I'm curious to see other comments and/or pics because a lot of people use those anodized aluminum pads I would think?
Frame damaged by pucks?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: Boise Idaho
Frame damaged by pucks?
Hello,
At each autocross event I switch from street tires to racing rubber. I have been using an aluminum jacking puck in the rear location to lift the entire side and swap both front/rear wheels in one shot.
Today I noticed some marring of the paint on the frame (not a big deal), and it looks like the frame surface around the jacking location isn't straight. I don't have another Vette to look at, but did my jacking pucks actually dent the frame?
I tried to take some pictures, see below. I will be moving over to hockey pucks in the future to prevent marring ... but I need to make sure I am not bending/denting the frame.
Thanks
At each autocross event I switch from street tires to racing rubber. I have been using an aluminum jacking puck in the rear location to lift the entire side and swap both front/rear wheels in one shot.
Today I noticed some marring of the paint on the frame (not a big deal), and it looks like the frame surface around the jacking location isn't straight. I don't have another Vette to look at, but did my jacking pucks actually dent the frame?
I tried to take some pictures, see below. I will be moving over to hockey pucks in the future to prevent marring ... but I need to make sure I am not bending/denting the frame.
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 45,383
Likes: 892
From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
Boy I can't imagine the weight of the car pushing the aluminum puck up into the frame, but it almost looks like that is what happened. Thank you for showing this potential issue.
I am anxious for others to post pics. Maybe they are all that way?
How does your frame look at the other 3 puck locations?
I am anxious for others to post pics. Maybe they are all that way?
How does your frame look at the other 3 puck locations?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: Boise Idaho
Both rear locations look similar to the one pictured, and the fronts are perfectly flat/straight.
It worries me as I have been doing the bulk of the lifting from the rear locations, but I also have a hard time imagining that the pucks dented the frame.
Perhaps someone who hasn't used those lifting points could take a peek (and maybe snap some pics).
It worries me as I have been doing the bulk of the lifting from the rear locations, but I also have a hard time imagining that the pucks dented the frame.
Perhaps someone who hasn't used those lifting points could take a peek (and maybe snap some pics).
Last edited by SpudGT; Jul 14, 2007 at 03:37 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,532
Likes: 11
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Cruise-In Veteran VII
Cruise-In Veteran VIII
"Slower Azz Dog"
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
last time my car was on the rack, it was pointed out to me that the area around the puck hole is in fact starting to push upward.
I quit using the pucks and now use of all things, an old front brake pad which helps spread the weight over a larger area. I Just place it over the puck hole.
Has not gotten any worse since I started doing that.
I now also always lift the rear from from behind at the center of the frame, both wheels at once to avoid the stress totally.
I quit using the pucks and now use of all things, an old front brake pad which helps spread the weight over a larger area. I Just place it over the puck hole.
Has not gotten any worse since I started doing that.
I now also always lift the rear from from behind at the center of the frame, both wheels at once to avoid the stress totally.
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: Davenport IA
The jacking pucks I got from Corvette Garage appear to be much larger than the ones that you showed. They appear to be about the size of hte hockey puck or slightly larger which I believe will distribute the weight better on the frame. I can't say for sure since I haven't used mine yet as I'm still waiting for my 08 Vette to arrive.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 967
Likes: 1
From: / California
I've used the hockey pucks a number of times and I see no problems at all. I like the fact the the hockey pucks are made of rubber and therefore sould eliminate any possibility of hurting the frame. For 1/3 the money for the aluminum pucks, you can get some off ebay that work perfectly. Just do a search on ebay for: jacking pucks and bag
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 1
From: Chandler Arizona
I had the same problem when I use the pucks. I no longer use the pucks for the same reason as shown. I now used 2x4 blocks or hard rubber pads that covers the entire length of the frame cross sections. Where the bend starts to bend up (the two ends) are the strongest part of the frame, the middle part is the weakest.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,762
Likes: 2
I got to thinking about the aluminum puck design if it could scratch or cause damage but the main reason I switched to the urethane pucks is I figured urethane is a more forgiving material and there's less chance of slippage. Wasn't a cost difference although if I had to do it again I'd probably just make my own with hockey pucks and eyebolts. I went from these:
http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.3064
to these:
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...6&dept_id=1095
Those blue anodized ones you have don't appear to be wearing well either, but me I don't use them frequently as you have been.
http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.3064
to these:
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...6&dept_id=1095
Those blue anodized ones you have don't appear to be wearing well either, but me I don't use them frequently as you have been.
Last edited by User 020720; Jul 14, 2007 at 08:58 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 967
Likes: 1
From: / California
I'm certain that the rubber puck would deform before it would ever bend your frame - aluminum pucks won't deform. A single hockey puck is all I've ever needed. Pucks that are taller only serve to reduce the clearance you have to get the jack or lift under them. To use the triple stacked puck shown in your photo, you'd have the jack the car up before you could ever place the jack under the puck. The lowest profile jack in the world won't go under those tripple pucks once they are installed on the car!!
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: Boise Idaho
The pucks just happened to be stacked that way when I took the picture, it was on the way to looking like this:
Anyone have a chance to look under a car that hasn't been lifted with pucks? Still hard to imagine pucks doing this to the frame ...
Anyone have a chance to look under a car that hasn't been lifted with pucks? Still hard to imagine pucks doing this to the frame ...
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 599
Likes: 13
From: Gainesville Georgia
Rough estimation, so don't nobody jump on me. If you have 2 different size pucks, 1 being 4" in diameter and the other 3". Say that the weight of the car is evenly distributed to all four lifting points and is equal to 800 pounds per point. (assuming a curb weight of 3200 lbs) The 4" puck has a cross-sectional area of 12.56 in sq and the 3" puck is 7.065 in sq. Assume that at the lifting point there isn't a hole as there actually is. When you divide the weight your lifting, 800# with the 4" puck you are exerting 63.7 psi and with the 3" puck you are exerting a whopping 113.23 psi. When you subtract the area of the hole in the frame you reduce the area of contact between the frame and the puck and the values I gave go up considerably. I don't have pucks but if I do get them they will be the largest one available for lifting without damaging the car skin. I like the idea someone here mentioned about using a 2X4 section.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 328
Likes: 2
From: Spicewood Texas
Mine are flat on that surface
I have those anodized pucks but haven't used them yet. My car has never been lifted on any pucks and it has a very flat surface on the frame. It is definately not indented like the photo.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 967
Likes: 1
From: / California
The hockey pucks are 3 inches in diameter and that's pretty close to the largest you can use without contacting the plastic body. You might be able to make a puck that is 3 1/4" round but THAT's IT.
I just looked at my frame and I don't see any deformation at all, it looks flat to me. I've used my hockey pucks 5 or 6 times at this point so they must be OK. I'll also tell you that on at least two of those times I used my pucks, I installed only the rear puck to lift the entire side of the car, In other words, I was able to remove both wheels on one side of the car with a single jacking action. No harm done!
I just looked at my frame and I don't see any deformation at all, it looks flat to me. I've used my hockey pucks 5 or 6 times at this point so they must be OK. I'll also tell you that on at least two of those times I used my pucks, I installed only the rear puck to lift the entire side of the car, In other words, I was able to remove both wheels on one side of the car with a single jacking action. No harm done!
Last edited by quickride; Jul 14, 2007 at 09:59 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,489
Likes: 1
From: Livermore California
Wow, that's some serious bendage. I don't track my car so I surely don't have it in the air as often as you, but the frame rails where my high profile, rectangular BMW pucks live are absolutely flat. Thanks for the warning and good luck with a solution.
FM
FM
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 21,391
Likes: 1,011
From: Various places in Southern California.
I just walked into the garage and looked at mine.
As you can see in the OP's photos, the steel here is in two layers. The inner layer rolls inward on mine, just as his does, but the outer layer is much flatter on mine than on his.
I have used my rubber hockey pucks once for lifting the car just enough to get the rear tires off the ground. That obviously didn't bend anything on my car's rails. I'm not sure if that's because I use the hockey pucks instead of the less flexible aluminum pucks, or if it's because I don't raise the car enough to get the whole side off the ground. It could be that the extra weight put on that portion of the rail when you get the entire side off the ground is enough to bend the steel.
As you can see in the OP's photos, the steel here is in two layers. The inner layer rolls inward on mine, just as his does, but the outer layer is much flatter on mine than on his.
I have used my rubber hockey pucks once for lifting the car just enough to get the rear tires off the ground. That obviously didn't bend anything on my car's rails. I'm not sure if that's because I use the hockey pucks instead of the less flexible aluminum pucks, or if it's because I don't raise the car enough to get the whole side off the ground. It could be that the extra weight put on that portion of the rail when you get the entire side off the ground is enough to bend the steel.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 421
Likes: 0
From: Fontana Ca
My frame is indented like yours. My happened because I rested the car directly onto metal stands without the pucks. I did have a set, but with them on, I couldn't get the car up high enough (with the jack I was using) to set the stands. So I took the pucks off, and I did notice after that the area is now bent up. I'm more careful now, and only jack up at the prefered points and only use the stands if absolutely necessary (with the pucks). I am thinking of making my own custom stands out of some 4x4s 
and cover more surface area than the puck does, as well as making them flare out more for more stability.
and cover more surface area than the puck does, as well as making them flare out more for more stability.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 568
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma WA
I noticed that the OP lifts the entire side of the car from one corner.
How about lifting only one corner at a time? Yes, that's 2x more jacking, but it's also much less weight on each puck and you don't have to lift as high.
Doesn't that sound like a better idea?
How about lifting only one corner at a time? Yes, that's 2x more jacking, but it's also much less weight on each puck and you don't have to lift as high.
Doesn't that sound like a better idea?