Back to Articles

Lifting on the Trail Without a Jack

Last verified April 2026

You've got a flat in the middle of nowhere and no jack. The Cybertruck's air suspension solves this — you can use the suspension travel itself to lift the wheel off the ground using nothing more than a chunk of 6x6 lumber.

The technique comes from @CybrtrekerNadia:

The Technique

  1. Drive to flat ground.
  2. Raise suspension to Very High.
  3. Place a roughly 9.5" length of 6x6 lumber under the A-arm of the flat tire.
  4. Drop suspension to Low — as the truck settles, the A-arm presses down on the block and lifts that wheel off the ground.
  5. Change the tire.
  6. Set the truck to Extract Mode to lift off the block, then pull the block out.

Total time per Nadia: about 20 minutes.

Why It Works

The CT's air suspension has roughly 6 inches of travel between Very High and Low. By wedging a fixed-height block under the A-arm at the top of that range, the suspension can't fully compress when you drop the ride height — so the chassis settles, but the wheel hangs in the air.

ⓘ Safety

Flat ground only — no slopes. Chock the opposite wheels before you start. Keep all body parts out from under the truck while it's lifted on a single block; the block is a lift point, not a jack stand. Use a solid hardwood block (not pine) sized so the A-arm contacts it cleanly without slipping. Confirm the suspension is fully settled before working on the wheel.