Rear end jacking question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,520
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From: Long Island NY
Rear end jacking question
Where is the proper point to jack up the rear of the C5 for changing the oil. I've seen people put the jack directly under the middle of the rear crossbeam is this correct, and when purchasing a jack what is the minimum clearance to slide under the crossbeam. I want to start changing my own oil and want to purchase the correct tools. Thanks in advance.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Los Angeles California
Me too...
I have a super low-profile 2-ton jack. It's 2" off the ground at its lowest. It raises 24" I believe. I put a piece of wood on the jack pad and make sure that both front and back of the cross section are supported. (Don't support just one beam.)
I have a super low-profile 2-ton jack. It's 2" off the ground at its lowest. It raises 24" I believe. I put a piece of wood on the jack pad and make sure that both front and back of the cross section are supported. (Don't support just one beam.)
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
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This car has a rigid frame. You can easily jack it up using one of the rear jacking points if you just want to take one wheel off.
As the guys say you if you put a support beam across both corners its the best option.
As the guys say you if you put a support beam across both corners its the best option.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Long Island NY
OK, so I should buy a low profile jack with about a 3-4" clearace from the ground and use a 2x4 to pad between the jack and the crossmember and I should be good. Thanks for taking the time to help me out, much appreciated! 
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Melting Slicks
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If you use a normal 2 ton floor jack with a 2X4 you'll need to lift the car a little to get that combination under the car. I use an old PT cruiser jack under a corner puck to pick it up so I can slide the big jack under the middle. It doesn't help that the front end is up on Rhino Ramps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Los Angeles California
I purchased this super low profile jack from Harbor Freight for $80 with a 2 year warranty.
If you use a normal 2 ton floor jack with a 2X4 you'll need to lift the car a little to get that combination under the car. I use an old PT cruiser jack under a corner puck to pick it up so I can slide the big jack under the middle. It doesn't help that the front end is up on Rhino Ramps.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
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From: Jefferson City Missouri
I find it just as simple and far safer to just cut three..could use 4...pieces of 2 X 10 about 2 ft. long. Stack them in front of the tires in a slight stair step pattern and drive up on them. By using three or four you have the car 8 to 9 inches high. This is enough to change oil or do other things needing minor access. Most importantly it is safe as the car is not jacked up but naturally sitting on all 4 wheels.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 5,245
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From: Blue Ridge Georgia
Use all of the above. I use jack stands, I have a low profile jack, I use pucks and I have 6 layers of 2x10's all screwed together for all four wheels. And I have used all of the different ones at one time or another. Oh, I also have Rhino Ramps.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Long Island NY
My car is at stock height. My normal floor jack wasn't short enough to clear the cross member even by itself and no wood to pad it. 4" may not be low enough to get the wood pad on the jack and have room to get it in and out. That's why I bought the super low profile jack.
I purchased this super low profile jack from Harbor Freight for $80 with a 2 year warranty.
That's pretty much how I had to do it before I got the low profile jack. But now I can drive the car up on the ramps and simply jack the car up real fast. I put a jack stands under the standard jacking points for safety. I have 2 3-ton jack stands. Honestly, I thought it would be a hassle to do all this, but it gets done really fast.
I purchased this super low profile jack from Harbor Freight for $80 with a 2 year warranty.
That's pretty much how I had to do it before I got the low profile jack. But now I can drive the car up on the ramps and simply jack the car up real fast. I put a jack stands under the standard jacking points for safety. I have 2 3-ton jack stands. Honestly, I thought it would be a hassle to do all this, but it gets done really fast.
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Here's what I use - a low profile floor jack and I had an 8"x8" piece of 1/4" steel cut. No worries about wood splitting and it is big enough to cover the entire width of the crossmember.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
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From: Los Angeles California
Thanks so much for the info and the link, for 80 bucks I'm going with the jack you recommended. Before joining the forum I wouldnt do the job myself, but after reading all the DIY's I feel confident that I can do an oil change just as good as the dealer and learn some things about my car along the way. Thanks for all the info and for taking the time to help me out.
(Just a heads up.)
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: either, ca/ohio
Where is the proper point to jack up the rear of the C5 for changing the oil. I've seen people put the jack directly under the middle of the rear crossbeam is this correct, and when purchasing a jack what is the minimum clearance to slide under the crossbeam. I want to start changing my own oil and want to purchase the correct tools. Thanks in advance.
why are you jacking up the rear to change the oil?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,520
Likes: 5
From: Long Island NY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
This is correct. There's quite a bit of oil that doesn't come out if you don't jack up the pan. Keep in mind the shape of the oil pan. The back end of the sump is wider than the front end. If it were just a few ounces of oil, it wouldn't matter so much, (although, you'll never know what crap is sitting at the bottom of that mess). But you get all the crap out by jacking up the rear end an inch or so above the front.