Shop lifting GT500 from K-Member Ends

[Tob]

Ok, so if that part is so weak, and it is made to break away as shown, either crumple or tear off, that lifting the vehicle buy other than the K member well not hurt it? Those 4 bolts hold up all that front end weight, and so your telling me a part mad to bend and break, isn't going to do either when all that's holdin it up is 4 BOLTS??!!!! I'm still not convinced that a part made to break off isn't going to break off when it's the only part holding up the front end, I'm sorry, just doesn't make sense.

There a number of factors at play with respect to the area we are discussing here and in the context of also using that area to support the weight (or a portion thereof) of the vehicle. With respect to your statement that...

...if that part is so weak...

Again, that area of the floorpan was not designed to be load bearing, as in supporting the weight of the vehicle. It is an added section of the floorpan stamping and it has no support. It is thin and it does indeed tear very easily. Witness what happened when a chain was attached to a stamped hole in it when a tow truck operator tried to pull the vehicle forward. Like tearing the tab off of a soda can...

Those 4 bolts hold up all that front end weight...

No. The four bolts that are holding up "all that front end weight" are at the main beam portion of the crossmember that runs perpendicular to the length of the car. They are the four bolts that are attaching the K-member to the structural frame rails as shown in this S197 chassis crop.

I highlighted them in red for you

The arms that are attached to the main portion that tail off and attach to the floor are there to locate the rear pivot of the front lower control arm. While they do help to keep the body square to the K-member, they were not designed to support the vehicle with respect to jacking or lifting. The tails are merely two thin stampings attached to each other by a few, sparse, welds. This is a view taken from the end of one of those tails.

 

[crucianpilot]

Wow, I hope I don't have any damage as my car has been lifted in those areas multiple times already.:fm:

 

[Van@RevanRacing]

I can't recall if it was the OP or one of the other guys in this thread that asked me this question just the other day. I might have spoken in error.

Do not jack it up at the bolts of the k-member on a lift as shown. I mentioned the frame rails as being acceptable. I apologize to whomever it was I spoke with as to the confusion.

Van

 

[Tob]

Why I don't understand is why some are either reluctant to accept the factory recommendations or are too lazy to simply look at their owner's manual. Like nails on a chalkboard...


[video]https://youtu.be/d9rU-f6MIok?t=23s[/video]

I don't know where else you would go on this car. Um...they don't really give you a whole lot.

He thinks that the rear LCA hydraulic bushing is a motor mount. He calls a 4" x 6" a 2" x 8". He wonders where to jack from when the answer was only an inch from his face. He took the time to film, edit, and upload to YouTube all in lieu of a moment spent flipping the pages of the manual in his glove box.

 

[paluka21]

Why I don't understand is why some are either reluctant to accept the factory recommendations or are too lazy to simply look at their owner's manual. Like nails on a chalkboard...


[video]https://youtu.be/d9rU-f6MIok?t=23s[/video]




He thinks that the rear LCA hydraulic bushing is a motor mount. He calls a 4" x 6" a 2" x 8". He wonders where to jack from when the answer was only an inch from his face. He took the time to film, edit, and upload to YouTube all in lieu of a moment spent flipping the pages of the manual in his glove box.

oh my!

 

[C0bra99]

You can take lead a horse to water but can't make it drink

 

[GT500wantabe]

I won't get under my car without having two jack stands or a jack stand and floor jack. Are there two areas suitable for lifting on each side?

 

[Tob]

Yes. From a factory service manual.

 

[GT500wantabe]

Yes. From a factory service manual.

That's fine if on a lift but what if we jack up only one side. I want to have two stands under the car before going under.

 

[Tob]

You want to go under the car with one side up? You originally asked

Are there two areas suitable for lifting on each side?

What is it you plan on doing?

 

[GT500wantabe]

You want to go under the car with one side up? You originally asked




What is it you plan on doing?

Ok, I want to change my oil for example. I raise the car with two floor jacks, one on each side. With two floor jacks supporting the car it's not safe to go under. Never trust only floor jacks. Even one on each side isn't safe to go under. So then I want to put the car on jack stands. Now I need an alternate jack point. Only way I see the diagram above working is with a lift.

 

[Snoopy49]

If I was going to change my oil and didn't have my ramps, I would get 2 scissor jacks and use the pinch weld area designed for lifting and evenly raise the car to the required height, I would then position 2 jack stands on the frame rails and lower the car until the rails touched down on the stands. I would put just enough weight on the stands to make sure they wouldn't move and leave the remaining weight on the scissor jacks. That way if one of the scissor jacks failed there would be no movement in the car because it was already sitting on the jack stands. Make sure you chock the rear wheels, front and back so the car can't move forward or backward.

 

[paluka21]

If I was going to change my oil and didn't have my ramps, I would get 2 scissor jacks and use the pinch weld area designed for lifting and evenly raise the car to the required height, I would then position 2 jack stands on the frame rails and lower the car until the rails touched down on the stands. I would put just enough weight on the stands to make sure they wouldn't move and leave the remaining weight on the scissor jacks. That way if one of the scissor jacks failed there would be no movement in the car because it was already sitting on the jack stands. Make sure you chock the rear wheels, front and back so the car can't move forward or backward.

Thats a good method. For now what I've been doing is using a low profile floor jack and putting a piece of 1x6 on top of the lift point to disperse the weight, then jacking the car up only on one side of the rear by the frame rail near spot weld points. I get the car high enough that I can drop the rear axle onto a heavy duty jack stand, but keep the floor jack under the frame rail as well in the event the car moved on the jack stand. This is for the rear only. I'm getting ready to order a jacking insert so that I can use it on the pinch weld points instead of the frame rail, even though the frame rail has been solid as a jacking point for lifting up one side of the rear. I like jacking the car high enough that I can get a race ramp under it, rather than driving it onto one.
For the front, I always use the pinch weld with a scissor lift because of all the weight of the motor. No way would I use anything other than the pinch weld for the front of the car.

 

[Tob]

Ok, I want to change my oil for example. I raise the car with two floor jacks, one on each side. With two floor jacks supporting the car it's not safe to go under. Never trust only floor jacks. Even one on each side isn't safe to go under. So then I want to put the car on jack stands. Now I need an alternate jack point. Only way I see the diagram above working is with a lift.

Why don't you just slide some short lengths (~3') of 2 x 12 under each front tire once you have raised each side with a floor jack? If you don't have the tools or skills then you could always purchase material at Home Depot (for example) and have them cut the lengths for you. If you were willing to go that far you could always just make a set of ramps and not worry about jacking at all.


Random web shot...

 

[railroad]

I was going to mention ramps as an option. Most of them are so steep, the Shelby will not clear without jacking, but you can build or use some two by lumber to get the job done. I get nervous hearing about you guys changing oil, even with jack stands.

 

[GT500wantabe]

If I was going to change my oil and didn't have my ramps, I would get 2 scissor jacks and use the pinch weld area designed for lifting and evenly raise the car to the required height, I would then position 2 jack stands on the frame rails and lower the car until the rails touched down on the stands. I would put just enough weight on the stands to make sure they wouldn't move and leave the remaining weight on the scissor jacks. That way if one of the scissor jacks failed there would be no movement in the car because it was already sitting on the jack stands. Make sure you chock the rear wheels, front and back so the car can't move forward or backward.

Good way with scissor jacks. I have floor jacks and over a period of time they leak down so all the weight would be on the frame rails in my case. I do have to leave the car over night many times.

 

[paluka21]

I was going to mention ramps as an option. Most of them are so steep, the Shelby will not clear without jacking, but you can build or use some two by lumber to get the job done. I get nervous hearing about you guys changing oil, even with jack stands.

Thats what I did. I also built wooden ramps from 2x10's but only use them in my one garage as opposed to where I store my car. When I work on my car in the storage garage, I tend to jack it up rather than drive it on wooden ramps.

 

[C0bra99]

Here is a long discussion about this on another forum

http://www.teamshelby.com/forums/in...lifting-instructions/?hl=scissor#entry1385315

 

[Tob]

From the link to Rob's thread at TS...

 

[Snoopy49]

Good way with scissor jacks. I have floor jacks and over a period of time they leak down so all the weight would be on the frame rails in my case. I do have to leave the car over night many times.

Leak down is a problem, but I have seen what happens when a seal blows on a hydraulic jack and the car comes down faster than you can blink. Never trust a hydraulic jack to do anything other than jack up the car, it wasn't designed to safely hold up a car.