<VV> Unsafe at NO speed (elevating your Corvair)

[kenpepke at juno.com]

>Although someday I would like to get a professional hoist; right now, I thought I 
>would ask all of you how to elevate or jack up your cars with you run-of-the mill floor 
>jacks, and feel safe about it.
>
>I seem to scratch my head a bit when I jack up the car at the proper points and then 
>attempt to switch to a tripod jack so that I may move on to the next corner. The clearance 
>between the floor jack at tripod jack is always so tight, especially when working in the 
>rear of the car at aiming for that "right spot".
>The front is easier to deal with because you can jack on the crossmember and land to jacks 
>on either side. Then again, maybe I shouldn't jack there?
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Easiest way to get the whole car off the floor is to start on one side of the car, find the balance point and jack up the whole side.  Next place 2 jack stands, one near the front, the other near the rear and let the car down on them.  Now from the same side of the car push the floor jack straight under the car to the same balance point on the other side. Moving the jack handle up and down underneath the car till other side is up then place 2 more jackstands; one at the front. one at the rear then set the car down on them.  Your jack is now free to do other jobs.  Reverse the procedure to get the car down. 

This makes it easy to get the car up even if one side is very close to the garage wall.

Note:  If the gaage floor is not level enough for the car to stand firmly on all 4 stands you might want to place wood shims on top of one of the stands to get it just right.

Ken Pepke