Topic: car jacks


jimlamarca    -- 02-15-2020 @ 4:05 PM
  Hi fellow members, Looking for recommendations for the best type and brand of portable car jack and best place on frame to lift the car to change tire.


51woodie    -- 02-15-2020 @ 4:10 PM
  We need to know what car you want to jack. Are you talking in a garage with a concrete floor, or out on a road trip?


40cpe    -- 02-15-2020 @ 4:46 PM
  On my '38 car, I carry a scissor jack and a 12" piece of 2x8 lumber to place on the ground under the jack if the ground is soft, or if I need the extra height. I place the jack as near the wheel as possible to get on a flat place in the frame. There are many kinds of jacks from a variety of vehicles available for cheap in a salvage yard. I welded an angle iron top on mine to mate to the frame, but they can be used under the axle, too. The jack and handle is small enough to carry in the tool tray in the trunk.


jimlamarca    -- 02-15-2020 @ 4:50 PM
  I was thinking on a road trip, that's why I mentioned portable. Thanks for your help. Jim


jimlamarca    -- 02-15-2020 @ 4:51 PM
  Sorry, didn't fully answer you question. It's a 1936 Ford 4-door convertible.


nangeo@verizon.net    -- 02-15-2020 @ 5:17 PM
  I just got a 4 door conv, sedan . do you know whare to buy a new top/ thanks I am in westchester N.Y George V.


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 02-16-2020 @ 8:12 AM
  hi 1936 CONVERTIBLE SEDAN CONV TOP,
you can try KEN'S CLASSICS 207 487 3622 Pittsfield Maine
he will make you a TOP and install it,
www.L-29cord.com web site,
hope this helps, 1937RAGTOPMAN


51woodie    -- 02-16-2020 @ 8:29 AM
  Jim. To follow up on my first reply, I have a stock'46 Coupe, and I don't jack on the frame at all, I only a jack on the axles. In the garage I use a hydraulic floor jack, the type with casters and a handle that allows positioning of the lift arm under the end of the axle, then cycle the handle to lift. For the road, I have a hydraulic bottle jack the stores nicely in a plastic case, that I would place under the axle close to the backing plate and jack from there. I also have a ground sheet so I don't get too dirty crawling under the car. One benefit from jacking on the axle versus the frame, is that you only have a short lift (6-8") under the axle, as opposed to a foot or more when jacking on the frame because of spring travel. Also, depending on the jacking point, some car frames won't take the point loading of a jack and will bend. Just my opinion.


1931 Flamingo    -- 02-16-2020 @ 9:01 AM
  AAA

Paul in CT


42wagon    -- 02-17-2020 @ 3:22 AM
  I would agree that the best place to put a jack under our cars is the axle. Short lift, no worries about the frame. I think a scissors jack would be more stable than a bottle jack and be easier to slip under the axle if it is down near the ground..

I would worry about AAA. They are used to rescuing modern vehicles with defined lift points on the frame. Will they want to take the time and have the expertise to lift and antique vehicle?


TomO    -- 02-17-2020 @ 6:36 AM
  A bottle jack concentrates the lifting force in a small area, so I prefer a scissors jack or one of the lightweight racing jacks.

Make sure that any jack that you use has enough reach for the older cars and using a block of wood to increase the range is not the best practice, the wood can crack under the strain or slip out of position.

Some cars cannot use the axle as a jacking point to change a tire, the fender will not allow enough clearance to remove the tire unless the axle is free to drop. Examples are most of the 49-53 Fords and Mercurys, but some of the earlier cars will have the same problem.

A scissors jack made for an SUV will usually provide enough lift at the frame. Check your frame for lifting points and if you are forgetful, mark them.

I have a scissors jack that has two places for the handle, one for more torque and the other for speed. The one for speed is shaped to take a socket, so I use my impact wrench to operate it.

Tom


therunwaybehind    -- 02-20-2020 @ 9:15 AM
  My 1948 Ford in 1956 had no jack in the trunk so I bought a bumper jack from Western-Auto. It served me well for 20 years though it looked bad for the bumper to torque up so high on one side. I worried if I had been taught poor technique as a one-year-old when my father took a long series of black and white photos that was preserved in an album. I go through the full range of operations to fix a flat tire including jacking up the car with a bumper jack. Later, with a truck it had a screw post jack that had to be placed under the rear axle or front suspension. Now that I am a member of the earlyfordv8club I have the 1941-48 Ford book which has in the section for "TOOLS" various bumper jacks. I specifically see the 51A-17080-A4 jack & base in fig. B-16 on page B-6 which has a trapezoidal post and the 8A-17080-A3 jack & base in fig B-19 on page B-7 as similar to the one I purchased so long ago and would definitely search for one to be accurate now. I can also assure you that the frame to the rear of the spring crossmember and the x-member is no where's near as strong as the frame forward of that place.

This message was edited by therunwaybehind on 2-20-20 @ 9:16 AM


ford38v8    -- 02-20-2020 @ 11:19 PM
  Do not under any circumstances use the antique bumper jacks as originally provided. They were dangerous then and are dangerous now, even more so with the weak non original replacement bumpers on many of our cars today.

Alan


Robert/Texas    -- 02-21-2020 @ 5:01 AM
  I’m 85 years old and have a bad right shoulder so tire changing on the road is hard for me. I have towing coverage included in my Hagerty policy which includes my trailer and modern cars. I have used this twice in the last two years, once to flatbed a Model T about 10 miles to my house and once to change a tire on my modern car. I do carry a scissors jack in my antique cars though.

Robert



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