Jacked up the Truck at the wrong spot.....

So i always jack up my truck's front end by the pumpkin in the middle.
Today i accidentally placed my jack BEHIND the pumpkin and jacked the truck up on the skid plate.

The passenger tire was lifted up about few inches off the ground, until i notice that something was not right, because the truck wasn't lifting like how it would in the past.

So i check my jack and saw that i had the jack on the skid plate that is covering the front differential where it connect to the 2 front wheels.


I was wondering, how can i tell if i mess up whatever that was behind that skid plate? I didn't see any leakage nor did the skid plate had a massive scuff mark.

There is a small indentation like a dot but that was it, but the skid plate was bend out of shape since the jack was right in the middle.

PS: What is that skid plate called? Because i would need to buy a new piece....

 

You should be ok if there's no obvious signs, although crappy the stock skids are designed to take abuse. I just wouldn't make it a habit of jacking up from there

 

Sounds like you're alright but if it were me I'd pull the skidplate to inspect everything under it just to be sure

 

Yea i did take off the factory skid.
Didn't see any leakage or damage.
Was just afraid that i bended that iron casted looking thing lol
Since it was connected to the 2 front wheels.

 

btw, there is a designed 'garage jack point' in the exact center in the front. makes it really easy to be on true center and stable, you ever look under the front, you see how the skid plate has a cut out, ever wonder what its for? you can jack up the front completely even and stable on both sides and then pop your jack stands under the frame on each side if you want/need to


in the pic you can see mines been used SEVERAL times

 

Didnt know this. Thanks

 

no problem bro, to be honest i had this tacoma for probably 4 years before a buddy who worked at a dealership told me too!

i made an adapter for my power drill so that the socket fits into the oem jack's crank bar, so for most little projects i just put a block or two under the oem jack, place it under the center 'jack spot' press the trigger, truck is up in the air in few seconds, i put my jack stands on either side of the frame and ready to go.

comes in real handy for everyday simple projects!

 

Something to remember here.
That would make it easy.

 

That's funny. Ive seen that every time I get under my truck and never realized it was a jack point. Certainly will make things easier in the future.

 

i believe thats the pumpkin OP is referring to

 

That cast iron thing is your front differential. I'd expect it's okay...

Bend the skid plate back with your foot or something and move on.

 

ya i know, that was just an FYI like i said

 

INTERESTING, Very interesting. I learn something every day.
Thanks guys.

 

The pumpkin is the differential.

 

Damn...did not know that...When I rotated my tires, I jacked EACH wheel individually.....This makes things lots easier...

Thanks.

 

I'd like hear more about that adapter. I tried hooking my drill straight up to the hook that goes in that jack. I don't recommend it.

 

If your talking about the factory Jack just use the one piece with the hook and a 14mm socket (I believe) and spin it up. I use a impact driver not a drill. That's only if I don't feel like getting the floor Jack out

 

The Pumpkin im refering to is WELDED on to the cross member of the truck, it is the one in the picture somoene attached in the eariler post.

 

I'm sure you will be fine, just bend the skid back. But the differential is usually referred to as a pumpkin because of there resemblance. Which is also usually an acceptable place to jack from, but I probably wouldn't jack from the front dif.

 

i believe it was a allan wrench i cut that would fit inside the oem crank bar tube thing, then just put one end in the tube and other in a half in heavy duty power drill chuck