ChrisMinelli Posted March 29, 2020 Report Posted March 29, 2020 Are there any accepted jack points or places for jack stands under a '52 Plymouth? I own a Honda Accord and they engineered jack points and slots for jack stands. I jacked the front up right in the middle of the front frame and just have stands in the front under the frame.... I can't find a good place for jack stands in the back anywhere. Any advice? Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 29, 2020 Report Posted March 29, 2020 On the rear end of car ..jack up the rear axle below the diff.. Set stands under frame right in front of front spring hangers. Quote
ChrisMinelli Posted March 29, 2020 Author Report Posted March 29, 2020 25 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said: On the rear end of car ..jack up the rear axle below the diff.. Set stands under frame right in front of front spring hangers. I can lift the differential? Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 29, 2020 Report Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) That's how I've done them for 40+years. On pretty frame off's card board and rags to protect the pretty paint. New cars gotta be more careful.. Edited March 29, 2020 by Dodgeb4ya Quote
JerseyHarold Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) If the wheels are staying on the car, I lay a steel wheel under each front tire for extra support. Edited March 30, 2020 by JerseyHarold Quote
desoto1939 Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 as dodgeb4a stated put your floor jack under the bottom of the differential. Block the front wheels Jack up the car slowly to the desired height off the ground. But you jackstands near the end of the axle at both the same height adjustment. Then lower the car slowly to rest on the jack stands. BUT REMEMBER that if you are crawly under the car that it is up on two or four points to hold up a 3000 lb car. You have to be safety cons enounces at all times. Also if you are going to be working under the car have your cell phone handy incase you need to make an emergency call and or have someone in your house that you can call if you need help do not do the work by yourself. I had a friend that had a 36 Desoto airflow up on a bottle jack to work on his front brake and his foot hit the jack and the car came down on his arm and he had some serious injuries. JUST BE CAREFUL. If the work can not be done with only a few inches off the ground then take it to an auto shop to get the work done. If you get injured the cost of the hospital stay is much more than the mechanics charge to work on your car. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com 4 Quote
ChrisMinelli Posted March 30, 2020 Author Report Posted March 30, 2020 21 minutes ago, desoto1939 said: as dodgeb4a stated put your floor jack under the bottom of the differential. Block the front wheels JUST BE CAREFUL. If the work can not be done with only a few inches off the ground then take it to an auto shop to get the work done. If you get injured the cost of the hospital stay is much more than the mechanics charge to work on your car. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com Hello -- I don't as a rule do anything under the car that requires the majority of my torso underneath. I don't trust jack stands at all on the best of days, and now that I'm using them on a vehicle that doesn't have dedicated, welded slats for the jack stands to "sit" into I just don't like getting under there at all. I need to rebuild my brakes and flush the system, that should be easy to do without getting under the car. I do need to grease everything but that will be a quick in and out hopefully! Quote
keithb7 Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) If I had to take my car somewhere else, for any work that had to be jacked up more than a couple inches, I would not own my vintage cars. I enjoy the wrenching very much. As much as driving the cars. If the wheels are still mounted, and the car is jacked up, it will not crush you if it comes down. If the wheels are all off, you can take extra measures to protect yourself. Lay down, and double stack two wheels and slide them under the frame. The car won't flatten the wheels if it comes down if jacks fail. You can use jacks, and additionally back them up with a hydraulic jack too. I do this often. My hydraulic shop jack on 4 wheels is often jacked up as a back up plan, beside the mechanical jack. For big jobs, longer term jacking, you can buy dimensional lumber and cut and stack pieces. It can't come down if you do it right. 4x4's are great. 2x4s work well too. The bigger the better. Cut 'em up in to manageable pieces and they are easy to store. You can stack to various required lengths as required. If you'd played with lego, you're perfectly qualified to proceed. Heck I've even taken a round, cut up tree piece that was destined to be split for firewood. Sits nice and flat when both ends have been cut with a chain saw. Slide under part of the car. It'll save you if jacks fail. Tranny out, clutch out, diff out, driveline out, all wheels removed, brakes ripped down...All in the past couple months here. Jacked up on all 4 corners, with extra precautions for months. Nobody else is getting under that car but me. I sure am not going to pay someone else to do it. Stop, think about being safe. What could happen? Remove the risks. Edited March 30, 2020 by keithb7 Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 If you buy cheap poorly made HF or local parts store DIY jack/ jack stand tools...you are putting your life in danger. Using these cheap poorly constructed tools...you can and maybe should.. Spend an extra hour, two or three cutting up rail road ties or any other rot free timbers for additional under car safety cribbing and properly install said cribbing at all four corners...plus the chinese little jack stands and that 2-3/4 ton floor jack that's really only safely rated for 1-1/2 tons complete with the tiny 3-4" little saddle. All safety bets are off now days using poor quality light duty automotive lifting equipment. Commercial shop equipment not much safety issues at all. Do be safe boys? 1 Quote
Sam Buchanan Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) I really don't like jack stands but find them necessary. Here are the wood stands I use when there is going to be a lot of tugging and yanking...I trust these: Edited March 30, 2020 by Sam Buchanan 3 Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 Nothing wrong with jack stands if you use professional grade stands...like used in high end repair shops. That's what I use when needed. More than safe under any passenger car. Quote
Sniper Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 I had a set of metal ramps you drive up on to work under the car. Used them for years, till one day I drove my 64 Chrysler 300 up on them, last time of many times, and it flattened them. Fortunately, I was not under the car when the ramps let go. If I had been well you can imagine. Since then, my ramps are of solid material, no bent and welded metals one for me. I agree that retail grade stuff is just cheaply made anymore and even the commercial grade stuff is getting there too. So I take my time to hunt down old made in USA stuff when I can. Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 30, 2020 Report Posted March 30, 2020 Starting in the early 80's quality of tools went down the crapper.☹ As for thin stamped out steel car ramps...oh boy.. I have even seen 1/4" thick plastic made car ramps? Most hobbyist people don't have a clue. Quote
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