DA1984VETTE

I have another question on jacking up our C4's. I have been using the jacking points to raise my car. I was changing the oil the other day and saw the cross member. Why can't this be used to jack up the front of the car with a low profile jack? Is this an area that would be strong enough to lift the car?

Frizlefrak

I often use the front crossmember to jack the car. I use a small cheapie Harbor Freight jack under the jacking points to get it high enough to center the big floor jack under the crossmember, and then up it goes....the whole front end at one time. You can then position your jack stands under the front factory jack points.

Then.....once the front is up, you can raise the rear by the shock mounts and put the car on 4 stands easily.

DA1984VETTE

Thanks Friz, I was thinking of buying one of the race jacks at Harbor Freight.

Frizlefrak

Watch their sales....sometimes you can pick them up cheap. They had a nice shiny low profile aluminum jack on sale not too long ago....

SQUIRMIN VERMIN 84

I tried two of the smallest HF bottle jacks (before Kwiklift), but they were too high for the front points. Which cheapie jax were you referring to? I have to use the stock 'jackavette' on the Kwiklift but it's tedious and won't last forever..

ottawabarber

I am not speaking for Friz, but I think he means a pump jack, NOT a bottle jack.

Here is one from HF as an example, goes from 2 3/4" to 20"

DA1984VETTE

Yep...that's what I am talking about getting. Every once in awhile like Friz said they have a coupon for the racing jacks for $59...I think their original price on it $99.

wro87

Watch some of your magazines they have a 20% off coupon for HARBOR FREIGHT and it can save you more $$$$. A lot of the time they will let you use it on sale items also.

Good SHOPPING
wro87

Frizlefrak

I just use their $20 trolley jack to get the nose up a bit, then use my big Craftsman floor jack to finish things off. The next time I see a coupon for their aluminum racing jack for $59, it's following me home though.

PLRX

This is something you guys can do. If you have a low profile jack and your Vette has
not been lower you can rise the Vette using the lower cross member.

If your Vette has been lowered the spoiler will not allow a low profile jack to go
under the Vette.

You can go to Home Depot, buy a plank of lumber and build a small ramp like this
one (photo below). It will rise your Vette high enough for any jack to fit and get
it on jack stands.

PLRX

Now, lets say you can not afford to buy planks there is another way I used to do before I bought mine. For this you need another jack, at least the cheap 2 1/2 tons.

On one side you lift enough for the jack to fit and raise at the cross member.

You place your 2nd jack here, raise it until the jack fits underneath. Don't worry, it will balance itself out as long you place the jack dead center on the cross member.

Cruisinfanatic

not on floor jacks

corvetteronw

This works for me. Rhino ramps and some 2 x 6 planks. I drive up onto them while looking at an old mirror that I have propped up so I can see where the left front wheel is. Then unlatch the ramp and pull it away. I then use a Jack a Vette on the rear pumpkin and set jack stands under the rear. Allows plenty of room to lay on a creeper and work on the car's underbelly.
I will probably sell this lash up some day when I can afford to buy a real lift.