Re: 200q supporting with floor jacks

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

    3-4 hours isn't a problem, Alexander. By extended I was referring to a
day or two. In any case, I don't rely on one device to support the car when
I am underneath. I usually use a trolley jack and a jackstand and have load
on both, with most of the load being on the trolley jack. If I want both
sides of the car elevated, I prefer to use ramps. I consider a jackstand a
safety device, rather than a primary means of support.
    There are several caveats with jackstands. If you are working on asphalt
rather than concrete, a loaded jackstand will slowly sink into the asphalt
over an extended period of time (BTDT - one reason I now don't use them for
an extended period of time :o). If you have the car up on two or four
jackstands, this changes the load distribution and the car can become
unstable. Most jackstands have a base comprised of four legs on a 8" to 12"
square pattern. Unless you are working on flat concrete, this is not a
particularly stable arrangement (three legs would be better) if you are
trying to support the entire weight of the car on jackstands.
    As far as placement goes, I place a jackstand where it will support the
car if the load comes off the jack and where it will not damage the car if
full load comes on the jackstand. Since I use the heavy trolley jack to
support most of the load, the jack goes on the rubber lift pad. The
jackstand usually goes under the body sill jack points or under a suspension
mount. I usually put full load on the jackstand and give the car a good
shake to make sure it is stable, and then take most of the load on the jack,
only leaving enough on the jackstand to keep it in place.
    This whole issue really comes down to personal risk tolerance - how much
risk can you tolerate? A couple of scares early in my car fixing years
reduced my risk tolerance considerably :o)

Fred Munro
'91 200q  281k km



----- Original Message -----
From: Alexander van Gerbig <Audi_80@email.msn.com>
To: Fred Munro <munrof@isys.ca>
Sent: Sunday, September 05, 1999 7:16 PM
Subject: Re: 200q supporting with floor jacks


>     Hmmmm.  I thought that jack stands worked fine for under the car work
> under 3-4 hours.  I have been underneath my car for more than that with
two
> jackstands holding the car up by it's lifting points.  No problem at all,
no
> shifting, no problems with opening doors with the car up (meaning body
> flex).  I jack up my sister's 5ks like that and the doors have trouble
> opening, body flex.  Never do that for very long.  What would you
recommend
> for placement of a jackstand on a '88 80 for keeping the car up for more
> than 4 hours?  This is important to me, I might be under the car when
> something gives!
>
> Thanks!
>
>     Alexander van Gerbig '88 80
>
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