In the image below, at the blue circle locations, it says this is for "Frame contact locations for use with a lift". Other versions for this same diagram say "these are optional vehicle Jacking Locations". Owner's Manual (1-32) say "Do not place jack stands under the frame rails", but does not point to an item. Has anyone simply lifted the car with a jack and cross brace in the red zones, and placed one jack stand at all four blue circle locations on the side of the car? (lift front, set two stands, lift back, set 3rd and 4th jack stands, leave hydraulic stand as back-up) Assuming level concrete floor, and lifting pucks installed at these locations for horizontal friction so the stands do not slip.

 

I need all wheels off at the same time to paint the calipers

 

Yes, used to do it all the time.

 

My methods...

a) use my brother's Quick Jack - lift from the blue (puck) locations all at the same time using rubber blocks. Once up engage the safety locks on the Quick Jack to support the car. Super easy and fast.

b) in my driveway - use two floor jacks, one on each side of the car (passenger and driver), start at one end (front or rear) and lift the car evenly AND slowly with the jacks until its high enough to get jack stands into the red areas. I use a block of wood to distribute the weight across the subframe (see below). Once one end is up and secure (front or rear) repeat the steps with the opposite end of the car by relocating the floor jacks as required.



Rear passenger side shown, but drivers side and front setup is identical.
Floor jacks at blue puck location (seen in the distance), jack stands in red areas and block of wood in green area.

Not shown - the block of wood has a 1/2" recessed notch where the jack stand goes, plus two extra blocks of wood on top that fit into the "holes" in the subframe. This creates an alignment rig of sorts that ensures I can't put the wood or jack stands in the wrong place, The wood is "keyed" for proper alignment of both the subframe and jack stands simultaneously.

 

I do the exact opposite, jack from the blue dots with jack pucks installed and place jack stands on the red area

 

I wonder if there is a good YouTube video on this procedure. I have TWO sets of jack stands (4 in total, of course) and one hydraulic floor jack that I can use to lift up my Corvette (and my Accord, if need be) & have it be completely level. I have four of the "pucks" for lifting the car on the sides - below the rocker panels - but I suspect it is best to have the jack stands under the car on the "red" (preferred) places that appear to be sturdy cross members.

My objective is to do my next oil change myself (since my three 'free' ones have been done already) - so I can save some money AND ensure it is done correctly.

Thanks to all of you on the Corvette Forum for such great information!!

 

If I am at the track and need to get the car in the air I jack from the blue spots and place jack stands at the front green spots and at the rear red spots. I start at one of the front frame shipping slots and jack the car high enough to get both wheels off the ground on that side and the front wheel off the ground on the other side. Then I place a jackstand under the front green spot on the side with the jack and lower the car an inch or so to contact the jack, Then I place a jackstand under the other front green spot (a little lower on that side) and one under the red spot on the rear side with the jack. Then I move the jack to the other side of the car and place another jackstand so it is level with the side with the first jackstand. Then I move to the rear and get another jackstand under the car and make it level with the front jackstands and then finally adjust the other rear jackstand so the car is resting level on all 4 jackstands. No cross beam required as there is no need to jack the car evenly at one or the other.

There are variations of this sequence that can be used but the key thing is you DO NOT need to fuss around with a cross beam. I have been lifting C5, C6 and C7 Corvettes this way since 1997 and earlier models in a similar way since 1972 without issue.

Bill

 

I simply use Jackpoint Jackstands. Super easy and completely safe for the car and extremely safe for me if I need to get under the car. The best part is use the (blue) jacking points.

 

My experience is that it's much easier to floor jack the car at the blue points with pucks. Then place jack stands at the red and green once it's up in the air. It's too far of a reach for either of my floor jacks to lift at the red and green. I really like JMII's idea of using the block of wood on top of the jack stand to distribute load and not mar up the aluminum cross members on the car. I have never found a good place to put those aluminum HF jack stands that make me feel comfortable lowering the car onto them. The shape doesn't seem to fit anything under the car. So the block of wood is what I'm going to do next time.

 

My first (fourth for the car overall) 'do it myself' oil & filter change will be sometime late fall. I have a decent hydraulic floor jack + four steel jack stands. I have changed oil on many different vehicles, but this will be the first time for the Corvette. My first three "free" ones were done by the dealership.

Thanks to all who have posted comments and photos here. I am very likely going to come back to this post (or a related one) before crawling under my C7 Stingray.

 

Just my two cents--when changing the oil, at least with my Esco Jack Stands, the footprint of the stands get in the way if you put them at the forward frame locations (red preferred location in Jerry's diagram)--I couldn't get my 15 liter oil drain pan between the two jack stands to catch the draining oil. What I do (with jack pucks installed at all 4 locations) is raise the car using a floor jack at the rear jack point (e.g., the blue point in Jerry's diagram) high enough to get a jack stand under the front jack point, and then put a jack stand at the rear frame location identified in red on Jerry's diagram. Do the same on the other side. When done, there are jack stands under the left front and right front jack locations, and jack stands at the rear on the frame locations.

 

Glad to know they work... I've considered getting them in the past. I see a serious speed advantage to using this setup since you jack and support from the same location all in one shot.

Is the car high enough for oil changes? Looks to be a bit low - with other solutions you can go higher but with these stands your at a fixed height.

 

that was my problem too and thus the wood brace solution. I just happen to have a piece of wood that was nearly the same width to fit the stands which turns out to be width of the subframe as well.

 

Plenty of room underneath to change the oil.

 

For those who prefer to use a floor jack to jack up the car from front/rear of the vehicle GM requires use of a rubber pad be used to jack under the cradle suspension cross section never using the bare plate of the floor jack because it can crack the hollow cradle cross section castings.

I made this out of a 2x4 and high density foam I attached the foam to the 2x4 with screws. It just had new tires put on my C7 for the upcoming PNW Caravan to Bowling Green. My dealer used my pad to slightly jack up the rear of the car in order to get the hydraulic lift arms underneath the (blue) jacking locations. They liked it so much they use my pad to jack up the rear of a brand new ZR1!

 

Thanks. And the foam on top of the wood is a nice touch

 

BTW, if you decide to buy the Jackpoint Jackstands before doing so send me a PM and I will spend the time measuring the total height of the Jackstands to give you the exact clearance from the ground to the bottom of the car.

 

I should be good - on Jackpoint's site they list the height of the stands at 13 inches high (12.25 inches with the low profile pad) which is DOUBLE the Rhino Ramps (listed at 6.5") I've used before on oil changes.

They are sold in pairs correct? So $320 = 2 stands or $640 for all four corners.

 

Yes, its $320 = 2 stands with two matte finish with recessed pads (select the pad that is C7 specific) and $640 for 4 stands with four matte finish with recessed pads (C7 specific). BTW, you need to use jack pucks, you can see it in the close up view below. That will also increase the height by another ~2 inches.