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Jack stand height for front subframe removal


floatinghead

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I’m dropping my front subframe for the first time and wanted to know how high the car needs to be? I don’t have large jack stands and don’t want to raise them as high as they go from a “feeling safe” stand point. I assume it’s really to make sure the struts clear? If I need to, I’ll get newer, larger ones.

 

And do I need spring compressors for this ?

 

Thanks,

 

Baron

 

 

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You can always disconnect the struts and tie rods so you really don’t have go that high with your stands.. or remove the struts from the steering arms retaining the tie rods. Many ways to remove the subframe.

FWIW,
Matt


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Edited by Schnellvintage
typo
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If you remove the sub frame with the struts attached they should flop to the outside the wheel wells enough so you don't need to jack the car high enough to clear them. This is assuming your not dropping the sub frame with the engine still mounted to it. 

 

PS if you have stock springs you'll need a spring compressor to remove the strut tops.

Edited by Son of Marty
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If everybody in the room is thinking the same thing, then someone is not thinking.

 

George S Patton 

Planning the Normandy Break out 1944

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Thanks for the responses. I was planning on removing the struts with the subframe ( leaving the engine in place) as I want to replace strut bearings too. So it seems like my stands will work.

My springs are h&r sport springs so guessing I don’t need compressors?

Thanks


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It's more than regular jack stands can handle. I used two floor jacks  (not stands) with 4x4's creating a bridge across the underside of the car. While I felt safe at the time, it doesn't appear so. I then used an ATV jack to support the subframe.

 

The front of the car needs to be higher than you might think. IIRC, the distributor was the high point problem.20160605_154556.thumb.jpg.fbdc9f5cb7bc51f932f1ca6721d3531a.jpg

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1974 2002 Tii-SOLD

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It is going to be hard to get it high enough with regular jack stands maybe rent some truck sized ones, depending on your shop set up. What I do is is drop the subframe/engine/trans onto my creeper with a set of regular car jack stands under the frame rails and with the rear tires on the ground I run a chain between the strut mounting holes using a thick large diameter washer to spread the load and a cum along to a 4x4 in the rafters to lift the front of the car and slide the works out, with the weight of the engine off the front and the overhang at the rear counter ballasting there.s probably only a couple of hundred pounds to lift.    

If everybody in the room is thinking the same thing, then someone is not thinking.

 

George S Patton 

Planning the Normandy Break out 1944

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If all you're doing is a refurb/refresh of the subframe then a $3 2x4 and some chain or ratchet straps, a jack and two jackstands is all you need. Make a little wooden bracing to suspend the engine from. 

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Straps go under the exhaust header, the intake manifold ad I put another on the front and rear hook points. Tighten enough to take the slack off the engine mounts. I took the throttle linkage and distributor cap off at this point to avoid binding.

You may want to loosen the trans mount bolt, but not remove.

Then jack up the front till the front wheels are off the ground, jackstands go either at the jack points or I like to use 2x4 scraps under the front frame rails to distribute the weight and it also gives another 1.5 inches of lift.

I also have 12"x12" wooden 4" thick riser pads I place the stands on when I need maximum lift.

I used a plywood sheet to support the subframe on the jack, it's front heavy so the plywood spread the load and helped with even lowering. Optional though.

 

Remove wheels, remove all the necessary bolts, steering coupler, throttle linkage, engine mounts, disconnect/drain brake hoses.

 

Ease down the subframe.

Might want to bungee the strut tops so they don't just wack into and chip the fender lips.

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Sounds harder than it is...

The cleaning is the hardest part. 

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But its worth it.

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Here is the height I used to easily remove the F and R subframes.  Say, 2 1/4 mounted tires high.  I used 4 6-ton OTC stands to suspend the car -- beefy, quite adequate height, and relatively $$$.  However, I felt extremely safe under the car during its suspension rehab.

IMG_5598.thumb.jpg.4fe6db1204087183922f06c828445428.jpgIMG_E5595.thumb.jpg.27c6761b35a776e366cf5f3285025eee.jpg
 

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17 hours ago, jimk said:

Changed M10 once and installed the S14 with subframe removal from below on regular jack stands.

Yeah.

 

But you're at higher elevation.

 

:D

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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