What "exactly" do you guys do to place the rear of the Corvette on jack stands while:

1. maintaining 100% safety, and ensuring it can't slip out etc.





2. not scratching garage floor, scratching/denting frame rails.


I have a lot of vehicle general common sense and experience,
But I don't mind asking what you guys do. These cars are a bit specific underneath.


I seen people using blocks of 2x4 between frame and stand. I don't like this,
I have a coating on the garage floor that i don't want to scratch so I'm thinking of a 24"x24" piece of 3/4 plywood under each jackstand.

I am familiar with "just in front of the rear wheels and just behind the front wheels" I have a owners manual etc. and how the "cradle" works on the jackstand.

anyone have pics of your setup?

Im almost thinking of using a couple pieces of railway tie timber.
Think that would be safer?

 

I almost always stack some 4x4 sections under the car somewhere. I'm paranoid. I have visions of being suffocated under the car with a failed jack stand. Morbid, I know.

 

Not scratching your garage floor? I suppose you try to avoid bugs hitting your car when you are out driving too, huh? If you absolutely have to be a priss about it, I suggest cutting some 1/2 inch plywood into 12x12 squares to go under the jack stands. This will give the stands something to bite into.

I use regular sized jackstands on my rear and the heavy duty ones up front. They are about 6 inches taller and fit up in the curve of the front of the frame without extending to an unsafe distance. As for scratching your frame...JC man, its your FRAME. Rocks and asphalt are going to do worse to it. But, again, if you are a total weirdo and your car never leaves the garage, they make jack stand rubber bumpers...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/121457595423?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true
Please understand that my abrasive nature is how I welcome new guys. Let us know if you have more questions.

And for fawks sake...go get that garage floor a little dirty.

 

These jackstands will not scratch your floor or your frame.

http://www.asedeals.com/jacks/jack-s...k-stand-10498/

 

I use a small piece of timber or one of the rubber pads from my hoist between stand and chassis rail. I only have bare concrete (unfortunately, for now) but I use squares of plywood under my jack stands (and jack) if using them on my driveway, which is asphalt, to spread the load and protect the asphalt from getting little footprints from the stands and trolley jack wheels.

 

I use 6 jackstands....Here is a pic.




Brian

 

Most importantly, buy good quality jack stands. Use plywood as suggested. Additional protection for your floor would be to go to a carpet/wood floor dealer and purchase non skid wood floor protector padding. It goes between a hardwood floor and carpet. Use it to it on the plywood and as a pad to protect the frame. It is about 1/4 inch thick.

 

I also don't use the ratcheting jack style stands, just regular stands held up with pins. I've heard of a number of people having issues with the other sort, though I'm sure like everything, quality, upkeep, and methods are a big part in how safe or not they are.

 

Hi R,
Being extremely cautious about getting under the car is very good thing!!!
When I use jack stands I use a piece of 1' x1' x 3/4" white melamine coated shelving (I found a shelving kit that had 4 precut pieces in it) under the base of each jack stand so I don't scratch my floor.
I also use one of those blue rubber boots (that are made to be put on the end of the uprights on extension ladders and are used by house painters) or a folded piece of cloth on each of the jack stand's adjustable up-right so I don't mar the frame.
I typically put a jack stand under the front frame extension just forward of the bushing mount for the front sway bar on each side, and one on each side just forward go the frame kick-up (in the area of the triangular frame gusset between the frame rail and main rear crossmember.
On occasion I extend the rear jack stands' uprights nearer to their max height and place them to the rear of the differential mount crossmember.
Regards,
Alan

 

Be SAFE!
My friend's 30 second repair under his car WITHOUT jackstands cost him his LIFE (RIP CHAD).

 

I don't like jack stands, but at the race track, we have to use them. We put the car up on stands, between every session. If we're just checking brakes or switching tires, we'll only use the jack stands, but if we're going under the car, we'll leave the 3 ton floor jacks, under the car too.

We place the stands just aft of the number one body mount, and below the number 3 mount. We actually have four 6" long, 1" deep tabs, welded on the frame. Our stands have a dip in the center of the pads, that the frame tabs fit securely in.

 

Whatever you decide in getting your car up on stands, give the car a good shake!!! Better to come off the stands while your above the car and not under it.

 

My practice is to always put 2 jacks where most would put 1. So 2 close together on the frame just in front of the rear wheels and 2 close together just rear of the bend up behind the front tire. So 8 jacks total, 4 rachet and 4 with pins. I also put a 9th scissors jack under the belly pan.

After you get all 4 corners installed, check for what pump alignment machinists call "soft foot" in other words, tap each jack to make sure it is not moving. Since your floor or frame is likely not perfectly level, one of the 4 corners may not be holding any weight and can be easily pushed out. It is exciting to be under the car and push one of the 4 corner jacks out with your foot accidently. I shim with a plastic spacer or thin scrap piece of plywood as needed.

So, sometimes, I spend more time getting my jacks in place than the job, but it only takes a second or less for an accident maybe quicker.

Doorgunner, another bad jack story; my youngest son knows a guy who was working under a car with the engine out, the car fell off the jacks and the guy's head was in the open engine bay area and so he was unhurt and very lucky or maybe it just was not his time to go

 

I put the car up on the jack stands to the height I need then slide a couple tire with rims under the frame if you don't want to scratch the floor put a piece of plywood under the tire first add spacers as needed

 

This is what i usually do as the the reason it's on stands and not on ramps is because I need to take the tires off.

 

Horror Story. In the '60's my uncle was under his car changing his oil. The jack failed and he was pinned under the car. Unfortunately when the car came down something sparked and the car caught fire. He was wearing a nylon shirt (it was the 60's after all). The fire department arrived, put out the fire, Then found him trapped under the car. He survived but he laid under the car for over two hours with second and third degree burns over 60% of his body. The worst part was that his shirt literally melted into his skin and they had to scrape it off him in the ER. You can't be too safe when crawling under a car. Not only should you double check the stands, but be conscience of everything, even the clothes you are wearing. I remember it to this day and still get he bee gee bees every time I crawl under.

 

I do this and hit stands with a 2x4 trying to get them to move....

Brian

 

Have heard that what you DO NOT WANT TO DO is put the car up on cinder blocks. Used to do that all the time too, as they were cheap and convenient.

 

I bought one of the BL5000SLX at Corvettes at Carlisle this year. Quicker and easier and safer in my opinion than the jack stand routine.

 

When you see the block start to crack and crumble.......well, it's too late!