Question Regarding Jackstands
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 805
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From: Newport Coast, CA USA
Question Regarding Jackstands
Well, I just got home from Sears (Store not Point), and I got a cool lo-profile all aluminum jack and 4-3 Ton Jackstands. I am all set to change my brake pads and rotors this weekend (for the first time), and I was envisioning putting the car up on 4 jackstands on the cross-members to fully elevate the car.
The safety instructions for the jackstands say to NEVER use jackstands to elevate one side or both ends of the vehicle. My neighbor thinks it is crazy to try and wrench on those 21 mm caliper bracket bolts while the car is on 4 jack stands. I'm starting to wonder if it would be safer to just lift one end of the car at a time, although I was sort of thought it would be cool to get all 4 wheels off the car at once and have a peek around. I don't want to be unsafe for the sake of trying to be cool.
Anyway, I know that you guys have experience with this... What would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
The safety instructions for the jackstands say to NEVER use jackstands to elevate one side or both ends of the vehicle. My neighbor thinks it is crazy to try and wrench on those 21 mm caliper bracket bolts while the car is on 4 jack stands. I'm starting to wonder if it would be safer to just lift one end of the car at a time, although I was sort of thought it would be cool to get all 4 wheels off the car at once and have a peek around. I don't want to be unsafe for the sake of trying to be cool.
Anyway, I know that you guys have experience with this... What would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,550
Likes: 3
From: Houston Texas
jacking
Originally Posted by THENAKEDi
Well, I just got home from Sears (Store not Point), and I got a cool lo-profile all aluminum jack and 4-3 Ton Jackstands. I am all set to change my brake pads and rotors this weekend (for the first time), and I was envisioning putting the car up on 4 jackstands on the cross-members to fully elevate the car.
The safety instructions for the jackstands say to NEVER use jackstands to elevate one side or both ends of the vehicle. My neighbor thinks it is crazy to try and wrench on those 21 mm caliper bracket bolts while the car is on 4 jack stands. I'm starting to wonder if it would be safer to just lift one end of the car at a time, although I was sort of thought it would be cool to get all 4 wheels off the car at once and have a peek around. I don't want to be unsafe for the sake of trying to be cool.
Anyway, I know that you guys have experience with this... What would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
The safety instructions for the jackstands say to NEVER use jackstands to elevate one side or both ends of the vehicle. My neighbor thinks it is crazy to try and wrench on those 21 mm caliper bracket bolts while the car is on 4 jack stands. I'm starting to wonder if it would be safer to just lift one end of the car at a time, although I was sort of thought it would be cool to get all 4 wheels off the car at once and have a peek around. I don't want to be unsafe for the sake of trying to be cool.
Anyway, I know that you guys have experience with this... What would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,027
Likes: 6
From: Shiloh Ohio
bump test
May sound stupid but standard in my family when we have a car up on four jack stands is we give the car a bump on the rear quarter panel to make sure it is stable. Sound like a disaster if the car would fall when you do this, but no comparison to the disaster if it falls when you are under it. I have worked on my vette on four jack stands and it seemed stable. Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,353
Likes: 22
From: Bella Vista Ca
I would recommend getting the jacking pucks, much better than using the cross members. I have used the cross members in the past, they will work also. Just make sure you have them all seated good.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 8
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
I do it all the time. Make sure the surface is level. My driveway is sloped so I place plywood under one side of the stand (two legs) to make the jack stand plumb. Then I jack the front first to get two stands under it as low as possible. Then do the same for the back. Then you can do it in a few lifts to the top. Leave enough room between the stands to get the jack out. Easy to work on the car then. You can shove a tire and rim under the car for safety where you are not working for addtional safety. It should be stable enough. I can get in and out of the car with no problem.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 537
Likes: 1
From: Elkton MD
[QUOTE=John Shiels]I do it all the time. My driveway is sloped so I place plywood under one side of the stand (two legs) to make the jack stand plumb. Then I jack the front first to get two stands under it as low as possible. Then do the same for the back. Leave enough room between the stands to get the jack out. Easy to work on the car then. It should be stable enough.
SCARY !! FWIW
If the jack stands are not perfectly level at equal height above a median horizon line, (not the driveway sloped surface) there will be an angular horizonal moment of enertia. This means that if any force is applied to the vehicle in the direction of the downward slope, an additional force equal to a factor of the vehicles weight will be added to the original force applied to the vehicle. This can be a significant force and the higher the jackstands, the more unstable this situation becomes. Gee, I hope I got all that right!
Be safe out there
SCARY !! FWIW
If the jack stands are not perfectly level at equal height above a median horizon line, (not the driveway sloped surface) there will be an angular horizonal moment of enertia. This means that if any force is applied to the vehicle in the direction of the downward slope, an additional force equal to a factor of the vehicles weight will be added to the original force applied to the vehicle. This can be a significant force and the higher the jackstands, the more unstable this situation becomes. Gee, I hope I got all that right!
Be safe out there
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
I put my car on jack stands to change oil and the brake pads as well.
Yes I am very careful and make sure the car is secure. Usully when I change rotors it is one rotor at a time. One rotor cracks at a weekend event, so I change it then. When I get home I change the opposit rotor. So this is only jacking up one corner of the car, and yes I do put a jack stand under that corner.
Or I change one rotor at a time then put the car up on jack stands to bleed the brakes - or adjust the brake peddle. and change the oil.
A job never to rush, safty first.
Yes I am very careful and make sure the car is secure. Usully when I change rotors it is one rotor at a time. One rotor cracks at a weekend event, so I change it then. When I get home I change the opposit rotor. So this is only jacking up one corner of the car, and yes I do put a jack stand under that corner.
Or I change one rotor at a time then put the car up on jack stands to bleed the brakes - or adjust the brake peddle. and change the oil.
A job never to rush, safty first.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 8
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
[QUOTE=Old Timer]
If the stands are plumb the difference in hieght is by the jacks themselves. Like building metal tube scaffolding on sloped ground.
Originally Posted by John Shiels
I do it all the time. My driveway is sloped so I place plywood under one side of the stand (two legs) to make the jack stand plumb. Then I jack the front first to get two stands under it as low as possible. Then do the same for the back. Leave enough room between the stands to get the jack out. Easy to work on the car then. It should be stable enough.
SCARY !! FWIW
If the jack stands are not perfectly level at equal height above a median horizon line, (not the driveway sloped surface) there will be an angular horizonal moment of enertia. This means that if any force is applied to the vehicle in the direction of the downward slope, an additional force equal to a factor of the vehicles weight will be added to the original force applied to the vehicle. This can be a significant force and the higher the jackstands, the more unstable this situation becomes. Gee, I hope I got all that right!
Be safe out there
SCARY !! FWIW
If the jack stands are not perfectly level at equal height above a median horizon line, (not the driveway sloped surface) there will be an angular horizonal moment of enertia. This means that if any force is applied to the vehicle in the direction of the downward slope, an additional force equal to a factor of the vehicles weight will be added to the original force applied to the vehicle. This can be a significant force and the higher the jackstands, the more unstable this situation becomes. Gee, I hope I got all that right!
Be safe out there
If the stands are plumb the difference in hieght is by the jacks themselves. Like building metal tube scaffolding on sloped ground.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,891
Likes: 1,829
From: Hot Springs AR
First off, just lift the one corner you're working on. You'll find that there's very little reason for you to get yourself under the car to do this job.
Second, I'm very skeptical of the claim of doing all four rotors in 40 minutes. I'd expect to take a lot more time than that unless you've got a lift.
Third, you can turn the steering wheel to get to the caliper bracket bolts on the fronts. An impact gun makes quick work of these. The rears, though, are a different story. I ended up using my jack handle as an extension to get the suckers loose, and torquing them back down is no fun either.
Finally, you can reuse the bolts, just put some red loctite on them and you'll be good to go.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Second, I'm very skeptical of the claim of doing all four rotors in 40 minutes. I'd expect to take a lot more time than that unless you've got a lift.
Third, you can turn the steering wheel to get to the caliper bracket bolts on the fronts. An impact gun makes quick work of these. The rears, though, are a different story. I ended up using my jack handle as an extension to get the suckers loose, and torquing them back down is no fun either.
Finally, you can reuse the bolts, just put some red loctite on them and you'll be good to go.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Never put mine on jack stands. I use large wood blocks like the boatyards. If you have a car come off jack stand due to them falling over, you will understand why I do it this way. I just don't trust them for putting the whole car in the air.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 537
Likes: 1
From: Elkton MD
Originally Posted by John Shiels
If the stands are plumb the difference in hieght is by the jacks themselves. Like building metal tube scaffolding on sloped ground.
I always thought that plumb refered to 0 degree vertical angularity. Oh well, any way, what I was refering to was if the vehicle wasn't truly level, not just parallel to the driveway surface.
Be safe
Barry
Last edited by Old Timer; Nov 1, 2004 at 03:02 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,222
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk VA
Originally Posted by Mike04
I would recommend getting the jacking pucks, much better than using the cross members. I have used the cross members in the past, they will work also. Just make sure you have them all seated good.
if you want to lift the whole car check out http://97vette.com/howto/carlift/index.html
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,602
Likes: 20
From: Palm City Florida
Originally Posted by Lancer033
I've only had mine on 4 stands using the cross members once, and will not do it again. The car never felt stable and came very close to falling off. For brake work, i've always just lifted 1/2 of the car done the work there, then moved to the other half. the only bad part to doing it this way is that on 01 or newer cars (mine) you have to do some extra work, to bleed them in the proper order, but it's worth it to me for the extra comfort.
if you want to lift the whole car check out http://97vette.com/howto/carlift/index.html
if you want to lift the whole car check out http://97vette.com/howto/carlift/index.html
I have been under wrenching away without the slightest movement of the car.. All that rubber that is shown in the link just adds to the extra movement of the car.. With all that rubber and the fact that the stands are placed at the edge of the car using the lift points makes it unstable..
I bet one good shove to the rear 1/4 panel could rock that whole thing off.
