[Black_FiFTY]

I tested this out today by using the pinch welds to lift and put a jack stand on that plate. I used the large hole closest to the cats. There is a hump around the outside of that hole that you can't see in his photo but it's there. My jack stand fit PERFECTLY into that hole and the hump around the outside of the hole cradled the jack stand. The hole closest to the outside of car does not have this same hump and I didn't see any real way for the stand to sit and feel comfortable about it (I wouldn't recommend using that one).

[00 Trans Ram]

Please note the first pic. Those pics are not in chronological order. That first pic is AFTER I jacked up my car, one corner at a time, with this exact jack.



If you use a jack with a smaller pad, it might dent the sheet metal.

Odd that the Camaro and CTS both use the Alpha platform, but denote different jack points in the owners' manuals. Here is what both the CTS and ATS have for jack points in their manuals.



And here is a pic of the place - same as ours.

[ChevyRules]

Note the type of lifts..... Using a floor jack? It points to using the pinch welds and that one rear cross section. Four point lift? It's safe to lift by the points you keep on pointing out. Exactly the same points as the Camaro.

[TheRealJA105]

Originally Posted by Sledgehammer70

I have personally seen that bolt point buckle when jacked from that bolt point only.

Sledge, how exactly did it buckle where the bolt is? My car already fell off of the pinch weld on a jack with the ZL1 Universal jack pad and ruined my fender and side skirt. (I didn't have the shaped mag puck and it slid off the jack head) I am very leery about using the pinch welds again. The bolt is obviously going through the aluminum cradle and into a solid steel part of the chassis so I'd like to know how you saw it buckle?

[JeromeS13]

Originally Posted by TheRealJA105

Sledge, how exactly did it buckle where the bolt is? My car already fell off of the pinch weld on a jack with the ZL1 Universal jack pad and ruined my fender and side skirt. (I didn't have the shaped mag puck and it slid off the jack head) I am very leery about using the pinch welds again. The bolt is obviously going through the aluminum cradle and into a solid steel part of the chassis so I'd like to know how you saw it buckle?

It probably has something to do with the angle of the bolt. It's not completely vertical, so the load will be applied at an odd direction and could *potentially* bend/snap the bolt.

[00 Trans Ram]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Note the type of lifts..... Using a floor jack? It points to using the pinch welds and that one rear cross section. Four point lift? It's safe to lift by the points you keep on pointing out. Exactly the same points as the Camaro.

Yeah, but look at the type of floor jack it's showing. Specifically, look at the pad on it. It's not a pad, but more similar to what you see on scissor jacks. If you have something like that (notched), then use the pinch welds.

[00 Trans Ram]

Let's look at this from another perspective.

If you jack from the STEEL part underneath, what's the worst that'll happen? It'll dent a bit. Using a 4"-6" pad means that it simply can't dent too much. But, it might dent a bit over time, less than 1/2" out of shape.

But, so what? It's under the car where it'll never be seen. It's not a suspension mounting point. It's not bending a straight, structural piece (like a control arm).

Now, what happens when you deform the pinch weld? Well, that's part of the sheet metal of the body of the car. You'll have a visible bend on the lower rocker panel. It'll chip/flake the paint. And it will compromise the welds.

[Infern0]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Note the type of lifts..... Using a floor jack? It points to using the pinch welds and that one rear cross section. Four point lift? It's safe to lift by the points you keep on pointing out. Exactly the same points as the Camaro.

Originally Posted by 00 Trans Ram

Yeah, but look at the type of floor jack it's showing. Specifically, look at the pad on it. It's not a pad, but more similar to what you see on scissor jacks. If you have something like that (notched), then use the pinch welds.

Also look at the top of the image. Both the front point as well as the side points indicate (with arrows) the floor jack is safe for those locations.

My beast: Powerbuilt Triple Lift. The center puck is removable if you want to use the platform instead.

[Smashn808]

Can you safely jack under the rear control arm? Directly under the spring area? Not sure why mine has plastic covers over it though.

[00 Trans Ram]

I wouldn't. For a couple reasons. First, it's a movable part. Meaning, if you turn a wrench hard on the car, it could move. Granted, it's moving up and down, but you don't want the car moving at all with you under it.

Also, that area just isn't designed to have a jack on it. It's probably (probably!) strong enough. But, it's weirdly shaped.

Just no safe way to do it.

Now, I will say that I've had my car on jackstands, and then used a jack to compress the suspension until it JUST lifted off the stands (like 1cm). Not the safest thing, but I had to work out suspension rates and such. If it'd have fallen, the jack stands were there. Sure, it could have fallen off those, too. But, I took the chance. Not safe, though.

[Smashn808]

Yeh, I doubt the suspension would compress much on the 1le but I hear what you are saying. I have a floor jack with a wide pad too. Just need to put on my splash guards on the rear.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Smashn808

Can you safely jack under the rear control arm? Directly under the spring area? Not sure why mine has plastic covers over it though.

If you absolutely must jack by the control arm, do so outboard of the spring area as close to the upright as possible. Jacking at the spring area (anywhere inboard of the upright, actually) will involve the control arm rotating downward rather than remaining at the same inclination as it is when the car is resting on its wheels. Remember that a 1000 lb corner weight puts considerably more than that at the spring, so when the spring is directly supporting only the 1000 lbs that it will extend. And generate side loads on the jack pad.

An uneasy not-guaranteed-stable situation from my point of view.


Norm

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by CAM-FIFTY

Not sure why you are ruining your own thread by turning it into a rant against GM.....

You have put up your point, let people make decision if they want to use it.

For me, GM made a very questionable design with pinch welds and bolt-ons provide a cheap insurance against screw ups.

Where is the rant on GM? Wow! His post went way over your head. His post was right. This site and sites just like would not exist if everyone followed their manual to the letter.


To the OP, I just laugh to myself every time someone thinks that part if the car is aluminum. Some dude even made a jacking video on YouTube stating it to be aluminum and not to jack it from there. Seems like not many people know much about the car they drive. This car is all steel except for the dash support and some of the sheet metal.

[ecko04]

Originally Posted by motorhead

Where is the rant on GM? Wow! His post went way over your head. His post was right. This site and sites just like would not exist if everyone followed their manual to the letter.


To the OP, I just laugh to myself every time someone thinks that part if the car is aluminum. Some dude even made a jacking video on YouTube stating it to be aluminum and not to jack it from there. Seems like not many people know much about the car they drive. This car is all steel except for the dash support and some of the sheet metal.

Was it really necessary to bump a yr old thread for this?