Safety Question/Concern
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Flower Mound TX
Safety Question/Concern
I was playing with the vette tonight, getting the passenger rear T/A off. As I was getting them off the car seemed to be a little more shakey than it has been, not bad but some difference. I still have the front suspension and the rest of the rear suspension to remove.
My concern is that the force I am having to use to loosen bolts and even some hammering may be needed, is shaking the car more and more. Also as I remove stuff it is lighter and lighter.
What precautions should I be thinking about to possibly make it sturdier. I want the car to stay up at the 30" height I have it at right now so I can get under it easier and not have to do a huge amount of bending when I start the body work.
Once the front suspension is off, will the car bee too light to keep up at that height safely? additional 12 ton stands? Any other ways to keep it stable?
Maybe I am just being a little to cautious, but my son is out there with me most days and I dont want him or I to get hurt.
Thanks
My concern is that the force I am having to use to loosen bolts and even some hammering may be needed, is shaking the car more and more. Also as I remove stuff it is lighter and lighter.
What precautions should I be thinking about to possibly make it sturdier. I want the car to stay up at the 30" height I have it at right now so I can get under it easier and not have to do a huge amount of bending when I start the body work.
Once the front suspension is off, will the car bee too light to keep up at that height safely? additional 12 ton stands? Any other ways to keep it stable?
Maybe I am just being a little to cautious, but my son is out there with me most days and I dont want him or I to get hurt.
Thanks
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
You're on the right track to ensure a safe working environment. Safety should be paramount when working under these old cars.
Have you got a copy of the AIM (assembly instruction manual) for your year? It will show the 4 lift or jack points on the frame. Your rear ones look correctly positioned.
Is the motor in the first picture, out of the car? I found that relieving the weight from the rear axle wanted to tip the nose down in mine as the motor was still in it. I stabilized by adding a 5th support point under the front crossmember.
Not as big a concern if the engine bay is empty.
My only suggestion is to relocate the 2 forward jack stands a little farther outboard and rearward on the frame than where they appear to be in the photo. The AIM will explain it; the Owners Manual may also have it described. You can always use the "search" feature here to get the straight skinny too.
Once the jackstands are in the recommended location, they will support the car fine.
Have you got a copy of the AIM (assembly instruction manual) for your year? It will show the 4 lift or jack points on the frame. Your rear ones look correctly positioned.
Is the motor in the first picture, out of the car? I found that relieving the weight from the rear axle wanted to tip the nose down in mine as the motor was still in it. I stabilized by adding a 5th support point under the front crossmember.
Not as big a concern if the engine bay is empty.
My only suggestion is to relocate the 2 forward jack stands a little farther outboard and rearward on the frame than where they appear to be in the photo. The AIM will explain it; the Owners Manual may also have it described. You can always use the "search" feature here to get the straight skinny too.
Once the jackstands are in the recommended location, they will support the car fine.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
If you have the engine out, I can see your concern. Once you start removing 100 pounds from one area, it can shift the weight to the other points on the jacks. And then putting the engine back in will really stress the weight limits on the front of the jacks.
When I am working under my car I use more jacks than I think is needed, and keep a hydraulic jack in place as extra insurance. In your case you have your car lifted past the hydraulic jack area, so you may want to put extra jacks in at other load points such as the front crossmember as insurance.
kdf
When I am working under my car I use more jacks than I think is needed, and keep a hydraulic jack in place as extra insurance. In your case you have your car lifted past the hydraulic jack area, so you may want to put extra jacks in at other load points such as the front crossmember as insurance.
kdf
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Flower Mound TX
The location of the front 2 jacks were decided upon because it gave the most stability at the time. when the engine was in, I actually had them at the end of the frame (which is listed as one of the 6 jack stand points). Then after the engine out I moved them to where they are now so I can easily get to the front suspension.
I did try the 2 stands futher back toward the doors but it had a slight rock in the car at that point. maybe the shape of the frame or the grarage floor itself (or both) added to that. where they are now did not rock at all.
Maybe the shifting of the weight front to back is really what I am noticing. when I was removing the passenger T/A it seemed to shift a little when I had to put some pressure on the leef spring bolts.
I think I will add 2 more jack stands to the front tips again. The side to side seems fine. I will just checking it and adjusting it if need be.
I did try the 2 stands futher back toward the doors but it had a slight rock in the car at that point. maybe the shape of the frame or the grarage floor itself (or both) added to that. where they are now did not rock at all.
Maybe the shifting of the weight front to back is really what I am noticing. when I was removing the passenger T/A it seemed to shift a little when I had to put some pressure on the leef spring bolts.
I think I will add 2 more jack stands to the front tips again. The side to side seems fine. I will just checking it and adjusting it if need be.
Last edited by efather; Apr 15, 2011 at 07:23 AM. Reason: more info
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 27
From: Sonora CA
At that height, it's always a challenge to keep the car stabilized. Adding more jack stands will definately help, even if they are just in temporary places and you keep moving them around. One thing I NEVER, EVER do, is place a jack stand under the frame, (or anywhere under the car, for that matter) without a rubber pad between the points of contact. This helps even out the "hard" points and helps eliminate the slippage associated with metal-to-metal contact. And because I live in earthquake country, I have built wooden cribs as an extra precausion. If I had to work under a car at that height, I would definately take the time to fabricate some sort of pads, craddles, etc. to go on top of the jack stands.
Any time you use 4, or more support points, especially with metal-to-metal contact, you will always have at least one point that isn't supporting it's share of weight. You coupl have the straightest frame in the world, and it still will have a "soft point". Mabe an uneven floor, differences in the jack stands, etc.
ALWAYS USE RESILIENT PADS! Even if you have to chop up an old tire,
Any time you use 4, or more support points, especially with metal-to-metal contact, you will always have at least one point that isn't supporting it's share of weight. You coupl have the straightest frame in the world, and it still will have a "soft point". Mabe an uneven floor, differences in the jack stands, etc.
ALWAYS USE RESILIENT PADS! Even if you have to chop up an old tire,
Last edited by imariver; Apr 15, 2011 at 09:57 AM. Reason: added more info
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Flower Mound TX
It did not occur to me to try and put a pad under the stand and even between the frame and stand, such a simple little thing but makes all the sense in the world.
I most likely am going to go get 2 more stands, and something to prevent prevent the slippage.
May not be an issue, but a piece of mind is a very good thing
I most likely am going to go get 2 more stands, and something to prevent prevent the slippage.
May not be an issue, but a piece of mind is a very good thing
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Take this for what it's worth but I was taught to NEVER have all the jack stands at their maximum height. I bet one good shove from the side would topple them all over.
I was taught basic mechanics by a former WW2 tank instructor. After we jacked up a car, he would come along and do his best to knock loose. If it moved at all, it failed.
I was taught basic mechanics by a former WW2 tank instructor. After we jacked up a car, he would come along and do his best to knock loose. If it moved at all, it failed.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 719
From: Lafayette Louisiana
ditto for me too
[When I am working under my car I use more jacks than I think is needed, and keep a hydraulic jack in place as extra insurance. In your case you have your car lifted past the hydraulic jack area, so you may want to put extra jacks in at other load points such as the front crossmember as insurance.
kdf[/QUOTE]
I always use 8 jacks, two on each corner of the frame per AIM, and another one under the front cross member and 10th one in the back. Likely overkill I know, but I like to have the Corvette higher to get access easier.
Speaking of soft corners with only 4 jacks, when I bought my 76, the seller per my request had jacked it up in his driveway for me to look over underneath. While crawling around checking out the underside, I accidently bumped one of the 4 jacks out as it was just sitting there with no weight on it. This freaked me and the seller out a bit, but I bought the car anyway. Maybe this is why I like lots of jacks?
kdf[/QUOTE]
I always use 8 jacks, two on each corner of the frame per AIM, and another one under the front cross member and 10th one in the back. Likely overkill I know, but I like to have the Corvette higher to get access easier.
Speaking of soft corners with only 4 jacks, when I bought my 76, the seller per my request had jacked it up in his driveway for me to look over underneath. While crawling around checking out the underside, I accidently bumped one of the 4 jacks out as it was just sitting there with no weight on it. This freaked me and the seller out a bit
, but I bought the car anyway. Maybe this is why I like lots of jacks?
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
I see that people build body stands out of wood to support and roll the body around when it is off the frame
...does it make any sense to do something like that(tho stronger?) for the whole car?
I wouldn't mind to be able to move my project car around alittle, and have it off its wheels
...does it make any sense to do something like that(tho stronger?) for the whole car?
I wouldn't mind to be able to move my project car around alittle, and have it off its wheels
Last edited by T Rush; Apr 16, 2011 at 04:02 AM.
