Open Doors when lifting a Corvette??
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
Open Doors when lifting a Corvette??
I took my vette into the shop, and I saw the mechanic open up both doors, then he proceeded to lift the car up on the lift. I went out into the shop, and I asked him why he had my doors open with the car in the air, and he said that it was so the fiberglass body could flex. He said if you lift a Corvette, or any fiberglass car with the doors closed, it could crack the body because of too much stress. Is this true? I haven't heard of this before, so I wanted to check. If it is true, does the same apply to when I lift the vehicle up with a floor jack? TIA folks...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 948
Likes: 0
From: Johnston Iowa
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
I have always heard that you should leave the doors closed so that the body does not flex.
The doors add support.
Always heard never to open the doors when the car is jacked up.
The doors add support.
Always heard never to open the doors when the car is jacked up.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA Website: ChrisMitchell.us
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
This is true, sorta. If there is not much gap between the front edge of the door and the back edge of the front fender then you want to open the doors prior to lifting and not shut them until it has been lowered.
If you have a big enough gap then you can leave the doors closed when jacking, just dont open them until its back on the ground. So the biggist thing is dont open or close your doors when its in the air.
P.S. If you want to see the damage that can be cuased by not taking the precautions then I can take a closeup picture when I get home. :nonod:
If you have a big enough gap then you can leave the doors closed when jacking, just dont open them until its back on the ground. So the biggist thing is dont open or close your doors when its in the air.
P.S. If you want to see the damage that can be cuased by not taking the precautions then I can take a closeup picture when I get home. :nonod:
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
I leave my door open before jacking and putting on stand in case I need to get in it, once it up in the air the might not open. And as stated don't try to close the door if it is open before jacking/lifting. BTW even worse with a vert.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
I took my vette into the shop, and I saw the mechanic open up both doors, then he proceeded to lift the car up on the lift. I went out into the shop, and I asked him why he had my doors open with the car in the air, and he said that it was so the fiberglass body could flex. He said if you lift a Corvette, or any fiberglass car with the doors closed, it could crack the body because of too much stress. Is this true? I haven't heard of this before, so I wanted to check. If it is true, does the same apply to when I lift the vehicle up with a floor jack? TIA folks...
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (wcsinx)
At the very least the windows need to be rolled down . I have heard of others that say to remove the T-tops too but I never have. If my doors are closed when I lift it I can tell they are shifting by looking at the gaps. My car has some pretty big gaps to begin with.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (redwingvette)
We always open everything, doors, hood, t-tops. Vettes weight ratio is 51% front 49% rear.When you lift the car in the air, the front sags and so does the rear. If the doors are close your putting a lot of tension on the door strickers. When you close your door but not all the way you will notice that it clicks once an if you push harder the door will shut all the way. Put it on that 1st click and you'll be OK. Just pop the hood. You don't need to raise it all the way up. For the t-tops we just release the latch and let the sit there. Becareful that they are in place when you relatch them. On th C1's you should leave the doors closed but spread the lift legs out as far as possible. On the C3's, they sag and you can actuall see the car flex as it lifts. Just look at the door jams and you can see it. I would recommend opening everything.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
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
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 2
From: Norcross GA
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Van Steel)
Maybe it's different when the car is jacked up or on stands, but isn't the car up in the air when it is sitting on it's four wheels? Four wheels, four jack stands, whats the difference other than the stress is in a slightly different point.
My doors, windows, t-tops, hood all work exactly the same with no changes in dimensions from being on it's wheels vs. jackstands.
My doors, windows, t-tops, hood all work exactly the same with no changes in dimensions from being on it's wheels vs. jackstands.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
Open left door, close right window, crack left window 1/16 inch, close cover before striking, do not put head or arms out of window, shake before openning. I think that covers it :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dep
No no no I don't smoke it no more...I'm tired of waking up on the floor.
Dep
No no no I don't smoke it no more...I'm tired of waking up on the floor.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Bobchad)
Just think about where the jack stand is as compared to where the a-arms are, the eng is inside the box when on the wheels and outside when up in the air. So is goes from apply down force inside the box to upply up force from outside the box. Try putting a 2x4 on a set of sawhorses with a heavy weight inbetween them but close to one of the horses, then move the horses in so the weight is outside the sawhorses.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Fevre)
I jack my Vette right in the middle and BOTH wheels come off the ground. Lots of creaking but no cracking (yet) :D
Dep
Dep
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Dep)
I jack my Vette right in the middle and BOTH wheels come off the ground. Lots of creaking but no cracking (yet) :D
Dep
Dep
:nono:
.
.
.
.
.
.
Don't tell anyone but I do it too. :)
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Fevre)
Maybe it's different when the car is jacked up or on stands, but isn't the car up in the air when it is sitting on it's four wheels? Four wheels, four jack stands, whats the difference other than the stress is in a slightly different point
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you ever noticed when you jack up the car, especially in the rear, that the tires fold in. You putting tension on all the suspension parts when it's off the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you ever noticed when you jack up the car, especially in the rear, that the tires fold in. You putting tension on all the suspension parts when it's off the ground.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
Likes: 10
From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
I never lift or raise my car unless the ambient temperarure is between 68 and 72 degrees, the barometor is rising, the humidity is less than 50%, it's not monday or wednesday, it's not after 1:47AM, and I have my lucky rabbits foot in my right rear pocket :crazy:
IMO if your car flexes enough to break stuff when lifted, it's got other issues........
IMO if your car flexes enough to break stuff when lifted, it's got other issues........
Racer
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Murphy Texas
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (yellow 72)
I hope it doesn't hurt it too bad when it's sitting on jacks for an extended period of time. Mine looks like it was carjacked and left on the side of the road! :smash:
I put it up on 4 jacks to clean and paint, while at the same time completely re-do the front suspension and power steering. Well, of course after I got everything off and started to clean, I hit a financial snag and couldn't order the parts right away. That was 2 months ago.
The good news is I finally was able to order the parts, some of which arrived today. I hope to have it put back together over the next 2 weeks. Needless to say, the car looks pretty good underneath now since I haven't had anything better to do. :D
Once I finish the suspension and power steering, all I have left to do is the complete interior, complete exterior and of course some engine modifications..... Jeez, I'm almost done! :rofl:
I put it up on 4 jacks to clean and paint, while at the same time completely re-do the front suspension and power steering. Well, of course after I got everything off and started to clean, I hit a financial snag and couldn't order the parts right away. That was 2 months ago.
The good news is I finally was able to order the parts, some of which arrived today. I hope to have it put back together over the next 2 weeks. Needless to say, the car looks pretty good underneath now since I haven't had anything better to do. :D
Once I finish the suspension and power steering, all I have left to do is the complete interior, complete exterior and of course some engine modifications..... Jeez, I'm almost done! :rofl:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 8
From: Where are the Smoky Mountain Cruisers? Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (USA SHARK)
I usually leave my doors closed and try to work on one side of the car at a time. I recently had work done on the car, visited the shop, the car was on four jack stands, two in front the back wheels and two located behind the front wheels near the door fender split line. Anyway, the gap between the door and fender about freaked me out.:eek: That's life in the vert lane. :lolg:
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: Long Island NY
Re: Open Doors when lifting a Corvette?? (Jasonty)
I took my vette into the shop, and I saw the mechanic open up both doors, then he proceeded to lift the car up on the lift. I went out into the shop, and I asked him why he had my doors open with the car in the air, and he said that it was so the fiberglass body could flex. He said if you lift a Corvette, or any fiberglass car with the doors closed, it could crack the body because of too much stress. Is this true? I haven't heard of this before, so I wanted to check. If it is true, does the same apply to when I lift the vehicle up with a floor jack? TIA folks...