Suggestions on lifting my C5 up

[Keats]

30 May 17

Didn't find anything here so far about floor jack recommendations. I need access for oil changes etc.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations about floor jacks to use to raise a C5? The car is not modified so it's at factory height.

I know that Harbor Freight has a low profile jack but their tools are not like Craftsman or Snap on etc.  Anyone have one and are you comfortable with it.?

 

I have frame rails installed with lifting pads built in already. (Thank you previous owner..)

I believe there is about 4" of space between the lift pad and the floor.   I've seen You Tube videos showing a lift at the front cross member, but I'm just not sure that's the best way to jack it up.

I saw an Alcan XL2T on line but it's kinda pricey..

So if anyone has any thoughts about which jack to consider, please let me know.

On a similar note, I'm considering using ramps instead of a jack. I'm open to suggestions about them too..

 

Thanks,

Keats

Peoria, AZ.

[Final Effort]

I just use ramps and a couple of 2x6x2' before the ramps so I get enough lift to clear the

front.  Stock height car.

[Keats]

1 hour ago, Final Effort said:

I just use ramps and a couple of 2x6x2' before the ramps so I get enough lift to clear the

front.  Stock height car.

I saw ramps with a slight angle (10 degrees approx) made in two lengths. 67" and 56". Might work.

Thanks

Keats

 

[SLAMMER]

This little jack does the job! BUT......

I've had a blue light weight race jack I bought at Harbor Freight. Think I had a coupon for $$ off. It cost me some where near $45. Have used it for 5+ years with Zero issues! Recommend it to others and haven't heard and negative feed back yet. 

 

SLAMMER ?

[HOXXOH]

Welcome to the forum. 

 

I have a low profile HF floor jack and it hasn't failed me yet, but if it ever does, you can bet I won't be under the car at that time. I made these from a length of a 2x8, so when I do oil changes or trans fluid changes it's easier to level the car on the two jackstands. It's not critical to level for oil changes, but there's more room to slip in and out when you don't use jackstands at the front location.

Not knowing about a C5's jack points, I suspect there the same as the C6, but check your owner's manual to verify.

[Dvl4evr]

I too used a HF low profile jack, for many many years with no issues.  I bought the heavy duty 3 ton, that will jack up to like 24" or something like that.  I also went to Home Depot and made some ramps out of 2x12, for the times I didnt feel like breaking out the jack.  My car was lowered on stock bolts, so a stock height will be no problem.

[Guest badbobs95]

8 hours ago, Dvl4evr said:

I too used a HF low profile jack, for many many years with no issues.  I bought the heavy duty 3 ton, that will jack up to like 24" or something like that.  I also went to Home Depot and made some ramps out of 2x12, for the times I didnt feel like breaking out the jack.  My car was lowered on stock bolts, so a stock height will be no problem.

 

I have the same HF 3 ton and love it. My car is very low with side skirts and it still gets the job done. 

[Keats]

All great responses. Looks like a HF low profile jack is the way to go. I like the blocks under the wheels. Look easy enough to build.

I saw somewhere that jacking the rear at the Differential and then using jack stands or blocks under the rear wheels works well.

I liked the ramp idea but they would make it harder to slide under from the side unless the angle portion of the ramp was removable.

I saw a few homemade ramps that did that.

Love the hydraulic lift but I have a residential garage with 10 foot ceilings and it might raise the car too high and touch the ceiling.

With the frame rails installed already I believe that the jack stands at the rear will not damage the undercarriage.

Thank you to everyone that replied. I'm sure that there are other Corvette owners that have dealt with this situation and hopefully this will help all of us.

Still tying to figure out how to post a picture of my car. Guess I need a teenager to tell me how to do it. :-)

 

Keats

Peoria,

[Keats]

31 May 17

Finally got my wife to show me how to do an upload of a photo.

 

Keats

Peoria

 

[P51tj]

Good job wife! Nice ride ya got there Keats!

[insatiableOne]

Me and the words : cheap tools don't get along, but.

 

And, yes I did read you already have lifting pads installed.

 

I have the heavy duty low profile jack with lifting member (purchase separately) some jacks alow for it others do not. Bought them after reading on the big forum, the proper way is to lift the FRONT or the REAR. Not one side than the other. But both sides at the same time.  I took off the safety chains and ground the remaining remanants, or it would not clear my car. 

 

 

part #60762

 

goes with this jack, +  (select others)  be certain get the low profile, or might not fit under your car with the beam on!

[Keats]

First,  Thanks for the compliment..

 

 

Second . Good photos of the jack. This is the one I was looking at at HF. Long Reach very low profile and 2 tons. 2 5/8" to 23 3/4" range.

Do you lift at the cross member near the front A Frames ? Does the cross beam balance well? I'd be putting jack stands under the lifting blocks on each side before getting under the car..

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

Keats

Peoria

[insatiableOne]

I first lubed the pivot point with anti-seiz! then tightened until the beam just moves. Look at the manual it clearly shows the spots front and rear. This is the smoothest operation next to a lift, does not bounce, move about, no mucking around..jackstands. Bam, off to the other end. 

 

I will make it easy for you.

Stolen from the big forum..https://www.corvetteforum.com/how-tos/a/corvette-how-to-jack-up-your-vette-368184

 

Corvette: How to Jack Up Your Vette 

There are many jack points on your Corvette. Here's a guide for raising your car on the correct jacking locations.

By Steve Carnevale - April 23, 2015

  

This article applies to the Corvette C5 (1997-2004), C6 (2005-2013), and C7 (2014-2015).

Choosing the best procedure and support locations to lift your Corvette depends entirely on the project at hand. Of course, you will need to consider work space and safety for you as well as your car. Anytime your are jacking up your car, safety is of utmost importance. This guide will help you to safely jack up your Corvette on the correct jacking locations. Always use a flat hard surface. Put your vehicle in Park (automatic) or First/Reverse (manual) and set the parking brake.

Materials Needed

• 2-ton floor jack(s) with a 2.5" saddle/pad
• Cross beam adapter(s)
• 2-ton jack stands (2-4)
• Jack/lift pucks (2-4)

Figure 1. Support location diagram.

Step 1 – Chock the front wheels

Before lifting the vehicle, it's important to "chock" the wheels on the opposite end. Basically, this means slipping some kind of blockage behind the tires to prevent the vehicle from rolling. People frequently use whatever they can get their hands on: cinder blocks, chunks of wood, or bricks are all fair game. If you don't have access to any of these, chocks can be bought from any auto parts store.

Step 2 – Prepare the floor jack

Attach a cross beam adapter to your floor jack. A cross beam adapter allows you to jack up the vehicle at the exact support locations. Using a floor jack alone or using another material is dangerous. It may also cause damage to other vehicle components because the load is being applied to areas other than the proper support locations. Never directly jack your vehicle from the center of this cross beam adapter.

Figure 2. Cross beam adapter.

Step 3 – Position the floor jack under the cross beam adaptor

Make sure that the pads of the adapter will be contacting the support locations as you raise the jack.

Figure 3. Align adapter pads to support locations.

Step 4 – Jack up the car

Pay attention as you slowly and carefully raise the vehicle. Make sure that the pads are contacting the correct support areas and that no other components are being compromised. Stop when you have reached a height that allows for the introduction of jack stands.

Figure 4. Adapter pads in contact with exact support locations.

Step 5 – Place jack stands 

Jack stand locations, which are under the cross beam adapter, should directly correspond with the preferred support locations currently aligned with the adapter pads.

Figure 5. Jack stand locations.

Pro Tip

At this time you can also place jack stands on the two frame contact locations, which are slightly forward of the rear wheels. If you use these locations, be sure to use lift/jack pucks at each location.

Step 6 – Rest the vehicle on the stands

Carefully and slowly lower the floor jack just enough, so that the jack stands bear the weight of the vehicle.

[Keats]

insatiableOne,  Wow !!

What a great response. Thank you very much for the info and the photos.

 

I had planned to use the jacking points under the frame but that presented problems when I'd try to put jack stands there. This solves that situation. I'm going to get the HF low profile 2 ton jack long reach and the cross beam add on and I'll be lifting my car in no time. I need to get under the front to replace a parking camera that the previous owner installed in the air dam. I can't get to the wires under there to unhook it. I have a replacement camera that will be very handy for parking blocks, but till I can get under the car I have to stop and check so I don't bump those blocks.

Your photos showed me a good way to lift it safely. I'm guessing that it works the same way at the front.

Thank you again..

Keats 

Peoria

[TheCMSH]

Just be careful to not accidentally put the jack under the leaf spring up front. That spanner piece is pretty nifty

 

[Keats]

1 hour ago, TheCMSH said:

Just be careful to not accidentally put the jack under the leaf spring up front. That spanner piece is pretty nifty

 

Will do..

Thanks..

Keats

Peoria