Amrish

I have no experience with jackstands and i need help in trying to find some that i need to be able to work on my car...

What kind of jack stands do i need to be abel to do a tranny swap, rear end swap, springs, LCA's shocks/struts, any suspension work...

I found a pair of 6 ton jack stands with these specs: Self-Locking ratchet for fine adjustments. Lift range 15-3/4" to 24". Base measures 11" x 11" Imported.

Should 4 of those be good go keep my 92z up ? and is that lift range high enough to be able to do the work?

And also, would you guys recommend a floor jack as well? I was also looking at a 3 ton floor jack w/ Magic lift.


Are these things a must have? What else do I need or do i not need all of this? I will buy anything to prevent the car falling on me

Dewey316

jack stands are a MUST.

properly supporting the car is the only safe way to work under it.

a floor jack will make things much easier, but not a nescesity, be carefull when you buy one, some of them do not make it under our ground-clearance challanged cars.

MrDude_1

look at the jackstands... if they are thin cheap looking sheetmetal, i wouldnt buy them


if they look nice and thick and strong, then get them... 6ton ones should be strong enough....

im assuming that you're talking about a MPV jack with the "magic lift"...

MPV stuff isnt the best in the world, but it is strong.


be sure to jack and use the jackstands on strong points, and be sure everything is seated, car wont roll ect...

bascily double check everything, everytime..


i refuse to get under a car without jackstands...

MrDude_1

oh and for tranny swaps, a 2nd jack with good wheels is always nice....

posbird87

those jack stands will do just fine. yes they are a must. ive worked under a car without them and have had close calls

and when u are swapping trannys using just a floor jack u NEED those stands to keep the car up so u can jack the trans up.

unless u wanna be hardcore about it and just bench press it into place while someone bolts it on

Amrish

HAHA.. yea bench pressing the tranny could always work

What would be a good floor jack to buy, and from where can i buy one?

I am only asking cause i have never used any of these yet and i'd like to buy the better ones from the start than to buy crap and have to get new things later...

thanks for the help

MrDude_1

done that. you dont want to. your arms will HURT BAD afterward... and be sore for the rest of the week... lol



edit: oh, and dont drop it on your chest

TheGreatJ

Try that with a TH400.....hell they're hard to handle even WITH the jack!!!

ede

i have a lincoln floor jack and a cheap floor jack, both work good but the lincoln is by far the better jack. look at northern tool, they have a lot of jacks, among other things. i have 10 jack stands of assorted sizes and quality. all work, but my best are 4 25 year old heine-warner stands

TomP

Web address for them is http://www.northerntool.com in case anyone was wondering! You could also check out some of the other online discount places, like http://www.toolparadise.com and http://www.THEtoolwarehouse.NET (free shipping if spending over $100 for first order, might be good for a heavy floor jack- look under "shop equipment" for jacks).

And yeah, good move on wanting jackstands!! Make sure that the floorjack you buy is low enough to fit under the engine crossmember. Don't go cheap on the floor jack either; my buddy bought an AC/Delco jack set- two jackstands and a floor jack. The floor jack was tiny, had a small seat, and only lifted his Mazda suv up an inch!! We used his spare tire jack to lift up the truck and put it on jackstands- which wasn't safe- those spare tire jacks are only meant to lift up one corner of the car.

After I put the car on jackstands, I always bump the car with the side of my leg to make sure it's sturdy. If anything wobbles, I re-do the jackstands. I've never gotten under a wobbly car (I've helped people on their cars and told them I won't help until their car is secure!) and I never will.

Make sure the stands have a wide enough top to catch our frame rails. A common jacking point for the rear is the rear subframe, just in front of the rear lower control arms, where the lower control arms bolt onto the body. That rail is around 2 inches wide (measure it to be sure, I'm guessing from memory).

On the front, I usually put the jackstands on the lower control arms, on the "inner lip" of the spring perches.

My floor jack and jackstands are made by Rally, got them at the local Pep Boys. The jackstand are the "ratchet handle" type, much more handy then the "pin" type, because you don't have to worry about losing any pin.