Jackstands on c4 ?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3
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Jackstands on c4 ?
Hi all
Even though I have owned my 1986 c4 for 18 years I still dont know where to place the 4 jackstands.I tried to do a search but have found nothing. Any help would be appreciated.
Even though I have owned my 1986 c4 for 18 years I still dont know where to place the 4 jackstands.I tried to do a search but have found nothing. Any help would be appreciated.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Oak Hills Ca
Check out this link. I use this and it worked with out any issues.
Perry
http://zr1netregistry.com/jackupzr1/sld001.htm
Perry
http://zr1netregistry.com/jackupzr1/sld001.htm
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2006
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I have had my C4 for over a year - and I read this post and previous posts and I still don't get it.
First - the post with the 9 photos - put the puck under the rail but not under the fiberglass and watch the brake lines. The fiberglass and rail are together. I don't believe I can jack the car just on the rail. The marking on the fiberglass says put jack here. Can you jack the fiberglass and rail together? The jack that comes with the car again doesn't seem to give you a way to jack up only the rail.
Second - it's hard to see exactly where the stands are under the car without seeing it from the side. Why wouldn't the jack stands go where the car says "jack here"?
I know enough to know that I don't know enough and jacking wrong will cause series damage. I can see under my car the last guy crunched members putting the stands near the engine. I bought a floor jack, and I have a hockey puck (great idea!) but I'm still not convinced of this approach.
Any clarification?
First - the post with the 9 photos - put the puck under the rail but not under the fiberglass and watch the brake lines. The fiberglass and rail are together. I don't believe I can jack the car just on the rail. The marking on the fiberglass says put jack here. Can you jack the fiberglass and rail together? The jack that comes with the car again doesn't seem to give you a way to jack up only the rail.
Second - it's hard to see exactly where the stands are under the car without seeing it from the side. Why wouldn't the jack stands go where the car says "jack here"?
I know enough to know that I don't know enough and jacking wrong will cause series damage. I can see under my car the last guy crunched members putting the stands near the engine. I bought a floor jack, and I have a hockey puck (great idea!) but I'm still not convinced of this approach.
Any clarification?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Coram NY
I have had my C4 for over a year - and I read this post and previous posts and I still don't get it.
First - the post with the 9 photos - put the puck under the rail but not under the fiberglass and watch the brake lines. The fiberglass and rail are together. I don't believe I can jack the car just on the rail. The marking on the fiberglass says put jack here. Can you jack the fiberglass and rail together? The jack that comes with the car again doesn't seem to give you a way to jack up only the rail.
Second - it's hard to see exactly where the stands are under the car without seeing it from the side. Why wouldn't the jack stands go where the car says "jack here"?
I know enough to know that I don't know enough and jacking wrong will cause series damage. I can see under my car the last guy crunched members putting the stands near the engine. I bought a floor jack, and I have a hockey puck (great idea!) but I'm still not convinced of this approach.
Any clarification?
First - the post with the 9 photos - put the puck under the rail but not under the fiberglass and watch the brake lines. The fiberglass and rail are together. I don't believe I can jack the car just on the rail. The marking on the fiberglass says put jack here. Can you jack the fiberglass and rail together? The jack that comes with the car again doesn't seem to give you a way to jack up only the rail.
Second - it's hard to see exactly where the stands are under the car without seeing it from the side. Why wouldn't the jack stands go where the car says "jack here"?
I know enough to know that I don't know enough and jacking wrong will cause series damage. I can see under my car the last guy crunched members putting the stands near the engine. I bought a floor jack, and I have a hockey puck (great idea!) but I'm still not convinced of this approach.
Any clarification?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
If you follow the sandwiched steel fram up front where it angles off from the rocker panel, you can put a jackstand there just behind the fuel filter. In back, there's somewhat of a grid where you can put the jackstands as well.
Problem is, of course, you can't put the jackstands there if the jack is there. So to jack one side you have to lift it by the edge under the rocker panels. The fiberglass often hangs down a bit lower than the steel, and the paint can get damaged there. I tried using a thin 1/4" thick piece of wood under the metal, to allow the fiberglass clearance, but that doesn't work that well. I have given up on protecting that edge, mine is all chewed up now. You almost need to cut a thin notch in your hockey puck to allow for that little bit of fiberglass to avoid getting crunched.
If you have a low clearance jack you can lift the whole front from the front crossmember. The whole rear can be lifted using the jack-a-vette tool under the rear diff.
Well, better than the other way around.
Problem is, of course, you can't put the jackstands there if the jack is there. So to jack one side you have to lift it by the edge under the rocker panels. The fiberglass often hangs down a bit lower than the steel, and the paint can get damaged there. I tried using a thin 1/4" thick piece of wood under the metal, to allow the fiberglass clearance, but that doesn't work that well. I have given up on protecting that edge, mine is all chewed up now. You almost need to cut a thin notch in your hockey puck to allow for that little bit of fiberglass to avoid getting crunched.
If you have a low clearance jack you can lift the whole front from the front crossmember. The whole rear can be lifted using the jack-a-vette tool under the rear diff.
Well, better than the other way around.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Jan 22, 2007 at 11:38 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
On the back of the car I put the stands behind where C4guru has the red line drawn, on the seam that goes towards the back of the car and curves up. The C4guru one is too close to the brake lines for some jackstands that have a deep V notch in them. I use the same seams in front, but about a foot further back.
I hate to brag, but I have my car on and off of jackstands more often than Britney Spears gets pregnant.
I hate to brag, but I have my car on and off of jackstands more often than Britney Spears gets pregnant.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
Good posts - I guess the design is to use the frame rail and fiberglass as the jacking point. I may try to cut the puck and see if that would work.
I guess the cross member up front is acceptable to jack according to C4 guru. Still not sure revisiting that site the spots and the red lines. I think if I get underneath and relook at C4 guru it will be clearer.
Thanks for the replies. Also going to look for the rear jack a vette tool. Couldn't find it on Google - where can I get one? I want to do the rear diff fluid one day.
Thanks
I guess the cross member up front is acceptable to jack according to C4 guru. Still not sure revisiting that site the spots and the red lines. I think if I get underneath and relook at C4 guru it will be clearer.
Thanks for the replies. Also going to look for the rear jack a vette tool. Couldn't find it on Google - where can I get one? I want to do the rear diff fluid one day.
Thanks
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
On the back of the car I put the stands behind where C4guru has the red line drawn, on the seam that goes towards the back of the car and curves up. The C4guru one is too close to the brake lines for some jackstands that have a deep V notch in them. I use the same seams in front, but about a foot further back.
I hate to brag, but I have my car on and off of jackstands more often than Britney Spears gets pregnant.
I hate to brag, but I have my car on and off of jackstands more often than Britney Spears gets pregnant.
You know what's a real bear, figuring out how to jack it up when the front is on wooden blocks and the rear is on the ground.
Sauce
Pro
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 504
Likes: 9
From: Youngstown Oh
Convertible on Jack Stands
All good information but I still have a problem - The convertible has the x-brace bolted to the point where the rear jack stands are placed in the ZR1 pictures. Can the jack stands be but at the same point under the x-brace??
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
there is some room for error with the x-brace. Those locations are generalized recommendations, based upon my experience. However, if the brace is blocking your access, then it's time to find another similar location.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 1
From: Alpharetta GA
This reminds me of another relevant piece of info-
If, for some reason, a shop needs to put your car on a lift, make sure the Richard Craniums understand that they should put their pads on the frame rails, not the floor pans. The first time I jacked my car up, I noticed that this had been done prior to my buying the car- it left some nasty dents in the pans. (yet another reason why I don't trust anyone to work on my car)
If, for some reason, a shop needs to put your car on a lift, make sure the Richard Craniums understand that they should put their pads on the frame rails, not the floor pans. The first time I jacked my car up, I noticed that this had been done prior to my buying the car- it left some nasty dents in the pans. (yet another reason why I don't trust anyone to work on my car)
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 174
Likes: 3
From: Yorba Linda CA
It called the "EZ-Jack"......nice people to deal with and you might also want to take a look at their "EZ-vent" while you are there. It stops the wind "booming" in your ears in a coupe when you have the top off.
Cool Hand Luke of W MI
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,292
Likes: 181
From: Winona Lake, IN
Aren't you also supposed to open the doors, rear hatch (if you have one) and hood while jacking up the car so the body does not flex and hit together causing some nasty paint chips?