Proper jackstand placement.

grandsport · #1 10-09-2010, 01:44 PM

Getting different opinions on this.Some say on the suspension,others say on the frame behind the wheels. I want the right answer.

Hank70SS · #2 10-09-2010, 03:04 PM

What are you trying to do? The most solid in my opinion is on the frame. If you're talking about the front end beware. If you lower the car onto jack stands on the frame behind the wheels the front end will keep going down as you lower the floor jack. The weight of a big block hanging out front will cause the frame to sag in front of the jack stands. If you don't need a lot of height I would move the jack stands in front of the wheels.

You need a lot of height to install headers so I've placed them behind the front wheels to do that. I was amazed at how much the frame sagged when like that.

What ever you do, be careful, e-brake, wheel chocks, you know.

Highway Star · #3 10-09-2010, 03:06 PM

I think it depends on what you're doing. I'm nervous under my car no matter how it is held up. I use ramps or giant 8x8's or boards right under the tires after they're off the ground enough...and then jack it down slowly onto the ramps or wood.

Hank70SS · #4 10-09-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highway Star

I think it depends on what you're doing. I'm nervous under my car no matter how it is held up. I use ramps or giant 8x8's or boards right under the tires after they're off the ground enough...and then jack it down slowly onto the ramps or wood.

I've done that more than once. Jack up one front tire then lower it onto a ramp then do the other side. I'm not going to try and drive up a set of ramps inside the garage.

shadowgray396 · #5 10-09-2010, 04:10 PM

If you are leaving the tires on the car, I like to use my wheele dollies. The car sits up high enough so I can slide under it and work on what I need to. I have put the jack stands just behind the front tires under the frame, but I always leave the jack under the front crossmember to help with the sag problem. I never work on my car with only jack stands, I always leave the jack under it somewhere if I'm going to be under it. A little extra safety precaution.

Ray

Warputer · #6 10-09-2010, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowgray396

I have put the jack stands just behind the front tires under the frame, but I always leave the jack under the front crossmember to help with the sag problem. I never work on my car with only jack stands, I always leave the jack under it somewhere if I'm going to be under it. A little extra safety precaution.

Ray

Well said Ray, I completely agree.

And for the back, I've always used the stands under the rear axle (out towards the wheels) with the jack under the rear end.

Hank70SS · #7 10-09-2010, 06:48 PM

Guess I'm not the only one that doesn't want a car falling on me. I use two sets of jack stands sometimes. I have one set that is for 4x4's or taller vehicles and a regular set. Put the taller set out at the end of the frame and the regular ones in closer to the wheels. I do use the floor jack along with the jack stands sometimes too.

My son picked up a set of rubber wheel chocks somewhere. The kind with the metal loops in them, they use them to block airplane wheels. I use those to block the wheels. The older I get the more I think about safety while under a car.

Ms Grumpy · #8 10-09-2010, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hank70SS

The older I get the more I think about safety while under a car.

Can never be to safe.

grandsport · #9 10-09-2010, 08:14 PM

This will be for when I start taking my car apart.Yes tires will be off and motor pulled after a while.

shadowgray396 · #10 10-09-2010, 08:43 PM

Pull the motor then put it on jack stands. I have never pulled a motor with it on jack stands. I still would have something under the front crossmember like some big blocks of wood and under the rear end. Something about jack stands for me, they just don't feel that safe to me.