Jack stands oil change.
#4
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Correct me if I'm wrong please. Sounds like on my lowered newly purchased car. I should use ramps for lowered cars on the front. And floor jack on the back cross railing. But I have to jack from the sides? Not the center?
#5
Instructor
My car is lowered and I drive the front up on boards then jack from the center of the cross member. I also jack the rear from the center. I sit the jack stands under the cross members and it stays like that for weeks at a time
#7
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15, '19
I jack up one side, slide a jack stand under for safety, pull plug and filter.Lower car wait a few minutes, jack it back up and finish.
#8
Melting Slicks
Rhino ramps work fine
Just drive the car onto Rhino ramps, drain and remove filter, reinstall plug and new filter and fill with oil. Check for leaks before driving off ramp and then reset the oil indicator on the DIC.
#10
Tech Contributor
The wooden pad has "pads" on the ends that are actually picking the car up at the points where the cross member attaches to the
suspension. Here's a better picture using a metal bar tool that does the same thing:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1554277356-post58.html
The jacking device rests on the wooden bar similar to how it lifts in the center of the bar tool in the above picture. The lifting points are actually at the ends of the cross member where it attaches to suspension so no weight is on the center section of the cross member.
suspension. Here's a better picture using a metal bar tool that does the same thing:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1554277356-post58.html
The jacking device rests on the wooden bar similar to how it lifts in the center of the bar tool in the above picture. The lifting points are actually at the ends of the cross member where it attaches to suspension so no weight is on the center section of the cross member.
#11
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I either put the jack stands under the crossmember or under the jacking rails I installed. I pick crossmember spots where it's heavier and also where there is webbing around the location. typically, around the a-arm bushings is heavier. Don't put a jackstand under the crossmember on a long edge without any webbing for support. The jacking rails are aluminum strips mounted to the frame where it's exposed right beside the edge of the rocker panel. They go the length of the frame and I can jack or support the car on them. A few vendors sell similar but mine cost the $3 for the screws to bolt them on.
As for the jack, I take the saddle off so it's a flat surface to jack with. I do have to be mindful that it can slip though. Mostly, I just make sure the floor is clean and that the jack is rolling forward as it lifts. I also make sure it's centered under the part I'm lifting on so that it'd have to move about 1.5" any way before it slipped right off. slipping not too big a concern though because I have actually pulled the car sidways a bit as I jacked it up.
I personally never use any method involving steel or wood between the jack stands and the car. Personally, I feel it makes it easier to slip and why would I make it easier for the car to slip off and crush me???
While you're at it, but the 6-ton axle stands. They are WAY better than those cheap 2-ton or 3-ton ones. Heavier duty and much more stable. The 6-ton at the lowest setting is almost as high as the 2-ton fully extended.
Not only that but it appears he's got the triangle corners of the crossmember which hold the a-arm resting only on the corners of those lifting pads. Overally, that's a very crappy lifting picture to be posting as a "how to lift the car". I wouldn't even think about lifting my car like that.
The bad part about any of these "fancy" lifting setups is that the car first has to be on ramps or blocks to get enough clearance to use them. You only have about 3.5" of clearance for the jack.
Peter
As for the jack, I take the saddle off so it's a flat surface to jack with. I do have to be mindful that it can slip though. Mostly, I just make sure the floor is clean and that the jack is rolling forward as it lifts. I also make sure it's centered under the part I'm lifting on so that it'd have to move about 1.5" any way before it slipped right off. slipping not too big a concern though because I have actually pulled the car sidways a bit as I jacked it up.
I personally never use any method involving steel or wood between the jack stands and the car. Personally, I feel it makes it easier to slip and why would I make it easier for the car to slip off and crush me???
While you're at it, but the 6-ton axle stands. They are WAY better than those cheap 2-ton or 3-ton ones. Heavier duty and much more stable. The 6-ton at the lowest setting is almost as high as the 2-ton fully extended.
Yeah, and in the pic, it's assembled wrong If you notice in the center of the bar, there is cylindrial solid metal point.....that is suppose to replace the circular jack pad on the floor jack itself. It drops right into place......and keeps the bar centered and stable.
The bad part about any of these "fancy" lifting setups is that the car first has to be on ramps or blocks to get enough clearance to use them. You only have about 3.5" of clearance for the jack.
Peter
Last edited by lionelhutz; 01-21-2012 at 07:04 PM.
#12
Melting Slicks
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Careful putting the cross members on jack stands. It's not recommended.
I get the front tires on ramps. Then I jack the rear so that it is about 2" or so higher than the front. I have a wooden pad to jack the rear to avoid the vehicle weight being on the rear cross member. Then I drain the oil and replace the filter. The rear being higher gets an extra 6 Oz or so out. Some will say don't worry about a few Oz. I feel the last few Oz are the dirtyist and contain the most crap from the bottom of the pan and want as much out as I can get.
I get the front tires on ramps. Then I jack the rear so that it is about 2" or so higher than the front. I have a wooden pad to jack the rear to avoid the vehicle weight being on the rear cross member. Then I drain the oil and replace the filter. The rear being higher gets an extra 6 Oz or so out. Some will say don't worry about a few Oz. I feel the last few Oz are the dirtyist and contain the most crap from the bottom of the pan and want as much out as I can get.
I know this isnt off of a vette but it shows how sludge will accumulate at the bottom of an oil pan.
and another of around the lifters and some large chunks up around the pushrods.
Given this engine had been neglected over the years from the looks of it, an engine flush and oil change had just been done ~300 miles previously along with sludge that had been shoveled out of the top of the heads with a spoon from when I changed the valve stem seals. There was soo much up there that it had plugged up the drains and was holding over a quart of oil under the valve covers
#14
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Jet your idea is nice and simple. Just curious why some people push for the wood pads to be installed on the ends of the 25" wood board you put under the front. Also wood pads Installed on the ends of the 16" wood board used in the back.
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I put blocks on both ends and jack it up. I was skeptical of it at first but the 2x6's didn't flex like I thought it may. I'll look for the thread I used to make mine.
#16
Melting Slicks
Wood is both strong and soft enough, it spreads the load nicely. When I get it high enough, I place jack stands on the ends. With a Cast piece, the trick is to spread the load and be smooth when jacking up and down, no sudden drops or loads.
Been raising the rear of my M3 using the diff over the last 6 years....using the same principle.
Yeah, if I had tons of disposable income I'd have one of those trick jack pad members with rubber pads out on the ends for front and rear....but with a Wife and 4 Son's, not likely happening anytime soon!
Been raising the rear of my M3 using the diff over the last 6 years....using the same principle.
Yeah, if I had tons of disposable income I'd have one of those trick jack pad members with rubber pads out on the ends for front and rear....but with a Wife and 4 Son's, not likely happening anytime soon!
Last edited by JETninja; 01-22-2012 at 01:54 PM.
#17
As stated above the pads on the ends of the boards are so that the weight of the car is not on the center of the cross members where you are jacking. With the pads you are picking up the vehicle at the points where the cross member attaches to the suspension. (A-Arm bushings) Those are stronger than the cast cross member.
This is absolutely the safest way to put the car on jack stands. I have a low profile jack and jacking pucks. I can have the entire car a good 16-18" in the air using wood pads/planks and my low profile jack. I've had ramps move on me and my garage is tight for drive up ramps.
#18
I always prefer to have the jack stands under the frame of the car. I do the same on my Vette. Not that hard to do and there is less chance of any damage than supporting under a weaker area of the car. Just my 2 cents.