Jack/Jackstands

[jav8or]

Hey guys.

Still a greenhorn Viper owner and have more questions for the vets. I have searched and havent come up with a clear answer. When I purchased my Viper, it didnt come with a jack. When I looked under the car, the rear jack pad is an abnormal shape that I dont feel comfortable using my conventional jack on. I will be making a trip to harbor frieght tomorrow and was wondering if there were any brand specific jack/jackstands that will work safely form my Viper.

Thanks for the help.

 

[LifeIsGood]

The jack locations on GEN IIs are irregular. You'll need a low profile jack to get under the side sills to use those locations.

 

[jav8or]

Very true, my concern is that oblong piece on the rear jack pad. It seems to make it unsafe for regular jacks/jackstands

 

[speedracervr4]

Race ramps are a good alternative to worrying about jacking the viper....Drive up and jack the rear end at the frame rails. Search "race ramps" or "jacking". I have the low profile jack from HB and it works great. They also have protectors for the jack face and stands which are nice to have. Good luck.

 

[DrTaco]

Harbor Freight's low profile racing jack is what I (and a lot of others) have, and it works like a charm. As for jackstands,like was already said, just make sure you put a piece of carpet/rubber stoppers between them and the frame to prevent scratching or buy rubber flat top stands ($see link below$)

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/651501-ESCO-Jack-Stands-Review?highlight=jack+stand+review

 

[jav8or]

Race ramps are a good alternative to worrying about jacking the viper....Drive up and jack the rear end at the frame rails. Search "race ramps" or "jacking". I have the low profile jack from HB and it works great. They also have protectors for the jack face and stands which are nice to have. Good luck.

Who is HB?

 

[speedracervr4]

Oh I meant HF..Harbor Freight.

 

[jav8or]

Harbor Freight's low profile racing jack is what I (and a lot of others) have, and it works like a charm. As for jackstands,like was already said, just make sure you put a piece of carpet/rubber stoppers between them and the frame to prevent scratching or buy rubber flat top stands ($see link below$)

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/651501-ESCO-Jack-Stands-Review?highlight=jack+stand+review

Anyone have a picture of these jackstands at work. I want to make sure I place them in the right area. Like I said earlier, the factory jack locations don't seem safe with conventional jack..

 

[okloneranger]

I use a couple of pieces of oak (needs to be hardwood) 1.5" x 3'' and 3/4" thick, one placed inside and one placed outside the rod at the jacking points with the low profile jack. No fear of damage or slipping.

 

[GTS Warp]

Low pro jack is a must. How ya liking the new car?

 

[okloneranger]

As for jackstands I have four cubes of wood 12" x12" x 12" I use one at each of 4 points under the frame and also stack pieces of 2" x 6" flat on top of the cubes to give me as much room as I need. Kind of simple and old-school but I had the wood and it doesn't harm the frame and is rock steady. The cubes work with the low profile jack (about all the height you can get) and after setting the frame on those I'm able to get a full size floor jack under the car to get it up higher and add the pieces of 2" x 6". What can I say-works for me.

 

[jav8or]

Low pro jack is a must. How ya liking the new car?

Loving the car. It garners so much attention too. I went out to eat and there was a ZR1 and a 599 park in the area. But the Viper was the headturner! It's my dream car, so I am very much in the honeymoon stage.

 

[DrTaco]

Anyone have a picture of these jackstands at work. I want to make sure I place them in the right area. Like I said earlier, the factory jack locations don't seem safe with conventional jack..

?Aren't the pictures working in my link? There's a pic of my car in the air with the ESCOs. I'm guessing you meant pictures of jackstands in place and NOT of the jack itself, correct?

If you go with a Harbor Freight low profile racing jack you WON'T need any blocks of wood or such unless your car is lowered. The HF jack has a rubber pad with edges around it. Each of the four jacking points will fit in the center of the pad and you can jack that way. Or, you can jack from the front and rear instead ("how to" easily found in search). I understand you're concerned because it will be the first time jacking your dream car up, but HONESTLY, once you're doing it everything will make sense and go smooth. Just go slow.

 

[GTS Warp]

Yeah that stage lasts for a while. We're doing a run tomorrow with the club, so we'll have a few Vipers. One of the guys has 3 HD Pros mounted on his car, so the footage will be awesome. People just lose it when they see Vipers on the road! Thinking about stripes for that Charcoal?

 

[jav8or]

Ha, No stripes for the Steel Gray. They do look good though.

 

[eucharistos]

+1 on the hf jack & congrats

 

[dave6666]

Northern Tool items. I wouldn't use Harbor Freight air LOL.

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[georgethedog]

Northern Tool items. I wouldn't use Harbor Freight air LOL.

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I would love to see the same type of picture on a Gen3 as I always wonder where else I can safely jack the car instead of those crappy side places...

 

[Jack B]

If you are changing tires in the rear, you can use one jack in the rear and it will lift both wheels off the ground.

 

[jav8or]

Thanks dave6666 ! Way to come through with some pics!

Is it absolutely neccessary to use two jacks to get the rear airborne?

 

[7TH_SIGN]

I have gone through many jacks. I purchased this one from Costco late last year. Good price and well made. Very happy with it. $100, 3.5 ton.

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[dave6666]

To get the car as high as I have it in those pics I would never attempt that with just one jack. Unless alternating sides and ratcheting up with stands.

It is interesting about the Gen 2 frame, that the jack points are located on a structural frame member that the factory Body Construction, Dimensions & Joints training manual refers to as "While they are more of an inner body panel than a frame member, they are covered here because they are an integral part of the frame assembly." And yes, I have that training manual in addition to all the other factory training material. eBay is amazing...

That structural frame member of course is the section that the exhaust goes through at the sill, and the sill cover attaches to.

So, if an "inner body panel" can be used as a factory jack point, there's really not too much on that car that can't be a jack point.

Always love the factory engineers, but common sense can prevail here.

BTW, when I did the fluids in ba$$fan's car a few weeks ago, his car is lowered on Eibachs, and it got a little tricky with the jacking. 2 jacks were almost required. Or a stack of lumber blocks and one jack lol.

 

[LifeIsGood]

I have gone through many jacks. I purchased this one from Costco late last year. Good price and well made. Very happy with it. $100, 3.5 ton.

I use this exact same jack.

Edited: I have the same jack model.

 

[dave6666]

^^^ Creepy

 

[GTS Warp]

Dave's word is always gospel.

 

[bluesrt]

the gen 111 and 4 jack points are very slim, basicly the points are behind the front wheel and infront of the rear,black bars at the side sill. or for the rear just infront of the difusser under the car,but thats a trick because the air pan is hideing the cross bar that you cant see. and if not careful,you will damage the pan

 

[jav8or]

Well thanks to you guys, I have completed my first oil change. Additionally, because Autozone or Advance ( can't remember ) is having a special on oil, I was able to get the job done, with an extra filter for around $70! I dont think that is too bad at all. I guess I can start working on changing out some more fluids....?

 

[georgethedog]

the gen 111 and 4 jack points are very slim, basicly the points are behind the front wheel and infront of the rear,black bars at the side sill. or for the rear just infront of the difusser under the car,but thats a trick because the air pan is hideing the cross bar that you cant see. and if not careful,you will damage the pan

Hi Blue, I was hoping for more as it is a complete pain to put my Gen 3 on 4 jack stands. Any ideas of an easy way to get the whole car on jack stands???

 

[Gotvenom 08]

the gen 111 and 4 jack points are very slim, basicly the points are behind the front wheel and infront of the rear,black bars at the side sill. or for the rear just infront of the difusser under the car,but thats a trick because the air pan is hideing the cross bar that you cant see. and if not careful,you will damage the pan

A few yrs ago KCOBEAN pm'd me and gave me his idea on a jack assistance item.He called it a Jack Buddy.A protype was made and it was tweeked to this.A few pics of what it is and how it works.Just wanted to give Kelly credit for his idea.

Aluminum block with a pocket machined, to accept a magnet that is glued in.It is a slight press fit also so we have the best of both worlds.I find when you put undo pressure on said magnet.It does have the tendancy to shatter.

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The clean underside showing jack point.

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This thing fit perfect on a jack.No need to worry about ripping up your jack pad when these were in place.Great idea indeed.Fit with clearance with a low profile jack.My car was lowered 2 inches and it still had clearance for the jack slide underneath.<<<<<LIG this is not creepy( tech talk here)

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Timbo

 

[LifeIsGood]

Timbo...Is that dirt on the udercarriage of your ex-viper? How about a GEN II Jack Buddy...it will need to fit over the curly Qs...

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