pieball

I know it's not a good idea, but can I safely jack the rear of the car at the transaxle? My other lightweight jack took a ****. If not, is there a place I can safely with one jack? Car is a track project and has lost a couple hundred pounds already mainly from the rear. Therefore it shouldn't be as bad, and I've done it this way on a couple other vehicles. Thanks, Lincoln

bearone

i put a piece of wood between the jack and the ta for tire changes.

87951

Sam Lin

Why isn't it?

It's fine, very quick and easy, I do it all the time.

Sam

pieball

Sam I've seen cars where mounts or something else just didn't look good to carry 1/2 a car... better safe than sorry I guess. I just needed a little confirmation from a couple people before I tried. Thanks guys.

sl951

it just addes more stress to the rubber attachment.. tranny to the mount. As for long term affects who knows.. The spare wheel well method works.

pieball

That was my second choice with a block of wood. Doesn't matter if that dented a little. I was a little leary there too though because I was debating putting my battery back there.

JDeitz951

Have you guys ever seen whats holding up the trans? Two 8mm screws as I recall. Maybe the torque tube will take some of the load, but it doesn't seem right.

I always use only one jack, and 4 jackstands. You are using jackstands, right? Jack 1 side up in the air, place 2 stands, repeat on the other side.

Search the 944 and 951 forums, ther was a thread 2 weeks ago on this with good pics and lots of opinions.

pieball

That's kinda what I meant, probably not the greatest idea, but doable(risky)...
I have only jacked sides on this car, not front or rear. That's why I said it in the beginning.

JDeitz951

It would be nice to know it was OK to jack by the tranny cuz it would be super convenient. I don't recall ever reading a story about someone screwing anything up lifting this way. Maybe it is OK. I'll email some real knowledgeable guys for their opinion and get back here.

Rob

I also have done it for many years without a problem and always use a piece of wood between the trans and floor jack.

pieball

Well, if anything breaks I know where to start looking for all of you! At least I have extras of everything including a tranny IF that goes.

Kool

Ask Curly DE.

I think he broke a piece off his transmission case jacking it up.

Dave951

Heres the thread from a couple of weeks ago which talked about jacking that JDeitz951 mentioned above.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hlight=Jacking

JDeitz951

OK. I posted a question about "jacking under the tranny" to the 944/951 mailing lists. Several old hands reported that they do it all the time and one said he sees the racers do it all the time at the track. No one at all reported ever damaging anything this way. Several never tried it but think it is risky.

In my opinion, there is a different risk to lifting one side at a time. I have read one report where the car slipped off the first 2 jack stands when lifting the other side to set the second set of jack stands. Yes, that was only one report, but I am always concerned for my safety at that stage of both lifting and lowering. The angle of the car at that stage is extreme. Lifting from the center front or rear is safer.

But there is no way to lift the front center. My jack handle has no travel and there is no room for a good sized wooden block if I set it under the cross member while the car is on the ground. Hmmm... I could drive the front up on ramps, then lift and set the front, then go lift and set the back. But isn't that more trouble than the side to side way? Hmmm...

In any case, the consensus, based on actual long-term experience, is that lifting by the tranny is OK. As stated above, it may actually be safer than the side-to-side method.

All the nay-sayers (so far) have been based on conjecture not experience.

Scootin159

I don't know about the transmission method, but I do know for sure that the spare tire well WILL NOT WORK. I had a mechanic try and jack the car by the spare tire well ONCE (only time in car's life that I know about), while using a wood block...and it collapsed my spare tire well. I can take pictures if anybody doesn't believe me....but my advice is to never lift the car by the spare tire well.