"Alternative" Jack Points

[gema]

So I need to jack my Z up, but there's a little problem.

I have a nice hole in my floorboard (passenger) and the rail has collapsed with it. The rail by my T/C box appears to be in okay shape, but I can't see through rubber undercoating. I want to get under the car with my heat gun to see what is REALLY there (hoping for no rust on the actual frame rail, just the floor supports), but I'm mortified that it will collapse onto me. The question I pose is, "What viable options do I have for suspending the car stably with a sketchy frame rail?" Also, I'm wondering how you all jack the Z's up when you replace rails and pans, as I'll be doing that. Thanks for the knowledge all.

[Bambikiller240]

Use a Floor Jack under the "cross-member" (it ties the frame rails together under the engine). The cross member also is what the steering rack is mounted to.

[wal280z]

but check out the 'single point jack plates' here at http://www.baddogparts.com/

Gema- Are you still trying to salvage your car or only in the pursuit of a newer less rusty shell?

Wayne

[panchovisa]

Jack the front up under the center of front cross member. You can put jack stands at each end of cross member where front control arms attach to cross member ( you will have unobstructed access to frame rails). I'd also move floor jack (or third jack stand)to tranny bell housing incase frame rail lets go completely (tranny will stop against tunnel/firewall if car falls). You can also jam a piece of wood between trans tunnel and tranny for more security.

Any funny noises = move your arse!

[beandip]

I use two sets of jack stans . I jack the front up with a floor jack under the front cross member , there is a flat plate where it is the strongest and in the center right at the front of the engine . I place the stands at the beginning of the frame rail where the controll arms attach, one on each side . I jack the rear end by the diff. with the floor jack as well. The rear stands go just out board of the pockets for the seat belts, or by the area that the rocker ends and is attached to floor cross pannel . Another option is to use ramps on one end or the other. If you have the room and two sets of ramps , this will get you higher and the car will be vary stable. But of cource you will need to jack the car up on the ramps . In the future if you need to jack the car for a changing a flat with the factory supplied jack , there are two points on each side of the car ONLY , just in front of the door and just to the rear of the door on the frame rail. NEVER ON THE INNER FLOOR SUPPORTS. Don't allow the tire installers to use the H style flat lifts that are so popular . they will cause the floor pan to buckle upward because the car is being supported only by the floor sheet metal. Hope this helps. Gary

[AxtellZ]

When we replaced the floors on my 73, we were rather perplexed, as they were toast. Ended up using 4 cement blocks under each wheel. Jacked up under the crossmember as others have said, but rather than using jackstands, put 2 cement blocks side by side under each wheel. Got a taller jack & did it again, with 2 more blocks on top (facing the other direction) It was EXTREMELY stable, and allowed plenty of room to work.

[gema]

Wayne (and others who are interested),

I'm going to try and save it. The break in the rail was where the floor support rail meets the actual frame, and the rest of the car isn't rusty enough to warrant trashing it. More importantly, I've decided to abstain from bringing any car at all with me to Temple this fall (a painful, yet financially sound decision) as I will be in downtown Philadelphia with a great public transport system. I'll nab a decent-paying job and save up $$$ to come home and work on the Z. That being said, I now have no set due date for the project to end, so I can do it all and do it right. I'm finishing tearing out the interior and doing the body teardown before I leave for school in 3 weeks, but if I dont' accomplish that, no worries...I have 3 years of undergrad left. Then law school. Speaking of which, any of you guys and gals have a friend at a law firm in Philadelphia? I need a job :nervous: and I'd like to grab one towards my career.

On the note of frame rails:

Thanks for the advice and instruction on how to keep myself from being crunched. The crossmembers (front and rear) seem really sturdy, and I'm going to invest in some concrete blocks. I have a nice MIG welder and a body saw & air cutter (I don't need a plasma cutter, do I?) and lots of determination and time, so I'm sure I can handle this project.

Thanks again for the good advice!!!

[Ed]

I'm going to invest in some concrete blocks.

Make sure you get solid concrete blocks! DO NOT get cinder blocks (the ones that are hollow) that will crush with the weight of the car.

[beandip]

I cut the floor out of my car with a saws all . You will find the sheet metal to be vary thin and easy to cut . I in stalled a floor pan from Zed Findings . they have the best ones around . 20gage pan and 16gage center support. I believe the factory is 22gage. You might consider not cutting the floor or rocker out untill you have the new parts in hand , this is recommended by C. Osborne . He is the owner of Zedd Findings.

[tanny]

Yeah, I've seen many, many warnings about NOT using hollow blocks for jack stands. Apparently not wise. Victor.

[Corganx33]

Make sure you get solid concrete blocks! DO NOT get cinder blocks (the ones that are hollow) that will crush with the weight of the car.

this is usually b/c people try to use the cinder blocks incorrectly for support. If you have the two holes in the cinder block sitting horizontally, you have very little supporting strength, you end up with an inch of cement supported above a hole in the block. This crushes easily. Positioning the Cinder blocks with the holes vertically provides a much stronger base to support weight above the block b/c there is no hole now for the cement to collapse into.

of course.... use caution and common sense as well.... you should be ok.