janmn

I realize this is a trivial question, but I am a newbie, and at least I hope it's easy to answer.

I want to lift my 1976 Corvette with a garage jack and place it on stand jacks. I suppose the stand jacks should be placed around the door frame, but where do i lift the car with the garage jack so I don't wreck anything?

Easy Mike

Put your floor jack against the frame at any of the stock jacking points. Jacking instructions are shown on the door of the jack storage compartment and in the owner's manual.

The intent is to jack the frame, not the fiberglass. Sounds like a no brainer, but I can recall a post a few years back from a fellow who put his jack under the floor with the predictable consequences.

Be safe.

janmn

Thanks for your reply Mike.
I am still a bit puzzled about how to lift the car up there using the garage jack. My first guess was lifting at the cross member and the rear differential, but do I risk breaking something and are there better places to lift?

Easy Mike

Under the differential is safe. Under the front crossmember is not recommended. The crossmembers can literally dent.

janmn

OK thanks, but where should I jack it up in the front then? (I apologize for being a bit slow, but I would rather be absolutely sure than real sad after the fact...)

anmracing

Your best bet will be at the frame for sure...... Make sure your hood and doors are open too......

janmn

Thanks for the heads up on the doors and hood.

Mberglo

Best to jack one side up at a time, rather than front or back. You can easily stay on the frame member that way.

eidnolB

where on the front exacally

tonak

Personally I use 12 ton stands that are like 21" high at their lowest. I jack under the front cross member to get to where I can put small stands on the frame, lower the jack a bit so I can put a 4x4 on the jack pad. I then move it up to the required height. I then repeat that sequence for the rears. Gets it up high enough and it's sturdy.

noonie

I have used the diff and the front xmember for the last 30+ years on these. On the xmember just use a piece of 3/4 plywood or 2x4 etc so it straddles the edges. Never bent one.
No need to worry about doors or ttops.
Placing the stands as close to the front wheels simulates the driving stance and prevents the catilever effect from the weight of the engine and front end etc drooping the frame.
Use the biggest stands possible.
The jacking instructions were only for emergency use to change a tire with the jack supplied.

Always shake the car well before working on it. If you want to be really safe, lay an inflated spare tire near you when under it.

PRNDL

That's what I do - place the jack under the frame on the side of the car so I lift both front and rear wheels on one side of the car at the same time. The recommended jack points in the service manual do not include places to lift the front or the rear from the middle, ie they do not recommend lifting under the diff and certainly not the oilpan. Make sure your wheels under the floorjack turn freely or you will push the car right off the jackstands when you jack up the other side.

GD70

I'd be afraid the car would slip off the jack as I'm jacking it up side to side. I usually do either the front or back if I'm lifting the entire car. One side is fine if you're working on that side only. Is this incorrect?
Just my 2c.

eidnolB

Thanks for the pics.

Mberglo

My floor jack has wheels and my stands have V shaped pads. I jack the whole car up, one side at a time. No dangers of slippage.

Try it next time! Make your own call.

Duane4238

I understand your apprehension about lifting a side at a time. I'd also be afraid of the car slipping off the jackstands when starting to lift the other side. I lift the front of the car, first, by putting a floor jack under the a-arms near the lower ball joints, about where the bottom of the shock attaches. I use 2 floor jacks that have 1" thick rubber pads on the lifting cups. Lift both sides at the same time. When high enough, slip your jackstands under the frame at the spot indicated on the jacking instructions. Next, I put one of the floor jacks under the differential and lift until the correct height is reached. Then put your other two jackstands in place under the frame also where indicated on the jacking instructions. If memory serves me well, and lately it hasn't, the front jackstands go about 12" back from the front wheel opening on the frame, and the rear jackstand should be placed about 6" forward of the rear wheel opening on the frame. But check those location measurements just to be sure and safe. Been doing it like this for the past 36 years and have never had any problems with doors or hood or fenders, etc. Good Luck!