Jackstands:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Port Allen Louisiana
Jackstands:
I'm going to be doing some brake work among other things, so my C3 with be up in the air on four jackstands for maybe up to 4 weeks. My question is where would be the best spots be to place the jackstands for this long? Should the shocks hang for that long? Best places????
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,743
Likes: 289
From: Chardon Ohio
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
under the diffy is ok-use a block of wood so that the boltheads don't contact the jack directly. this will prevent the tail from dropping. i use jacks under the frame extensions (near to where the front sway bar is attached) to support the front end-the weight of the motor is tough on these old frames.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 81
From: Hamilton Virginia
Putting a jack stand under the front crossmember is a must to keep it from sagging since it has all the engine weight in that area. Using a hydraulic jack is not a good idea, cause they have a tendancy to bleed down some after sitting for a long period.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Chino Hills Ca
So I want to get this right. I can lift the front end with a floor jack under the front cross member instead of jacking each side. Then put jack stands on each side on frame rail. That's how I jack up the front of my Mustang.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
that's how i do it. just use a piece of 2x4 on the jack face that's long enough to extend over both ends (going from front to back) of the crossmember so that the structural sides absorb the weight, not the flat bottom.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 34
From: Ontario
I put the 4 stands on the side rails , I also have 2 trailer leveling stands , they are easily adjustable. I put 1 under the front crossmember and the other one under the rear spring mount and screw them up to support the weight .
Bill
Bill
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 9
We've all done it a hundred times apiece, but Chevrolet does NOT recommend using the engine cradle crossmember or the spring perch under the differential as jacking points on a C3.
They show only the front sway bar frame extentions, the front lower control arms, and the side frame rails, just in front of and behind the doors as approved places.
They show only the front sway bar frame extentions, the front lower control arms, and the side frame rails, just in front of and behind the doors as approved places.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Mine has sat on jackstands so placed for years at a time without issue (there now), tho never with an engine installed for more than a few weeks. That said, when going onto 4 stands I've always jacked up each side, rather than each end, raising the car incrementally from side to side until reaching the desired height. ...avoids the issue of finding a good place to jack the front entirely. YMMV
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Be Safe - Why Not
I support my cars way off the ground up high. I support the vet at each end of the frame on the jack points and under the engine cross member in the front.
I also put several other jack stand under the car, not supporting the car but set up to but not touching the car, as close as I can get them.
I read the newspaper daily and every few years there is an article about some local person crushed by a car falling on them. Jack stand can be purchased very cheaply from the major chain stores and moved around easily when not supporting the car. Why not put several under the car and be safe.
I also put several other jack stand under the car, not supporting the car but set up to but not touching the car, as close as I can get them.
I read the newspaper daily and every few years there is an article about some local person crushed by a car falling on them. Jack stand can be purchased very cheaply from the major chain stores and moved around easily when not supporting the car. Why not put several under the car and be safe.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,743
Likes: 289
From: Chardon Ohio
....I read the newspaper daily and every few years there is an article about some local person crushed by a car falling on them. Jack stand can be purchased very cheaply from the major chain stores and moved around easily when not supporting the car. Why not put several under the car and be safe.
Good idea to have a couple extra not touching. (note to self - get more jack stands) 
