When I look at that picture, I think What is the structural integrity of that jack there? (which is designed to lift much more than the nose of a 911) And how does that compare to what it is lifting.

Personally, I would worry more about the structural integrity of that jack than the jacking point. ...with respect to lack of substance.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1446264183.jpg

For a first order comparison, look at the jack-pad pivot point, right behind the cob-web. How much steel (in tension) is under that bearing? Not much, really.
Compare that to how much steel (in compression) is in that vertical steel bar of the 911 (load path).

And again, that jack is designed for much heavier loads than the front of a 911.

That's a nice write up.

I said my piece. It does not look like the best place to jack up the car. My opinion. Bless you heart for trying to convince me, but I'll jack it up elsewhere.

Real nice touch in the Jack thread, BTW.

Seeing a 911 front end lifted by the AC condenser protection bar is truly a shocking experience. I had to believe that it was photo shopped. I have to say. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND ! I mean really. I know, this is a late april fools joke. . if you ever removed one of those bars you would know that that center mount is actually bolted to a body panel.

I haven't used that bar to jack if the car... But I have had it off the car for various reasons. The bar I really stiff, and really strong.

Has anyone ever used that protection bar for getting towed, like when you go off a track? Seems it would work pretty well for that...

I deleted my AC condenser protection bar, with my AC delete. Didn't know it could hold a whole car up..? Can it? Hmm I think I have supported (but not raised) the car on the aluminum bar below the steering rack with the stone guard /tray removed.

Keep in mind that these cars are so light and the majority of the weight is so far back and the chassis are so stiff relative to that weight, that you can pretty much jack up the entire front end (both wheels off the ground) using any point forward of the rear jacking point (from either side)

Don't think of it like a traditional car.

Many Porsche mechanic's lift raise the car using a plate that the entire floor pan sits on.
The floor pan is strong enough as long as the weight is distributed

Thats why I just throw a 4 foot long 4x4 under the front of the floor pan (spanning the width) and lift the front from behind the front wheels.

Yes, on the orange circle. A small block of wood ensures you don't crush the rubber lip.

Despite the shock and disbelief of some posters this works just fine. Nothing bends or flexes. It is not a recipe for disaster. My doors and hood still work.

Not talking about getting in the trunk and jumping around, just lift it, place the jack stands.

I believe it. It just freaks me out.

I bought the cross beam jack adaptor at H.F. Cost me less than $35 w/ a 20% off coupon. Adjustable, strong & works great. Only thing is, it is designed to attach to about four of H.F.'s floor jacks. I'm sure it can be adapted to others, but it was a good excuse to buy a new long reach, low profile jack. This cross beam adaptor is great for jacking up my car from the front, back, or sides.

Marv, where do you position the beam, and where do you put the jack stands?

Steel Floor Jack Cross Beam

For the front, I usually position the beam pads under the front mounting points for the torsion bars & put the stands under the mounting points at the back of the torsion bars on the cross tube. Or I will do it visa versa - with the long reach, low profile jack, I can lift at the rear mounting points and put the stands under the fronts. For the rear I mostly use the single jack lift pad on the jack to lift the car enough to put jacks under the swing arm pivots. The cross beam does a good job of lifting the whole side of the car & keep it level though. Right now I have my car on a dolly. I can use the cross beam to lift the front or rear to put stands under it to remove the dolly & put the car on stands or on the floor (wheels mounted). Don't have the engine in, so I can use the two motor mount pads on each side of the back where the cross bar attaches. I usually put rubber pads on the tops of my jack stands. I like that the cross beam pads adjust from about two feet to a little over three feet (center to center). You can get more span if you put your load more out toward the ends. The lift pads are rubber padded & each can be screw adjusted up & down maybe four or five inches. When I saw it for that price, it was a no brainer. I tried to adapt it to one of my jacks & said screw it & just bought the new one it fit to. The problem was the cross beam could be bought using a coupon, but the jack cost the usual (sale) price - the one I bought was $140. I like the jack a lot, although it's a really heavy MFer.

What are "the mounting points at the back of the torsion bars on the cross tube" ?
Can someone mark the diagram please with a red X, please?

sugarwood, on page 97 in my 1984 owners manual.

I finally got my cross beam jack thing.
as final clarification, those who jack via 2x4,
this pan support sheet metal can take the entire weight of the front,
and is where you lay the beam across ?

http://i68.tinypic.com/2pzejde.jpg

^^^

Some here might, but I don't - I set the bar against the torsion bar end covers that are to the outer left and right of that cross section you have circled. In other words, the red dots in post #27.

Ronnie, if you jack from both end covers, where do you put the jack stands? At the jack point behind the front wheels? Somehow, it feels like that approach would create an angle between the jack point and how it sits on jack stand...instead of sitting flush. Do you know what I mean?

I leave the bar in place and put the jack stands against that - a couple more inches of height that way, too. When I want the bar and stands out of the way (say if working on the torsion bars, nose condenser, etc.), then I put the stands against the jack points behind the front wheels - works just fine that way (no problem about the angle you mentioned).

I forgot about this thread.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/773075-help-designing-shop-stand-911-a-2.html

Scroll down to the pic of my blue stand and you can see where I support the front on my stand's cross bar

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1383511476.jpg

Ronnie, your method kicks @$$. Gonna have to make a crossbar like that.

I've always jacked the rear one side at a time which automatically lifts the front.

I find it hard to imagine how a HF crossbar support on a floor jack can roll all the way behind the gas tank unless the ride height is fairly high and/or if the floor jack saddle is very low. If that combo clears, then a 2x4 on edge should provide the same result.

MHO,
Sherwood