6 replies to this topic

[Bagman]

I have a service manual for the vehicle (thanks Huey) and a book from the library, but despite their pictures, I don't really feel like I understand where to jack the car up safely at. I own a floor jack and 4 jack stands, but I can never seem to find a good spot to jack it up, and also to stick the floor jack in a safe spot once it is up in the air. Do you use the bumper jack?

Thanks guys,
-Bagman

[TK826]

In the last 6 months I've blown out 2 tires.

This is before I realized that the tires on my car were the original,
1974 "G" designation tires!

The first time this happened I had no choice but to use the old, stand up bumper jack that originally came with the car. It has the larger bumper hook that wraps around the bumper, rather than the notch that fits into the bumper slot.

Worked like a charm.
(although those things always make me nervous that they will jump out and bust my shin in two)

The next time it happened I had my hydraulic floor jack w/ me and just found a good spot on the frame, near the tire, and jacked it up like any other car.
Again, no problems.

[TI4438]

One of my supervisors is a Mopar fanatic.He suggests using a hydraulic floor jack on these old cars just to be safe.

[76Bluesmobile]

Hey Bagman,

I bought a heavy 3 ton floor jack and (4) 3 ton jack stands from my local Advance Auto Parts store specifically for my car and they have worked flawlessly for me. My car bent my Dad's 2 ton jack that he was using - while he was under it! Quick thinking and more strength than I thought I had to yank him out from underneath kept the car from resting on his chest and suffocating him. Safety is and should always be paramount.

That having been said - the best place to jack up the front of the car is directly behind either front wheel where the subframe connects to the body to lift just one wheel, or you can lift on the frame under the engine to lift the entire front of the car. To lift the rear end, use the same procedure - in front of either rear tire where the body and frame meet or stick the jack under the pumpkin in the middle of the rear axle. One more tip - to prevent the jack from possibly bending, crushing or marking any metal under the car, place a solid piece of wood such as a 2x4 or 2x6 over the entire jack saddle to help distribute the force on the car. This is not recommended though if you are lifting under the engine or under the pumpkin - only when lifting from the side by the wheels. Never lift the car under any doors and I only recommend using bumper jacks as an absolute last resort. Usually, I just put a lampshade on them and one click up turns the light on!

Of course this should go without saying - DISCLAIMER!! - unless you are working on the brakes, apply the emergency brake at all times, be sure the key is NOT in the ignition and that the steering wheel is locked. Place wheel chocks against any wheel that maintains contact with the ground and use jack stands under any part of the vehicle that is in the air. One final note - NEVER remove the floor jack from under a raised vehicle unless it is absolutely critical to do so. Keep it raised against the car at all times. The floor jack plus jack stands plus wheel chocks has been a failsafe system for me. Once I raise the car and put stands and chocks under it, I shake the hell out of it as hard as I can to see if it is rock solid - only then do I start working. I owe these lessons to my Dad who never failed to yell at me until I was working safely - 4,300 pounds is a lot of metal to have drop on you.

Enjoy those wheels Bagman - just always do it safely.

[TK826]

Wise words.

I was thinking tire changes.
Working under the car... yeah, that's a different story.

[Ghostbluesman]

76Bluesmobile said:

That having been said - the best place to jack up the front of the car is directly behind either front wheel where the subframe connects to the body to lift just one wheel, or you can lift on the frame under the engine to lift the entire front of the car. To lift the rear end, use the same procedure - in front of either rear tire where the body and frame meet or stick the jack under the pumpkin in the middle of the rear axle. One more tip - to prevent the jack from possibly bending, crushing or marking any metal under the car, place a solid piece of wood such as a 2x4 or 2x6 over the entire jack saddle to help distribute the force on the car. This is not recommended though if you are lifting under the engine or under the pumpkin - only when lifting from the side by the wheels. Never lift the car under any doors and I only recommend using bumper jacks as an absolute last resort. Usually, I just put a lampshade on them and one click up turns the light on!

Of course this should go without saying - DISCLAIMER!! - unless you are working on the brakes, apply the emergency brake at all times, be sure the key is NOT in the ignition and that the steering wheel is locked. Place wheel chocks against any wheel that maintains contact with the ground and use jack stands under any part of the vehicle that is in the air. One final note - NEVER remove the floor jack from under a raised vehicle unless it is absolutely critical to do so. Keep it raised against the car at all times. The floor jack plus jack stands plus wheel chocks has been a failsafe system for me. Once I raise the car and put stands and chocks under it, I shake the hell out of it as hard as I can to see if it is rock solid - only then do I start working. I owe these lessons to my Dad who never failed to yell at me until I was working safely - 4,300 pounds is a lot of metal to have drop on you.

Exactly the same methods I use....especially the "shake the hell out of it" part....I feel a lot better about slipping under the rig after I throw my 240 pounds into it, and there's no movement...
Rob

[scatpack01]

I have used my bumper jack that comes with the car to swap tires and rims on my car. But see all the above for working under it.