Jacking points - jack stand placements
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 251
Likes: 9
From: Western Massachusetts
Jacking points - jack stand placements
There have been several posts in the past regarding jacking points and jack stand placements. Several posts indicate that jack stands should NOT be placed under the jacking points/jacking pucks. I intended to jack the rear of my FRC under the rear cross member and use jack stands under the jacking points/pucks. I am going to replace the sway bar and links. Liikewise, the same procedure for the front. Are the posts regarding no placement of stands under jacking points correct? Any suggestions?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 23
From: Anaheim CA
Depends on the reason they give for not doing it. It's not a structural issue: if location X is good enough to lift the car and/or suspend it on a hoist for hours on end, it's obviously good enough for a jack stand. That said, I wouldn't put a jack stand under a puck, it's just begging to slide off.
(There seems to be an open market niche here for jack stands (or adapters) with fittings that go into the puck holes....)
(There seems to be an open market niche here for jack stands (or adapters) with fittings that go into the puck holes....)
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
The issue must be what Lee posted, and I would agree. Putting a jack stand under a jacking puck is just asking for the car to fall on you. As an example, I've seen scary pictures here with double stacked hockey pucks between the frame and jack stands. I can't see an aluminum jacking puck sitting very securely on a typical V saddle stand either.
If you took the car to a shop, they would put the car up on their 2 post lift using the jacking puck locations and proceed to do the work you are planning to do yourself. The difference is the lift has round pads that sit under the pucks. So, why would jack stands be any different if you ensure the car won't slide off the stands?
I put aluminum rails along the frame on my car to make jacking easy. The side benefit is that jack stands sit under the rails very securely. I've done all kinds of work including taking the whole drivetrain from engine back out of my car with jack stands at the frame jacking locations under my rails.
If you took the car to a shop, they would put the car up on their 2 post lift using the jacking puck locations and proceed to do the work you are planning to do yourself. The difference is the lift has round pads that sit under the pucks. So, why would jack stands be any different if you ensure the car won't slide off the stands?
I put aluminum rails along the frame on my car to make jacking easy. The side benefit is that jack stands sit under the rails very securely. I've done all kinds of work including taking the whole drivetrain from engine back out of my car with jack stands at the frame jacking locations under my rails.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 251
Likes: 9
From: Western Massachusetts
Depends on the reason they give for not doing it. It's not a structural issue: if location X is good enough to lift the car and/or suspend it on a hoist for hours on end, it's obviously good enough for a jack stand. That said, I wouldn't put a jack stand under a puck, it's just begging to slide off.
(There seems to be an open market niche here for jack stands (or adapters) with fittings that go into the puck holes....)
(There seems to be an open market niche here for jack stands (or adapters) with fittings that go into the puck holes....)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
I have read in previous posts that you are not supposed to raise your car that way but as Lee mentioned earlier, what is the difference in your car being lifted on a high lift than being lifted on these jack stands except the height? Seems like the four arms of the high lift support the car via the jacking pucks just like my jack stands.
http://www.jackpointjackstands.com/
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 23
From: Anaheim CA
They're really nice, but $600 for a set of four is a bit overkill for my purposes.I'll revise my earlier comment:
"There seems to be an open market niche here for affordable jack stands (or adapters) that go into the puck holes."
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Agree but how much do you put on safety? Traditional jackstands are only as strong as the pin holding it. Might not be a bad investment if you keep the Jackstands for 10-20 years or more.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 76
From: Portland OR
Seriously, they are bad *** but that price is crazy. I think I could fab something like that up for about $200 for a set of 4.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 23
From: Anaheim CA
I've often wondered why floor jacks didn't have some kind of lock mechanism, even something as simple as a pipe/bar that you manually put between the base and lift point once extended, to turn them into jack stands. Add maybe $10 to the cost.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 23
From: Anaheim CA
Sounds good. Bend-and-weld heavy-gauge sheet steel rather than that huge/expensive casting. Match the height to the max lift of a decent jack, sell four of them and the jack as a package for $300 or so.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 23
From: Anaheim CA
When I want to worry about jackstands failing, it's stability that bothers me, not strength. The biggest safety feature of the Jackpoint widget is the wide base...just seems like there are significantly less expensive ways to duplicate that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 6,101
Likes: 44
From: ABQ NM
Cruise-In II Veteran
I've seen these flat-topped jackstands used in lieu of jacking pucks; still not perfect but better than some other designs.
This is one example:
http://www.tooltopia.com/esco-10498.aspx
These are a similar design to ones that AC Hydraulics (a Swedish co.) made but discontinued a few years ago; these may be made in China.
This is one example:
http://www.tooltopia.com/esco-10498.aspx
These are a similar design to ones that AC Hydraulics (a Swedish co.) made but discontinued a few years ago; these may be made in China.
Last edited by wamara; Jul 29, 2014 at 03:16 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
I've seen these flat-topped jackstands used in lieu of jacking pucks; still not perfect but better than some other designs.
This is one example:
http://www.tooltopia.com/esco-10498.aspx
These are a similar design to ones that AC Hydraulics (a Swedish co.) made but discontinued a few years ago; these may be made in China.
This is one example:
http://www.tooltopia.com/esco-10498.aspx
These are a similar design to ones that AC Hydraulics (a Swedish co.) made but discontinued a few years ago; these may be made in China.
You could easily set the car with the pucks installed on a stand like that without worrying about the car slipping off.
I changed to using 12-ton stands years ago. They have a wide enough base they are very stable. The problem is how to put them under the sides of the car. I attached aluminum rails to the frame on my car for the jack and stands. I also often put the stands under the crossmembers capturing the edges in the V of the stand.