jacking up a 37 8519 to work on the brakes

[T.L. (Ty) Stinson]

I want to jack up all four wheels to repair the total brake system and install new tires and tubes. Thinking of resting the car on concrete blocks with wood spacers. The car weighs 5,050 pounds and it is in my garage. How should I do this? I notice what I think are heavy (1/4 thick)jack set tabs under the front of the car behind the bumper. But also noticed one rod is warped or bent. That rod is about 1 thick and I wonder if it could have been bent jacking up the car at one time or if this is the correct configeration (passenger side).

As for the rear of the car I have no clue where to place the floor jack. Should it be on the frame or under the four bolt cluster under the leaf springs of the rear axel? Should the blocks be placed under the rear axel when lowered?

A lot of weight and I dont want to bend anything.

Thank you.

Ty CLC 22330

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Ty,

Unless the concrete blocks are solid, reinforced concrete blocks, and not the standard building blocks, go right ahead.

But, if you are going to use the concrete building blocks with the holes in them, forget it, unless you want to be wearing the car after it crushes the blocks and falls down.

The best way to jack the car up is to place the trolley jack under the centre of the diff, lift the car, and place some steel heavy duty jack stands under the axle housing near the spring mount on the diff.

With the front, jack up from the centre of the front suspension, and place the jackstands under the axle.

CAUTION!!!! When jacking and one end is up in the air on jackstand, make sure that the castors on the trolley kack at the other end are on a smooth surface, so that the jack can roll under the car as it lifts the weight....If a castor catches, as you are lifting, you can actually pull the car off the jack stands at the other end.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV.

P.S.   The old cars were built so that they could be jacked up by the centre of the diff, or the front suspension.

[Porter 21919]

Ty,

Im no expert on jacking up a 37 Cadillac but routinely I use two floor jacks to jack up my cars, one on each side, front or rear at one end at a time, usually on the frame rail. For a car with front control arms you can use them to jack up the car, on the rear end you can use the center differential or one on each side of the axle, or use the frame.

For extra lift on the frame I will use wood blocks on the floor jack as spacers.

I have six ton steel jack stands, cement blocks are not safe for any work underneath the car, maybe for a brake job, even then I might leave the jacks in place too. Typically I will give the car a good shake before I will even entertain any thought of going underneath, just have the proper equipment and use common sense, I have had cars on my jackstands and refinished undercarraiges many times without any safety risk whatsoever.

I have heard a few unfortunate stories about people working under cars without proper support, nothing I would consider could ever happen to me with my proper safety measures.

Porter

[Porter 21919]

Ty,

In addition to Bruces comments I use wheel chocks so the car cant roll when I jack up the first end of the car, safety first.

Probably best to jack up the front end first, I always use my wheel chocks at the rear of the car in that instance and the parking brake too for an all four wheel lift job for working underneath, exhaust system, etc.

Per Bruces comment the jack will tend to slip if/and or the car rolls.

Porter

[T.L. (Ty) Stinson]

Many thanks to both of you. Looks like I have some additional purchases to make now prior to starting this venture. Correct safety equipment is first because my next project would be to treat minor rust and that means I would be under there and Im not ready to be a pancake. Also, I need to install a tail pipe. Ty #22330

[denise 20352]

  Considering how inexpensive a set of jank stands is these days, I wouldnt want to work under anything else.  Get the heaviest ones, at least twice the capacity of the weight youre going to put on them.  Make sure that all four legs are on the floor evenly.

  Concrete blocks, metal ramps, etc. are not safe.  Im claustrophobic, and the idea of being crushed underneath a car, maybe with broken ribs and lungs collapsing, legs pinned, an engine crushing my nose into my head...

-d

[JIM CLC # 15000]

11-17-05
Ty, All of the previous post have offered good advise. I recently purchased a set of jack-stands at Harbor Fright, (a tool store. Check them out If there is one in your area) that are rated at 3,000 pounds each. Four of them should be fine for your car. Im useing two on the rear of my 38 La Salle, which weights approximately 4,000 pounds.
I think the set cost about $19.00. They are heavy-duty. Another through, you can block-up your car with 2X8s (or 4X8 would be better). If there is any house construction in your area, they usualy have blocks of left-over wood that you can take for the asking.As for the front-end, try to jack as near the wheel as you safely can and still get the jack-stands/blocks under the A frames. Once the car is supported by jack-stands/blocks, shake it real hard to make sure that it is well supported prior to removing any of the wheels. (ok to loosen the lug-nuts prior to jacking the car).
Good Luck, Jim

[Harry Scott]

Ty, Once you have the jack stands in place and the car resting on them you will probably have to raise the body for the rear tires to clear the fenders for removal. You only have to raise it several inches for them to clear. Also, be sure and check the brake lines for rust while you are at it. Good Luck. PS Years ago, as a kid I placed cinder blocks under a Model A and then watched them crumble and car go to the ground.

[Richard Pope]

RE; Concrete blocks

Always place the holes pointing vertically. Concrete blocks have hardly any shear (lateral) strength. They are designed to handle compression only.

Use solid blocks if you have to use them at all.