Car jack, stands and lift points on a Squarebird

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

Hey guys, I need to purchase a jack and pair of stands for the car repairs in my garage. Can you advise what type and weight to choose best for this purpose?

Also what are the best undercarriage points to position the jack/stands under? Is it possible to lift the car only from the side or from front and rear as well?

Any other hints and tips on lifting the car fro the service?

Thank you. Jiri

[Dakota Boy]

My two cents:

Get a basic floor jack and a couple pairs of 2-ton jack stands.

Always have a "backup plan" of some sort. Look at the labels on all this stuff and the reason for this becomes crystal-clear: "Made in China".

I like to use jack stands on concrete, but I will also have my floor jack in position in case a jack stand should fail.

Never use jack stands on warm asphalt or on dirt.
Never go under your car with only the hydraulic floor jack supporting your car.

If you are going to be doing some really rough work under your car, I recommend using some big chunks of lumber for the "backup plan". We never had jack stands on my dad's farm (they still dont); but we did have a stack of railroad tie pieces, 6 x 6's, 2 x 6's, etc. etc.

These squarebirds naturally sit quite low to the ground, and even if the wheels are on the car, if it falls on you it is game-over. I think about that every time I get under my car.


As for lift points: I use the front crossmember (also supports the radiator) at the front. As for the rear, my car has some customization back there, and so I'll let others chime in for that.

[simplyconnected]

I second the jack stands, Greg.

I use either the frame members or spring perches. Before getting underneath any car, I put it on stands and give the car a good shake. If the car doesn't feel solid, I don't go under.

If you are lifting the engine (even a little bit), the frame will be on jack stands with the wheels off the ground. That way there are no mistakes from unexpected suspension movement.

For simple oil changes, etc, I use a good pair of ramps. - Dave

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

What is the best procedure to lift the car onto the stands like this?

[simplyconnected]

That looks like Marcelo's car in New York, just before he retrofit power disk brakes.

[KULTULZ]

It has to be raised and supported in this fashion by placing a floor jack first centered under the engine cross-member and placing the stands under the car. The photo shows the front being supported by the No. 1 cross-member. I would try the front apron rails.

Raise the rear by placing the jack under the rear axle third member, raising and then placing the stands under the axle tubes.

Be careful here as by raising either end of the car in the center, you are doing a precarious balancing act. Be quick and sure.

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

That looks like Marcelo's car in New York, just before he retrofit power disk brakes.

It is Marcelo's car in New York. Just before he retrofit power disk brakes... .

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

Today I was checking the rest of the brakes and experienced a strange thing - when I was lifting the car at the back, the car body must have worked somehow because the door were pretty crossed against the rest of the body. I understand that the car is long and heavy. Still, is that a normal behavior? If so, you can easily damage the paint either on the door or on the body... . Also what happened when the car was in the air, the exhaust pipe was touching the cardan. Tought the exhausts are firmly in a place...

[simplyconnected]

Your car body is flexing because the steel is rusted away. Now, it is trying to fold up in the middle. None of this should happen. The car used to be very rigid and tight. Your exhaust pipes should not touch anything, either.

Forget doing all that other work and concentrate on supporting the rocker panels and sub frames. You need good steel and welding skills to make this car safe to run on the road again.

Do a search on 'rocker panels' and see how our other members have replaced their steel. This is a very common problem and yours is no different.

Spread out your jack stands for a more stable 'platform'. - Dave

[Ian M Greer]

Just a comment on floor stands , any convertible will flex ( trust me I learned the hardway with my 63 convertible Paint chip on binding drivers door ) Never put your floor stands to the extreme ends on any convertible . With-out the support of a hartop roof adding that extra strength and eliminating the body flex convertibles will naturally flex. Dealing with an older convertible chances are the added strucural steel in the rockers is weak ( as seen in numerious postings by members in the restoration experiences ) Any quality restoration shop automaticly installs steel supports in the gap where the doors would sit , this is fastened tightly between the front door post the the rear latching post this of course to prevent flex and keep the unibody correctly spaced while the doors are off, before the body is lifted in any way . Put your stands farther in on the body to avoid any chance of damaging the body or paint. Ian M Greer (REMEMBER NOT ALL BIRDS FLY SOUTH)

[Ian M Greer]

Added comment as Dave has said looking at your photo's your door has really dropped and binded , I would suspect as Dave the the added steel in the rockers of the car is weak . I hope such is not the case , Ian M Greer (REMEMBER NOT ALL BIRDS FLY SOUTH)

[jopizz]

Both Dave and Ian make interesting points. I had a '60 convertible about 30 years ago that had no rust damage in the rockers at all but anytime I jacked it up using the bumpers the doors would rub. Without seeing the inner rockers or underneath it's hard to tell whether or not you have significant rust damage. I've learned over the years to only jack convertibles up as close to the middle as possible.

John

[Anders]

When I worked on my car two years ago, up on jacks in the front and in the rear, while have the rear axle and the engine out, my can also flexed and changed the distance around the doors. But not so much as on these pictures. My car is rust free, so the only real reason for me is that it is just too much weight in between the jacks when you jack it up using the front and rear beam, and not under the side of the car, inside the wheel arches.