How to set the jack stands?

[Traffic22]

If I am doing a single corner, that is exactly where I lift

Under the two rear bolt heads at the front.

Under the rear lower control arm at the rear.

Even on a four post, that's where I have put the front arms :

WD

Well I’m glad I’m not putting the stands in the wrong spot.

I totally get why others have to choose alternate locations based on type of jacks and stands.

While not hard necessarily, this car is a bit of a pain to safely lift compared to others I’ve had.

Nice 4 post BTW, jealous.

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[Nightmonkey]

I believe this would have to be a pretty big plank, to be sturdy enough to not chip or split under the weight, and to actually not increase the risk of the tilt, if the terrain under it was not perfectly flat.

Any piece of good, not totally dried up, rough sawn construction lumber/timber will do the job.
Something that you still have lying around from the last project, where you had to make something stable.
If the lumber/timber is no good, you'll know it when you jack it up with the piece under the jack.

Alternatively, a ~1.5...2" thick concrete paving slab under each stand, as you have them at least around here also often from the last project lying around in the yard.

 

[WD Pro]

Nice 4 post BTW, jealous.

I wish it was mine, but its not ...

I pay in bottles of beer to use it ...

WD

 

[murick]

Any piece of good, not totally dried up, rough sawn construction lumber/timber will do the job.
Something that you still have lying around from the last project, where you had to make something stable.
If the lumber/timber is no good, you'll know it when you jack it up with the piece under the jack.

Alternatively, a ~1.5...2" thick concrete paving slab under each stand, as you have them at least around here also often from the last project lying around in the yard.

I believe I understand what is your point (and the others), suggesting using the additional solid surface in between the jack base and the ground. I am just saying that this could be counterintuitive and actually make the situation worse under certain circumstances.

The jack stand has a base large enough to hold the car, but the actual surface touching the ground small enough to "equalize" its position by getting pushed into the ground. Any piece of solid surface in between which will prohibit that, will also pronounce any "unevenness" of the ground, either by increasing the height discrepancy between the jack stands, or the risk of tilt.

In other words, if the ground was perfectly flat, but (possibly) soft, the wood or ceramic slab will help spreading the weight and prevent the stands from "sinking" into the ground. When the ground is not perfectly flat, then the smaller contact surface and "sinking into the ground" is actually helping stabilizing the car.

 

[Johnny Rockit]

Believe what you want to believe. It is your skin.
Anyone have Kenny Brown rails?

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

Be careful out there, only thing I can say I would not get under the car on soft soil/grass. If you must at least throw the wheels under it then you will have more safety.

 

[murick]

Be careful out there, only thing I can say I would not get under the car on soft soil/grass. If you must at least throw the wheels under it then you will have more safety.

I agree. And I appreciate everyone's concern. I knew it was risky, evaluated my options, did some tests and used it only on one side at time and only for removing the wheels. Would not recommend if could be done better.

 

[ORRadtech]

The irony of this thread has me confused. I don't know whether I should chuckle or SMH.
Posts about being worried about the head size then uses them in grass... And argues it's ok....

 

[jay_larold]

Putting aside the grass example, I do wish there were more replies and pictures of people that use the jacking rails with jack stands. I was similarly confused after I installed the Steeda jacking rails and tried to place the car on some typical looking Big Red jack stands. It is a little awkward finding optimal placement what with the tilt of the Steeda rails and less than ideal fitment between the "U" of the jack stands. I almost felt better off not having the Steeda rails at all

 

[murick]

The irony of this thread has me confused. I don't know whether I should chuckle or SMH.
Posts about being worried about the head size then uses them in grass... And argues it's ok....

You claim to read the thread yet did not realize that my original questions were about: a) how to put the car with the rails on the stand forks and b) about the front/rear weight distribution. If you did, you could contribute to the thread.

 

[SheepDog]

For my first wheel cleanup I got some jack stands locally without really thinking about them much, but then realized I probably should have.

The jack stands I got have the "fork" 2" 3/8 wide while my jacking rails (Steeda Full-Length jacking rails) are 2" wide. This would not be a problem if the fork did not have also a pretty wide round cut out in the center so if I place the stand so the rail is at one side of the fork, it barely touches the end of the cut out on the other.

The first question is, did I get the wrong stands (or forks)? Should I get some with narrower "claw"? Does something like that even exist? When looking at the jack stands in the shops, it seems no one is bothered by the fork dimensions, only the weight limit is specified, so I wonder if the rest is kind of standard.

The second question is about how to place the rails on the stands:
With the wider claw there are two possibilities (the visualization pics follow below):
1) Either placing the fork edge in between the pinch weld and the rail, but then basically letting all the weight rest on just on side of the fork, or
2) kind of catching both the weld and rail together, but then pushing the fork edge into the plastic trim, which covers the pinch weld from the side and is flush with it.

I chose the former as I mounted the rails as far as possible from the pinch weld, but I guess it would be possible to remount the rails a bit closer and hopefully fit both the weld and the rail into the fork. The rubber I put between the rail and the fork shows clearly that only one side of the fork was used.

Finally, even when trying to get the stands as far as possible from each other (while respecting the mount holes on Steeda rails), it looks like the rear stand is still suspiciously close to the center of the car. I guess there is still a bit of margin as the front should be heavier, nevertheless it looks like the majority of the weight rests on the rear stands. Is this normal?

EDIT: The car is lifted on the stands on one side only, the other one rests on wheels.

jack the car up using the jacking rails. Put the jackstands on the jack points/pinch welds, not on the jacking rails. Don't do any of this on grass.

 

[SheepDog]

Putting aside the grass example, I do wish there were more replies and pictures of people that use the jacking rails with jack stands. I was similarly confused after I installed the Steeda jacking rails and tried to place the car on some typical looking Big Red jack stands. It is a little awkward finding optimal placement what with the tilt of the Steeda rails and less than ideal fitment between the "U" of the jack stands. I almost felt better off not having the Steeda rails at all

I think people confuse the name "Jacking Rails" to mean that the stands go under the rails. - they do not. The rails are supposed to be used as single point so that you can jack up the entire side of the car at one time, then put your jackstands under the intended/designated pinch weld location. These are much wider apart, the side skirts have a cutout for them, and the pinch weld sinks nicely into rubber pad attachments on top of the "Y" part of the jackstand

 

[JOKER M1]

I think people confuse the name "Jacking Rails" to mean that the stands go under the rails. - they do not. The rails are supposed to be used as single point so that you can jack up the entire side of the car at one time, then put your jackstands under the intended/designated pinch weld location. These are much wider apart, the side skirts have a cutout for them, and the pinch weld sinks nicely into rubber pad attachments on top of the "Y" part of the jackstand

Well after reading your comment I did a little searching and I’m inclined to believe you aren’t wrong. Been using the rails to support every mustang I’ve owned but I’m gonna dig a little further. Thanks for bringing this up

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

Well after reading your comment I did a little searching and I’m inclined to believe you aren’t wrong. Been using the rails to support every mustang I’ve owned but I’m gonna dig a little further. Thanks for bringing this up

Yeah, I am guilty of setting them on the Jacking rails as well. But it makes sense to spread them out as far as possible for stability.

 

[WD Pro]

Steeda’s picture :

WD

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