Almost a Floor Jack Nightmare

[dad911]

After you lifter 1 side, you could have lifted the other side, and get the rear up, level, and on jack stands. Then lift the front from one of the front torsion caps.

Just go slow, and think.

[T77911S]

i have gotten to where i hate to do anything under the car just because it IS such a pain to raise it. i drive it up on 2x6's then one jack under the engine, put it on stands, then raise the front.
i like the 2x6's on there sides idea. might look into that more. i was thinking of some way to have a full drive ramp of some sort that was safe.

my volvo is even hard to raise. i have to lift the front about 1/2 an inch to get the jack under.

i had a set of metal ramps that someone gave me and i dont have a car that can clear them.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by T77911S

i have gotten to where i hate to do anything under the car just because it IS such a pain to raise it...

I know the felling, I only screw around once to remove a flat tire and I had enough... Check Post #13

[grizzfan]

Nineball says:

bummer that you got the 10" boards. 12" give you a little room on either side of the tires while the 10" require you to be almost perfectly placed.

I considered that but two 10"x2"x12' screwed together weigh almost 80 pounds and the 12s would be over 100!!! And 'perfection' is my middle name!! I'm going to try it out tomorrow mornging. Pray for me.

Tom

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

Nineball says:

I considered that but two 10"x2"x12' screwed together weigh almost 80 pounds and the 12s would be over 100!!! And 'perfection' is my middle name!! I'm going to try it out tomorrow mornging. Pray for me.

Tom

Tom

Only the top one need to be 2X12. The one under was 2 2X6 (a lot cheaper).

I saw picture of you (and your wife) fleeing Canada when you got the car... so 100 Lb should be a piece of cake

J.J.

[grizzfan]

Your prayers helped but this is driving me nuts!!!

The car rode up on the 10'x2's very nicely. (I had stapled some of that rubber cupboard liner material from the Dollar Store on the bottom to lessen slipping). But now I couldn't get the floor jack under the lifting point without putting the front wheels of the jack up on the boards.

Front floor stand went under just fine but the rear torsion bar jackstand location is about half way across the board. I could put another couple of pieces of wood right next to it, but one really need to remove the boards after the car is jacked up.

A 12" board that JJ suggests would have only made matters worse for my setup. JJ just needs to raise the car a few inches to get his sissors jack underneath.

What am I missing here?!

Tom

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by sailchef

I use the engine to jack up the rear ( do a search), and then put the two rear stands in place.

I then jack up the front using the "crash bar" that is installed to protect the A/C condensor. I find that it is plenty strong but you need to use caution and work slowly so it doesn't slip off the jack. I have a plate welded to the bar to prevent this from happening. I am A/C delete but maintain this bar exclusively for this purpose.

Cut the boards down to about 12 inches long( one 10" on top, one 12" on bottom) ( to match the foot print of the car) and drive up on them. Make sure you screw them together first so they don't slip out. with the rear of the car raised up on the two boards follow the directions above.

[grizzfan]

Sailchef, that's too easy! The rear tire is behind the torsion bar so that will work. I might cut them a bit longer so I don't disturb the rubber matting on the bottom side of the boards. But now what am I gonna do with 20 leftover board feet of screwed together lumber???!!! My wife is gonna kill me when I tell her this!

tpr

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

But now what am I gonna do with 20 leftover board feet of screwed together lumber???!!!

Shelving.

[grizzfan]

Well, it's back to square one!

I shortened the boards to about 2' each and notched in a ramp. So with a board in front of each wheel gave her a little gas, then a little more and wham!!! I blew the left rear board 15' into the driveway!! How's that for torque?! Fortunately nothing was damaged. So the board thing just isn't going to work. (I could maybe figure out a way to bevel the leading edge of each board step. )

My Harbor Freight Low Profile Floor Jack fits nicely underneath the engine so I'll prep for an engine lift. But am concerned that when the rear is lifted the jack won't fit under the front RS dam.

This is never gonna end.

Tom

[dad911]

Modify my post above by putting 1 or 2 pieces of 2x10 that you cut under the front tires. Then after the back is up and level, jack the front. The blocks under the tires will let you get under front spoiler.

Be careful, go slow.

[ToddM]

Just use boards to roll up with the fronts only. Jack up the rear by the engine case. Once the jack stands are on the rear move to the front with the extra couple inches of clearance you have from the boards it should be a peice of cake.

[dad911]

Modify my post above by putting 1 or 2 pieces of 2x10 that you cut under the front tires. Then after the back is up and level, jack the front. The blocks under the tires will let you get under front spoiler.

Be careful, go slow.

[ToddM]

You may also be interested in a new low profile jack. Our host carries the AC Hydraulic jacks which look nice and are only 3.5" high to slip under almost any p-car.

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

So with a board in front of each wheel gave her a little gas, then a little more and wham!!! I blew the left rear board 15' into the driveway!! How's that for torque?!

Try that again but this time start with the front wheels touching the back boards and the boards for the front wheels out in front of you. And then drive the car forward and you should roll up onto the boards.

The trick is to stop before you go over the other side. A 2x4 across the front of each one should keep this from happening.



This is getting interesting now.

[grizzfan]

Fellow Pelicans: Success!!

I have borrowed ideas from a bunch of you and it worked just fine.

I put the maximum bevel on the front of each board (2 each 10"x2" screwed together) with a 1' platform before the rolling tire hit the next board.

I avoided lifting on the engine, but used the lifting plate on each side the car where the emergency jack inserts go in. I was able to place jacks under front and rear torsion bars one side at a time and repeated the process to lift the rear a little more to level the car.

You can see it all in the photo. One of the front end ramps is at the right of the photo.

Thanks a million!

Tom

Tom