Another jacking question
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,374
Likes: 128
From: Coventry RI
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '25
Another jacking question
Having just purchased a o4, c5, vert I am still trying to figure out a safe way to jack the car for mostly wheel removal and brake work. I purhased a low profile floor jack and the lifting pucks along with 2 jack stands. My garage is really tight with the nose of the vet 3 in away from my Harley and the outside edge has no room for a jack of any kind so it looks like side jacking is going to be the way to go. Have read dozens of posts on jacking and some have suggested the c5 has such a rigid frame that both wheels can be removed from just the front lifting pad. I tried it today and it does work but the front comes up quite a bit higher than the rear and no way to get a jack stand under the front with the room I have to work with. I was wondering if I screwed 2 pieces of 3/4 x 4 in. oak flooring together 45in long and lifted the whole side evenly on the 2 pucks high enough to get the wheels off the ground and place the jack stands under the oak front and rear. Do you think 1-1/2 in of oak will support this weight and length. I could use a 3rd piece but then I would need to ramp the tires.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks for your time.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,772
Likes: 3
From: Gastonia NC
St. Jude Donor '10
it sounds like your best/safest way is going to be one at a time. My garage isn't very deep so if its not going to be a long project I just pull the car in half way so I can easily get the jack in and out from the front.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
Not sure this will help-
I jack one side at a time, using the rear jack point and a puck. With the car up on the rear jack point only I have room to put jack stands under the front and rear aliminum cross members on the side I am jacking.
I then go to the other side of the car and jack from the rear jack point with a puck and put two more jack stands under the front and rear cross members.
I use an oak pad (1" x 2" x 6") between the jack stand and the aluminum cross members. One side of the oak pad is planed to fit the jack stand.
In the rear, there is only one cross member, but in front, pick the one (of the two) that gives you the most room for the area where you are working.
If you only need room at one end of the car, you can jack from the jack point on the end you want to raise, insert one jack stand and then go to the other side and do the same.
Don't jack on the center of the rear cross member. That is not a jack point according to the FSM.
I jack one side at a time, using the rear jack point and a puck. With the car up on the rear jack point only I have room to put jack stands under the front and rear aliminum cross members on the side I am jacking.
I then go to the other side of the car and jack from the rear jack point with a puck and put two more jack stands under the front and rear cross members.
I use an oak pad (1" x 2" x 6") between the jack stand and the aluminum cross members. One side of the oak pad is planed to fit the jack stand.
In the rear, there is only one cross member, but in front, pick the one (of the two) that gives you the most room for the area where you are working.
If you only need room at one end of the car, you can jack from the jack point on the end you want to raise, insert one jack stand and then go to the other side and do the same.
Don't jack on the center of the rear cross member. That is not a jack point according to the FSM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,374
Likes: 128
From: Coventry RI
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '25
Having just purchased a o4, c5, vert I am still trying to figure out a safe way to jack the car for mostly wheel removal and brake work. I purhased a low profile floor jack and the lifting pucks along with 2 jack stands. My garage is really tight with the nose of the vet 3 in away from my Harley and the outside edge has no room for a jack of any kind so it looks like side jacking is going to be the way to go. Have read dozens of posts on jacking and some have suggested the c5 has such a rigid frame that both wheels can be removed from just the front lifting pad. I tried it today and it does work but the front comes up quite a bit higher than the rear and no way to get a jack stand under the front with the room I have to work with. I was wondering if I screwed 2 pieces of 3/4 x 4 in. oak flooring together 45in long and lifted the whole side evenly on the 2 pucks high enough to get the wheels off the ground and place the jack stands under the oak front and rear. Do you think 1-1/2 in of oak will support this weight and length. I could use a 3rd piece but then I would need to ramp the tires.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks for your time.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 734
Likes: 2
From: Mt. Airy MD
Well I made the oak flooring piece that I mentioned and spanned the 2 side pucks about 42" apart. Total waste of time. The wheels never even left the ground and the 1 1/2 in thick red oak was bent so bad it hit the rocker panels. Back to the drawing boards or as suggested above jack one puck at a time.
I'm not a fan of jacking the whole side of the car up at once using just one puck. I however have no data to say its bad for the car. I just don't like doing it.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,374
Likes: 128
From: Coventry RI
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '25
I'm not a fan of jacking the whole side of the car up at once using just one puck. I however have no data to say its bad for the car. I just don't like doing it.[/QUOTE]
My feelings exactly. I think for xmas I will have to put another jack on my wish list, but for now one jack will nave to do.
Thanks
My feelings exactly. I think for xmas I will have to put another jack on my wish list, but for now one jack will nave to do.
Thanks
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,374
Likes: 128
From: Coventry RI
St. Jude Donor '13 thru '25
