dredoggy

iTrader: (2)

we have had a couple of people around mi, die recently from improper jack positions seen it on the news. so BECAREFUL

sreve

iTrader: (3)

put the rear in the air first using the center of the diff. you can put stands under the rear sway bar at the axle unless there grease fittings there otherwise they go to the boxes in front of th lower control arms. this will give you plenty of clearence to get to the K-Frame, aim for the center put stands on the lower A-arm close to the ball joints.
after getting the rear set when you jack up the front look carefully at the rear if there is an air gap between the ground and the stand let the front down on stands and reset the rear.
keep in mind that a cocked jack stand can shoot like a bullet out from under a poorly supported car.
other ways are not nessary wrong but saftey first. there have already been some good tips eg: after you think its right shake it if its gonna fall fall now.
your question is not as noob as you think another thing to be careful of is the people at the shop that do not know how to put them on a lift and bust up the bottom of the front fenders

deputyss

iTrader: (4)

ya i think you get the point. just be careful

JScamaro

iTrader: (6)

If you have subframe connectors, it makes it a lot easier to jack up.

landonew

Right under the BMR SFCs. Otherwise, you should try and find the chassis point behind the wheel well i believe.

greysteel_M6

iTrader: (5)

We had a guy here in abilene die a few months back from an old beetle falling on him.

Shinigami2x4

Be sure to check the jack you are using is working correctly. My old jack was trying to pull the car towards it instead of moving under the jacking point and in result made the car slide off the head of the jack. So just pay attention to what your doing, and ramps IMO work best for quick check ups or oil changes. In fact i do recall being able to almost complete a header install on stands, just another inch was needed to slide the drivers side up.

Shinigami2x4

Also, forgot to mention that even with ramps to always put stands up for that "what if" reason.

landonew

Yea, I have to work in my apartment parking lot when I am away at school which is asphalt not pavement. The rough road prevents the jack from sliding correctly, and it fell off the jack once whille I was jacking it up. I always use jack stands AS I AM JACKING IT UP, and probably saved me from doing some damage to the car.

This works by placing the jack stand a the SFC (or other bracing point) as you are jacking the car up, and adjusting it to go higher each time the space allows. Probably not necessary if you are on a smooth surface, but is helpful if you don't have other options.

2002_z28_m6

iTrader: (10)

Whatever you dont jack it up by mount for the front fenders. It looks like a pinch weld behind the front tires. Dut it will bend and your front fenders will no longer sit flush with the side of the car. This has happened to a lot of people. So like these guys said. Jack the front by the K-member and the rear by the rearend. and always use jackstands. If you dont your trusting your life to a 10 cent oring in your hydraulic jack.
Good luck and be safe.

Mssingkid

iTrader: (7)

And make sure you jack your car up on cement. I like to consider myself a "Shade Tree" mechanic, and tend to work on my car myself. Well last summer i started tearing down my car for a heads and cam install. Well i had the car up in the air supported on four jack stands. Well we had a small heat wave in the NE and my drive way is black top. As you know, blacktop gets sticky and SOFT. Well the jacks started to sink into the blacktop, and as i'm taking off the heads i kinda "Bumped" the nose of the car. That was enough to shift the weight of the car and send it though my bay window. No damage to the car, but i had to spend 2K on a new window. It's hard to believe that just hours earlier i was under it removing the exhaust.

Adam86

iTrader: (10)

Hate to bump an old thread but I was looking at this and just wanted to remind anyone who is new to jacking up these cars to ALWAYS use stands. I was just getting ready to change my oil and was jacking up the car with a crappy old jack. I went back inside to get my stands and by the time I got back out the jack had finally busted and dropped. Damn lucky I didn't do anything under there before I decided to walk in and get the stands.

01Pontiac

i agree. no such thing as a stupid question. well, almost

Bad Blue WS6

iTrader: (41)

someone should add some nice pics to this thread and make it a sticky...Even old dogs can learn new tricks ,,,and not everyone on here is a pro

406malibu

+ 1 for the sticky

Craiggg

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I always block back tires and use jack stands. And if i'm under it or anything I put blocks of wood beside me too. Can never be too safe. Never really thought bout jack falling but everytime I used my dad's jack he would keep telling me to block it with something(When I was younger). Even though I'm only 22 now. Better safe then sorry though.

ghettosled

i almost crushed myself last year with improperly set jack stands and a floor jack. i was working on my DD and was under the front of the car with my head at the back of the motor. i always use jack stands, but didnt have them extended to the proper height. there was space around my head and arms so i didnt realize the car was slowly lowering onto me. a bolt of panic flashed through me when i felt the front cross member starting to press on my chest. luckily, that is also when the frame started to rest on the jack stand so i was able to wiggle my way out after a couple of minutes. man, it still shakes me up. this is why i also make sure i have a cell phone on me when i work on the car.

92builtbird

I do the same thing. Jack car up. Put car on jackstands, then re-jack up until weight is evenly distibuted on the two, so if the jack fails, the stand is right there, and there will be no shock from a possible fall onto the stand. Then I stand back, and shake the **** out of the car. If all is well, theres not much more you can do!

ls1owner4life

iTrader: (17)

So in summary, in my case replacing rear control arms and panhard bar I am buying a craftsman jack and two stands for $60.00 They are 2 ¼ tons. Is $60 too cheap for a jack and two stands and is 2¼ ton enough? I plan on placing the jack under the pumpkin in front of the cover, and placing two jacks on either side of the rear axle. Then jack up the car accordingly, place jacks in proper location, and slightly lower jack until the car is resting on the stands in addition to the jack evenly. Please give any input! Thanks!

Platinum WS6

iTrader: (6)

YES, that jack will hold 4500 lbs and the rear of your car does not weigh 4500's.