Originally Posted by dr bob

Jonathan (Kelanel) PM'd asking about what stands to use. He can share my reply with the group, particularly the discussion on step heights while rasing and lowering.

Originally Posted by dr bob

Jonathan--

I did some quick calcs on rollover for various stands, during a discussion on "which stands to buy". The 3-ton stands have a smaller footprint obviously, and at full extension the overturning moment requires just 175# in either direct lateral or direct longitudinal force to get them over center. That's with car on 4 stands at their full extension, level ground, and ASSumes concrete. So you'd really want the 6-tons stands for their extra stability if you are doing anything on the car that includes that kind of pulling or pushing.

But... A lot depends on the jack you are using. Most common jacks have a max height of somewhere less than 20 inches. Without the liftbars, getting the car onto the 6-ton stands means either adding a 3"-thick block on the jack's pad, or taking the first step onto a 3-ton stand. Then a lateral lift to get a six-ton under the the other front corner, and back to the first point to replace the 3-ton with a 6-ton. Lifting the rear is relatively easy, except that with the fronts up high on the 6-tons there's mot that much room to get the jack under the rear crossmember for that last lift. Even with room for the jack, there's almost no room to pump the handle. That's how I ended up with four each of the 3-ton and 6-ton stands.

Using the liftbars doesn't buy you much WRT help on jack height. There's -maybe- 2" difference between the jack pad height and the saddles where you put your stands. You don't get the advantage of the cantilever when jacking any more so are limited to jack height alone plus liftbar height as far as total height available. Further, you MUST lift the car is steps when using the liftbars. Try to pick one side up to full height, and you have a serious risk of it rolling off the first liftbar as you pick up the second side. Liftbar owners have lready reported accidents from this. I've seen the liftbars at Rob's but dont have exact dimensions; consider that with the lift pad on the car as small as it is (~3") and relatively 'soft', a liftbar height of 1.5" from jack pad to saddle means a rollover at 45º. The liftbars are taller than that though, so you get to do a little trig to see what step angles are safe when lifting the car side-to-side. Bottom line is that the first lift on one side will undoubtedly be lower than the lowest 6-ton height. So your minimum jackstand requirement will be a pair of 3-ton for the first side, a pair of 6-ton for the second side, another pair of 6-ton for the second lift on the first side.



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Twenty-odd years ago I bought a company in a rural town in Illinois. I was visiting there one time when a neighbor woman cam running over screaming for help. Hubby had jacked up their car in the garage to work on it, no stands. It rolled off the jack and pinned him against the garage wall, crushing his ribcage and suffocating him. He was dead before she found him. It was a bit of work lifting the car off of him in the tight garage, and an experience that left an indelible mark on me regarding jacks, jackstands, and remembering the physics and the gravity. There's no room for error.

Originally Posted by Ducman82

cant wait for pictures! i need to get a nice LOW race jack so i can do the lift bars all at once. right now i have to lift the front end up, stick wood under the tire , then i can get the lift bar on the jack and it will fit under the car.....

Originally Posted by AirtekHVAC

Sooo, don't want no troubles....safe to start a new thread pointing to he pelican blog, or no?..

Originally Posted by Cortina

hmm.............
I just installed a four post ramp ... bought S/H ... about $500 !!

Originally Posted by Cortina

............... read my other post and get me the answer !!!