raising jack stands

so i need to lift the body off the floor 27 inches minimum to be able to roll the frame out from underneath. that way i can clean and paint the frame, as well as finish up some floorpan work.

i only get about 18 inches from my jackstands. i REALLY dont want to spend 150ish on a set of stands for this.

my plan is 1. use my wheel castors (harbor freight specials) 2. insert some sort of spacer 3. place jackstand on spacer 4. place 4x4 under body to catch hackstand pads 5. roll chassis out from underneath

so, what the hell do i use for a spacer? or am i asking to get hurt? i thought about cinderblock or something like that, but dreally dont want to drop my freshly finished body, or, you know, kill myself. i kinda like living....

so, suggestions from the hive? all ive got to work with is a floor jack, jackstands, the wheel castors, and lumber.

thanks guys.

michael

what kind of car? and how much does the body weigh? Then use the lumber and the jack to get it as high as you need. You'll need a fair amount of lumber, but the simple squence goes something like this:

1. Build 4 stacks of lumber, 1 on each side of the lifting point. Maybe like this? http://thousandoats.com/ModularHome/ModularMedia/JackingHouse.jpg
2. Jack the body up as far as you can get it.
3. Slide 4x4 or 4x6 between the body and the frame, resting on the stacks of lumber
4. jack the 4x4 up and slide another layer on each of the 4 stacks of lumber. repeat #4 until clearance is obtained.

I'd suggest starting off with a pair of HF's truck jackstands, they can get you to about 24" and are only $50. http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-steel-jack-stands-61197.html

64 el camino, completely stripped. nothing in it at all....

good call on the 2x4 stuff. cheap. easy. already have tons.

i have no idea how much this body weighs. none whatsoever.

on the chevelle forums, guys are lifting the coupe bodies off with 4 guys. i unfortunately dont have that many guys handy...

In reply to tpwalsh:

I'd agree with this sequence. Plus, having the supports on the outside of the body will allow you to pull the frame out from underneath. When I've seen this done, they usually leave the axle and front suspension intact so they can just roll it out once the body is high enough. Usually with a 2-post lift, but the principle is the same. Then lower/mount to a rotisserie and have fun.

NO CINDER BLOCKS!!

While strong enough, they are extremely susceptible to brittle fracture. Ever seen a mason break one in half just by tapping it with the sharp end of a trowel? That can happen with the edge of a jackstand and it can kill you.

Wood is your answer. As others have said. I build 4x4 stacks for my bed lift.

Stacked lumber in the construction and fire/rescue world is called "cribbing". It's the best way to go I suspect. And I agree with Mr. Tuna. No cinderblocks.

tpwalsh wrote: what kind of car? and how much does the body weigh? Then use the lumber and the jack to get it as high as you need. You'll need a fair amount of lumber, but the simple squence goes something like this: 1. Build 4 stacks of lumber, 1 on each side of the lifting point. Maybe like this? http://thousandoats.com/ModularHome/ModularMedia/JackingHouse.jpg 2. Jack the body up as far as you can get it. 3. Slide 4x4 or 4x6 between the body and the frame, resting on the stacks of lumber 4. jack the 4x4 up and slide another layer on each of the 4 stacks of lumber. repeat #4 until clearance is obtained.

+1 to this, or you could do what Rad_Capz did in his build thread with 2 x 4's http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/70-firebird-the-14-car-performance-therapy-project/72356/page2/

Got an engine crane? Pick up whatever you feel is the heaver end with that, and then level it out with stacks of wood in the back, you can probably lift that end with a prybar or 2x4 a few inches at a time faster than using a hydraulic jack. This reduces you number of helpers to one. Once you've got the frame out you can setup more stable body supports.

EDIT: better idea, get two 4x4s(or maybe even 6x6s) several feet longer than the body is wide, get them between the body and frame, then go on with building up cribbing with 2x4s, you should be able to pry the cross beam up 1.5" at a time with a prybar and slip the 2x4s in with the other hand no problem.

I was at my great-uncle's farm shop one day, and he had his four-wheel-drive farm tractor split in half. He used cribbing, as described above, to support the vehicle. In this case, it was 6x6 hardwood lumber, stacked about four feet high, with a 20 ton bottle jack on top.

I'd use 4x4 lumber in your case, with a jack on top to raise it slowly and methodically.

Rough-sawn 4x4's may be difficult to come by, though. Look for a pallet factory or sawmill to find some. I keep a few around to use as wheel chocks, and for whenever I need a 4x4, which is often useful.

If you cant get the height, can you pull the wheels and drop the frame on the casters?