OK, I just have too much time on my hands! Like many, I've been searching for a really compact jack that I can carry in an emergency kit IN THE CAR. I no longer have "run-craps" so need to address the no-spare issue. Jacking the car in the garage is no problem since I have a variety of floor jacks, jack stands and car ramps. The problem is they are too bulky for in-car storage. There have been many other posts on this subject using various methods. Some appear quite unstable (no slight intended, just being cautious).
I want to share the set-up I just finished this morning. I recently found a "Larin 1 1/2 ton compact scissor jack" in Northern Tools. It will go low enough to get under the front rocker panel with NO pre-work (ramps or 2x12 boards needed). Unfortunately this jack comes with a strange bracket riveted on the top to clip into normal car jack points (it won't work on a C5). I ground off the rivet and removed the bracket. Then built an integrated "jacking puck" out of an eye bolt and spacer rings. All is bolted together in one piece. It works great, and is stable!
TOTAL COST = $15!
I have a couple of pictures if anyone wants them E-mailed (doesn't seem to be a way to post pictures without putting them on someone's server).

 

Thats nice, But one problem....will the jack fit under to rocker when the front tire is flat, the wheel will drop about 2.5 inches. I too have been looking and have not found one that will lift a FLAT front tire. You can still fix it on the car if I have to.

 

Just looked at the modifications. If I take off my integrated "jacking puck", the minimum jack height is 2 5/8" off the ground. That would probably work.

If this still doesn't work, the jack can be slid under the front end and used on the front cross-member jack point.

 

Jacking the car by the rear tire will lift the front up enough, it is a risky undertaking, but it can be done. Either that or carry two jacks, lift the rear and then lift the front. I suppose calling AAA is out of the question?

 

[img]http://ygpmail.aol.com/_cqr/vllogin.adp[img]

 

The mercedes type "little lift" works well, you have to get it from another forum member,C5 Frederik, in Germany. It's about $50 and he'll ship it, takes about a month to get. Search the forum member list and you should find him.

 

I carry one of these in my right rear compartment. Got it from member Frederik.

 

The other day, I hit a bad place in some ongoing road surface construction. It wiped out my front left runflat and bent my wheel, at 60mph. Thanks to the runflats, car remained stable with a warning not to exceed 55mph, and "0" LF tire pressure!

After the road consrtuction co. paid me for the damage, I purchased 4 new Z06 Motorsports wheels, and NITTOs.

I went to place my floor jack under the normal area referenced by the manual, but it would not fit there, due to the flat(3" tear in the runflat sidewall).

I had to stop at Pep Boys the next day to get a battery for my Camaro, and I start looking at scissor jacks to see if I could find any under 4" height.
Finally, I locate one jack only under the 4". It is a 1.5 ton hydraulic jack. It slid in under the necessary area, just fine, with room to spare. It was $20.00! Fit perfect in the center storage area in back of my coupe, along with a set of lug wrenches, and jumper cables!

That's the positive. The negative, is that it became pretty hard to crank with it's p.o.s. cranking handle, so once I gained a few inches with it, I helped out the process with my hydraulic floor jack, which worked just fine. Only thing is, I don't wanna carry that bigazz floor jack around with me so, I guess I'll just have to get out the elbow grease if caught out with a road incident!

Good luck!!!

 

OK - my first try at pictures:

First picture is jack at lowest point:



Second picture is with wheel off the ground:

 

ttt