determine the right spot to jack your Ram 1500. Different models have different lifting spots, and even different trims from the same model year can also have different lifting spots.
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