l.i. bruce fan

Although there have been a few threads on proper jacking procedure which were tremendously helpful (particularly this one: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html), but as a first time Vette owner and first time jack stand user, I bailed out of a project because I was a bit surprised when I lifted the car to put it on a jack stand so I could take off the front passenger wheel (to take in for curb rash repair).

When I got it lifted high enough to get jack stand under, the rear passenger wheel was off the ground, and when I lowered the car down onto the jack stand, the rear wheel came down but now the driver's side front wheel was a couple inches off the ground. Since the jack stand was at the passenger side mounting point (on diagram in post #8 in thread linked above https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1591486414), I wasn't sure if I could leave the car in the air that way for a couple of days.

I thought about jacking up the driver's side and putting the other jack stand on that side, but my garage is a little tight (and I’m not ready to try to jack the car up from the front center yet.

Appreciate any advice/reassurance.

JerryU

Bit hard to visualize your concern, but at least with a Z51's stiff springs an rear sway bar (which the base car does not have) it's common when lifting from the side from one Jack pad to have both front and rear raise. The C7 has a very stiff chassis.
Not sure about the concern but I usually raise both sides and use two Jack stands if getting under the car.

l.i. bruce fan

Thanks JerryU, and yes that was my first surprise, seeing the rear wheel rise, and no I have no need to get under the car (other than to place jack stand) but need to take one wheel into the shop for a few days, and don't trust my old floor jack to hold the car up for that long, so was planning on placing one jack stand on the side I was removing wheel from to hold it up. What I did not expect was that this would lift the other side as well!!

Wondering if it was a bad idea to leave the car jacked up with one jack stand (on the passenger side) leaving the driver's side front wheel to dangle a few inches off the ground.

hisvett

Jacking from the side is awkward for me just because of what you encountered. I always jack from the center (front or rear) cross-member and place jack stands on the outside (close to my floor jack) next to the lower "A" arm joints. Depending on how low your floor jack is, you may need to run the car up on a couple of 2X's before the jack will go under the cross-member.

Now if I'm changing the oil, the front two jack stands go under the front jacking pucks leaving the underside of the engine free for me to get at both drain plugs and filter. The rear stands will go under the rear cross-member keeping the car level.....just did this yesterday.

l.i. bruce fan

Do you have a cross beam for your jack or do you just center it to lift from the front/rear? I'd be a little nervous trying to center my floor jack to lift from the front/rear without a cross beam (which I don't have).

EcoBrick Bob

I too have had this happen with my Z51, but since I was adding other jack stands it wasn't an issue. Think two rear jack stands is the only solution for a 2 day stay.

JerryU

Only problem with a C7, unlike a C6 and some other Vettes is the cradle is made from a hollow aluminum casting NOT a forging. Castings are brittle compared to forgings. GM lists only one cross member in the front (and that one hard to access) that may be lifted from the center. In the rear there is no recommended spot, you should use a cross brace (beam.)
This is a pic from the 2014 Service Manual. Similar to what it says in the Owner's Manual but with more info. Lifting in the center, unless specified as acceptable is a risk, IMO and GM's of cracking the thin wall casting. Won't happen every time but small cracks can grow with repeated loading!




From 2014 Service Manual, Colored for Clarity.




Like You, I Raise Both Ends When Changing Oil. Made These Low Stanchions for the Rear That Fit With Just Small Jacks From The Side.

halt00

If you can swing it, I recommend the QuickJack 5000. There is a thread on here that has a ton of detail on it. I use it for maintenance (and mods ) on all four of my cars.

VETJAZZ

I raised the car at all four jacking points to place stands. It stayed this way for 3 days while I painted my calipers.

l.i. bruce fan

How did you lift it to place the jackstands that way? I presume from the frame "shipping slots" but with one or two floor jacks at a time? If two, both on one side or one each side rear then front, etc.

I just don't want to f' this up.

Thanks!

VETJAZZ

I used one jack. I did right front, then left front - right rear, etc. Using 2x4's was a little precarious. I now have jack stands with rubber protectors on the ends, so I can eliminate the wood. Also, with eliminating the need for the wood protection, you can easily lift one side enough to place both stands. Check out this thread.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...2-minutes.html

JerryU

FWIW, I use two jacks and jack one side about 1/2 way then move to the other and raise all the way than back to the first to raise fully before placing jack stands in the proper spots. I use rubber covers over the ends as noted.
Using 4 jack stands is not a recommended procedure (see warning on one of my best set of jack stands.) Since painting calipers does not require getting under the car it's not perhaps that bad BUT I would not get under a car with it raised on 4 stands.
Perhaps overly cautious but even changing oil the first time required me to switched to a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar from my planned 3/8 drive ratchet since one plug was that tight! Would not apply that amount of force with both ends of the car raised on jack stands.
To each his own.



Rubber pads for jack stands are a good idea. Using 4 jack stands to raise both ends of the car is warned against.

sTz

Race Ramps

hisvett

As in the photo posted, I set the jacks out close to the "A" arm connections.....no issues; look at it this way, if the area that is connected to the "A" arm can take all the punishment a pot-hole reddened road or high "G" loads turns at the track, it can withstand 25% of the cars weight (8 or 9 hundred lbs.)