What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

[Greg L.]

How do you all jack your cars without scratching the frame?

In the past I'd ram the floor jack between the rear diff spring mount and exhaust or lift it from the front cross member depending on which end needed to tbe lifted. Now that the front cross member is dent free and the frame has a nice coat of paint I'll have to find another option so I'm currious to see what you guys do.

I know a four post lift would be best but I don't have the money or space for one so that option is out.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Greg Linton
#45455

[Eric J.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

To jack the rear I lift at the rear frame kick up. To protect paint I use a hockey puck between fram and jack. For the front I jack at the beginning point of the frame were the frame runs parallel with the door. If you are going to use Jack stands move the jack just enough either way to get the stand under the kick up or the paralled point. Eric 3,182

[Warren F.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg,

I like the Kwik Lifts. They can be pulled apart in less than a minute and put aside if room is needed, otherwise I leave car on it, either level or on slant. Price is $900.00

[Wayne K.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg,

I use the hockey puck also and when raising one wheel at a time I do the same as Eric. To put on 4 stands I jack one side of the car from the frame running parallel with the door and just forward of where the middle cross member (one that the exhaust pipes pass through) meets the outer frame. I double up some tire inner tube and rubber band it to the saddles of my jack stands to protect frame and place them where I would have jacked the car if I was only going to raise one wheel. I only raise the car about 1/2 the height of the jack stand extension. I then go to the other side of the car and do the same. I then lift the opposite side to get full height of jack stand and complete the same on the opposite side.

Wayne

[Greg L.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Thanks guys, so what do you use to protect the frame from the jack stands and where do you place the stands? Hockey pucks between the frame and jack stands doesn't sound too safe to me so there must be something else used here.

That kwik lift is interesting Warren and once the car is finished I might consider it but right now I'm just trying to figure out the best way to "man-handle" the car around while I put it all back together.

This simple operation was soooo much easier when the car was "just" a driver!

[Mark S. Lovejoy]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg,

I very often use a hockey puck (or two) between the jack and frame. I use short lengths of pipe insulation over the receiving end of the jack stands.

[Wayne K.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg,

As per my earlier post I use the puck on the jack pad and a couple layers of rubber inner tube rubber banded to the jack stand saddles. I've also used pieces of rubber hose cut to length an slit the length then slide over the jack stand saddles.

Wayne

[tom444634]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg,

I have used a section of 2x3 about 6" long and some left over carpet stapled to it on the side that contacts the frame. The 2x3 lays on top of the jack stand and fits the "cradle" of the jack stand very well.

When we need to put it up on the lift at the shop, we just used some heavy shop rags between the lift and the frame.

Tom

[Joe L.]

Re: What's the best way to Jack C2s & and C3s?

Greg-----

You can purchase soft polymer cushions to use on top of jackstands or jack saddles. You can get them from places like Summit or these can often be found at various automotive swap meets. Usually, there's at least one company there selling them. They work very well and are quite durable---almost indestructible and offering complete protection for the frame.

Also, blocks of wood work quite well to protect the frame, but you have to be very careful when using them on jackstands. Primarily, I use wood between the jack saddle and the frame.

If you wish you can still jack up the car at the center of the front crossmember and, thus, lift both sides of the car at once. To do this you need to place a piece of thick wood (I use a 2 X 6) so that it bears on the fore and aft portion of the crossmember and not on the thin plate that spans the width of the crossmember. If the piece of wood is longer than the crossmember is wide and you place it so that it "overhangs" the crossmember, you are assured that it bears where it needs to bear to prevent damage.

[Ronnie Robertson # 36786]

Pad the jack handle too...

foam pipe insulation around the jack handle can prevent bumping the handle into the car while positioning the jack, as well as opening the car doors and hitting the jack's handle.