I recently purchased a '91 Firebird Formula 350. I was going to jack the front end up with a floor jack to take a look underneith. I noticed that the gap that is between the door panel and the front quarter panel on the drivers side (the side I was lifting) began to close and the two panels were starting to touch. I stopped lifitng when I saw them touch. I was using the jacking "tab" to lift with. Is this a problem because of the unibody construction or is there something else wrong. I don't see alot of rust, so I don't think it is rusted out. Any infor on where or how to lift would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-Chris

 

I think every 3rd gen does that.

 

Install a Sub-Frame Connector (SFC). Once welded in this will be eleminated. Lift the car frot from the K-member under the engine. Lift the rear from the center of the differential. My car has Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs which now make it too low to get the jack under the K-member. So I drive onto a 2x4 under each tire which raises it enough to get teh jack under it. Good luck, Lon.

 

I agree. Only use the factory jack points when using the POS factory jack. Otherwise the X-member or diff are the best methods. This saves time (as you can jack both sides up at once) and also prevents you from denting your floorpan/subframe in case you don't center the jack correctly...

MILT

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"Without evil there can be no good, so it must be good to be evil some time!"

 

It sounds to me like you're jacking from the wrong spot. The fender (not the "front quarter panel") bolts to the bottom of the unibody with a 13mm bolt, through a lip that sticks down. A common mistake is to try jacking at or directly behind that spot. In doing so, it bends that tab and forces the fender to bulge out. To properly fix this, as long as the unibody isn't bent up, you should grab a pair of wide pliers and bend that tab back down until it's vertical. You should never jack from that point. You should jack ONLY from the subframe points, the front cross-member, or the rear differential. I ALWAYS jack only from the front cross member and the rear diff. I place my jack stands at various locations, but NEVER on the unibody portion of the car. In the front, under the LCAs if you don't want the wheel to hang, and under the rear portion of the subframe if you do want them to hang. In the rear, under the diff if you don't want the rear to hang, and right in front of the LCA mounts on the rear subframe if you do want the rear to hang.

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I NEVER jack up my car there I always use the frame it is way under there and does get diff. on the pass side do to the exhaust but it far out ways the other options yes i do have sub frame connectors and they help in back but, where the exhaust goes the sub connector is out of reach