Safe way to raise front end?

[LIRS6]

Just want to raise front end to remove front wheels. A bit confused by what I've read on various threads. Is there a safe way to do it? I have a floor jack and jack stands.

Jason

[HarryD]

A search in this forum for the key words jacking point will turn up a bunch of threads.

Check this thread: Can you check my jack stand setup?

Personally, I lift the side of the car at the factory jack point with a jack pad and trolley jack. To support the Front end of the car, I put the stands under the front end of the front torsion bar covers or at the pinch weld behind the wheel. I do one side at a time.

For the tears I use the torsion bar covers or the torsion bar tube.

[Locker537]

There are lots of opinions on this, many of which work and are safe.

I prefer to lift the rear of the car first, using a jack with a hockey puck on the engine case. Stay away from the sump plate. I place the jack stands on the tub, forward of the rear wheels.

I then lift the front of the car using a piece of 2x4 to span between the front of the A-arms on the tub crossmember. I place the jack stands rear of the front wheels. I find this very safe and stable.

[jlex]

I use two jack pads and two floor jacks. Just do a few pumps on each side at a time and lift the whole thing. Once up, you'll see that the jack points are like a pivot point on a teeter-totter. Front and rear are equally balanced. Use good jack stands once it's up.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by jlex

I use two jack pads and two floor jacks. Just do a few pumps on each side at a time and lift the whole thing. Once up, you'll see that the jack points are like a pivot point on a teeter-totter. Front and rear are equally balanced. Use good jack stands once it's up.

Seems sketchy. Too unstable for me. Unless it is a two post lift, I like to see at least 3 points in contact with the ground at all times.

Originally Posted by Locker537

I prefer to lift the rear of the car first, using a jack with a hockey puck on the engine case. Stay away from the sump plate. I place the jack stands on the tub, forward of the rear wheels.

Lifting the rear of your car with the single most expensive part to repair seems like a poor choice since there are good alternatives available.

But this is your car. Do what you think is right.

[TimT]

OMFG!!!!

Seriously?

[jlex]

[QUOTE=HarryD;11070711]Seems sketchy. Too unstable for me. Unless it is a two post lift, I like to see at least 3 points in contact with the ground at all times.


You may be missing the point.... once the car is raised, place the jack stands under the front or back or both depending on where you want to work. With the low clearance on these cars, it's the best technique I've found in 20 years of Porsche ownership.

[LIRS6]

Originally Posted by HarryD

A search in this forum for the key words jacking point will turn up a bunch of threads.

Check this thread: Can you check my jack stand setup?

Personally, I lift the side of the car at the factory jack point with a jack pad and trolley jack. To support the Front end of the car, I put the stands under the front end of the front torsion bar covers or at the pinch weld behind the wheel. I do one side at a time.

For the tears I use the torsion bar covers or the torsion bar tube.

This is what I was considering to do, but was concerned that having one front side up on a jack while lifting the other side with a jack pad would put a lot of stress on my Targa's body.

Am thinking to jack up front using 2 x 4 as mentioned by Locker537.

FWIW I have raised the rear in the past by placing floor jack under sump protected by wood block with cut-out for the plug.

Thanks for your replies.

Jason

[kach22i]

Front and rear torsion bars are easy to find, no hoses or crease welds to deal with.

Been searching around. Is there a simple front point to jack the car up?


If you buy one of those square bar round pad things to put in the square tubes in the side of the car near the Center of Mass you will find the whole side lifts up at one time.

This allows for jack stand placement under torsion tube covers, but you end up going side to side in small increments.

The "Y" at the top of a jack stand fits the curve of the torsions bars like they were made for each other.

Might want to use small pieces of wood to crush for extra measure of anti-slip.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by LIRS6

FWIW I have raised the rear in the past by placing floor jack under sump protected by wood block with cut-out for the plug.

The first time I did it that way I did not have a cut out hole. Lucky for me I was using a piece of 2x6 cedar, a super soft wood that now has the perfect divot in it.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by LIRS6

This is what I was considering to do, but was concerned that having one front side up on a jack while lifting the other side with a jack pad would put a lot of stress on my Targa's body.

Am thinking to jack up front using 2 x 4 as mentioned by Locker537.

FWIW I have raised the rear in the past by placing floor jack under sump protected by wood block with cut-out for the plug.

Thanks for your replies.

Jason

Been using the side to side method for almost 20 years on my Targa with no ill effects.

[HarryD]

[QUOTE=jlex;11070779]

Originally Posted by HarryD

Seems sketchy. Too unstable for me. Unless it is a two post lift, I like to see at least 3 points in contact with the ground at all times.


You may be missing the point.... once the car is raised, place the jack stands under the front or back or both depending on where you want to work. With the low clearance on these cars, it's the best technique I've found in 20 years of Porsche ownership.

I do understand. However, There is a period of time when your car is held up solely by the lift points. I see this as a dangerous period of something bad happening.

[Sboxin]

Originally Posted by LIRS6

Just want to raise front end to remove front wheels. A bit confused by what I've read on various threads. Is there a safe way to do it? I have a floor jack and jack stands.

Jason

We use the front cross member for our 78 911 race car for changing the front two wheels - with a floor jack and 4x4 wood on the cross member for clearance of the front splitter and bumper . . . marked this borrowed photo with the yellow marker . . . and our solution is pictured in kach22i link with a photo of the piece of wood to use as a spacer . . .

Regards,
Roy T

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Sboxin

......4x4 wood on the cross member.....

I have a low profile jack and can barely get under the front torsion bars with thin 1x wood blocking on the jack pad.

How do you get under a 4x4 to lift up on the front torsion bars?

[Sboxin]

Originally Posted by kach22i

I have a low profile jack and can barely get under the front torsion bars with thin 1x wood blocking on the jack pad.

How do you get under a 4x4 to lift up on the front torsion bars?

I forgot - - push/drive car front tires up on 2x6s to get jack under car far enough and then reach under to put 4x4 on the jack . . .AND, we don't lift on the torsion bars but the frame member in front of the TBs . . . hope this helps . . .

And, for the rear 2 wheels we do jack under the rear of the engine with a hockey puck - for the last 12 years of racing - no damage to engine . . .

Also, we use a QuickJack in the garage for working on the car - dropping engine, brakes, suspension, etc. . . .

Regards,
Roy T

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Sboxin

I forgot - - push/drive car front tires up on 2x6s to get jack under car far enough and then reach under to put 4x4 on the jack . . .AND, we don't lift on the torsion bars but the frame member in front of the TBs . . . hope this helps . . . ......

Thanks Roy, it does help and jogs my memory of you or someone else using a similar method as posted previously.

Yes, clarification, when I say front torsion bar covers, I mean the hard point in the posted floor pan images (not the T-bars themselves) - see link provided for red car.

I think it helps to keep all doors, hood and lid in closed position while jacking the body about.

Once stabilized with multiple jacks and back ups, then openings can be opened with less fear of binding.