A topic for MYTH BUSTERS: Opening doors, hood, etc "to prevent damage when lifting? - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

DRM500RUBYZR-1 · 01-23-2019

Back in 93 I encountered a tire shop that insisted on opening the doors just enough to clear the jamb lock, before raising the car on the lift.
Their clear and stated concern was cracking the top.
I let them do it, but observed how the rest of the car "drooped" at each end as it left the ground, and how the space at the upper door area expanded, then closed up when returned to the ground.
After observing that, I never again, to this day, raise a C-4 with doors open.
The car is far more rigid with top on and doors closed than it is otherwise, at least empirically.
I also know the change in my cars behavior when the top is removed, which also confirms my decision to keep the car as rigid as possible when raising it off of the ground.
I am no engineer, but it is very easy to visually observe how the car reacts when the designed in rigidity is reduced.
The top, while expensive, is less important to me than stressing the entire car, although I have never had a c-4 top crack during lifting.
So, myth or fact, absent factual information to the contrary, I will keep all C-4's closed when lifting.
Marty

01-23-2019	#16
DRM500RUBYZR-1 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mullica Hill, NJ Posts: 2,640	Re: A topic for MYTH BUSTERS: Opening doors, hood, etc "to prevent damage when lifti Back in 93 I encountered a tire shop that insisted on opening the doors just enough to clear the jamb lock, before raising the car on the lift. Their clear and stated concern was cracking the top. I let them do it, but observed how the rest of the car "drooped" at each end as it left the ground, and how the space at the upper door area expanded, then closed up when returned to the ground. After observing that, I never again, to this day, raise a C-4 with doors open. The car is far more rigid with top on and doors closed than it is otherwise, at least empirically. I also know the change in my cars behavior when the top is removed, which also confirms my decision to keep the car as rigid as possible when raising it off of the ground. I am no engineer, but it is very easy to visually observe how the car reacts when the designed in rigidity is reduced. The top, while expensive, is less important to me than stressing the entire car, although I have never had a c-4 top crack during lifting. So, myth or fact, absent factual information to the contrary, I will keep all C-4's closed when lifting. Marty