1957 safe frame or support for hydraulic jack | Ford Thunderbird club group 1955-2005 T-Bird models

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1957 safe frame or support for hydraulic jack

  • Thread starter Thread starter TbirdFan76
  • Start date Start date
TbirdFan76

TbirdFan76

Bronze Member
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Thunderbird Year
1957
I've got a standard height hydraulic floor jack and it's hard to get under the frame. Are there other supports that are safe to use?

I'm considering buying a low profile hydraulic jack if that's the best option. I don't have the factory bumper jack which I guess is another option.

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I totally agree with ICON 56. Do not use a bumper jack. They were dangerous when they were the recommended solution for jacking a car. If you have one, leave it in the trunk for originality purposes and not expect to use it for function. Conventional wisdom on these older cars with frames is that you can lift the car underneath the cross member (beneath the engine) or lift the car underneath the differential depending on what you are trying to do. I have never owned a car that a standard floor jack would not get underneath. If you do have that situation, use SkidJames suggestion. That will work.
 
I have smallish 1-1/2 ton floor jacks and they get under the car fine. Depending on what I'm doing, the front crossmember of axle pumpkin works or I use the frame rail below the door if I only want to lift one side. I always use jack stands now that I'm not the idiot I was when I was 18.
 
TbirdFan76 said:
I've got a standard height hydraulic floor jack and it's hard to get under the frame. Are there other supports that are safe to use?

I'm considering buying a low profile hydraulic jack if that's the best option. I don't have the factory bumper jack which I guess is another option.
Click to expand...
My '56 doesn't run so just the other day I used a 1-1/2 ton hydraulic, on blocks, under the between-the-horns crossmember. I then jacked the A-frame on each wheel separately high enough to get support under it so that I could get under to release my hood (broken hood release cable). Where you jack and how high depends, of course, on what you want to do. Bumper jacks are for roadside tire changes only, and they're iffy at that.
 
Tom Alpers said:
I have smallish 1-1/2 ton floor jacks and they get under the car fine. Depending on what I'm doing, the front crossmember of axle pumpkin works or I use the frame rail below the door if I only want to lift one side. I always use jack stands now that I'm not the idiot I was when I was 18.
Click to expand...
I agree with Tom, but I now go beyond jackstands. I use 4x4 wooden cribbing such that no magnitude of earthquake would bring it down on me. Just the other day I had to get under to open the hood (broken release cable) and used 4x4 cribbing under both frame rails. I'm 85 now and so am on borrowed time. So why with less time left I am more of a safety guy is beyond me. Seems like it would be the other way around. Never did trust bumper jacks. They are only for roadside tire changes and that's it, and iffy at best even then.
 
Since you all don't seem to have a problem with a floor jack I think my issue is that I have some floor mats under my car which likely is causing my issue. The jack was on the mats raising the jack about an inch. I'll try removing the mats next time I need to jack the car up.

Thanks for all ideas.
 
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