Proper jack stand placement? (ugh!)

[Son of Marty]

On 5/22/2024 at 12:18 PM, popovm said:

Good onya for considering the tires. Not sure how hard you’d get shaken by “the big one” in PDX but I like to keep in mind that I am technically in earthquake country in Seattle when figuring out jack stand and backup situations. Jackstands, plus the jack “parked” like you have it, AND tires  under the car are my strategy. 

We in the PNW don't worry much about the big one knocking the car off the jack stands on us, the tsunami will wash it off of you shortly😎. 

[TobyB]

I welded some c-shaped clips to the front stands, so that they're straddling the 'not-frame-rails'-

 

that rubber would scare me- it's putting load into the middle of the rails, AND it can move.  as in, bounce.

as in, bounce the car off then stands, potentially.

 

In back, I welded a couple of short sections of pipe onto the tops of the stands, and they just catch the end of the

subframe retention bolts.  Easy to place, and again, captive.  I use squares of plywood underneath as shims- they have just a bit

of give to make sure all 4 keep some weight on them.

 

For jacking, by far the easiest is to weld square tube steel behind the lip of the rocker, so you can jam

your jack under and hoof the whole side up with about 6 pumps.  Just a little behind the b-pillar balances well.

I have a tape mark, just so I know where to catch it.

 

bkuz racekar, of course.

 

heh

t

 

[Pdxguy]

22 minutes ago, TobyB said:

I welded some c-shaped clips to the front stands, so that they're straddling the 'not-frame-rails'-

 

that rubber would scare me- it's putting load into the middle of the rails, AND it can move.  as in, bounce.

as in, bounce the car off then stands, potentially.

 

In back, I welded a couple of short sections of pipe onto the tops of the stands, and they just catch the end of the

subframe retention bolts.  Easy to place, and again, captive.  I use squares of plywood underneath as shims- they have just a bit

of give to make sure all 4 keep some weight on them.

 

For jacking, by far the easiest is to weld square tube steel behind the lip of the rocker, so you can jam

your jack under and hoof the whole side up with about 6 pumps.  Just a little behind the b-pillar balances well.

I have a tape mark, just so I know where to catch it.

 

bkuz racekar, of course.

 

heh

t

 

Any pictures of the modifications to the jack stands?

 

Dennis

[BarneyT]

All great points above, for working long periods on the car i place the front Jack stands on the bolts that hold on the front control arms… Same bolts as it shows using the lifting beam on.

 

  Not a fan a placing the rubber on the jackstands on those two beams like that…Those need to be cradled if you use those, where it can’t be pushed sideways off.

 

On the rear, I usually put the jack a little forward of where you show your yellow square…where it’s on the crossbeam going from side-by-side…

 

  onward thur the fog…Barney 

[TobyB]

13 hours ago, Pdxguy said:

Any pictures of the modifications to the jack stands?

 

Dennis

no, that was done in the days before photography...

 

t

 

[PDX.Duke]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:07 AM, MurphinDC said:

I would ditch the rubber pads and turn the jack stand sideways so the frame rail sits inside the "U" shaped piece. That's what I do and it feels/looks more secure. With a sideways push I'm not sure that the rubber pad would be good.  My two cents.

 

Murph

 

Unfortunately, as wide as my jack stand "perches" are, they aren't quite wide enough for the frame rails to sit nicely in the cradle. And the rubber pads feel like they are supporting the frame rails nicely, but also leave me feeling like the overall stability of my "suspension plan" is compromised a wee bit.

Edited May 29 by PDX.Duke
typo

[PDX.Duke]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:07 AM, MurphinDC said:

I would ditch the rubber pads and turn the jack stand sideways so the frame rail sits inside the "U" shaped piece. That's what I do and it feels/looks more secure. With a sideways push I'm not sure that the rubber pad would be good.  My two cents.

 

Murph

 

deleted duplicate post

Edited May 29 by PDX.Duke
Duplicate post.

[PDX.Duke]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:07 AM, MurphinDC said:

I would ditch the rubber pads and turn the jack stand sideways so the frame rail sits inside the "U" shaped piece. That's what I do and it feels/looks more secure. With a sideways push I'm not sure that the rubber pad would be good.  My two cents.

 

Murph

 

Unfortunately, as wide as my jack stand "perches" are, they aren't quite wide enough for the frame rails to sit nicely in the cradle. And the rubber pads feel like they are tracing the frame rails nicely, but also leave me feeling like the overall stability of my "suspension plan" is compromised a wee bit.

 

Plus, having removed these jack stands at the frame rails upon which my car has been resting now for a few days, I notice a mild deformation of the bottom rail surface. I know a lot of people have recommended this placement, but I'm not inclined to put that kind of stress on those rails again. 

 

Here's a pic:

 

 

Now... On to investigate the bolt spacer at control arm to sub-frame joint.

[PDX.Duke]

On 5/25/2024 at 9:10 AM, TobyB said:

I welded some c-shaped clips to the front stands, so that they're straddling the 'not-frame-rails'-

 

that rubber would scare me- it's putting load into the middle of the rails, AND it can move.  as in, bounce.

as in, bounce the car off then stands, potentially.

 

In back, I welded a couple of short sections of pipe onto the tops of the stands, and they just catch the end of the

subframe retention bolts.  Easy to place, and again, captive.  I use squares of plywood underneath as shims- they have just a bit

of give to make sure all 4 keep some weight on them.

 

For jacking, by far the easiest is to weld square tube steel behind the lip of the rocker, so you can jam

your jack under and hoof the whole side up with about 6 pumps.  Just a little behind the b-pillar balances well.

I have a tape mark, just so I know where to catch it.

 

bkuz racekar, of course.

 

heh

t

 

 

Yeah, I think the frame rails are vulnerable (although many have mentioned this as their chosen jack placement). Mine seem to have deformed mildly (see post I just made with pic).

 

And when you say "subframe retention bolts", can you help me identify more precisely where you referring to? Are you talking about the rearward bolt of the sub-frame to chassis brace?

 

Like here?:

[PDX.Duke]

@Son of Marty & @BarneyT,

 

The bolt spacer where the control arm and subframe meet... I like this idea a lot, but I've go a conundrum. I lift the front end straight in from center and the jack chassis' position on the ground doesn't leave clearance to get the jack stands properly positioned for this.

 

How duo you go about this? Perhaps your jack stands have a smaller foot print? Or you come in from the sides with the floor jack? Would love some tips.

 

Thanks

(ps. Yeah, I know. I don't need 6-ton jack stands, but its what I got 🤷🏽)

 

 

 

 

[Son of Marty]

I haven't run across that but I'm using 2 ton stands.

[BarneyT]

I think I just have a smaller Jack…