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Although I already purchased a set of four HINSON Urethane Corvette Lift & Jacking Pads a buddy of mine just showed me how he made his own for $2.00 a pad.
When I showed him my pads he want into his garage and pulled out this. Too bad I didn't ask him what he used on his C6 before I bought, however maybe someone else can benefit.
How he did it, He purchased four hockey pucks from a local sporting and an eyebolts. All he did was countersink a hole into the hockey puck being careful not to go completely through it. He then drilled to a depth of 1/2" from the point of going through the puck. He then cut the eyebolt to match the depth of the drilled hole. It's that simple.
I tried it on his Vette, it fit PERFECTLY into the jack slot and it even rotates to lock it in place.
Like I said, had I asked him earlier I would not have spent $89.00!!
I did the same thing for jacking pucks on my C5 except I epoxied two pucks together for a bit of extra height. They worked perfectly on the C5 and work perfectly on the C7.
I did the same thing for jacking pucks on my C5 except I epoxied two pucks together for a bit of extra height. They worked perfectly on the C5 and work perfectly on the C7.
I have used the same 4 hockey puck since 1999 and now on My C7. The pucks show no sing of cracking or defect and believe me they have had plenty of use.
Although I already purchased a set of four HINSON Urethane Corvette Lift & Jacking Pads a buddy of mine just showed me how he made his own for $2.00 a pad.
When I showed him my pads he want into his garage and pulled out this. Too bad I didn't ask him what he used on his C6 before I bought, however maybe someone else can benefit.
How he did it, He purchased four hockey pucks from a local sporting and an eyebolts. All he did was countersink a hole into the hockey puck being careful not to go completely through it. He then drilled to a depth of 1/2" from the point of going through the puck. He then cut the eyebolt to match the depth of the drilled hole. It's that simple.
I tried it on his Vette, it fit PERFECTLY into the jack slot and it even rotates to lock it in place.
Like I said, had I asked him earlier I would not have spent $89.00!!
Just a word of caution. GM Owner's Manual (page 10-4) says to use 2 1/2 inch diameter pads. I found the aluminum 3 inch diameter pads I used in my C6 hit one of my rocker panels. Using a screw eye in a hockey puck allows you to move it off center if that is an issue, see pic. The 2 inch high aluminum pads I use now to clear my shirts fill the whole area of the slot making a closer fit. Katech and Reverse Logic make 2 1/2 inch diameter pads that are 2 inches high for those who add skirts. FWIW.
Some C7 Rocker Panels are closer to the transport slots than they were in my C6. GM recommends 2 1/2 inch diameter. Using screw eyes in 3 inch OD hockey pucks allows them to be offset, top pic, if clearance is an issue.
As always JerryU thanks for the great info!! I'll have to check out the Katech pads.
Your welcome. I bought the aluminum Katech pads and they work fine, very secure. However the Reverse Logic pads (which are made from Nylon or similar material) have an interesting feature. You can screw clamp them in the shipping slot temporarily if going to a dealer who may or may not listen to the instructions you provide to use them! Prices are about the same. With my C6 I put them on the passenger seat with a note and told the service scheduler to be sure they were used!
With side skirts they must be used or those large pads on their center post lifts will surly hit the skirts!
Not sure I would like driving to the dealer with them hanging down 2 inches or have the mechanic drive over a speed bump however! If getting the one inch high pads it would be a good idea.
Just a word of caution. GM Owner's Manual (page 10-4) says to use 2 1/2 inch diameter pads. I found the aluminum 3 inch diameter pads I used in my C6 hit one of my rocker panels. Using a screw eye in a hockey puck allows you to move it off center if that is an issue, see pic. The 2 inch high aluminum pads I use now to clear my shirts fill the whole area of the slot making a closer fit. Katech and Reverse Logic make 2 1/2 inch diameter pads that are 2 inches high for those who add skirts. FWIW.
Some C7 Rocker Panels are closer to the transport slots than they were in my C6. GM recommends 2 1/2 inch diameter. Using screw eyes in 3 inch OD hockey pucks allows them to be offset, top pic, if clearance is an issue.
Glad you pointed out the risk of overlapping the rocker panel with anything larger in diameter than 2 1/2 inches. But as you pointed out the eyebolt will allow you to offset the pucks alignment so clearing the rocket panel should not be an issue.
I also read the reference post that 6GenVettes provided about trusting a $50,000+ vehicle to a $1.29 since hockey puck are made out of rubber (recommend others read it too, post#28). However, I do disagree with a couple of the author's assertions like;
#1) "The metal hardware inserted into the puck will create a weak point within the puck, and will fail over time." I believe the GREATER risk using product like HINSON Urethane Corvette Lift Pads/Jack Pads because the weakest part of that design is the Urethane shaft that extends up from the pad itself, highlighted in the attached pic. It is much weaker than an eye bolt! The point about Urethane being x times stronger than rubber is true but does that outweigh the design weakness of Urethane Lift Pads that I pointed out earlier, I don't know.
I strongly agree with the author's point that aluminum or steel pads do not allow a jack or lift to "bite" into the pads. "This results in a very good chance of the metal puck sliding or slipping on the jack."
Glad you pointed out the risk of overlapping the rocker panel with anything larger in diameter than 2 1/2 inches. But as you pointed out the eyebolt will allow you to offset the pucks alignment so clearing the rocket panel should not be an issue.
I also read the reference post that 6GenVettes provided about trusting a $50,000+ vehicle to a $1.29 since hockey puck are made out of rubber (recommend others read it too, post#28). However, I do disagree with a couple of the author's assertions like;
#1) "The metal hardware inserted into the puck will create a weak point within the puck, and will fail over time." I believe the GREATER risk using product like HINSON Urethane Corvette Lift Pads/Jack Pads because the weakest part of that design is the Urethane shaft that extends up from the pad itself, highlighted in the attached pic. It is much weaker than an eye bolt! The point about Urethane being x times stronger than rubber is true but does that outweigh the design weakness of Urethane Lift Pads that I pointed out earlier, I don't know.
I strongly agree with the author's point that aluminum or steel pads do not allow a jack or lift to "bite" into the pads. "This results in a very good chance of the metal puck sliding or slipping on the jack."
why can't a simple piece of wood be used ? Just have four small blocks of wood for use prior tp lifting the car..
I did the same thing for jacking pucks on my C5 except I epoxied two pucks together for a bit of extra height. They worked perfectly on the C5 and work perfectly on the C7.
you will need that extra height if you have side skirts
Glad you pointed out the risk of overlapping the rocker panel with anything larger in diameter than 2 1/2 inches. But as you pointed out the eyebolt will allow you to offset the pucks alignment so clearing the rocket panel should not be an issue.
I strongly agree with the author's point that aluminum or steel pads do not allow a jack or lift to "bite" into the pads. "This results in a very good chance of the metal puck sliding or slipping on the jack."
Originally Posted by bbcb
why can't a simple piece of wood be used ? Just have four small blocks of wood for use prior tp lifting the car..
Just looked up some coefficients of friction, rubber may be somewhat higher than aluminum but some platics, like Nylon are significantly less! However my jack saddles (and probably many others) have rubber inserts that provide the friction needed. I find the key is be sure the rear caster wheels are turned so the hydraulic jack can easily roll into the car as it lifts.
The issue with just using wood blocks is what is noted about the possibility of it slipping as the jack is raised. A hydraulic jack must move in as the saddle raises because of the geometry changes of the lifting link. If an eyebolt were placed in a piece of hardwood, like that used with a hockey puck, that would help. That is an advantage of an even less expensive jack option, scissor jacks. They move straight up so a pieces of wood should be fine!
I did the same thing for jacking pucks on my C5 except I epoxied two pucks together for a bit of extra height. They worked perfectly on the C5 and work perfectly on the C7.
Yep. Same here. 2 epoxied together is the perfect height.
Not to jump on an old thread, but I just made a lift pad using a hockey puck, a 3/8" eyebolt and a 2.5" hole saw.
I needed the hole saw to cut down the puck because the full size puck wouldn't fit in my floor jack.
I didn't have to put a nut on the end of the eyebolt as hole saw bit was just the right size that it created a hole just the right size to firmly hold the eyebolt in place.
When cutting of the end of the bolt leave about 1/4 inch of space between the bottom of eyebolt and top of pad. This is needed to insert the pad into the car's lift point.
Finished lift pad Showing difference in puck sizes before and after cutting Hole saw Pad in jack
Not to jump on an old thread, but I just made a lift pad using a hockey puck, a 3/8" eyebolt and a 2.5" hole saw.
I needed the hole saw to cut down the puck because the full size puck wouldn't fit in my floor jack.
I didn't have to put a nut on the end of the eyebolt as hole saw bit was just the right size that it created a hole just the right size to firmly hold the eyebolt in place.
When cutting of the end of the bolt leave about 1/4 inch of space between the bottom of eyebolt and top of pad. This is needed to insert the pad into the car's lift point.
Finished lift pad
Showing difference in puck sizes before and after cutting
Hole saw
Pad in jack
Nice job. Good way to get the proper diameter jack pads. Where I had 3 inch diameter pads for my C6, found in my 2014 C7 they did not clear the rocker panel in all localtion! Now I have 2 1/2 inch alumimum Katech pads as well as Reverse Logic Pads that I can bolt in temperately. Both clear my side skirts.
Know some have used the larger hockey pucks and as long as the eye bolt is thin enough they may clear the rocker panels.
This is what it says to use in my 2014, 2017 and just checked and this pic is from the 2019 Owner's Manual;
09-02-2015, 10:36 PM
Make your own jacking lift pads, cheap!
