jack points

So.. I have a 2 1/2 ton trolley pump up jack thing (that is, indeed, the technical description on the case), two 3 ton jack stands, and an explorer under body so rusted I cant quite determine where to put anything that isn't going to make the entire SUV disintegrate into a pile of rust in my...

Just bought a floor jack to replace the PIA bottle jacks I used to lift front and rear. Is there any particular trick to lifting from the side and avoiding the torsion bars? Also, after I lift from the side to put that side on jacks, can I then lift the other side to put it on jacks? I'm...