chapstic951

Provided I could get a low-pro jack to the crossmember, is it safe to jack our cars up with it? I have a very narrow garage and going back and forth lifting the left (insert jackstand), then the right (insert jackstand), then the left (adjust jackstand), then the right (adjust jackstand) can get very tedious. Then do the same process for putting it back down.

Can the crossmember support the weight just for lifting, not at rest support? I don't want to risk bending/breaking it if it cannot support the weight.

Yabo

if you have good jackstands, assuming your using the short ones not the big 4 ton truck ones, you can go all the way up on one attempt from each side, or pretty close. Make sure your jack has wheels and is on a rollable surface.

Otherwise I believe the crossmember will handle a jack fine.. just go slow and watch it. Use a piece of 2x4 if possible to span teh crossmember to disperse the force.

schwank

I've got the same problem with a very narrow garage... My jack was not long enough to get to the cross member so I drove it up on ramps and then boosted it just a touch more with the jackstands. It looks just a bit sketch, but it works. Don't get me wrong, as soon as I get a couple things put back on I am dropping it back to ramps...

chapstic951

My intent is to use the jackstands on the frame once I got the car lifted. Lifting via the cross member would just be to get it off the ground with ease and to make it a clean lift.

Schwank, that is a deceptive view. It looks like you have the jackstands on the anti-sway bar. That would be no bueno.

Sounds like this shouldn't pose a problem.

schwank

Yeah, certainly looks funny, but rest assured, those are on the cross member.

KuHL 951

I use the front crossmember all the time for jacking. I make sure to run a 12"-2x4 cross the jack pad to distribute the load. I also jack the rear using a saddle I have for the TA-to-TT housing. Jacking from the sides is scary for me when I see the jack stands on one side start to lift off the floor. The 83 is actually lower than the 951 and I need to drive up on a pair of 2x6's first.

Yabo

I usually watch as i press teh jack up slowly, if one stand starts to tip/lift on one side, i just push with my back against the car as i lift and the jack will roll a little further and you pushing will keep the jackstand up right. the jackstand tries to tip because the jack isn't rolling quite far enough as you jack.

Techno Duck

I usually jack from the center jack point or from the front portion of the frame rail when i need the front in the air. I am curious though, i dont usually use the front portion of the frame rail anymore because i noticed my doors dont close correctly when i have it jacked up from there.

I just recently started supporting the car from the cross member with the jack stands and like this method much more.

Like Kuhl, my car is to low so i need to drive on a few 2x4's. I just recently put plastic side skirts on my car and my rear is low enough i need to drive up on TWO 2x4's to have my jack clear the side skirt! All for a stupid piece of plastic that hardly anyone notices! Ill admit the last two times i changed my wheels i lifted the rear by the transmission.... i know it not safe!

Rich Sandor

Yeah IF you can fit a jack under the crossmember, it should be safe to jack it up from there.. make sure you use some sort of metal plate between the crossmember and the jack's "lifting cup" to prevent the jack from gouging into the crossmember. Make sure your e-brake is up and that the car doesn't roll forward, or you'll be fawked.

and just for kicks, here is my old drawing that everyone should have seen by now:

chapstic951

Rich,
Thank you for the visual. I knew I had seen that somewhere before, but couldn't remember from where. You don't mind if I "right click" and "save as" do you?

-Steve