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Back in the new days (15 months ago ), I was lost. How do I get my C4 on jack stands? I first did the poor choice, jacking at the points from the manual, right next to each tire and one tire at a time. It was ugly seeing my car with one wheel high, what kind of stress was that causing on frame and other pieces?
Well, short story, I heard of the side jacking, it makes total sense to me and works great. So, here's how and some pics, I never found pics myself.
Okay, here we go:
1. What to get:
a low profile jack with good sized top cup, 3"-4" diameter, not the cheapies with a 1.5" cup.
Four Jack stands, 3-ton a pair is fine.
A hockey puck or similar. Not a toy puck, a real one!
2. What to do:
Parking brake on and chock your wheels on the other side.
Put the hockey puck in your jack cup. Don't need to secure.
At the side of your car, stand by the mirrors and trace a line straight down about 6" back from the mirror.
Look under the side, check the tubes, look for a place where they bend up very close to your line. If you can't find, don't worry, pay attention when placing the jack puck.
There should be a screw sticking down a bit behind your line, stay in front of that (other year than 1987 may be different), but good spot is close.
Position jack as shown.
Move the puck in your jack cup all the way to the edge facing the car. Keep it in the cup.
Raise jack and position puck similar to pic. Watch for tubes!! Don't worry about your rocker panel edge, the puck is nice to it.
This is with car raised on jack, you get the idea where to end up.
Raise the jack to height you need. Don't go really high, only one side at a time is raised! Use your judgment. 12" - 15" is good for me. Some go much higher than me!
Put jack stands in place, good spots behind front wheel and in front of rear, look around the 'Net for some pics. Those you can find. UPDATE: See below!
Lower slowly and then do the other side.
To raise higher, raise one side then the other.
My jack stands are there but I ain't on them at the moment!
UPDATE: 2018-08-15
Took the time to get some extra pics for common questions.
See the jack?
Yeah, I know about the rear dropping too far. Maybe I'll chase after I get the oil loss fixed.
Front jack point
Rear jack point
She seems calm, neh?
UPDATE 2022-05-31: Adding Tom400CFI's Youtube since he's too lazy. Kidding Tom, kidding!
You did remember to open the hood and ashtray when jacking like that?!?
Sometimes. Notice the hood is up in the pics.
Seriously, down or up is fine, this method doesn't twist the frame. Just make sure your hood support is firm...like my '87.
Various stories are out there where one needs to open the hood, take the top off, keep the top on, open doors and close doors before jacking. And give all kinds of horror that happened to "this guy I know".
For side jacking, hood open or closed is okay. Roof on or off, same. I wouldn't try with a door open, minor issue of jack placement.
Bottom line, be careful, do what makes sense, be careful, make sure you're making sense and be careful. If so, high probability all should be fine.
I've been doing this since 84. Probably a thousand times or more (car sits on jackstands). It doesn't make a difference of the hood or doors (or ashtray) are open or closed.
Seriously though, I've been wanting to use this method but haven't yet. Seeing a visual with a puck makes me a LOT more comfortable trying it. It'll be so much damn quicker, and won't lead to so much of that body twisting when doing each corner.
This is not a good idea if you have an early C4 with the scissor style hood prop. I've heard several stories about these prop rods folding sideways and collapsing during severe car movements. When I bought my '84, the prop rod was in a box, bent in the middle because of this issue! (The seller gave me his broom stick! )
Is there any pictures on where to place the jack exactly, as well as where the jack stands go, for front and rear jacking? I can jack the car up on the side, near the rear "jacking location" writing (but not on the plastic trim), but then can't position my jack stands.....
I found a way for front jacking, but rear jacking is pretty impossible it seems unless you get an "i" bar to support the weight and allow a good jacking location (and give good height).
I use a low profile floor jack on the rear factory jack point it raises the entire side at once so I can place a front and rear jack stand at the same time.
Prefer to use a point GM reinforced specifically for jacking.
Is there any pictures on where to place the jack exactly, as well as where the jack stands go, for front and rear jacking? I can jack the car up on the side, near the rear "jacking location" writing (but not on the plastic trim), but then can't position my jack stands.....
I found a way for front jacking, but rear jacking is pretty impossible it seems unless you get an "i" bar to support the weight and allow a good jacking location (and give good height).
If you find the "jack here" points (with triangles) stamped into the crimp welds under the side mirrors, if you place the floor jack at this location, you can lift the whole side of the car. Then look just inboard and forward from that jacking location and you will see the frame rails, this is a great place for the jack stands. The floor jack should not interfere with the jack stands although for me it is slightly awkward getting the jack stand in there with the floor jack where it is. For the rear, I put the jack stands in the small recess just ahead of the rear tires -- the recesses are about 2 inches wide and 5 inches long if I recall.
01-13-2017, 07:27 PM
How to side jack a C4
), I was lost. How do I get my C4 on jack stands? I first did the poor choice, jacking at the points from the manual, right next to each tire and one tire at a time. It was ugly seeing my car with one wheel high, what kind of stress was that causing on frame and other pieces?
