or get a lift 
Floor Jack For a lowered C5...?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,489
Likes: 165
From: Raleigh, NC
Floor Jack For a lowered C5...?
Just wondering what you all were using for a floor jack on your C5? I have been looking around a bit, Sears carries a low profile aluminum jack that is about 4" from ground to attachment point.
This is a christmas gift to myself
This is a christmas gift to myself
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
I'm using a 4" from sears that I paid ~$100 for.
It is not low enough to get under the sides, and no where near low enough to get under the front crossmember (due to the jack body getting in the way), rear crossmember is fine.
I could have paid $$$ for a lower jack, but, wood is cheap. Two 2x10s, gut in 5,3 and 2' sections, nailed on top of another make great $10 ramps, and lift the car enough to get a jack under the front x-member.
I always lift front/rear, rarely do I lift only one wheel from the side.
Just sharing what I do.
It is not low enough to get under the sides, and no where near low enough to get under the front crossmember (due to the jack body getting in the way), rear crossmember is fine.
I could have paid $$$ for a lower jack, but, wood is cheap. Two 2x10s, gut in 5,3 and 2' sections, nailed on top of another make great $10 ramps, and lift the car enough to get a jack under the front x-member.
I always lift front/rear, rarely do I lift only one wheel from the side.
Just sharing what I do.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 174,312
Likes: 1,217
From: Here
Pilot of Beer Force 1
Tampa Regional Coordinator
CI 4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Organizer St. Jude Fundraiser
I believe in the Beer Fairy
My Sears jack will get under the side if I take the pad off...I have jacking pucks and it works fine that way
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 2
From: McKinney TX
I have to stop at the garage door lip. Get the front wheels up on that and then I can just barellllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyy get the jack into position. Of course that means I have to work on her outside, but if its a long job or raining, I just use the 2 x 4s as others stated and drive up on them first.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
I drive my front tires up onto 1" x 12" x 3 foot boards. Then no problems
I jack the front up and put a jack stand under the frame by each a-arm. Then jack up the rear in the center. and put on two jack stands.
Car sits on four jack stands.
Before I jack each corner I loosen, but not remove the lug nuts. Once up on the jack stands I take off the wheels.
I jack the front up and put a jack stand under the frame by each a-arm. Then jack up the rear in the center. and put on two jack stands.
Car sits on four jack stands.
Before I jack each corner I loosen, but not remove the lug nuts. Once up on the jack stands I take off the wheels.
Last edited by AU N EGL; Dec 13, 2005 at 10:20 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,489
Likes: 165
From: Raleigh, NC
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
I drive my front tires up onto 1" x 12" x 3 foot boards. Then no problems
I jack the front up and put a jack stand under the frame by each a-arm. Then jack up the rear in the center. and put on two jack stands.
Car sits on four jack stands.
Before I jack each corner I loosen, but not remove the lug nuts. Once up on the jack stands I take off the wheels.
I jack the front up and put a jack stand under the frame by each a-arm. Then jack up the rear in the center. and put on two jack stands.
Car sits on four jack stands.
Before I jack each corner I loosen, but not remove the lug nuts. Once up on the jack stands I take off the wheels.
What I am hearing is that there is not a jack around to accomodate a lowered C5?
Has anyone found one that would work that did not cost $$$$$
**EDIT**
From the other forum suggestions were:
AC Hydraulics Low Profile Jack
NAPA low profile
Harbor freight low profile jack
Anyone with experience in these?
Last edited by niphilli2; Dec 13, 2005 at 11:57 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
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
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
I got an aluminum jack at Sams Club last year that is 3.25" lowest height. (2 ton). and it works great for $100.
I had to get a jack that has a lowest height of under 4" because my car is lowered.
Right now Costco (Plano,Texas) has a low profile Aluminum jack (1.5ton) that goes as low as 3.35". It looks nice from what I saw. It also comes with 2 short jack stands and creeper for $100 ! The name brand was "Torin".
Toque
I had to get a jack that has a lowest height of under 4" because my car is lowered.
Right now Costco (Plano,Texas) has a low profile Aluminum jack (1.5ton) that goes as low as 3.35". It looks nice from what I saw. It also comes with 2 short jack stands and creeper for $100 ! The name brand was "Torin".
Toque
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,710
Likes: 2
From: Southern California
If it's a Christmas gift to yourself, then heck, man, you deserve one of the best:
I have the DK13HLQ, the one on the left. Since it's so long, you can shove it right under the nose of a C5 (mine's lowered on the stock bolts), and lift at the front crossmember. I don't even bother driving up ramps, I just jack up the entire front end, and drop the front tires on Rhino ramps.
Even if you don't need the height, it helps to have something that can reach deep under the car, and serve as an extra hand, holding up an exhaust piece or the transmission, you know?
The only thing better than this jack is a lift, IMHO.
I have the DK13HLQ, the one on the left. Since it's so long, you can shove it right under the nose of a C5 (mine's lowered on the stock bolts), and lift at the front crossmember. I don't even bother driving up ramps, I just jack up the entire front end, and drop the front tires on Rhino ramps.
Even if you don't need the height, it helps to have something that can reach deep under the car, and serve as an extra hand, holding up an exhaust piece or the transmission, you know?
The only thing better than this jack is a lift, IMHO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Originally Posted by niphilli2
Thanks for the responses everyone...
What I am hearing is that there is not a jack around to accomodate a lowered C5?
Has anyone found one that would work that did not cost $$$$$
**EDIT**
From the other forum suggestions were:
AC Hydraulics Low Profile Jack
NAPA low profile
Harbor freight low profile jack
Anyone with experience in these?
What I am hearing is that there is not a jack around to accomodate a lowered C5?
Has anyone found one that would work that did not cost $$$$$
**EDIT**
From the other forum suggestions were:
AC Hydraulics Low Profile Jack
NAPA low profile
Harbor freight low profile jack
Anyone with experience in these?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
I picked up a small aluminum low profile 1.5 ton floor jack at Wally World last year. Drive is up on a couple 2x12's and have at it. Works fine for wheels, brakes, oil changes etc. I can get the car up 14-15 inches no problem. Get some jack stands. I think I paid $40 on sale.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
My car is lowered! Ive used this jack hundreds of times over the last few years...
Harbor freight low profile aluminum quick pump jack.
Harbor freight low profile aluminum quick pump jack.
Last edited by Evil-Twin; Dec 13, 2005 at 10:17 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
Just wrote-up a long post on this subject, here's the link: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1&forum_id=103
One section of the write-up which directly applies to your question is below:
The cast aluminum cross-members should only be lifted with specially constructed wood ‘pads’ to prevent damage and possible cracking.
The car’s underbody is very low. There is only approximately 3½ inches clearance below the front air dam, and only about 5 inches below most of the underbody, cross-members and side rails.
This low clearance creates a requirement for front and rear drive-on ramps with a minimum of 3” of lift to gain clearance to the cross-members for ‘jacking’ with specially constructed wood ‘pads’ and a low-profile hydraulic jack (e.g. #0950240 from Sears with 3¾” to 18½” lifting range). Always first lift the front, otherwise there will not be enough clearance to do so after lifting the rear.
One section of the write-up which directly applies to your question is below:
The cast aluminum cross-members should only be lifted with specially constructed wood ‘pads’ to prevent damage and possible cracking.
The car’s underbody is very low. There is only approximately 3½ inches clearance below the front air dam, and only about 5 inches below most of the underbody, cross-members and side rails.
This low clearance creates a requirement for front and rear drive-on ramps with a minimum of 3” of lift to gain clearance to the cross-members for ‘jacking’ with specially constructed wood ‘pads’ and a low-profile hydraulic jack (e.g. #0950240 from Sears with 3¾” to 18½” lifting range). Always first lift the front, otherwise there will not be enough clearance to do so after lifting the rear.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,080
Likes: 151
From: Toronto
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Goode VA
I have the Torin Alum. Racing jack and use single hockey pucks to lift the car, just like Evil-Twin's setup. My C5 is also lowered ~.75". The setup works great if you want to jack up one corner at a time. However, to lift the car from the front crossmember, I need to pull up on a set of 2X10's first.
