Four jack stands operation

[Doug.gaspo]

Hello, I am going to send my four wheels out to be refinished and have a question. I see by a thread and photos very clearly where the four stands need to go and I understand using the wood.
My question is: I have one floor Jack like the one in the photo, please confirm its ok to raise the car in the front from the center with the floor jack between the lift pads and then lower on to the jack stands. Same question for the rear end. If the four corner jack pad locations are for the jack stand, where is it stated it ok to lift from center? Seems the safest way is to have to two floor jacks, to use at the same time left and right, or is it an over kill? Also can someone confirm the car can sit for three weeks on only the four jack stands with the wheels( suspension) hanging down?

This will be my first time jacking my car, thanks for the advice in advance.

Gaspo

[NightFlyer]

Hello, I am going to send my four wheels out to be refinished and have a question. I see by a thread and photos very clearly where the four stands need to go and I understand using the wood.
My question is: I have one floor Jack like the one in the photo, please confirm its ok to raise the car in the front from the center with the floor jack between the lift pads and then lower on to the jack stands. Same question for the rear end. If the four corner jack pad locations are for the jack stand, where is it stated it ok to lift from center? Seems the safest way is to have to two floor jacks, to use at the same time left and right, or is it an over kill? Also can someone confirm the car can sit for three weeks on only the four jack stands with the wheels( suspension) hanging down?

This will be my first time jacking my car, thanks for the advice in advance.

Gaspo

Not sure what photos you're referencing exactly, but you can safely jack it up anywhere on the frame except for the front extension (and the fuel tank closing plate) - just use a piece of wood/rubber on the jack pad (I personally also like to cover the wood with a shop cloth/towel so that something soft is actually making contact with the frame as opposed to something hard).

I locate the four jack stands on the frame, with a piece of wood topping each jack stand, and a piece of old carpet topping each piece of wood.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26626&d=1397860060http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26627&d=1397860096http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26625&d=1397860020

I let my car sit like this, with the suspension hanging, for the last 10 years and this entire past winter - in fact, it's still currently up in the air (probably for another 3-4 weeks). I'm 100% stock/OEM Dunmurry with the suspension, and letting it sit like this over long periods hasn't caused me any troubles.

I've never used the factory jack points - there's just something unsettling about jacking up the car on the fiberglass IMHO.

PS - Ignore my messy garage. I still haven't made it out there to get things all cleaned up yet. This next week for sure though :smile:

[Jonathan]

I agree with Josh on his advice.

99% of the time I jack the car up to do something it is with the front up all at once, or the rear if needed. I rarely do just one corner. I also jack from the cross members in front or rear, directly centering the jack under it with a piece of wood spanning some of that distance to distribute the force. Once it is up to a sufficient height, I'll lower it down onto the jack stands at the edges of my piece of lumber (I use two smaller pieces of wood for the jack stand contact points). This technique seems to work well when doing front or rear work.

If you need to get all four in the air, you can do the same and if the height you intend to get to ultimately seems too steep in one go, you can jack it up in segments. Like the front up half way, then go around to do the rear to the height you want, then finish the front. Be careful when reviewing your work area before starting to ensure you have good surfaces and ones where you know if something is going to be on a slight angle. Once the 3rd and 4th wheels leave the ground, you won't have the benefit of a parking brake keeping things still. For this reason I would apply the parking brake (or chauk the rear wheels), then get the front in the air, and then do the rear. 62% of the weight is in the rear, so be cautious of extreme angles while you are in progress. Keep others away from the area, including your dog/wife, until it is up, and then it should be plenty stable. It's the inbetween stage that needs the most attention.

[Doug.gaspo]

Thanks very much for both replies, its nice to confirm. I also Spoke with Josh (DPI) and you are all on the same page and I can now jack it up with confidence!

Gaspo

[Doug.gaspo]

NightFlyer my car in the garage looks almost identical in all respects, in-fact I thought it was mine. Except the blue cup, whats the job of the blue cup?

Gaspo

[NightFlyer]

NightFlyer my car in the garage looks almost identical in all respects, in-fact I thought it was mine. Except the blue cup, whats the job of the blue cup?

Gaspo

Ah yes - my blue cup...

You know, I honestly have no idea why that's there - it was like that when I bought the house and I just never got around to messing with it yet.

[DMCMW Dave]

I've never used the factory jack points - there's just something unsettling about jacking up the car on the fiberglass IMHO.

:


Hmmm Watch someone put a DeLorean on a lift sometime. :wrenchin:

I've had my personal car on the lift, using the fiberglass lift points (engineered there for the purpose) for entire winters at a time with no ill effects. Pretty amazing when you realize that means that the entire weight of the frame and engine is hanging from the 10 body bolts.

[NightFlyer]

Hmmm Watch someone put a DeLorean on a lift sometime. :wrenchin:

I've had my personal car on the lift, using the fiberglass lift points (engineered there for the purpose) for entire winters at a time with no ill effects. Pretty amazing when you realize that means that the entire weight of the frame and engine is hanging from the 10 body bolts.

No doubt that it can be done - it's just unsettling to me, as I once watched my father put a jack through the fiberglass on his '68 Corvette :bawling:

[DMCMW Dave]

No doubt that it can be done - it's just unsettling to me, as I once watched my father put a jack through the fiberglass on his '68 Corvette :bawling:

That would happen on a DeLorean if you put the jack under the seat, for example. The corner jacking points are VERY strong.

[Ron]

No doubt that it can be done - it's just unsettling to me, as I once watched my father put a jack through the fiberglass on his '68 Corvette :bawling:OUCH!
..I can't count the times I had to repair a radiator where someone thought the frame running under it was a little 'weaker than expected" ;-)

[Jeff K]

If you are using the factory jacking points, use a hockey puck on top of each jack-stand.

This way hard rubber is contacting the car not metal to possible fiberglass.

Jeff

[jawn101]

I personally never lift the car by the corner jack points. Would only really consider doing so on the side of the road to change a tire, which as we know isn't bloody likely to happen on a D anyway. I always lift by the engine cradle or the frame just beyond the crumple extension.