Hey guys, got my garage Reno done for the C8 with a new MotoFloor (cheap Racedeck from Costco) and a tire rack for my summer wheels/tires. I plan to switch those out myself instead of paying the dealership to do it. I don’t want to get a full garage lift but would like a really nice rolling jack, preferably one that I could use inside the garage but if not, one to use on the concrete pad. I’ve seen from videos that the c8 has what looks to be jacking holes rather than jacking plates/bars like I’m used to from when I worked on cars in my teens and 20s. Do I need a special jack for the C8 and those jacking holes?? And what suggestions can you give me for brand/style/model of jack? Thanks guys!!!!!!

 

Have u thought of Quickjacks? Great compromise between jackstands and a full lift. And they fit under the car.



https://www.eastwood.com/quickjack-7...4aAuVwEALw_wcB

 

With the Car being so low and likely any spots you could reach with a jack, you'd need to drive the car up on some helper blocks or 2x10s or something anyway to fit. The jacking points that they show to use shouldn't be used as single points , just as it was for the aluminum framed C6s and all C7s. Looking at the underbelly of the C8, I think it's going to be tough to get to the front @ the center. The back should be doable.
If you're wanting to have something portable, then the quick jack is the droid you're looking for. They are heavy and you'd need room to store them out of the way, but it's doable depending on what space you have.
That's our plan here when we get around to getting a C8.

 

Get a quick jack... there's no good place to jack from the front and rear anymore to put the car on jackstands easily.

 

Wait, so you are not supposed to jack from a single side jacking point?
How do you do brakepads/wheel changes at the track?
You can't exactly fit a quick lift in the frunk.

Will I needed two jacks and have to alternate the both back and both front points?
Whats the story here?

As a side - do any of the quick lifts have great locking mechanisms that make it safe for me to get under the car for the oil change/ other work you may need?

 

I agree. I can’t imagine they e built a car a home grease monkey can’t jack with a standard one puck jack! And that that’s the way it been for the last 2 generations. I know for a fact that friends in the 80s used to work on their cars all the time with just a standard jack. I feel an Ask Tadge coming on here.

 

Yes you can jack at any of the 4 jacking points to life the side of the car up. That doesn’t work well for getting the car up on jack stands to do any DIY service. The car is really designed around a lift of quick jack type product.

 

ok that I can swallow.
For now it would be jack 1 corner at at a time for pads/wheels at home or at the track.
Im trying to decide if I want to get a 4 post + 2 point jack or just a quick lift.
I will have 4 cars and would like to keep some garage space available for project work, so ultimately a 4 post for 2 of the cars would be nice.

 

Jacks fail... hate relying on jacks only.

 

Yeah I get ya!
It kind of sucks, in a way, that the floor doesn't allow you to use the frame jacking points w/o removing it. (I assume that is the case)
I was thinking that actually, even if I get a quick jack I would likely use blocks under the wheels for maintenance.
Was also thinking I may build a "block set" for the quick jack that I could put under the the frames, as that locking mechanism doesn't give me confidence.

Is there some place on the suspension attach points where you can get a jack stand in for changing the tires/pads at the track?

 

I know one trick on the C5/C6 was adding a piece of flat bar under the car that screwed into the frame and would be lower than the panels so you can jack at the center of the car ( between puck locations along the side ) and get both wheels up evenly on each side. The wife's C5 has them and it's great. Haven't studied the underside of the C8 enough to know if that would work, so that's a big question.
Once i know when we're ordering our C8, I'll dig deeper into it.

 

Been using QJs for 2 years. I have the 5000# set for my C4 ZR. Never an issue. Locking mechanism works just fine. I think they have a video showing how my model supported over 2.5x the rated weight w no failure.

 

From what I've seen only the 4 perimeter frame points are exposed and accessible. The other acceptable locations are covered by underbody panels.
Rocker rails... had them on my C5. They're great. That would allow you to jack right in the middle of the side and put stands under the correct frame slots with jacking pads. However, I hate leaving half the car on stands at an angle and hoping nothing shifts when I jack up the other side. If you're using rubber pucks and jackstands with the cupped tops to capture the cups, you might can get away with it.

 

Tool Hoarder - was only saying it would be a good idea to use those if you wanted to work on one side of the car at a time. I don't jack her car up on with all the wheels off the ground in that manner. I get the front on board ramps and jack from the cross member and then the back and work it back and forth until I'm where I like it.

The C8 will be a learning experience for a lot of us for sure that do our own work. Since this one won't see autocross or track use, I'll not be under it as much.

 

After thinking about my use cases and options I think I will get a quick jack even it I get a 4 post.
The quick jack is about the cost of a 2 point on the 4 post and has the flexibility of me taking it to a friends house, providing the ability to get all wheels on blocks quickly and easily (blocks in my view are still likely safer than a 4 post), and frankly in looking at the 4 post jack Im not sure any of them are low enough to get under the vette.

So back to floor jacks for a moment.
Arcan?
Powerbuilt?
Sunex?

My personal use is something for the track, since I don't have a trailer and can't take the quick jack.

 

^^^
I think Harbor Freight jacks are fine. I have 4! My first is large and bought it when I built my street rod ~20 years ago. Have the other 3 because one has too short a Lift Arm. Regardless of which brand you buy don't buy one with a short arm because it has to move into the car quite a bit or the saddle will slip off the jack pad!

These pics will help explain.
Note: found the issue with my long reach jack was it weighted 95lbs and wasn't also not moving in! I welded a steel band onto the very flat saddle!
Frankly I'd buy two jacks with ~15 inch Lift Arms.



I always use jack stands. With the C8 where the cross members are not accessible because they are covered by bottom aero panels I'd keep the jack under tension and put a jack stand under the suspension "A" arm.



I use stanchions on one end if I need to have the car level, like when changing oil (not needed on the C8 as only one drain plug on the front.) I made these wood ones for ~$10 and they are light. Have fiberglass ones that are 12 inches high I used when building my street rod. But have to use a two step jack approach to get the car that high. Was fine when spending several months under my street rod BUT not for working on the Vette! I'd never use jack stands on both ends of the car.

 

A few years back I bought a lowpro AC Hydraulic Jack from Pelican parts. Made in Denmark. Very nice quality unit. I've owned 7 or 8 floor Jack's and this is the best one I've had.

 

^^^
Have to check and see where it is made now! Reminded of a tour our ASME local section had of one of the two Harbor Freight warehouses. It's in Dillion SC and is over 1 million square feet! I recall, at the time, ~60 tractor trailer loads coming in from China from ports in Charleston and Savanna. On the other side ~70 went out to their stores. They have another large facility that handled orders shipped directly to customers. We're getting real good as a country in logistics and shipping!

The plant manager was our tour guide. His expertise was logistics coming from the clothing industry as I recall. He discussed packaging of product they receive as a big issue. If damaged from the vendor they had to absorb the cost. One of our members asked if they buy any product from Black & Decker, etc. He said, "Oh, I see their product being made in the same plants that supply ours!"

SIDEBAR
Reminded when my ~30 year old "Craftsman's Best" sander finally failed. I went to our local Sears Store (just before it closed) and looked at their best vibrating sander. Looked cheap compared to my ~30 year old sander. Then went to Harbor Freight where their sander "looked better" and with the 20% off coupon was half the price!

Yep, I'm an "old timer," 77. All my hand tools are Craftsman some ~50 years old and still fine. I don't have to buy many new hand tools now BUT not easy to find "Made in US" quality tools. One of the last I purchased was a 6 sided box wrench, somewhat unusual compared to 12 sided but needed for my Grand Sport side oil pan bolt. Could have purchased a Snap-On (I believe US made) for $35. Bought on Amazon and picked the one from Mexico at ~$15 compared to one half that price from China! It's well made and says CrMoly steel.

But have many Harbor Freight products that are fine for my infrequent use. Recall before Harbor Freight had a Store in our area (or warehouse on the East Coast) bought an engine lift for the street rod I built when I retired 20 years ago. It was about $110 and free shipping for orders over $100 at the time! Thought heck, someone in China made this product who probably has no idea what it's for. It was packed and shipped by boat to California (where Harbor Freight started) and UPS delivered at no cost to me. Wonder what Harbor Freight paid? It worked fine and sold it for $75 about 10 years ago!

For my part time Internet business I have a Harbor Freight arbor press. It was obviously a copy of a US made product as it does not have metric bolts and nuts (we are the only country NOT using all metric!) It was 20% the cost of one I found at an industrial supply store. Works fine! Same with my drill press, cut-off saw, etc, etc.

Perhaps this pandemic will have us get back to making steel from iron ore instead of just shipping pellet's and metalogical coal to South Korea (who have none!) I like Nucor but all their steel comes from melting old cars (toured their mill in Darlington SC.) Hope we can make some machine parts and tools BUT doubt it will be for low priced product!

 

Still made in Denmark.

 

I've been told by other mid engine car owners that this floor jack with the safe jack device works well