Question regarding proper jacking

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Feb 10, 2008 | 09:19 AM

tavaresv

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From: Spring Hill FL

Question regarding proper jacking

When jacking up the C-5 using a 4 post lift and jacking pucks in order to protect the body, is it advisable to slightly open the two doors in order to minimize danger of flexing which might scrape the door edges against the frame in those instances where the clearances are close?

Of all the posts I've read so far none mention this but several months ago when I went to a garage to check on some labor rates for a job the owner (a guy who's owned several Vettes in the past 25 years and now has a 2007) said that he always did it to every Vette brought into his shop.

I'm about to buy tires for my car and before I go to the tire shop (the mechanic mentioned above does not do tires) I would like to go well informed and prepared.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Feb 10, 2008 | 09:39 AM

j curtiss

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From: Houston, Texas

I've used a puck at only one "corner" to jack up my '99 FRC and have never experienced problems opening or closing the doors.

Feb 10, 2008 | 09:44 AM

DeeGee

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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England

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Flexing was an issue on the C4 but there's no problem with the C5. Keep the doors closed.

Feb 10, 2008 | 10:11 AM

Vetteman Jack

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You can keep the doors closed. Shouldn't have any problems with the frame/body flexing.

Feb 10, 2008 | 10:31 AM

Zozzie

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From: Woodstock Ontario

Here's something that will make you keep your doors closed! A few months ago around here someone told the story of having their Vette in the Stealership for work being done. The service manager called the poor fellow and said they had had a slight accident with the car.

What had happened was that a door was open when the hoist was being lowered and the door had come down on a fixed object. The door stopped and the car didn't.

The "slight accident" turned out to be way more than that.

So......keep the doors closed! All it would take is a few seconds' inattention to repeat the above catastrophe.

Feb 10, 2008 | 01:56 PM

tavaresv

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From: Spring Hill FL

Thanks y'all for the quick reply. I appreciate it.

I now question the experience of the mechanic here. Hmmmm..............

Feb 10, 2008 | 02:21 PM

blacksedan87

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The mechanic is just trying to be careful and considerate. It used to be a problem on previous generation Vettes, but as stated, it's not an issue on the C5's and C6's. The C5 when it came out had the highest torsional rigidity of any production car in the world! The C5 was the first production vehicle to use hydro-formed frame rails, that are now being used on many production vehicles.

Don't worry!