i know this seam like a stupid question but where is the the best spot to jack theses cars up from and put jack stands because i know that theses cars bend easily and i normally jack cars up from the pinch panel but last time i tried that it started to bend so i stopped causes the bottom of my car is undamaged and i want to keep it that way.

 

I always go from the subframes. If you look under the car, farther inboard from the pinch welds, you will see the boxed subframes. On the front, they are inboard near the trans tunnel, the trans crossmember is bolted to them. In the back, they are just in front of the lower control arms. I've also jacked the car up by the k-member, but the jack I use has a large cup, around 5" or so. I wouldn't do it with a smaller cup, too easy to slip off and punch through the oil pan.

 

I've had subframes bend in as well. I jack the rear under the diff, and the front under the A-arms (under the coil springs). I put stands under the frame rails in the rear just infront of the LCA's.

 

I jack the front end from under the engine crossmember and put jackstands on the lower control arms. I haven't had the back end up so far.

 

subframs, rear diff, front a arm, k member, and if you have umi subframe connectors i go there with the hoist too

 

In front I jack it up under the crossmember and usually put the stands under the subframes. I've also used the control arms for the jack and the stands on occasion. In the rear, under the diff is the best spot with the stands under the axle or the subframes if I need to lower the axle.

 

Does anyone have any pics of where yall are putting the jack stands?

 

Pics would be great..

 

Try the sticky at the top of this forum for pics of the front.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ion-101-a.html

 

Thanks. Can you really put jack stands under the sway bar bushings? I wouldn't think that would support the weight of the car with the stand right below the bushings?

Though, it looks like that lower part in the pic to put the stands under the sub frame would be better. Though, I would like the stands to be placed closer to the front of the car as I'd be afraid of the car sliding off the stands with them that far to the center of the car.

 

I've put the stands under the sway bar bushings before. I've only done it once because it makes it difficult to slide under the car from the front while on my creeper.

As for putting the stands farther back on the frame rails, I usually put mine on the frame rails farther back than in that pic. There is an oval-shaped cutout on the bottom of the frame rails about 4 inches or so in front of the tranny crossmember. When I put the front end of the car up, I put the stands on the side of that oval. So that the vertical part of the frame rail is resting in the middle of the stand's top. Had the car up in the air for over a year and a half like that with no problems.

 

I've also been using the spring pockets on the front control arms lately for the jackstands. Keeps the front suspension loaded that way. I put the stands so that the lowest edge of the pocket on the side closest to the engine is resting in the middle of the top of the stand. Right where the 2 holes for indexing the coil springs are.

 

When I was out there, I jacked up the tire via the control arm. Then I put the stand on the other side of the control arm just inside the lip. Just so I could take the tire off.

Good thing I did that, because I found out my passenger ball joint is bad again. I could move the tire around. I've had two ball joints fall apart while driving. So, it is a good thing I caught this one before that happened again. I don't know why the same ball joint keeps falling apart.

 

Have you checked the alignment recently? Other things that could cause premature balljoint wear are bad wheel bearings and if the hole the balljoint goes into is out of round or a loose fit.

 

I think the ball joint has a loose fit in the control arm. This is a pic of the passenger control arm jacked up. I could wabble the wheel around and the ball joint would move. After I lowered the jack, the ball joint stayed lowered. I say I'd need to get a ball joint installer, to push it back up if I have to drive it to the shop. Or I guess I could just replace it myself with an over sized ball joint?

It sure would be nice if I could get a ball joint that has a clip on top to keep it from falling down. But I haven't found one. Just the oversized ball joints.