How safe is it to put the entire car up on jackstands? I have hardcore jackstands, I'm not worried about those, but is it stable enough? I was going to re-install my rearend today, but I realized I really want new spring holders from VB, and they won't be here for about 4 days... So, I was thinking instead, I could start pulling apart the front suspension, but that requires lifting the whole car up on jackstands. Is that safe?

 

So long as you locate the stands properly it should be very stable, but beware while jacking up the second end that the stands don't lean as the jack draws the car up and away, so make sure your jack wheels can rotate.

 

Totally safe.

I had my whole car on jack stands for nearly a year.

Place them logically and give the car a good shake once it's up to make shure it's stable.

 

Yeah, that's what I was worried about. Is there a good location in the front of the car to lift the whole front end at once?

 

Just make sure that your car is on a flat surface. If it would roll while in neutral, it's not a good place to be putting it on 4 stands

though I kinda break that rule myself sometimes Just keep safety in mind. I usually put a piece of plywood under my jack when jacking, so that the wheels can roll well. If you don't have one, just jack very slowly, and between each pump of the jack, give it a bit of a push (just a nudge) so that if it needs to roll forward to meet the car it can.

Jon

 

Cool, thanks Jon. It's on a nice flat concrete surface, and I have some MDF that I can put under the jack.

Alright, I'm going back to work!

 

Remember....



... present company excepted of course

 

When I do this, I usually take it up in stages. Raise one end enough to get the stands under it, then raise the other end and put the stands under that end. Then go back and forth, raising each end a bit at a time until you have the desired height.

If you try to raise one end all the way up, then there's more of a chance of pushing the car off the stands when you raise the other end. It can also be tough to get the jack under the car at all (for raising the second end) when you do it that way.

 

^^^ Yes I also usually lift the car up in stages and if your on a level surfale just make sure all the jacks are evenly spaced and you will be fine. For the front jack stands just place those under the frame rails instead of the jack points how I have it in the picture and it wil be very sturdy. I left the back one where they where and the car stayed there for a 1 1/2 with no problems.

 

Anytime I jack up the car I throw the wheel under it. And if I'm actually going to be crawling under it, I always give the car a good hard shove, just to be sure.

 

At least if it's about to fall you can just catch it and push it back up.....











......just kidding. Don't really try that. I also give it "a good shove" to make sure its stable.

 

when mine's up on all fours, I'm always afraid the front end is just going to tip forward, because the engine and everything is up there. I know, it's supposed to have near 50/50 weight distribution, but still.... Make sure your jackstands are placed car enough apart (front to back)

also, the body/ frame thing is going to flex some so don't be suprised if your doors don't open very well.