Cheap "thrill" ho-boy.

[We Gone]

Glad you had a good outcome Paul, Everyone also be sure to check your floor jacks often, I had one that the pins got lose over time and I had not checked them. Needles to say it came apart as I was jacking one side and it kicked out damaging the rocker and drivers door. Was not a happy camper

[batchman]

Paul, really glad the damage is limited to underclothes. Could have been much worse for you and/or the car.

Definitely have learned some hard lessons in this racket, first being to stick with the style of jackstand that Dynomite shows in post #33. The sheetmetal type are death in waiting.

Also have plenty of experience with hydraulic jacks, of all brands. The metal is not often where the failures lurk, it's usually the hydraulics. I use a hockey puck to limit floorpan issues - stout enough, malleable enough, and easily/cheaply replaced when the time comes. Use two at a time, front & rear to limit stress on car and jack alike.

I have an 8' ceiling, so I use a scissor lift (an old Bend-Pak I think) but need to get some steel under the rollers as it's grinding on the floor a little too much. I'm cautious enough with the scissor lift, as it's only a 4k limit. I'm really only doing suspension/brake work and tire swaps or fluids, no problem - I get to a decent working height with the hood open. You can find these used pretty reasonably if you keep your eyes open.

Cheers/later,
- Jeff

[Paul Workman]

Well, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that HATES jack stands. And, thanks to all for your suggestions and comments - and there's plenty of room for more yet.

Hocky pucks (check!),
QuickLift (check!),
hydraulic jack adapters (check!)
scissor lift (check!)

And, I seem to recall someone making an adapter for a floor jack that contacted both of the jacking points on one side of the C4 and lifted the entire side all at once. Anyone have one or seen one?

[Z51JEFF]

I always keep the floor jacks under the car as well as the jackstands but I only have a one car garage so I can only go one side at a time which is worse than keeping the car level from side to side. Did I mention I live in Ca, earthquake anyone?

[Gunny]

I don't use hockey pucks anymore ... I've had 2 split/separate and the chassis went "bam" ... nothing damaged, but I had to go inside & change after the "scare" ... maybe I got a bad batch of pucks

[Funracer]

Ten years ago my neighbor across the street and his dad had his 85 vette on jackstands. Dad left to get a part at AZ. Came home found vette slipped off the jack and caught his son in the jugular. Left a wife
and two young daughters.

After many years of wanting I almost got a lift this year but the $$ slipped away as usual. I will admit that
prior to the above I was occasionally a little casual about lifting the car. Going to a funeral will change that.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by Paul Workman

Well, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that HATES jack stands. And, thanks to all for your suggestions and comments - and there's plenty of room for more yet.

Hocky pucks (check!),
QuickLift (check!),
hydraulic jack adapters (check!)
scissor lift (check!)

And, I seem to recall someone making an adapter for a floor jack that contacted both of the jacking points on one side of the C4 and lifted the entire side all at once. Anyone have one or seen one?

When you do NOT have KwikLift
And when you have mickymouse Jack Stands I always leave the jack positioned and under some pressure where I can.

A Little of Everything.......you cannot back up on the rear wheel ramps and the front wood ramps at the same time. Have to back first on wheel ramps and then jack sides to position wood ramps to get jack under front skirt to raise front of ZR-1

One jack is under Transmission to install ZFDoc C-Beam Plates.

[Rex Ruby]

When I was young and stupid I performed a front brake pad replacement on my 1972 Grand Prix. I was using a Ford van bottle style crank up jack with no jack stands. Those jacks have a curved bottom, damn thing slipped and the car fell off. It was raining so I was trying to huddle in the wheel well as much as I could to not get wet. When the jack slipped I found myself stuck in the wheel well, chest pinned to my thighs. I managed to wriggle out but was unable to move past that due to the back pain. I compress fractured my L2 vertabrae and spent 3 weeks in the hospital then 3 months at home before I could start to resume my normal life. I was very fortunate that I wasn't paralyzed. SO needless to say anytime I lift a car I triple check the jackstands and as most leave the floor jack there as a back up. I purchased a 2 post lift about 12 years ago, love it but am always nervous whem I have 3200 pounds hovering in the air!

[Racinfan83]

I still do the hockey pucks on the jack. Found that old ones work far better then new ones. Hockey coach friend of mine brought me a couple old used ones - they don't cut or split. I got one new one and it cuts like crazy.
I jack passenger side up with jack about under the mirror, put my best jack stands on that side, then jack driver side same way and place my other stands. No issues so far, and I even do it when I'm waxing/polishing just to get it up easier to work on...

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by Gunny

I don't use hockey pucks anymore ... I've had 2 split/separate and the chassis went "bam" ... nothing damaged, but I had to go inside & change after the "scare" ... maybe I got a bad batch of pucks

Hey George,

I totally agree with you and started using these type of floor jack discs that work great and will not crack or slip as it holds on to the seam with the slot:



I got this one in Japan at the auto parts store, but I see they sell similar and larger ones on Ebay if searched by floor jack disks. They are quite pricey in US by comparison. See you in a few weeks.