Worried about jack stand location

[Farkuz]

Hey guys, i have already read a few articles about jack stand placement but heres the situation. I have 1 hydraulic car jack and 4 jack stands. What is the safest location of these 4 jack stands for general work on repairs from under the car. Also, what is the best process of getting all 4 jackstands underneath without twisting my frame from only jacking one side at a time? Basically im mainly worried about the safest process of getting all four jackstands safetly under my mustang and where on the frame they should go. Thanks guys.

[grabbergreen84]

I think you'd raise and prop one axle at a time. I guess you'd raise the front with the jack on the main cross member? And you'd probably use the rear axle to jack up the rear, although you need to be careful to not mangle the differential cover. Some refuse to lift a car via the pumpkin, but pretty much everyone seems to get away with it just fine.

I don't like cars on jacks. I never use stands. For something where a wheel needs to come off, I'll leave the hydraulic jack holding the car, with a couple of scissor jacks on the control arm, to keep the car from coming down - and make a conscious effort to not let any part of my body under any part of the car.
For something like a clutch change, I prefer to drive the front wheels up on a couple of 2X6 wooden boards, and only raise it enough to crawl under and work. I always try to chock at least one tire which is still on the ground, whenever raising a car.

[gr79]

Have had mine up on 4 stands once. Bought a matching set of 4, ratchet type.

Stand base needs solid stable level surface.
Front- jack centered under the k-frame, stands under front lcas or frame rails
Rear- jack centered under diff, stands outboard near shock mounts.
Stands are for safety and to prevent damage if jack slips. Do not trust even a new floor jack.
Take the time to do things right. Always chock a wheel or two until up and stable.
I use one even when changing the oil.

[grabbergreen84]

I use one even when changing the oil.

I don't even lift the car, for that.

[Ttopcapri]

Weld in subframe connectors make getting the car up on 4 jack stands far easier (in addition to their intended benifits). They are well worth the money. If you really don't want to install SFCs, then the method I prefer is to use the center of the K-member as the jacking point up front and place the jack stands as far out on the K-member as possible. Then move to the back, using the differential housing as the jacking point with a piece of scrap 2X4 on the jack pad making sure nothing is touching the diff cover. Place the stands at the outer ends of the axle tubes.

[JACook]

The short answer is, any place the suspension attaches to the car is a good place for a jack stand, just make
sure to position the stand so that the control arm does not contact the top of the stand when you let down the
jack. I generally put them under the rear axle housing tubes, and at either end of the front K-member where
the control arms connect, or sometimes I use my tall stands under the front stabilizer bar mounts.

And it -should- go without saying that you should never put all four corners on stands if your driveway has
more than about 1/8" per foot slope.

[Jerry peachuer]

once its up and your positive it's good push wiggle the car up and down not violently but just a bit t see if it's stable and always only go as high as you need to go no higher and you should have one of the tires chocked until it's in the air and preferably have the jack still under the car just touching the point where you lift it and try take have another person nearby you will be pinned or squashed and you won't be able to speak or yell or move please be careful and do your research

My jackstands are under axle I jack up the pumpkin for the rear
And I have a block behind the front tire cause once the rear wheels are up the car will roll because it's rear wheel after all then I jack up the front crossmember and place then under the control arms I try not to open the doors or hatch just because
Please be safe

[gr79]

I don't even lift the car, for that.

2.3T here. no way to get filter off from top, Car sits too low for almost any work underneath.
5.0 easier for sure, at least the filter.
No lifting needed to do o/c on my ranger 2.3. Plenty of room under it.
Not for a creeper though.

[grabbergreen84]

Actually, I guess I do raise it a couple of inches to get to the drain plug in the rear sump.

When suspending a car, redundancy is your guardian angel.

[liv2roc]

I dont trust jack stands I always keep jack under car too.

[bob85gt]

caution "I don't like cars on jacks. I never use stands. For something where a wheel needs to come off, I'll leave the hydraulic jack holding the car" If you have ever seen the seals go out on a jack. you will never use a jack to hold something up. always use jack stands ,wood blocks or something secure also.

[Travis T]

I won't get under a car with any jackstands. All four wheels on the ground or ramps, or I'm working from the side of it. I've seen too many near misses, and not much can't be done with the wheels on the car.

[grabbergreen84]

caution "I don't like cars on jacks. I never use stands. For something where a wheel needs to come off, I'll leave the hydraulic jack holding the car" If you have ever seen the seals go out on a jack. you will never use a jack to hold something up. always use jack stands ,wood blocks or something secure also.

Here's the rest of the story:

I'll leave the hydraulic jack holding the car,. with a couple of scissor jacks on the control arm, to keep the car from coming down - and make a conscious effort to not let any part of my body under any part of the car

I don't trust hydraulic jacks either.

Now when I was young and dumb, I'd spend all day under a car supported by only a single jack.

[Mousemate]

The only reason you guys are afraid of jack stains is because you saw the insurance policy your wife's have on you!!!!!!!!

All fair, yes, I have witnessed jack stains collapse but they where cheap ones.
I have 2 ton jack stands and never had a issue.
And always have 6x6 posts or solid cinder blocks as a precaution next to them.

by the way my wife has a large insurance policy on me.

[Jerry peachuer]

Harbor freight has a wedge type lock that looks trustworthy I guess and they are somewhat tall than the cheaper ones I would recommend them even though I leave my jack under the pig regardless just as a second fail safe and I also put tires under the rotors/drums to catch it from going all the way on me and I agree with the wife statement and policy they may have on you check that as well

[qtrracer]

Depends. If the entire car needs to be off the ground and the suspension free, then place the stands under the mounting points. In the front I use the k-member mounting points near the firewall. On the rear, the LCA chassis pickups. In both cases the stand's jaw is parallel to the bumpers. Since my car is lowered, I have to start in the front otherwise I can't get even the low profile floor jack under the car. Floor jacking points are the K-member center and T/A under the dif. If I have to support the suspension for some reason, then I use more stands in addition to those mentioned (I have 8 ).

If I only need one end raised then I try to use my ramps (I have two sets), and choc both tires not raised (HF chocs) - one for forword roll; one for rear-word roll.