Cars on axle stands.

[Call the midlife!]

The car is currently up on a pair of axle stands under the rear sill jacking points, with engine, transmission and rear axles and wheels off.
I'd like to get the front end up on another pair of stands, also under the sills, so I can remove the front wheels and also do some work under the middle of the car/replace handbrake cables etc.
What's the safest way to go about getting the front end up?
Jack under the central jacking point and lift in one go (concerned about the trolley jack moving forward once the wheels clear the chocks) or one side at a time?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carolyn]

Is the car on a slope?  If it is, it's pretty dodgy either way you do it. 

If it's on the flat, I'd use the central jacking point.

[Call the midlife!]

On the flat, beautifully painted garage floor. There's no escape room in front either should anything go wrong, which is another consideration.
I'd even considered using the front crash bar as in my head that gives a higher lift point so less forward force on the jack?
Or tying the rear of the car to an immovable object![emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joesson]

My 2 usually spends six months of the year on axle stands, positioned on the sill jacking points( with carpet packers to avoid metal to metal contact.
When raising it I lift the rear (complete with engine!),  with front wheels choked front AND rear, with a trolley jack under the central engine mount. I then lift the front end, again with the central jacking point, I have done this with and without the front under tray in place.
The trolley jack will naturally move in this condition, ideally along the central axis of the car, so keep the jack as straight as possible. I have never tried lifting one side at a time with the rear end up. But have raised mine four times as described.
I do rear end first  because of the weight distribution. I believe you will not have a problem because both ends of your 2 are mow similar weights.

[Call the midlife!]

My 2 usually spends six months of the year on axle stands, positioned on the sill jacking points( with carpet packers to avoid metal to metal contact.
When raising it I lift the rear (complete with engine!),  with front wheels choked front AND rear, with a trolley jack under the central engine mount. I then lift the front end, again with the central jacking point, I have done this with and without the front under tray in place.
The trolley jack will naturally move in this condition, ideally along the central axis of the car, so keep the jack as straight as possible. I have never tried lifting one side at a time with the rear end up. But have raised mine four times as described.
I do rear end first  because of the weight distribution. I believe you will not have a problem because both ends of your 2 are mow similar weights.

The weight distribution was another factor in my thinking too, theoretically there's more weight pushing down at the front than on the rear stands at the moment.
I've got some notched out hockey pucks on the stands to protect the sills.[emoji1303]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Call the midlife!]

Finally got chance to do it this evening and apart from the jack not fitting under the front due to the nose down angle it went up fairly easily and safely. Had to do it in 3 stages, up a little at the side to get the jack under the front then up onto the stands, some blocks of wood on the jack and up again a couple of clicks on the stands.
So the wheels are off to be refurbed and hopefully I can get my fat belly underneath it to get to the coolant drain screws that need sorting out.
Thanks all for the advice, always appreciated.[emoji1303]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joesson]

"I love it when a plan comes together"  As Colonel Hannibal Smith might say.
I have removed the coolant drains under the middle/ front of the car, don't recall a problem with that, IIRC they were more robust than I thought, but slowly slowly is often the best way, and make sure the spanner is a good fit.

[Call the midlife!]

"I love it when a plan comes together"  As Colonel Hannibal Smith might say.
I have removed the coolant drains under the middle/ front of the car, don't recall a problem with that, IIRC they were more robust than I thought, but slowly slowly is often the best way, and make sure the spanner is a good fit.

One came out fine in December, the other one felt like it was turning, until the head twisted off flush with the pipe...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joesson]

Oh dear!
I can't remember how long that section of pipework is, maybe best now to remove it all and you will be more comfortable working with it " on the bench".  You would be able to give it a soak with PlusGas and then maybe  a stud extractor would help:
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiL68zxiKfgAhVBM9MKHZtaDkYYABAaGgJ3Yg&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=CAASEuRoOf0fqhB-06ys4VMdxb8Shw&sig=AOD64_3-EN09j4VLmASAcHXF40ZPsWC6Pg&ctype=46&q=&ved=2ahUKEwipm8bxiKfgAhUJ-6QKHSDaBjwQzzl6BAgJEAo&adurl=

[Call the midlife!]

Yeah, it's the driver's side and I think they both go up and over the petrol tank? Now I can get fully underneath it I'm going to see if I can drill/extract the remains of the screw with the pipes in situ, like everyone else I've got fairly adept at drilling sheared 10mm bolts out over the last 2 years [emoji23].
Failing that I'll be dropping the tank to replace the handbrake cables so if the pipe has to come out, so be it.
The radiator is coming out for some tidying up of hoses and clamps etc so both ends of the pipe will be open anyway.
Exciting times..[emoji851]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Topdownman]

I hope you have lots of back up axle stands under there too.

Plus a towel for when you drill out that broken fastener....

[delhusband]

Sounds like fun, euphemistically speaking...  best of luck

[Call the midlife!]

I hope you have lots of back up axle stands under there too.

Plus a towel for when you drill out that broken fastener....

Currently just on the four on the sills from lifting it last night, I'll be adding other support/safety measures before I slide under it.
We gave it a good rock last night and it's nice and solid and they're sturdy stands but I hear what you're saying.
I'm going to pull the hose off the radiator end first and let it drain from there, unfortunately we managed to end up with it 2 notches higher at the front [emoji23].


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Call the midlife!]

Sounds like fun, euphemistically speaking...  best of luck

Definitely a learning curve Del, not least around the amount of space you think you have to work in and the amount of room a stripped out car takes up. Half the bodywork is in Harvey's bedroom [emoji23].


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Topdownman]

I think if you arrange the parts in his bedroom with a bit of thought he might not spot them...

[Call the midlife!]

I think if you arrange the parts in his bedroom with a bit of thought he might not spot them...

Hahahahaha! It's even the right colour [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[delhusband]

I think if you arrange the parts in his bedroom with a bit of thought he might not spot them...

Lol!

[Chriss]

I would say it is best to lift the front first as the back wheels are held in gear and by the handbrake(when it works)so it should not roll, then lift the back up.

[Joesson]

I would say it is best to lift the front first as the back wheels are held in gear and by the handbrake(when it works)so it should not roll, then lift the back up.

Just noticed this.
Sorry, but I don't agree with lifting the light front end first. This would then be up on axle stands and as I mentioned there is some longitudinal movement when you come to raise the opposite end.
This means that you have the weight of the engine pushing forward against comparatively little weight at the front that is now balanced on axle stands.
Raising the heavier rear end  first means that there is comparatively less weight trying to move longitudinally when you come to lift the front end.
I have carried out this procedure several times and carefully considered the options but always choose to lift and stabilise the heavy rear end first.
Each  must consider and do what they believe to be right for them, their equipment and circumstances.

[Call the midlife!]

As a bit of meat to the bones, I think a lot depends on what you're lifting the car up for/height you're going.
Due to the set up on my car I can't go too high at the back without the front end touching the floor with the bumper on.
For the purpose of raising the car high enough on 4 stands to be able to get underneath it I removed the front bumper and took the rear end up onto a pair of un extended stands.
Then the front the same way but extended the stands a couple of clicks.
Then took the rear up until level with the front so there were no major changes in pitch once both ends were on stands.
And only dropped it the once when we'd not got the extra packing between jack and jacking point even..[emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joesson]

I agree, the lifting height in my case is limited by the raised height of the jack and the closed height of my axle stands. Once on four stands it can be raised a notch or so at a time rear/ front etc keeping the car as near level as practical.
Some may need to lift the car higher than others, that is partly to do with the work proposed, and partly with the genes of the operative.

[Call the midlife!]

I agree, the lifting height in my case is limited by the raised height of the jack and the closed height of my axle stands. Once on four stands it can be raised a notch or so at a time rear/ front etc keeping the car as near level as practical.
Some may need to lift the car higher than others, that is partly to do with the work proposed, and partly with the genes of the operative.

Me being a fattie you mean?[emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carolyn]

I prefer to put jack-stands under suspension mounting points.  MUCH stronger than the sills.

[Call the midlife!]

I prefer to put jack-stands under suspension mounting points.  MUCH stronger than the sills.

This is true but I can never decide where so remind me to ask you to show me at the weekend [emoji38]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk