need help! w/sway bar links ?truck is on stands right now

[chevyeater]

Here's the situation. The Hanes book tells me to lift the front end off the ground. the problem is if I raise the truck by the frame, the jack doesnt' extend high enough to get the tires off the ground. Just short. Is there another point up front so the jack can get the tires up? Like using the front axle.
Also how the heck to you loosen the top nut, passenger side. the tranny housing gets in the way of a short socket & breaker bar from getting up there.
I was hoping to save some money on labor, but this is maybe a little out of my league.
First time owning a full size truck, and a learning experience it is.

[jethro]

need more info on truck! how is the tranny housing getting in the way of the socket?

[chevyeater]

2001 f250 crewcab, LB
I can't fit the socket & breaker bar over the nut, there's not enough room.

[jethro]

do you have tall jack stands? if so just jack it off the front axle and then put the jack stands on the frame then put the jack down and let the front end hang there

[chevyeater]

should I only lift it a little bit to take the tension off?
As for the socket, I tried a reg. ratched. There is no room to be able to fit between the tranny housing/starter. They are to close to the nut. Don't tell me I have to drop the starter?
I wonder if this why the dealer wanted $310 to change them.

[jethro]

not sure if you gotta take the starter or not they are not hard to pull and just use a box wrench if you dont wanna take it off. lift it as much as you want to it will just give you that much more room to work just make sure to chock the rear wheels and put the jack stands in a solid location so you dont get hurt

[chevyeater]

The problem is that I'm at work, and left my stands back at home. So I have a bottle jack on one side, & the floor jack on the other.
Is that what I'm supposed to do, is let the tires hang. What about the tension. I started to take off the bottom passenger side nut, and I could tell that there was tension, because the sway bar began to move as the bolt was being backed out. I just don't want to get stuck and not be able to put this thing back together, cuz it's in my station.

[chevyeater]

so I can lift it off the front axle? I wasn't sure I could do that because of all the weight. but that would definitely give me the lift I need.
I think I'm going to have to invest in a new high lift jack.

[jethro]

i would go get some jack stands if i where you i never trust a jack to much at risk

[chevyeater]

yea I think I'm going to have to wait till tues to get to it again. maybe i can get some pointers about this job. I think there is more to it than meet the eye. thanks for your help jethro.