neil.cavanagh Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Novice questions here.... I just swapped my tyres round front and back and found it hard to find jacking points I was happy with using on the caterham (SV) and even more worried about where to put axle stands. What are the best places to use? Bit of the suspension, or the chassis? I was using a trolley jack.... thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Any of the tubes where they are supported by other tubes are suitable. I usually favour suspension mounting points - anywhere that is sufficiently strong to support a wishbone when the car is being thrown over a kerb at 80mph is going to withstand jacking a static car. Generally avoid any completely "horizontal" bits of the structure, you need to find a bit which is triangulated vertically and jack on one of the corners of the triangle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 using a small piece of flat wood to prevent damage - crossmember under the nose cone rear differential dedion tube forward triailing arm mounts under the front edge of your rear wings dont use the passenger floor like a quickfit tyre place did on a friends car Lotus 7 Club Speed Champion 2003 South Wales Area Organiser C7 TOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil.cavanagh Posted December 30, 2003 Author Share Posted December 30, 2003 thanks guys! I was wondering about the de-dion tube and diff... that should do the job nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Dedion? I thought this is responsible for tube cracking. See www.blatchat.com/T.asp?id=28977. Look at PC's comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frying Pan Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 At the rear jack the diff (use a block of wood on the trolley jack to protect it). NEVER work under the car with it only on the jack - it's a bit wobbly... Depending on what you are doing, axle stands can either cup the outers of the de Dion tube, or the rail that supports the front of the fuel tank, as close to the side chassis tube as possible. At the front, I was told to jack at the cruciform, and axle stands at the outer edges of the middle set of rails coming out of this. Once all four axle stands are in place, it's rock solid. Guy See some pictures of the build here. Now had my first drive (19/12/03 17.10)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil.cavanagh Posted December 30, 2003 Author Share Posted December 30, 2003 7HEAVENSOON, pardon my ignorance... what is the 'cruciform'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Some folk think that occasionally jacking the rear of the car on the dedion will cause the damper pickup points to crack . Given the stress that is exerted on the dedion tube and on the suspension mounts during road , track and race use , I fail to see how simply lifting 300 Kg of car in a steady controlled manner will cause or create failier . The tubes arent made of toffee ..... I normally jack from the diff as its easier and provides more clearance fro the jack . Lotus 7 Club Speed Champion 2003 South Wales Area Organiser C7 TOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Do watch out for the stands tipping fore and aft when raising/lowering with a trolley-jack though... It's OK if you're using a clean garage floor, but outside on the road, the grit can stop the trolley sliding back and forth - which causes the car to do it instead.... There is jacking info. in the main FAQ of course (click the home link TRHcorner and follow from there). Personally, at the rear, I've always been taught to jack the rear from the central a-frame (sic?) pivot... this is also the preferred method according to the owners manual (although the picture is pants and has misled at least one BC poster in the past (not me...!)) Keep BC free and open for ALL. Membership No. 43xx Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frying Pan Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Neil The cruciform is the point at which 6 chassis tubes come together on the centreline of the car, roughly level with the rear lower wishbone mounting (Just below the horns). Myles has a very good point - make sure the car moving doesn't cause the axle stands to tip - keep an eye out. I bought some cheap wheel chocks from Halfords to help... Guy See some pictures of the build here. Now had my first drive (19/12/03 17.10)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Riches Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 My car is a 1982 live axle thing so Axle stands at the rear may vary here, but I've always used a piece of 3" thick plank about 6' long to raise one side of the car in one movement, supporting most of one side at a time, place the stands under the lower tubes of the cruciform at the front, and place on wooden blocks mounted to the tops of the stands at the rear, lower the car at the point where the front of the "A" frame mounts to be chassis, sorry not a very good description, but you may get the idea, things are getting a bit blurry here, it's only a 2hrs 30m to New Year, and have a happy one and all. Nigel. 1982. 5 speed, clamshells. B.R.G / Ali. The True Colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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