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Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra: How to Jack Up Your Truck

Raising the Toyota 4Runner, Tundra, or Tacoma may sound like a no-brainer, but there is an actual science to it. To stay safe, you need your jack and jack stands to be in just the right spot.

By Bassem Girgis - January 6, 2016

This article applies to the Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra (1984-Present).

The Toyota 4Runner, Tundra, and Tacoma all have very similar jacking points. The jacking points are the sections under the truck that are designed by the manufacturer to be strong enough to safely hold it up. It's extremely important you take great caution when raising your truck; the last thing you want is a heavy machine falling on you. Be sure to always use jack stands to secure the vehicle after raising it. Read on to learn how to jack up your Toyota.

Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra How to Jack Up Truck

Materials Needed

  • Jack
  • Jack stands

Warning

Only jack a vehicle on hard, level ground. Soft or sloped ground can allow the jack or jack stand to fall over and the vehicle to fall off, causing injury to you or damage to your truck.

Step 1 – Locate jack points

Determine which side you want to raise, the front or the rear. The best spot to raise the truck from is the center of the front crossmember under the motor if you are raising the front, and the center of the rear axle housing if you are raising the rear. The jack stands on the front go on the shaded section of Figure 1 on the frame rails. On the back, they go on the rear axle.

jacking points
Figure 1. Jacking points.

Step 2 – Raise the vehicle

Align your jack in the middle of the jacking point, then start raising it. Once it touches the surface, be sure it is centered as it raises the vehicle. Slowly pump the jack until the car is raised to the appropriate height.

Slowly jack up the vehicle
Figure 2. Slowly jack up the vehicle.

Pro Tip

Be sure to check the weight capacity on your jack.

Step 3 – Secure with jack stands

Once the vehicle is lifted off the ground, secure the jack stands in their appropriate places (check Figure 1).

Once they're in place and extended, lower the jack very slowly until the vehicle rests on the jack stands. You will hear creeks as the car lays on the stands. Once the weight is completely on the jack stands, you can pump the jack a little and leave it under the truck to help support the weight in case a jack stand were to fail, but don't let it lift off the jack stands. As an added safety measure, if you take a wheel off the truck, you can lay it on the ground under it, which also saves you from tripping over it as well.

Always use jack stands
Figure 3. Always use jack stands.

Step 4 – Remove jack and jack stands

When you are done with the work and you want to get the vehicle back on the ground, the process is basically the reverse. Pump your jack until it lifts the vehicle off the jack stands, then remove the two jack stands. Lower the jack slowly until the vehicle is on the ground, and then slide the jack out.

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