When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
When supporting the rear of the unibody on jack stands, is it ok to place them on the square shaped area shown in the photos below? This is just forward of the LCA mounts.
I've supported the rear of my car there before, but didn't know if it was inherently bad or not.
I sometimes hear of people putting the stands on the LCA mounts themselves, but I have never seen a picture of that. Also seems kind of sketchy at the LCA mount isn't a flat surface and sits at an angle.
I use the rails, which are inboard of there. In the second picture it is just barely seen at the bottom left. I also use a piece of wood to distribute the load and avoid scratching or gouging the metal.
When I need to work under the front end of the car with the wheels free (which has been like only twice I think), I drive the car up on ramps, then place a jack underneath the center of the crossmember, right in front of the oil pan. I place a block of wood there so I don't hit the oil pan. Then I jack it up a couple inches and pull out the ramps. I wonder if that's a terrible idea. I haven't bent anything yet lol
Why not just use the pinch welds? They're designed for it, and with a cheap puck it won't get damaged at all. For jack stands I just use the "rails" which run the length of the car and are a bit inboard of the pinch welds (I think ford indicates those as suitable for stands as well). Use a piece of wood on the stands to distribute the load and avoid marring the frame.
Never really understood why some folks insist on using the k member or control arms or whatever. Not only is it difficult to lift from, but more often than not it damages those parts. Plus, in many cases it's difficult to get a good surface to lift and the jack might slip.
I don't feel comfortable lifting the car one corner at a time, especially with how big and heavy the engine is in the front. But apparently I've been doing it wrong lifting by the center of the crossmember anyway. The only way I'd feel comfortable lifting by the pinch welds is if I got another jack and lifted both sides at the same time (ie cranking a few strokes on one side, then going to the other side, and so on). Guess I need to look into buying another jack
Sean, I heard it was bad to put it on the tubes themselves? I do the same thing the OP does.
This is what I do. But now I read above that it's bad for it?!?!?! whaaaaaaaaat
In all honesty, I have never had an issue. Yeah, I can see if you put them at the end of the axle tubes how that could be an issue, but by the pumpkin, I wouldn't think so. People have had the rear ends of their cars supported by the axle tubes for decades without issues, I don't see why it would be an issue all of the sudden.
I place a 2x4 right about here and jack from here in front of the cover and then place the jack stands here unless I don't need the suspension loaded. If I do, then I usually place them around the pinch welds which is tough due to the sidepipes. I already have a pinch weld that is sort of bent due to the jack stands.
For the front I usually jack up on the wrinkled area of the K-Member and try and place the jack stand as close to the A-Arm supports as I can.
I have been doing it this way since about 2009 and my Boss has been on jack stands for almost 2 years like this without any issues. If you are having your jack slip on the K-Member then you need to get your depth perception checked because you aren't on the K-Member. On the radiator support, I can see it slipping off, but not the K-Member or the pumpkin. There are a few threads on S197 where the ZL1 pinch weld things have broken and **** near killed people
Why not just use the pinch welds? They're designed for it, and with a cheap puck it won't get damaged at all. For jack stands I just use the "rails" which run the length of the car and are a bit inboard of the pinch welds (I think ford indicates those as suitable for stands as well).
Yep, this is what I do.
I really wish Ford was as smart about this as Honda. My sister's '09 Civic has a designated jack point right under the engine in the middle, and the tow hook is designated for the same purpose in the rear. Honda's very clear about that in the instruction manual so then it's easy to put the jackstands right where it makes sense to at the corners (where you'd jack the car up for a flat).
They're a bit pricey but another option is Jackpoint Jackstands. I love my set, no futzing around with 2x4s or anything. You jack up and support right from the pinch welds.
In all honesty, I have never had an issue. Yeah, I can see if you put them at the end of the axle tubes how that could be an issue, but by the pumpkin, I wouldn't think so. People have had the rear ends of their cars supported by the axle tubes for decades without issues, I don't see why it would be an issue all of the sudden.
I place a 2x4 right about here and jack from here in front of the cover and then place the jack stands here unless I don't need the suspension loaded. If I do, then I usually place them around the pinch welds which is tough due to the sidepipes. I already have a pinch weld that is sort of bent due to the jack stands.
For the front I usually jack up on the wrinkled area of the K-Member and try and place the jack stand as close to the A-Arm supports as I can.
I have been doing it this way since about 2009 and my Boss has been on jack stands for almost 2 years like this without any issues. If you are having your jack slip on the K-Member then you need to get your depth perception checked because you aren't on the K-Member. On the radiator support, I can see it slipping off, but not the K-Member or the pumpkin. There are a few threads on S197 where the ZL1 pinch weld things have broken and **** near killed people
I agree with the board under the pumpkin but you jacking points up front are wrong. Your pictures on the lift show the correct way in both examples where the arms are. If you RTFM Ford tells you where to jack the car up. Its your car and you can jack it up anyway you want. The old ZL1 plastic ones did but not the new design.
Right .... I along with so many others will continue to jack it up at the center of the K-Member like we have been doing on the S197 for many many years now without issue. You can jack it up by the pinch welds one side at a time.
Right .... I along with so many others will continue to jack it up at the center of the K-Member like we have been doing on the S197 for many many years now without issue. You can jack it up by the pinch welds one side at a time.
When I used to Jack the car up I would use the center of the k member in the front or the pumpkin in the back. Being very careful with both that it was perfectly centered so it wouldn't fall of or slide to one side because of balance. I would put Jack stands near the front a arm mounts but under the k member of I needed the suspension to hang I forget where I put them in the back to let the rear end hang.
The rest of the time I used cribs to set the wheels on. I would Jack up the front and out both front wheels on cribs and then Jack up the back and out those on cribs and had all the access I needed. This to me was always the safest surest bet. I never did much of anything that made me Jack up one side of the car completely. Suspension work is front to back different. I never rotated tired because mine were staggered. And if for some reason I ever set the rear on jack stand it was always at the axle tubes and usually near the LCA mounts so the car had stability. To me putting them on the axle tubes near the pumpkin means they are very close to centerline and the car is balancing to much over the center then.
Also when I used jacks in the side I always used the Ford jacking points at the pinch welds.
And the worst place is the back of the k member where it meets the body. As others have said those are crush points designed to let the engine drop down under the driver and passenger area in event of a front end collision.
Nowadays I have a 4 post lift and also a pair of hydraulic rolling jacks that allow me to lift the car and all four wheels off the ramps so I have the best of both worlds.
The blue points in the picture are where I put the jackstands. I jack the rear on the differential and the front on the ribbed section of the K member. I've never had an issue nor do I expect to. For what it's worth, if you're raising both the front and rear of the car to get it completely off the floor, the front needs up first or you wont get the jack under it!
When I used to Jack the car up I would use the center of the k member in the front or the pumpkin in the back. Being very careful with both that it was perfectly centered so it wouldn't fall of or slide to one side because of balance. I would put Jack stands near the front a arm mounts but under the k member of I needed the suspension to hang I forget where I put them in the back to let the rear end hang.
The rest of the time I used cribs to set the wheels on. I would Jack up the front and out both front wheels on cribs and then Jack up the back and out those on cribs and had all the access I needed. This to me was always the safest surest bet. I never did much of anything that made me Jack up one side of the car completely. Suspension work is front to back different. I never rotated tired because mine were staggered. And if for some reason I ever set the rear on jack stand it was always at the axle tubes and usually near the LCA mounts so the car had stability. To me putting them on the axle tubes near the pumpkin means they are very close to centerline and the car is balancing to much over the center then.
Also when I used jacks in the side I always used the Ford jacking points at the pinch welds.
And the worst place is the back of the k member where it meets the body. As others have said those are crush points designed to let the engine drop down under the driver and passenger area in event of a front end collision.
Nowadays I have a 4 post lift and also a pair of hydraulic rolling jacks that allow me to lift the car and all four wheels off the ramps so I have the best of both worlds.
Rub it in, mother****er.
I jack it up one corner at a time. Always have. The front is too low for me to get the jack under the splitter now anyway.
I had a low profile Jack and still would have to drive on to a 2x12 or something to get that extra 1.5"
And as was said front first or you ain't getting it under there after back first.
It seems like I used to Jack the car up almost every weekend to do something now I never have to I guess because it's all done.
To be honest Matt and I think I've told you this I get too lazy to take one car off the lift and put another one on it sometimes lol
You should give to the needy, like me, who will use it!
I always do the front first.
Need to stop buying shotguns and rifles and wheels and tires and just get the house built already. Three-car garage, two-story, one of the bays a double-storage bay, one a four-post lift with a floor drain. The bay closest to the house will be tool storage and power connections, bench/desk/work area.
7/15/16, 11:46 AM
