Repositioning Jacks

[John D.]

I have recently joined NCRS, but have owned a 65 396 since 69. The car is still very original. Just built a new room off the garage and moved the car in to get it ready for judging.

I bought a set of repositioning jacks because they were advertised to allow easy movement of the car. I found that it is more difficult to move the car on the jacks than to push or pull it sitting on it's own tires. Even with two of us it isn't easy to move on the jacks.

Has anyone used this type of jack? Maybe I bought the wrong ones or I'm missing something.

Thanks

John

[Jim L.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

I use a set of wheel dollies to move my cars around. The dollies roll easily enough that moving a vehicle is a one-person job.

The secret, if there is one, is to avoid rolling devices that use steel wheels. Steel wheels can be stopped by the tiniest bits of floor debris.

Rather, look for rolling devices with hard rubber, or plastic wheels, such as these dollies from Summit:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1∂=SUM%2DG1046%2D2&N=700 +115&autoview=sku


Jim

[Pete B.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

I agree with Jim...the dollies are the way to go.
But if you have wide gaps in your floor (control joints for cracks) You will find the wheels love to get stuck in them if you are moving slowly. If you have any slope you will fight that also. Get past that and they are great!
Got mine on ebay for about $175 shipped 6 months ago.

[Mike M.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

The dollies can be great.
The main expense seems to be the wheels, however, they should be a critical part of your decision making.
Mine had the polymer wheels and were a real struggle to push around the garage which is fairly new, basicly level and has the epoxy coating.
I bought a set of wheels with shaft bearings at the local home improvement store, not cheap, but, made all the difference, the car now rolls quite easily.
I was also able to match one wheel on each dollie with the locking device.
HaND

[Alan D.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

Be VERY careful of those Joint Control lines, if you hit one the car can continue on right off the holder which will fly right back into the car braking something. just FYI

[John D.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

Thanks for the great responses.

My jacks have the polymer wheels as Mike Murray mentioned and that may be the problem. But after spending $500 for these things I really don't want to buy new wheels. I have talked to the guys at Mid America Motors where I bought these and they are willing to take them back. Only problem is repacking and shipping as these things are heavy.

The jacks I have each have their own hydraulic jack so it is quite easy to get the car up on the jacks, it just won't go anywhere once you do that.

Thanks for the link to the dollies Jim Lockwood.

I have a question. I imagine you use a floor jack to lift the car so the dollies can be employed. It seems you have to get it up fairly high to do this. Do you lift and install front to back or side to side?

Thanks Again

John

[Jim L.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

I have a question. I imagine you use a floor jack to lift the car so the dollies can be employed. It seems you have to get it up fairly high to do this. Do you lift and install front to back or side to side?

I prefer to lift an end and install the dollies as an axle set. No particular reason for doing it this way, it's what I started out doing and now it's just a habit.

On my C1s, I always lift the rear first. Reason being that there isn't enough room to get even my low profile racing jack under the rear if the front is lifted first.

The car doesn't have to be lifted particularly high.... The dollies raise the tires only a couple of inches off the floor and even allowance for suspension droop adds only a couple of more inches off the floor the car has to be lifted before the dollies will fit under the tire.

Jim

[John D.]

Re: Repositioning Jacks

Thanks Jim. I'm seriously considering the dollies from Summit. Will let you know how it turns out.

John