Jacking points if the sills are too fragile?

[jimkarthauser]

I'm trying to get my motor jacked up to change the front dics- but I can't use the sills as they're destroyed and I don't want to damage them further. I know where to put the trolley jack under the front crossmember (middle of suspension) but anyone got any ideas where to put the axle stands?

Cheers

[jefe_not]

Can you be more descriptive/specific on "destroyed"? Can you use a short piece of 2x4 under it to protect it from the jack? Or are they rusted away?

[pimptrizkit]

at the front of the car where the front fender's meet the door.

look under the body. you'll notice a 1" -2" square bar/frame rail. LIFT FROM HERE.

Also PUT SUPPORT STAND"S HERE.


you can jack the car up fine from the center up the cross member under the engine. Just dont fuck up and jack up on the oil pain cause you will spend more then the car is worthe fixing it in most case's.. exspecially if you can't work on your on shit...

[dannymk2]

yup, on the frame rails.

[tho323]

....Just dont fuck up and jack up on the oil pain cause you will spend more then the car is worthe fixing it in most case's.. exspecially if you can't work on your on shit...

Newbie question on this.
What would happen? Pan cracks? Engine mounts sheer?
Curious.

[dannymk2]

you would bust your oil pan at the very least.

[Greg G]

stick with using the floor jack on the front crossmember and rear pumpkin

[jimkarthauser]

They aren't rusted away but they seem to be very soft- previous experience being with the scissor jack. So I don't want to use them at all. I jacked last night on the front crossmember and put the stands on the frame rails- but am not keen on that either as I swear the rail has bent in a little bit now (i.e what was flat on the bottom is now slightly concave).

Plus the passenger door now rubs when it opens and closes which it didn't before. I've settled with putting an axlestand on each end of the flat parts of the crossmember- I know that will hold the weight and seems to be stable enough.

I'm thinking of getting someone to weld some strengthening to the sills seams (where the scissor jack slots onto). Do you think its worth it?

[pdupler]

Damage to the sills from somebody using the wrong type of jack there. I do think its worth fixing because someday you might find yourself needing to change a flat tire using the factory jack.

For some reason, I have found that the front frame reinforcements are more able to take the weight of the car than the rear ones. I am contemplating how to fix a dented one under my rear floor pan. I always jack the rear from the pumpkin and support from the subframe to chassis mounting bolts.

[kmfdmk]

In a pinch you can jack from the front frame rails where the reinforcing tab/gusset runs outward towards just underneath the front edge of the door. However It's not recommended as you can tweak your frame rails this way (get the car out of square). Although to be honest I've been jacking from the front frame rails, and rear diff for years. I only last week learned about the possibility of tweaking the frame rails, however it does seem like a likely possibility.

[jimkarthauser]

I only last week learned about the possibility of tweaking the frame rails, however it does seem like a likely possibility.
Once I've got miner back on the road today, I'll know what mine will settle down to be. I think it's likely I have though! Oh dear.


Can you use a short piece of 2x4 under it to protect it from the jack?

I'm toying with the idea of getting some 2 x 4, cutting a slot in the top for the seam, and a rectangle in the bottom for the factory jack. Might be an idea for the short term to carry around. But I think, as you say, I need to investigate getting some welding done..

[MikeMac]

I thought it was bad to jack using the pumpkin, not designed to take that much weight. I put the jack under the metal brace that the drive shaft goes through, then jack stands under either side of the brace when it is up.