Safe jacking points.

Ok, since the sites been refreshed do I get to ask all the dumb questions again?

Planning to work under the bus tomorrow, so where is a safe point to jack the rear if I'm not 100% sure about the jacking points? I need to get the rear wheel high enough to get the spare under so I can work underneath.

Cheers, Darrell.

 

I too need to know this.


I have a 3 ton jack and have jacked the front up using the front beam - I am sure some kind soul will correct us.

 

front beam or rear beam. But usually the jacking points with the stock Bilstein jack
;D

 

anywhere inside with the curtains shut.......

 

Eeek...

Safety first! The rear crossmember is the only place. Dont use the gearbox...I use a hydraulic jack and always use axle stands if crawling under!

 

I read on one of the websites that you shouldnt use the gearbox at all for jacking, I suppose it lifts the van through the gearbox mounts.

I am no expert but the gearbox/engine is not as solid as the chassis. I think also that the casting can be damaged.

 

I too would never recommend jacking anything by the gearbox or engine parts. They are only castings and are not designed to take that kind of stress.

Best place to jack is around a suspension mount part. I use the beam part. For the life of me I can't describe it.

But don't forget to take a good look at your bus ad check those points. I have no hesitation of using mine and I used to have an Alfasud that collapsed through it's jacking point!!!

 

And your gearbox casing is?????? 40 years old. It may not rust like steel but it would have gone through stresses over the years.

Your putting all that weight of the bus on a part that has no integral strength designed to hold the bus up.

I'm sure Mork can tell us more about the inner strengths or lack of on old metal.

 

See the JK website and thier How To videos for jacking front and rear - they recommend front and rear beams - definately not engine gearbox or jacking points

 

if you've got a good solid van then the jacking points are by far the best area to jack the van up - this is what they are for! But you need to use the proper jack which fits inside the jacking point.


You'll know if the van is nice and solid if you jack one point, front or rear, and it lifts both ends. If id doesn't then the body is twisting and has lost its torsional stiffness through years of abuse or rust.


Jacking up on the engine or gearbox will end in disaster, you might get away with it but these are hollow cast and aren't up to the job
;D

 

That's the word l was looking for: hollow casts. Cheers Joker.

 

I really need to jack up the rear of the can so that I can put the spare wheel under the back tyre.

Where is the best place to do this?

I've tried the jack on the suspension link plate ( big metal thing with circle on the middle and 4 bolts ) but the wheels stay on the ground.

 

Is it safe to jack up the bottom shock mount here?

Cheers.

 

Not really....looks like you need a new shock bush though!!

Why not jack up on the chassis at the back of the jacking point witha wood chock or similar to spread the load a bit?

 

just drive the rear wheels up onto some blocks or bricks, the frog's are bound to have some big blocks of wood lying around in reserve for their next strike... you're looking for a big orange box marked 'Kit d'action Industrielle'. You'll recognise it a mile off, it will be next to the metal incinerator and the cases of wine

;D




Or, drive the one side up onto the spare, it won't hurt it, leave it in 1st gear with the handbrake on. You should be able to slide under the van to do what you need to do without lifting it at all unless;


a) you're a fat chuffer,


or


b) the van is lowered


or


c) you're a fat chuffer AND the van is lowered


;D

 

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