Repairing and maintaining your Toyota Tacoma can lead to a healthy amount of savings. However, you won't perform all repair tasks under the hood. Sometimes, you must access the Tacoma's underside for a job as simple as an oil change or for something more complex, such as muffler repairs. Lifting your Tacoma can be dangerous. Cranking jacks are not completely stable, and the Tacoma can slip off and cause serious injury or worse if it occurs while you are beneath the truck. Take the time to learn some safe lifting procedures for home mechanics.
Park your Tacoma on flat ground.
Drop portable vehicle service ramps in front of each of the Tacoma's tires. Push the ramps as far under the wheels as possible.
Drive the Tacoma up the ramps slowly and carefully.
Engage the emergency brake, turn the vehicle off and exit the truck. Block the rear of each tire with wheel chocks.
Park on a level surface, and engage the emergency brake.
Select a tire to lift. Block off the tire diagonal from it. For instance, if you are lifting the passenger-side front tire, place chocks in front of and behind the driver-side rear tire.
Place a cranking jack under the Tacoma's lift points, always near the tire you plan to lift. For the front of the Tacoma, place the jack under the frame rail, near the cross member. For the rear, place the jack under the axle tube.
Turn the jack's crank, and slowly lift the truck. Elevate the whole vehicle high enough to place a stand underneath. Put the stand in place, and lower the truck onto it.
Repeat this process on all three remaining tires.
