Ramps
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 174
Likes: 32
From: NEPA
Thanks! I appreciate it! I just need to get it back on the road sometime soon. Bought it last Oct and it's been off the road since sometime in Nov.... It's slowly coming back together.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 9,160
Likes: 4,009
From: 2019 CMG Z06
great, got you onboard Tom400. I just bought a c4 a week ago. Can you help with either posting pics or describing the best location for lifting the c4 with a floor jack or rubber blocks?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 174
Likes: 32
From: NEPA
I'm used to old VW's where the pinch weld is fairly weak and if you look at the jack points a lot of them get bent and flattened over the years from guys jacking them with floor jacks and bending the metal. So a notched piece of wood or hockey puck or whatever basically cradles the pinch weld and puts more stress on the reinforced area around the jack point.
On a VW the factory car jacks basically act the same way as a notched block, cradling the pinch weld.
I'm new to C4's. Would this be a waste of time? Are the pinch welds strong enough?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Copy that. In the case of the VW (and other cars too), you're absolutely right; supporting the frame/body AROUND the pinch weld is the right way to do it. Not on the 'Vette. The pinch weld is very strong and stiff and it is designed specifically to carry the load of jacking the car. Also, since the fiberglass rocker panel "shadows" the pinch weld, and it is easily damaged (the 'glass rocker panel), you don't want to apply any load to it, at all. So, what you want is a flat or flatfish jacking surface -like a jack pad, that hits the pinch weld and doesn't deform, into the 'glass rocker piece.
If you notch a piece of wood, hockey puck...whatever, your taking load off the pinch weld and moving it onto the 'glass rocker panel. That's the opposite of what you want to be doing.
If you notch a piece of wood, hockey puck...whatever, your taking load off the pinch weld and moving it onto the 'glass rocker panel. That's the opposite of what you want to be doing.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 174
Likes: 32
From: NEPA
Copy that. In the case of the VW (and other cars too), you're absolutely right; supporting the frame/body AROUND the pinch weld is the right way to do it. Not on the 'Vette. The pinch weld is very strong and stiff and it is designed specifically to carry the load of jacking the car. Also, since the fiberglass rocker panel "shadows" the pinch weld, and it is easily damaged (the 'glass rocker panel), you don't want to apply any load to it, at all. So, what you want is a flat or flatfish jacking surface -like a jack pad, that hits the pinch weld and doesn't deform, into the 'glass rocker piece.
If you notch a piece of wood, hockey puck...whatever, your taking load off the pinch weld and moving it onto the 'glass rocker panel. That's the opposite of what you want to be doing.
If you notch a piece of wood, hockey puck...whatever, your taking load off the pinch weld and moving it onto the 'glass rocker panel. That's the opposite of what you want to be doing.
Thanks for the info! You (and my laziness) have saved me from making a mistake!
The only change I'll make then is to add a 4x4 block (or similar) under each rubber block for a little more height. Room is pretty good underneath, but I have the nose of the car up against the door of the garage, so I have to slide under from the back to get to the front, which is pretty easy on the creeper, but that takes away some working room. I don't have long arms, so it's fine, but an extra couple inches of working room would be nice.
So far I've got nothing bad to say about the Quickjack. It fits the Corvette well. Assembly was pretty easy and it's easy to position under the car. It's more solid than jack stands while in the air. I got the 5000 model so that I can also use it on the family van so I imagine it'll get plenty of use over the years and my jackstands will start gathering dust.
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