QuestionQUESTION: Barrie, where is the best place to position, firstly the trolley jack and secondly the axle stands to raise the front of a Midget. Also is it safe to place and raise the jack from the base of the shock absorber that on my car joins the lower wishbone? Many thanks
ANSWER: Hi Paul. I assume you intend to raise the front of the car with a trolley jack. I would position it underneath a front suspension arm, immediately below the coil spring. These arms do corrode, so be careful. Once one side is raised, use an axle stand underneath the chassis rail on that side, and then raise the other side the same way. I use a special `low entry' jack because a standard one is too high even when fully lowered.
ps - I don't understand your reference to the shock absorber base. Have you fitted telescopic front shock absorbers?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Barrie, thanks for the quick reply. Yes I am wanting to position two axle stands so I can crawl under the front end (after choking back wheels!!). A damper is fitted within the coil spring, because the original shock absorber was replaced with a rose joint assembly. The lower eye of the damper protrudes below the lower wishbone and only slightly proud of six bolts! The only place I seem able to position the cup of my jack is on the end of the damper eye. Was wondering if it was okay to put the weight of the car on the eye of the damper? Are the axle stands best placed just behind the anti-roll bar on the parallel chassis rails? Alternatively is there enough strength in the cross-member (of the front chassis frame assembly)that runs between the length-wise chassis rails to position the jack and if need be the axle stands? Sorry for lengthy paragraph and very appreciative of your expertise .... Kind regards ..... Paul
ps- never realised that my jack must be 'low entry' as well.
AnswerHi Paul. The pad of your axle jack should be wide enough to cup the bottom of the telescopic damper that you have fitted. That is fine for lifting the car.
The only parts of the front chassis strong enough to take the axle stands are the two main front-to-rear members. They extend maybe 9 inches in front of the front cross-member and should take the weight of the car without any problems, even at the extreme front. Avoid the clamps surrounding the anti-roll bar bushes, they are not strong enough to take the weight.
The cross-member itself is not strong enough to take a jack, although you may see evidence where a lazy tyre-change merchant has used one. It can buckle underneath, ruining the alignment of the front suspension.
For additional safety, I make a habit of sliding the wheels loosely under each chassis rail as well. If something were to slip, better a bent wheel than a broken leg.
