Getting a C2 up on jack stands

[Patrick B.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

I don't think you can hurt a C1 - C3 Corvette jacking any place on the frame, the rear end or some suspension points. That is the beauty of body on frame construction compared to unit bodies that have thin underbody structural sheet metal that can be damaged by jacking in the wrong place. However, I would never get under a Corvette unless the jack stands were at the rear spot recommended in the manual and at one of the two recommended front locations.

[Frank D.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

I own a 61 and 63 and I don't see any issue with jacking the rear up by the differential housing. You do NOT want to jack up a C1 on the center link bracket at the front however....that's a really bad practice. I jacked up my left front on the 63 coupe to bleed that wheel's brakes one day a few months back and heard a loud crack...like a rifle shot. A glue joint had broken loose under the car - no real damage but scary as all hell. I won't do that anymore and I avoid twisting the frame when possible.

[Ed S.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Thanks to all that replied to my question and offered advice. I do have some "garage" experience but have never put a C2 up on stands and that is why I asked the question. From what I gather the consensus is to jack the rear up on the differential and place the jack stands at the recommended points just in front of the rear wheels. The front can be raised with the jack centered under the engine cross member. When raised it appears to me that the consensus is placing the jack stands directly under each A frame where the shock absorber is positioned. The front can be raised with 1 or 2 floor jacks - 2 appears to offer less risk.

What no one has commented on (if you did I apologize, I missed it) is which end should be raised first, front or rear? I assume it is the rear because when most persons explained how they do it they first explained how they raise the rear.

I'm comfortable with placing the jack stands under the A frames and the rear points in front of the rear tires - this seems solid to me - I idea of putting the front stands behind the front wheels sound like it would really stress the frame (or body). Thanks again to all - your comments will be very helpful as I expect to have my C2 convertible on stands for a few months.

[Steven B.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Ed,

Others might disagree, but if I were lifting front and back, I would get the rear up first. If you lift the front first, the rear tends to be a bit more difficult in order to achieve jack clearance if you are going to jack from the rear of the car. If you can place the jack for the rear just ahead of one of the rear wheels (if your jack is long enough), it probably wouldn't make much difference. You just need to be able to get the jack at the lift point you choose, and have enough clearance to move the jack handle up an down. You can place the jack stands at the front of the frame behind the bumper brackets if that would give you more work room under the car. It is an approved jack stand point according to the CSM. You did not let anyone know why you need to get your car up in the air (unless I missed it), but whatever you need access to would be a factor as to where to put the stands.

Steve

[Ed S.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Steve - thanks for your comments. To answer your question - why am I putting it up on stands, several reasons. I have a bad differential that I need to pull and send out for a rebuild. I also have a rear main seal leak that I will attend to when the diff is being repaired and..... I want to pull all the drums and inspect / replace brake shoes & cylinders. The car was restored in 2006 - I have no idea what if any work was done on the brakes. It stops OK but I don't have a lot of confidence in their state of maintenance. All that said, I plan to raise the rear first, then the front with the jack at the point you recommend. Jack stands will be placed on the frame rails just in front of the rear tires and in the front, under the shock absorber mounting points. I'm comfortable with this approach - it is similar to other non-Vette cars I've raised. The idea of raising one side then the other as some do just scares me and does not sound safe. I am also concerned about body / frame sag thus I am opting for placing the front stands at a normal load point. Thanks again to all.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

In the 43 years I have had my Corvette, I've jacked it up hundreds of times and changed the differential four times. Putting jack stands on the front A-arms to remove the differential is simply not safe. I'm not talking about some trivial flexing of a flexible body. You are risking having a front jack stand tip over and the car fall off, maybe crushing you under it. It takes a lot of force on a pry bar to loosen the sombrero mounts of the rear end crossmember. Even with anti-seeze on the sombrero from previous removals, I still use a floor jack to apply force on the pry bar. The amount of upward force you will need on the end of the pry bar will cause the front suspension to deflect considerably causing a lateral motion where it touches the jack stand. This lateral motion will cause the jack stand to tip or maybe bend if it is a cheap stand. The shop manual shows the right locations for jack stands and excludes jack stands from the A-arm jacking points for a good reason. Do not risk your life or your car falling off the stands.

[Steven B.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

I would have to agree with Patrick. If you support a vehicle by its unsprung weight, you have potential for movement of the whole car because of the suspension. Your car can move just as it would if you pushed it up and down in the driveway. You want the frame solidly on the stands. The CSM suggests using the lower control arms if you are using a drive on hoist and are using adaptors and then I believe the intent is just to allow the tires to be removed. I would find a horizontal spot on the frame. The body and frame survive much more rigor than being placed on jack stands.
Steve

[Larry M.]

[Ed S.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Larry - thanks, you're correct - certainly a lot of (good) advice and opinions. There is one data point that appears to be missing though. A lot of posts recommend using 2 jacks to raise the front. If one intended to put the front jack stands on the frame rails just behind the front wheels as recommended then..... where do you position the lifting points of the two floor jacks..... close to the point where the jack stands will be placed or is there another, yet unmentioned, "preferred" position?

[Jack P.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Here are pictures

[Larry M.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Here is picture

No fair………………..you have already removed the tire tub and a few other (quite a few) interference parts.

Larry

[Larry M.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Larry - thanks, you're correct - certainly a lot of (good) advice and opinions. There is one data point that appears to be missing though. A lot of posts recommend using 2 jacks to raise the front. If one intended to put the front jack stands on the frame rails just behind the front wheels as recommended then..... where do you position the lifting points of the two floor jacks..... close to the point where the jack stands will be placed or is there another, yet unmentioned, "preferred" position?

Ed: For the case you mentioned above, I would first jack up the front with two jacks and support at the lower control arms. I would then raise the rear (can use one jack on the differential or two jacks on the frame rails leaving enough room for the stands )and support the rear frame with stands. I would then reposition the jacks to the front frame rails (again leaving some room for the stands) and lift just high enough to remove and reposition the front jack stands.

It may (or may not) seem like a lot of extra work, but the whole operation takes about 10-15 minutes to get any position or orientation that you need. Since your safety is important and the work you do under the car may take hours or days, this small amount of time (or extra time) is insignificant.

Hope that helps.

Larry

[Jack P.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

Here is picture

I little better view of jack stands in position

[Jack P.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

side view You may notice the dollies under the front wheels, I put them there because as you work on the rear end , the car can pitch forward at times, the dollies hold up the front without losing too much height to work under car, plus the safety factor.

[Joseph U.]

Re: Getting a C2 up on jack stands

JMO but jack stands scare me a little - especially when I am under the car. I have had my 67 up several times to do the breaks etc. I crack open the hood, convertible top cover and doors. I have used a hydraulic jack to get the car up (one side at a time, placing the jack on the frame either just in front of rear wheel or just behind front wheel - which may or may not be best) BUT I went down to home depo and purchased several scrap 4x6 pieces of wood and had them cut into 1 foot lengths - I can then place them under the frame (perpendicular to the frame) with a small piece of scrap fence wood on top and lower the car down onto them. The fence wood is soft and usually cracks and molds itself to the bottom of the frame and all is supported by the wood blocks. Solid as a rock. For me it is piece of mind.
JMO
Joe