DIY: Where to put jack stands
#1
...pondering...
Thread Starter
DIY: Where to put jack stands
Jack Stand question:
So I searched the forum and can't find a place where this is laid out so I thought I'd ask and then possibly post it once a consensus has been reached.
What are the best places for jack stands under the car? There is a lot of discussion about how/where to jack the car up, but I couldn't find a good reference on where to place jacks stands on all 4 corners. I have done it myself but am not supremely confident in my placement and I was curious if people knew, and possibly had pics of the best, most stable, places to get jack stands under the car.
So I searched the forum and can't find a place where this is laid out so I thought I'd ask and then possibly post it once a consensus has been reached.
What are the best places for jack stands under the car? There is a lot of discussion about how/where to jack the car up, but I couldn't find a good reference on where to place jacks stands on all 4 corners. I have done it myself but am not supremely confident in my placement and I was curious if people knew, and possibly had pics of the best, most stable, places to get jack stands under the car.
#2
Senior Member
#3
...pondering...
Thread Starter
Appreciate the input, but again, not looking for where to jack the car up - I am looking for where to place jack stands once the car is already jacked up and those points are in the middle of the car- not good for jack stands...
#4
Senior Member
My bad ........ here you go : Help Needed, Where to place Car Stands and Hydraulic Jack BTW, I found that thread by searching
Last edited by rx8cited; 05-23-2009 at 10:40 AM.
#6
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I've been searching for a couple minutes and started to wonder why people don't put jack stands under the control arms. They're already suspended members that are meant to hold the weight of the car. I used this method a few weeks ago installing my CAI and exhaust and it worked great.
#8
True love is blue x2
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As long as the jack stands are placed under the frame, you are good to go. If you miss the frame, then you are f-ed. If you have trouble finding the frame, then ask, or check pix of the layout of the car. It is better to ask and feel like an idiot, versus placing the jack in the wrong place and putting a hole through your floor boards.
#9
Jackstands
As long as the jack stands are placed under the frame, you are good to go. If you miss the frame, then you are f-ed. If you have trouble finding the frame, then ask, or check pix of the layout of the car. It is better to ask and feel like an idiot, versus placing the jack in the wrong place and putting a hole through your floor boards.
Want the car on four jackstands The "center of front crossmember and center of the differential" that's two pints under the car.. right? that you use to jack the car up?
#10
I did it once, it worked...
Does anyone have a picture of where to place the jack stands on a 2004 rx8. Confused :/ Bought four jackstands and a carjack. Use the metal frame between the tires to jack the car up. And put the jackstands where? Can't find any picture from beneath.
Want the car on four jackstands The "center of front crossmember and center of the differential" that's two pints under the car.. right? that you use to jack the car up?
Want the car on four jackstands The "center of front crossmember and center of the differential" that's two pints under the car.. right? that you use to jack the car up?
I put my car on two jackstands each positioned in about the same place on either side of the car, closer to the front underneath the skinny, frail-looking metal rib. (Pic Attatched)
It doesn't seem like a good idea, but if it's the only way you have at the moment, then it'll probably be O.K. I had it on the stands for about 3 hrs.
I've seen some crafty posts that involve creating buffers between the stand and the frame. I can see the benifit, but I wasn't willing to put in that extra effort.
Always practice proper safety when working under your car. Using jackstands and possibly bending your frame a LITTLE BIT is better than being crushed. Safety goggles are also a good idea when you find yourself on your back looking straight up.
#11
Roto-rookie
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As far as jack stands go, in the front I usually use the A-arms and in the rear I use the brackets for the rear control arms (you see them between the muffler and the diff). My stands are just the right size to cradle those brackets perfectly. It's very solid, but I always keep something else (an extra wheel, a ramp, or anything that's thicker than I am) under the car in case the stands fail so that the car falls on it instead of me.
I had a friend in high school who's dad got crushed to death while working under a car, so it's been burned into my brain that you don't go under a car without a safety net.
#12
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I put my car on two jackstands each positioned in about the same place on either side of the car, closer to the front underneath the skinny, frail-looking metal rib. (Pic Attatched)
It doesn't seem like a good idea, but if it's the only way you have at the moment, then it'll probably be O.K. I had it on the stands for about 3 hrs.
I've seen some crafty posts that involve creating buffers between the stand and the frame. I can see the benifit, but I wasn't willing to put in that extra effort.
Always practice proper safety when working under your car. Using jackstands and possibly bending your frame a LITTLE BIT is better than being crushed. Safety goggles are also a good idea when you find yourself on your back looking straight up.
It doesn't seem like a good idea, but if it's the only way you have at the moment, then it'll probably be O.K. I had it on the stands for about 3 hrs.
I've seen some crafty posts that involve creating buffers between the stand and the frame. I can see the benifit, but I wasn't willing to put in that extra effort.
Always practice proper safety when working under your car. Using jackstands and possibly bending your frame a LITTLE BIT is better than being crushed. Safety goggles are also a good idea when you find yourself on your back looking straight up.
#15
Registered
I put my car on two jackstands each positioned in about the same place on either side of the car, closer to the front underneath the skinny, frail-looking metal rib. (Pic Attatched)
It doesn't seem like a good idea, but if it's the only way you have at the moment, then it'll probably be O.K. I had it on the stands for about 3 hrs.
I've seen some crafty posts that involve creating buffers between the stand and the frame. I can see the benifit, but I wasn't willing to put in that extra effort.
Always practice proper safety when working under your car. Using jackstands and possibly bending your frame a LITTLE BIT is better than being crushed. Safety goggles are also a good idea when you find yourself on your back looking straight up.
It doesn't seem like a good idea, but if it's the only way you have at the moment, then it'll probably be O.K. I had it on the stands for about 3 hrs.
I've seen some crafty posts that involve creating buffers between the stand and the frame. I can see the benifit, but I wasn't willing to put in that extra effort.
Always practice proper safety when working under your car. Using jackstands and possibly bending your frame a LITTLE BIT is better than being crushed. Safety goggles are also a good idea when you find yourself on your back looking straight up.
Last edited by PeteInLongBeach; 03-11-2012 at 10:19 AM.
#17
I attemeped to jack my car up this weekend to put jacks underneath to change my starter. I adjusted my suspension so it was on it's softest setting, more sag=more when contact on the ground right?
Jacked up one side and placed a stand in the pic above added by pizza man, at this stage both front wheels were on the ground, as I began to lower the car the rear wheel on the same side as the jack lifted so three wheels were off the ground!
It was like a see saw, this freaked me out! I thought that was too dangerous.
I also have under chassis bracing when may have contributed?
I will need two hydrologic jacks to do it safely.
Can anyone manage it with one hydrologic jack and stiff suspension?
I agree we need more pics, or this will get confusing
Jacked up one side and placed a stand in the pic above added by pizza man, at this stage both front wheels were on the ground, as I began to lower the car the rear wheel on the same side as the jack lifted so three wheels were off the ground!
It was like a see saw, this freaked me out! I thought that was too dangerous.
I also have under chassis bracing when may have contributed?
I will need two hydrologic jacks to do it safely.
Can anyone manage it with one hydrologic jack and stiff suspension?
I agree we need more pics, or this will get confusing
#18
9K All Day
would it be sketchy to jack the whole car up using those two places, high enough for me to be able to install a midpipe, and then just use 2 jack stands or would it work safely?
seems a little bit sketchy that it would only be jacked in 2 places in the center of the car but i could put the stands on the side i guess. but i do only have one jack that came with my car and the other one will be a different jack.
seems a little bit sketchy that it would only be jacked in 2 places in the center of the car but i could put the stands on the side i guess. but i do only have one jack that came with my car and the other one will be a different jack.
#19
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would it be sketchy to jack the whole car up using those two places, high enough for me to be able to install a midpipe, and then just use 2 jack stands or would it work safely?
seems a little bit sketchy that it would only be jacked in 2 places in the center of the car but i could put the stands on the side i guess. but i do only have one jack that came with my car and the other one will be a different jack.
seems a little bit sketchy that it would only be jacked in 2 places in the center of the car but i could put the stands on the side i guess. but i do only have one jack that came with my car and the other one will be a different jack.
Oh and ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!
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