Need help with lifting my GS
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,146
Likes: 31
From: Minot North Dakota
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15, '21
Need help with lifting my GS
I was trying to get my GS vette up on jacks stands and looked at the bugmans post on how to get the jack underneath the car. 2x8 ride up on it and whalaa. Didn't work, still not high enough for the jack. So I got a 2x4 put on top of the 2x8, front splitter and air damn underneath the car pushed the 2x4 so I put it right in front of the tire. I didn't have enough space to run up on it so again all I did was push the wood. Anyone know another way to get my car up? Those front splitters and air damn are only about an inch off the ground, any ideas?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Jack it up from the side under the gills in the frame. The frame has a slot where the jack goes. Some guys buy jacking pads to insert in the slots but I don't have them and have never damaged the car. I jack mine up a lot, getting both front and rear off the ground at the same time to swap in track tires.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 106
You were close buddy. Need to stack TWO of them, but in a 'step' manner, so it's easy to drive the car onto them. I bought a 10' 2x8, had it cut in two 2' and two 3' pieces, screwed them together, and problem solved. But yes, you still might need a low-profile jack. I don't like driving a manual car up ramps, and neither lifting it from the sides, so the mini-ramp solution was perfect for me. And less than $10. I also have a pair of cheap Rhino ramps, and a pair of jack stands. Oh, and a Craftsman low-profile, 2-ton aluminum jack. That's all you need to do almost any job. When I need the car level, put the front tires under the ramp, chock them, then lift the rear and put it on jack stands. Super safe. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,146
Likes: 31
From: Minot North Dakota
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15, '21
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 16
From: Sugarhill Ga
I use the jack from my buick under 1 side and lift it high enough to get my floor jack under the engine cradle and then lift it with that. I then put either my ramps or jackstands under it. my car is also lowered and this works just fine.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 66
From: San Luis Obispo, California
The method that's been working for me; ebrake engaged, car in gear;
-Jack up front side by the forward puck under the gills, slide plastic ramp (facing forwards, lip at rear)) under front tire.
-Repeat process for other front side with plastic ramp (facing forward, lip at rear) under other front tire.
-Lift rear of car at center under the cross member, as high as necessary for 2 jackstands (sides of crossmember).
-Lift front of car under center crossmember & insert 2nd pair of jack stands (sides of crossmember).
-Remove ramps under wheels (or leave them if they're for safety if not in your way).
Lowering;
-Lift front at center crossmember & remove front jackstands, slide ramps under tires (ramp lip at rear again).
-Lower front of car onto ramps.
-Raise the rear of the car at crossmember, remove rear jackstands, lower rear to the ground.
-Raise front side of car high enough to remove 1 ramp, lower that side to the ground.
-Repeat that step for other front side of car, lower that side to the ground.
-This whole process can be done in @ 5 minutes.
-Jack up front side by the forward puck under the gills, slide plastic ramp (facing forwards, lip at rear)) under front tire.
-Repeat process for other front side with plastic ramp (facing forward, lip at rear) under other front tire.
-Lift rear of car at center under the cross member, as high as necessary for 2 jackstands (sides of crossmember).
-Lift front of car under center crossmember & insert 2nd pair of jack stands (sides of crossmember).
-Remove ramps under wheels (or leave them if they're for safety if not in your way).
Lowering;
-Lift front at center crossmember & remove front jackstands, slide ramps under tires (ramp lip at rear again).
-Lower front of car onto ramps.
-Raise the rear of the car at crossmember, remove rear jackstands, lower rear to the ground.
-Raise front side of car high enough to remove 1 ramp, lower that side to the ground.
-Repeat that step for other front side of car, lower that side to the ground.
-This whole process can be done in @ 5 minutes.
Last edited by Bedouin; Apr 23, 2013 at 04:14 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 106
Why not spend $8 on a 10' 4x12 and build 2 mini-ramps? A lot quicker, no need for side pucks (although I have 4 BMW round ones permanently installed, so not an issue), and most importantly, you don't have to twist your car to hell and back every time. I was doing your method but with 2 jacks, one on each side puck, and lifting one side then the other little by little, to avoid twisting the car like hell. I know the car can take it, but it's never good in the long run. Plus with the removable roof, you can crack those plastic inserts where the front pins go into, and develop creaks. Just trying to help 
.
.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 34
Jack it up from the side under the gills in the frame. The frame has a slot where the jack goes. Some guys buy jacking pads to insert in the slots but I don't have them and have never damaged the car. I jack mine up a lot, getting both front and rear off the ground at the same time to swap in track tires.
---
Metal to metal direct and without protection, whether with floor jack or jack stand, will for sure scratch protective finish off the frame. But that depends on a person's finesses and how much he care.
Another area of to each his own.
---
This is how I do mine without moving car or multiple set up - Or using a stack of 2x12's or cinder blocks to do the same if lacking resource or skill.:
First jack one side using shipping slot behind front fender with home made delrin puck, high enough to install home made stands F/R, then repeat same for the other side and the whole car is up and level for simple maintenance.
Jacking this way will not harm structural integrity and jacking sequence is short, comparing to during normal driving, suspensions goes thru all manners of events with all sort of road surface and grade.
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My observation: this kind of thread comes up like every month - very interesting.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 34
Ingenuity at work. So basing on your stack, you gained 9" at the tire contact patch, nice. Mine gain is at 8".
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You made this comment at MGW's thread - "Great video, very precise... Still don't know what it does... love the micrometer in your logo, as any toolmaker would!!!"
---
Along with your imagination at the simple car lift, I can safely assume you are a Toolmaker by profession?
Last edited by victorf; Apr 24, 2013 at 04:20 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 95
From: Warwick Rhode Island
Your right about the 9 inches, though i have more 2x12s i didnt need them for installing the headers. they work great on an oil change too.
Yup toolmaker, cool job when it comes time for making something a little differant. I was told that a 08 up key fob wouldnt work for my car, but i bought one off ebay got a copy made at wally world, ground .015 off both sides of the key to take down the thickness and it works great and is much cooler. Could not have done it without a surface grinder.
Yup toolmaker, cool job when it comes time for making something a little differant. I was told that a 08 up key fob wouldnt work for my car, but i bought one off ebay got a copy made at wally world, ground .015 off both sides of the key to take down the thickness and it works great and is much cooler. Could not have done it without a surface grinder.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 66
From: San Luis Obispo, California
ELP_JC, you bring up a good point @ chassis/frame twist & I considered this when jacking up one side of the car -it was bad on my '90s mustangs..you could hear that fox chassis frame/body creaking.
I noticed when I jack up one side of my '12 GS coupe (I also use the leave-in, plastic BMW frame pucks) there's zero deflection when opening/closing the doors, side panel gaps remain symetrical, & I hear zero frame creaking...so I think it's alright, but am always open to advice or differing info.
I noticed when I jack up one side of my '12 GS coupe (I also use the leave-in, plastic BMW frame pucks) there's zero deflection when opening/closing the doors, side panel gaps remain symetrical, & I hear zero frame creaking...so I think it's alright, but am always open to advice or differing info.
Why not spend $8 on a 10' 4x12 and build 2 mini-ramps? A lot quicker, no need for side pucks (although I have 4 BMW round ones permanently installed, so not an issue), and most importantly, you don't have to twist your car to hell and back every time. I was doing your method but with 2 jacks, one on each side puck, and lifting one side then the other little by little, to avoid twisting the car like hell. I know the car can take it, but it's never good in the long run. Plus with the removable roof, you can crack those plastic inserts where the front pins go into, and develop creaks. Just trying to help .
.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,821
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I was trying to get my GS vette up on jacks stands and looked at the bugmans post on how to get the jack underneath the car. 2x8 ride up on it and whalaa. Didn't work, still not high enough for the jack. So I got a 2x4 put on top of the 2x8, front splitter and air damn underneath the car pushed the 2x4 so I put it right in front of the tire. I didn't have enough space to run up on it so again all I did was push the wood. Anyone know another way to get my car up? Those front splitters and air damn are only about an inch off the ground, any ideas?
Bill
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 34
Your right about the 9 inches, though i have more 2x12s i didnt need them for installing the headers. they work great on an oil change too.
Yup toolmaker, cool job when it comes time for making something a little differant. I was told that a 08 up key fob wouldnt work for my car, but i bought one off ebay got a copy made at wally world, ground .015 off both sides of the key to take down the thickness and it works great and is much cooler. Could not have done it without a surface grinder.
Yup toolmaker, cool job when it comes time for making something a little differant. I was told that a 08 up key fob wouldnt work for my car, but i bought one off ebay got a copy made at wally world, ground .015 off both sides of the key to take down the thickness and it works great and is much cooler. Could not have done it without a surface grinder.
Old skool Toolmaker would hand job that by file, emery on glass w/mike to verify and having a fun time doing it.
Just like lifting a car, some approach are rough while some fine.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
ELP_JC, you bring up a good point @ chassis/frame twist & I considered this when jacking up one side of the car -it was bad on my '90s mustangs..you could hear that fox chassis frame/body creaking.
I noticed when I jack up one side of my '12 GS coupe (I also use the leave-in, plastic BMW frame pucks) there's zero deflection when opening/closing the doors, side panel gaps remain symetrical, & I hear zero frame creaking...so I think it's alright, but am always open to advice or differing info.
I noticed when I jack up one side of my '12 GS coupe (I also use the leave-in, plastic BMW frame pucks) there's zero deflection when opening/closing the doors, side panel gaps remain symetrical, & I hear zero frame creaking...so I think it's alright, but am always open to advice or differing info.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 95
From: Warwick Rhode Island
Surface grinder to grind brass key? Since mag base won't work, brass is soft, must be interesting in hold down set up. Not worry on brass load/ruin wheel I suppose.
Old skool Toolmaker would hand job that by file, emery on glass w/mike to verify and having a fun time doing it.
Just like lifting a car, some approach are rough while some fine.
Old skool Toolmaker would hand job that by file, emery on glass w/mike to verify and having a fun time doing it.
Just like lifting a car, some approach are rough while some fine.
as far as lifting th car i felt better being under it that way than jack stands, i know its very unlikely but i was concerned about my buddy or i accidently kicking on out while monkeying around with headers. it worked great and people have made comments about that pic like "i wouldnt get under a car like that." byt it was not going anywhere i was going to chalk the wheels but my buddy was like ehhh dont worry about it. and it was not an issue. that car was going nowhere.