Captain_Slow

I just realized why I haven't used Ron's method. I can't lift the car in stages. Lifting the car in stages requires having jack points that aren't also sitting on a jack stand. Going straight to the height I like to use (about 20-22 inches) can't be done as Ron describes. Scary to imagine.

poindex30

Guys, thanks for the tips. I'm headed to buy the 6 ton jack stands this morning. My improvised approach doesn't allow me to get fully under the car. I think I'll buy 8 jack stands and place the second set of 4 under the car as back ups.

Captain_Slow

You may have a hard time finding places to put the jack stands. DO NOT put the stands under what appear to be boxed "rails". They will crush easily (the dumbest person in the world needed several crushing attempts on my car before becoming satisfied that it was time to look for a better location). So...you could put one under the rear cross member, under each of the lower control arm caps, and maybe one under front lower control arm skids (but not at all a stable position...but strong enough). Problem will be you will create a forest of jack stands under your car. Kind of hard to move around. Even with just one set of 6 -ton stands you have enough capacity to support a large RV. The main reason for the 6 - ton stands is they can lift the car higher and do so safely because the stands have wide bases. OH...and it's not uncommon for the car to really only be touching 3 of the stands unless you have a very flat floor. I put stand caps on mine to fill the gap (which stand had the gap depended on where I parked the car).

Mark R.

No. You are not the only one following this procedure Ron.
I have been doing it this way successfully for 17 years.
(since way back when Wally first showed us this technique).


Actually, it can be done Jon.
I usually go straight to the third notch setting on my 6 ton stands.
It can be a little bit precarious when you have the first front stand in place.
Then you go to jack the other rear side and it balances on only two corners.
One of my cars is perfectly balanced and will teeter on the two diagonals.
I have to make sure the rear on that other side stays down on the ground.
Kind of difficult to describe, but it works quite well.

I have some small sacrificial pieces of wood that I use for this purpose.
The wood has crushed, and taken a set, so I it goes on the same way everytime.
In it's crushed state, it stays flat on top and conforms to the stand on the bottom.
So I use these same little blocks of crushed wood over and over.
The metal of the stand actually never touches the car...

Captain_Slow

Mark - I think I'd be afraid to try the balancing act you've perfected, but good to know. I've seen use of a 4x4 about 3 feet long under the boxed "rails" to distribute the weight, and a floor jack. Kind of a poor mans' lift bars. My "rails" are too mashed to use this method on one side.

Mark R.

Well I have never encountered that ^ (and frankly, that would make me nervous).
All of the garages I have ever owned seem to have a perfectly flat and level floor.
I also meant to mention there is something I always do before I crawl underneath.
I grab the car and wiggle it from side to side in a pretty vigorous manner.
This ensures that the car is completely settled and stable on the stands.
Sometimes I can hear the stands shifting around slightly and seating themselves.
I have been looking into getting a nice lift, but that is not in the cards right now.
Here's a picture of the little wooden shim blocks I described in my previous post.
They get placed on top of the jackstands in the same orientation each time.
The flat surface of the jacking pad on the car sits on the top surface of the wood.
So the metal of the jackstands never actually makes any contact with the car.

poindex30

Hey Mark,

I decided to go to harbor freight and buy the same jack stands and jack stand pads as Jon has. My car is still up on my improvised stands however. I'm in the middle of several projects so I can't move it to the jack stands just yet.

Wisconsin Joe

Since you mention the HF stands, I'll share this:

I have one pair of the HF 6 tons, and the latest flier had a coupon for them at $40. Get there, they are $80, on sale for $50. I used my coupon and got them for $40 (plus I used the "free goodie" coupon).

Went up the road to a different store, and found very similar (same height range, same size base) 6 ton stands for $44. Not on sale. Regular price.
Harbor Freight can offer some good deals, but they often aren't as good as they appear at first glance.

Other store stands:

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/lari.../0000000001565

Captain_Slow

I think I paid $60 for each pair of HF 6 ton stands. Got them on sale, but didn't combine with other coupons. Joe, that's a great buy!

Captain_Slow

Mark...seems that about every 3rd or 4th time I put the car up on stands I'll have a few millimeters of gap at one of the stands. I bought some stand "hoods" at HF that are a dense plastic or poly. They do pretty much the same thing as the wood.

I first noticed my garage floor wasn't perfectly flat while adjusting the ride height at the rear. I turned the collars exactly the same number of turns and measured the amount of change at the threaded sleeves. Both sides were exactly the same. But looking at the car with wheels down it looked like the right rear ride height was lower than the left. After a few measurement checks I realized the suspension was articulating slightly in response to the floor. Parking it a few feet further in the garage confirmed it was the floor.

I give the car a shake as you do. I also grab each stand and try to wiggle them, and make sure the ratchet levers are all fully seated.

The Fixer

Poindex, i know where your coming from driving up on ramps,

i hate jacking these cars up (the front) and every time i do my car sits higher for a while again once down..my car wants to float. also i hate twisting up the front end and going from side to side etc..

Anywho, i drive up on ramps like you but set a large mirror that i can see while in the driver's seat. It lessons the nervousness of doing this being able to see along with feel the ramps.

I do it the same way and take my time and have never had a roll away.. i usually place stands as a precaution up front just in case while raising the rear and chock the front wheels a little better than you do once up on the ramp.

Great looking 928 you have.