Safest way to lift car onto jack stands

[kenjiMR]

Ok, I'm planning to install my new sway bars and exhaust on my NSX. I've recently lowered the car, so most jacks don't fit under the car. I wanted to lift at least one half of the car up into the air while I work under the car. Ideally, it would be nice if I could get all 4 corners on jack stands probably so that it will be safer... or am I just looney? I'm considering someday soon to get my rims powder coated as well and I don't have any spare tires, so I would have to jack up all corners then as well. Right now I am planning to go to Home Depot to buy a couple of two by fours and nail them together in a way that I can drive over them to get the jack under the all the way. Anyone have any safety advice for me when I try to install my sway bars and exhaust?

 

[Jimbo]

Dan's got a nice write-up on this...
http://www.danoland.com/nsxgarage/jack/jack.htm

Hope this helps.

-Jim

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1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
Looking for a 76-79 Honda Accord

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

I can't remember what Dan does. My procedure is to drive the car onto 2x4's on each corner. I then jack up the whole side by using the center reinforcement. I place two jackstand under each corner's reinforcement, and repeat on otehr side. You can then raise the car more, if you need to, by repeating above. The NSX is very stiff. Make sure that the car is balanced on the stands when you're done.

Procede with caution.

-- Chris

 

[Lud]

Chris's description is the proper way to do it. Do not work on the car when it is 1/2 jacked up. If you have money burning a hole in your wallet, there are some nice jacks that will fit under your lowered NSX as well so you don't have to futz around with 2x4s (actually a few short lengths of 2x12s are easier).

One the car is on 4 jack stands, push and pull on it hard before getting under it. I personally am a little paranoid so I double-jack if I'm doing any serious work (put another couple jacks slightly lower than the car under something that looks structurally substantial in the area I'm working). I don't know if they would really help or not if the car fell, but it makes me feel better.

p.s. No snide comments about the "so I double-jack" bit, please..

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 18 May 2001).]

 

[Jimbo]

Lud,

Other than the 2 x 4 s (to get a bit more clearance for the jack, I suppose), I didn't see any difference between Dano's method and Chris's description.

What did I miss?

Also, for those who don't like jacking one side up first, there's also this method.

Driving up on 2 x 4s if needed, place 4 low-profile screw jacks at each lifting point at each corner.

(I got a set of 4 at Sears at a fairly reasonable price)

Working your way around the car, proceed to lift up each one a bit at a time. It takes a few trips around the car, and it's a bit more time consuming, but the car will be evenly lifted and you'll be able to place the jackstands under the corners.

This avoids having to pivot and tilt the car along one side of two jack stands.

The key is to this technique is to plan the placement of the screw jacks and the jack stands so that the jacks are on the lifting points. My little screw jacks fit in right next to the stands so they are close enough to share the lifting point.

I leave the screw jacks in place as a backup.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
Looking for a 76-79 Honda Accord

 

[Lud]

Yes, Chris and DanO describe the same thing. They are both correct. My only comment was that you should not work on the car when only one side is jacked up which kenjiMR was asking about.

 

[Jimbo]

Gotcha Lud,

Yes, that's a bad thing to do.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
Looking for a 76-79 Honda Accord

 

[nsxtasy]

I have a conventional floor jack. Can I just use it at the center jacking point to raise the entire side, so that I can change both tires on that side?

I realize that jackstands are safer if you're going to be working UNDER the car, but I don't need to go under the car to change tires.

Please advise.

 

[Jimbo]

nsxtasy,

That should be fine. You'll have three points of contact, but...

1. Do it on level ground.

2. Chock the wheels on the other side.

3. Make sure your floor jack is secure from rolling.

4. Don't be tempted to crawl underneath to admire all that pretty aluminum. ;-)

-Jim

PS: And as usual, crack the lugs prior to lifting and just snug them securely before dropping. Do the final tightening (and ideally torqueing) when it's on the ground. The idea is not to yank the car about while it's up.

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
Looking for a 76-79 Honda Accord

 

[kenjiMR]

I wasn't thinking about the car's saftey at first, but will there be any damage to the frame or anything if I lift the car up by just one jack in the middle?

 

[nsxtasy]

will there be any damage to the frame or anything if I lift the car up by just one jack in the middle?

There shouldn't be, if you use the jacking point (the metal tab that sticks out) in the middle; that's what it's there for. They wouldn't put it there if it would cause damage.