[mikedahammer]

I lift my car frequently to rotate tires, bleed brakes, fluid swaps, etc etc. I have probably lifted the car a hundred times. I normally lift the car completely. Please note I do not have a garage and no ability to use a quick jack easily. Walk me through your process if you use a floor jack and not a lift.

I have recent noticed that my pinch welds are not as stout as the once were and I am noticing some bending in that rail from either over use or improper lifting. When I had my GT350 Steeda had a jacking rail that went the entire length of the car and you could use that for lifting and jack placement.

I am trying to see how other people lift their vehicle (all four corners). I have tried several different methods but I settled on one floor jack. I lift one side of the car from the front lift point pinch weld with a ZL1 lift pad. Then I place the jack stands under the second front lift pinch weld and the rear pinch weld.

Then I release the car on those stands and lift the other side and do the same process. I think what has been slowly happening is the transfer of the weight onto the jack stands when I lift the "second" side is contributing to the rolling of the pinch weld (ie too much weight shifting to those spots when lifting the other side).

I have tried two floor jacks and incrementally doing a few pumps on each side, but that seems sketchy when I am doing it. I have also tried by using the small 6" race ramps wheel cribs and do all four corners and then adding in the jack stands but that also seems a little heavy on the jack stands when I remove the race ramps and the 6" first lift seems too high.

I also tried to set the car on the yellow spots in the attached picture but those did not seem sturdy enough in the front.

I have switched to placing the jack stands in the following spots on this video to preserve the pinch welds.

[RobZL1]

I do it similarly, but have 6 of the lift pads that permanently install on the car with allen-head set screws. I lift with a jack and hockey puck under the middle lift pad point on one side and set that side on the lowest setting of the jack stands. Then I go over to the other side and do the same, but go to my final lift height on that side. Then I go back to the original side and bring it up to the final height. I use these Esco jack stands. I see Harbor Freight has a version of them now, too.

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by RobZL1

I do it similarly, but have 6 of the lift pads that permanently install on the car with allen-head set screws. I lift with a jack and hockey puck under the middle lift pad point on one side and set that side on the lowest setting of the jack stands. Then I go over to the other side and do the same, but go to my final lift height on that side. Then I go back to the original side and bring it up to the final height.

That's what I do as well. However, a lot of the liftingI do for autocross and road course prep doesn't require me to get under the car, such as changing wheels/tires or brake pads. In those cases, I don't lift both sides: I do one side at a time using just the jack, which goes a lot faster.

[mikedahammer]

Thanks for the replies.


I do use the zl1 lift pads for the front and the hockey puck and pinch weld puck when I lift the rear. I am using big red jack stands So those might be too aggressive for the pinch weld when I lift side to side. I could also try lifting to the lowest height but I think the weight transfer would be the same. I might have the wrong jack stands for the Camaro. These are what I had for my GT350 that I installed a jacking rail on.


Do you guys put the jack stand directly on the a lift pad or lift puck or do you put the jack stand directly on the pinch weld?

[RobZL1]

Originally Posted by mikedahammer

Thanks for the replies.


I do use the zl1 lift pads for the front and the hockey puck and pinch weld puck when I lift the rear. I am using big red jack stands So those might be too aggressive for the pinch weld when I lift side to side. I could also try lifting to the lowest height but I think the weight transfer would be the same. I might have the wrong jack stands for the Camaro. These are what I had for my GT350 that I installed a jacking rail on.


Do you guys put the jack stand directly on the a lift pad or lift puck or do you put the jack stand directly on the pinch weld?

In my case, the only thing that touches a jack or a jack stand are the ZL1 pads shown in my post. I have 6 of them installed in the green circled areas in the picture in your original post.

[mikedahammer]

Originally Posted by RobZL1

In my case, the only thing that touches a jack or a jack stand are the ZL1 pads shown in my post. I have 6 of them installed in the green circled areas in the picture in your original post.

Okay cool. I bought a box of those and use them as lift points but I thought I read not to use them as jack stand points. Not sure why it would make a difference if they are vertical and you use them to lift the car and you are careful about placement of the stands. I really do appreciate the discussion.

[carguy55]

Lift 1 side at a time from the center with a ZL1 lift pad or mag puck. Then use jack stands on the front and back both with ZL1 lift pads installed. I use regular jack stands with a rubber jack cover so its not metal to metal. When I have someone else working on the car I tell them to use the ZL1 lift pads I have installed on the front and rear points.

For quick wheel changes at the track I don't bother with jack stands, unless rotating side to side. I just lift high enough from the center point and change 1 wheel at a time, keeping body parts from being underneath the car! Do this at your own risk.

[RobZL1]

Originally Posted by mikedahammer

Okay cool. I bought a box of those and use them as lift points but I thought I read not to use them as jack stand points. Not sure why it would make a difference if they are vertical and you use them to lift the car and you are careful about placement of the stands. I really do appreciate the discussion.

I think it's a disclaimer for typical jack stands, as I could definitely see them sliding around inside a stand if you are pushing or pulling on the car in any way. With the big rubber pads on mine it's no different than a lift from my perspective, so I'm good with the approach.

It's by far the most stable I've ever thought a car was on jack stands in my experience. I had the same setup on my last Camaro as well, though it was only 4 points and I lifted with a length of 2x4. Anyway, my point is both cars were/are REALLY stable on the lift pads and the large rubber pad on the Esco stands.

Nobody touches my car but me, so if it's getting work done I'm the one putting it in the air. I don't have it on stands all the time, but much more frequently than the average owner I would imagine.

[DeuceCam]

Curse GM for their awful jack points on this platform.

[That1guy_tim]

Instead of side to side i lift fronts onto the jack stands. Then i go in the back and raise the rear off the diff. I think you are rolling your pinch weld over when you lift up the vehicle side to side.

[DaveC113]

Originally Posted by mikedahammer

Thanks for the replies.


I do use the zl1 lift pads for the front and the hockey puck and pinch weld puck when I lift the rear. I am using big red jack stands So those might be too aggressive for the pinch weld when I lift side to side. I could also try lifting to the lowest height but I think the weight transfer would be the same. I might have the wrong jack stands for the Camaro. These are what I had for my GT350 that I installed a jacking rail on.


Do you guys put the jack stand directly on the a lift pad or lift puck or do you put the jack stand directly on the pinch weld?

I have those red al jack stands for travel and use these pinch-weld adapters. I also have a bunch of std jack stands and there are other pinch weld adapters you can get for them. All cheap and on Amazon.

I think when people say lift from the pinch weld, it's taken too literally and you actually need a pinch weld adapter for your lift or stand so it doesn't mangle the actual pinch weld.

Also, I use the red al bolt-on / permanent pinch weld adapters but these need to be used with a flat rubber pad like a hockey puck so they are incompatible with most jack stands. I like the Esco stands pictured earlier, those would work well. You don't want your jack stand to slide off the adapter...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081JRFFJ3...n_title_2&th=1

[Patriot Motorsports USA]

If you use the ZL1 Addons for the forward and rear pinch weld gaps... look just behind the forward pinch weld gap for a second gap just about under the rear-view mirror. This is the point for your single-jack point to lift both the front and rear of the car with one move.

I have bought these rubber pinch weld pads that work amazingly well for the ZL1!!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TBZMLZ?

[Dynamical]

Originally Posted by Patriot Motorsports USA

If you use the ZL1 Addons for the forward and rear pinch weld gaps... look just behind the forward pinch weld gap for a second gap just about under the rear-view mirror. This is the point for your single-jack point to lift both the front and rear of the car with one move.

I have bought these rubber pinch weld pads that work amazingly well for the ZL1!!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TBZMLZ?

This is what I do, except I have made my own with hockey pucks. I also use the Harbor freight, knock offs of the esco stands posted by RobZL1

[2004YZFR1]

Originally Posted by That1guy_tim

Instead of side to side i lift fronts onto the jack stands. Then i go in the back and raise the rear off the diff. I think you are rolling your pinch weld over when you lift up the vehicle side to side.

I have read that it is bad to lift the whole rear of the car from the diff. But I did do it before and it seems fine. Does anyone else lift their car from the bottom of the diff?