Where to jack and install jack stands

[mutt and jeff]

Need to lift my A1 and then remove tires and wheels and leave on jack stands while welding in new floor pan and cleaning up underneath and wheel wheels for paint. This suspension system is new to me. What is the preferred floor jack location and the best place to put 4 jack stands to be able to remove all tires and wheels and leave in this position for s short period of time?

Rear bumperettes and front bumper are removed already.

I'll hang up and listen.

[rickf]

I jack under the differentials and put the stands under the control arms. That is the easiest way to do it and also the safest as far as damage to the vehicle. If you put the stands under the rails you take a chance of bending them unless you add a length of angle iron for extra weight spreading. I have some 12" and 6" lengths of channel iron that I will use between the rails and jacks or stands if I an jacking on those. 2x4's work just as well.

[halftracknut]

This might be a good time to remind him that Harbor Freight had a recall on there jack stands...I checked mine and they were ok...I think Rick may be able to link that post to this one? htn

[mutt and jeff]

Thanks for thinking of me. I read the post earlier and we checked all our stands and tagged them that they are not the recall ones so we don't forget and check them every time.

TO THE WORKSHOP.

Stay dry and safe.

[Horst]

In the front, I simply put the jacks under the bumper. That’s also how the manual shows it. If that’s too much stress for the body, it’s probably far gone already.

[muttguru]

In the front, I simply put the jacks under the bumper. That’s also how the manual shows it. If that’s too much stress for the body, it’s probably far gone already.

That's how the Mil did it.....as shown in the training video 611-171-8062-B "Emplacement on Shop Trestles."
A few years ago there was a TV programme about the dangers of jacking up a car using the jack under the front wheel support arm...... which tended to cause cracking of the arm due to the weight of the vehicle plus engine plus front-wheel-drive transmission. IIRC, not using the actual body jacking points on some cars voided the vehicle's warranty.

ken

[rickf]

Back in the beginning of the thread he mentioned that he had removed the bumper and the rear bumperettes. That leaves nothing but folded sheet metal as a jacking point other than the differentials or the suspension arm. I remember the bit about the cracking lower arms on front wheel drive vehicles but that is a completely different type of suspension. I have never seen a lower A frame control arm crack from jacking or using for a stand. You can use the front rails as supports I suppose but you do not have that solid bumper between them as lateral support. I have seen hundreds of bent unibodies underneath from jacks and stands not being put in the right place but in this case the right place does not exist. So I suggested the next best thing. The suspension holds up the vehicle under normal and severe use so it will hold a jacking.