WHAT FLOOR JACK

[my96]

Hello out there ! Need some help. I have a 96 coupe and I need some ideas on what type and name floor jack you guys are using. Can't find any that will fit under the front end so I can jack it up at the a-arms........THANKS

 

[Boeingdriver]

Hello out there ! Need some help. I have a 96 coupe and I need some ideas on what type and name floor jack you guys are using. Can't find any that will fit under the front end so I can jack it up at the a-arms........THANKS

I just solved the same problem with my '96 LT4 coupe. I used 2x12 material to build a two step ramp for each front wheel (17 inches long with two thicknesses at the end) which gains 3.4". Your coupe's front clearance is 4.2" so on the ramps, you'll have about 7.5". That's enough for a Craftsman 3-ton floor jack with the jacking pad removed and a 2X6X15" board in place of the pad. Slide the jack up under the center of the engine cradle and the car will jack right up quite easily. Stay off the a-arms. For the rear, I use the same jack with a jacking adapter from Corvette Gadget Man in Canada. This allows you to jack directly from the center of the car on the differentail. I'm not willing to jack any corvette from the side or the jacking points for fear of breaking a windshield or a glass top. Jacking from the center is by far the easiest and safest way. Always use jackstands of course.

 

[my96]

Thanks so much for the information on the jack. I'll give it a try this week end.
My vette looks like yours. Mine is white with tan and black interior...I have the smaller LT1 motor...................Thanks again

 

[Boeingdriver]

Thanks so much for the information on the jack. I'll give it a try this week end.
My vette looks like yours. Mine is white with tan and black interior...I have the smaller LT1 motor...................Thanks again

I'll have mine up on the jack at both ends this weekend for detailing and may take some specific pictures of the ramps and the rear adapter for you. I drove 700 miles roundtrip to FunFest last weekend and had to drive in some rain on the way home. Be very careful with what you jack against on the underside of your car and never let a shop rat run a jack up under the floor pan and just start jacking.

Enjoy

 

[my96]

thanks for the information on the ramps.cheaper than the fancy $190.00 ramps they sell.Built them on the week-end and they work fine. Had to put some non slip matieral on the bottoms. Thanks again..........John
fort wayne indiana

 

[BlackNBlue95]

thanks for the information on the ramps.cheaper than the fancy $190.00 ramps they sell.Built them on the week-end and they work fine. Had to put some non slip matieral on the bottoms. Thanks again..........John
fort wayne indiana

I have an older floor jack, works great... I use the 2x12 plank method for all the corvettes I work on. I do not reccomend using rhino ramps or similar ramps.. my cousin was killed when his car rolled back. He was 17 and I'm sure he made some mistake of not blocking the rear wheels.. but either way I would never reccomend them. using the 2 2x12's will give you enough room for most floor jacks.. be safe.
-=Rick

 

[tankman]

I bought a shopforce aluminum racing jack last year. It has a really low saddle height that fits under my c5 with enough clearance for the hockey puck. It ran me about $70 from Meijers and it works great!!
Certainly would recommend.

-Tankman

 

[tdr1919]

I have a small 1 ton floor jack that I use to get the car high enough to get the 3 ton Sears SUV jack under my C4, works for me, but I like the 2 2x12's
for ramps.

Tom

 

[Key West Jack]

I have a small 1 ton floor jack that I use to get the car high enough to get the 3 ton Sears SUV jack under my C4, works for me, but I like the 2 2x12's
for ramps.

Tom

Thats what I am doing right now. However I hope to have one of these at Christimas http://www.kwiklift.com/ . I will sure make things a lot easier.

 

[Toms007]

I bought a Harbor Freight #3000 aluminum racing jack ($79 w/3 year warranty) http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91039

I bought mine in the store when it was on sale, but this is the one. Very low saddle 3" and fits easily under the Vette.

 

[tdr1919]

Thats what I am doing right now. However I hope to have one of these at Christimas http://www.kwiklift.com/ . I will sure make things a lot easier.

BINGO! That is the way to go!
I want one
Tom

 

[Ted Krempa]

Boing, do you have contact info for the Corvette Gadget Man, please

I just solved the same problem with my '96 LT4 coupe. I used 2x12 material to build a two step ramp for each front wheel (17 inches long with two thicknesses at the end) which gains 3.4". Your coupe's front clearance is 4.2" so on the ramps, you'll have about 7.5". That's enough for a Craftsman 3-ton floor jack with the jacking pad removed and a 2X6X15" board in place of the pad. Slide the jack up under the center of the engine cradle and the car will jack right up quite easily. Stay off the a-arms. For the rear, I use the same jack with a jacking adapter from Corvette Gadget Man in Canada. This allows you to jack directly from the center of the car on the differentail. I'm not willing to jack any corvette from the side or the jacking points for fear of breaking a windshield or a glass top. Jacking from the center is by far the easiest and safest way. Always use jackstands of course.

 

[Key West Jack]

Got one from him. Good service!

http://www.corvettegadgetman.com/products3.html

 

[Boeingdriver]

Ramps and jack adapter for lifting C4s......

Here's the ramp arrangement I'm using for the front of my '96 coupe, and the Craftsman jack that I'm using for front and rear ends. Once on the ramps, the jack will get right up under the engine cradle. Be sure to use a block of wood against the engine cradle. The I-beam looking item on the jack pad is actually the jacking adapter for the rear. I've just put in place on the jack for this picture. It fits up between the Y pipes and let's you jack directly onto the differential. No ramps are needed for the rear. I can have all four corners up in the air and the car on stands in 5 minutes. Sorry about the picture. I'll add a better photo of the rear adapter to this thread shortly.

 

[Boeingdriver]

Ramps and test picture

 

[warren s]

Check my website for what i used for my C4, $20 for Rhino ramps and $10 for home made ramp extenders.

I use a 1.5 ton Sears Craftsman floor jack.

http://community.webshots.com/album/102276848UPNpsc

 

[Ted Krempa]

Boeing, the pixs or link did not come through (or my computer is busted!) ???

 

[Gry Ghst]

Check Harbor Freight Tools for a low profile floor jack.Also check www.madvet.com for speed ramps made in Michigan.I have both good to go.

 

[Boeingdriver]

Boeing, the pixs or link did not come through (or my computer is busted!) ???

Ted....answer is the former (pics. didn't load). I had a devil of a time with this last night and never did get them to load. I'm using AOL which might be the problem. I can send in regular email fine.

For anyone who wants to see the ramps and the adapter for the rear.....and it really works well.....send me your email at SCMedtest@aol.com and I'll return the pictures. Plus I'll send you photos of my most recent jacking arrangement for one wheel at a time while keeping the car level and torsionally unstressed.

Why raise just one wheel you ask? So that you can show off a fully detailed right front cornor with the wheel pulled off. I did this at a car show yesterday and won my class. Judges love this as a fully detailed wheel well and suspension system allows them to award extra points when they're confronted by multiple, equally well prepared cars. Nobody else seems to do this.

So far, I've entered two shows with this car and won my class both times.

Regards.