How to SAFELY support your E-Body on 4 jack-stands

[RayL]

Looking for guidance/experiences/opinions/ on safely supporting a Challenger on 4 jack-stands to facilitate working underneath the car (brake lines / fuel lines / exhaust work).

I have a set of 6-ton and 3-ton jack stands, a 3-ton floor jack and a level concrete garage floor. I've had the car up in the front and the rear many times but never front and rear at the same time. This seems a common practice based on searching around on the web. But that's the internet which is often not reality.

Have you done this before? If so, how? Where did you place the front jack stands? Where did you lift the car from? Did you start the car while on jack stands?

Or do I have a death wish?

Your feedback is appreciated.

RayL

[RUNCHARGER]

I place the back 2 jackstands underneath the rear axle as close to touching the tires as I can. The front ones I put underneath the front sway bar just inside of the frame clips that hold the sway bar.

[RUNCHARGER]

Like this.

[RUNCHARGER]

The rags are a bit slippery but I take the chance.

[pschlosser]

I place the jack stand cups under the lower control arms, right next to the point where the front sway bar links attach at the LCA, as close to the wheels (if installed) as I can place them.

[7E-Bodies]

After 10 e-bodies, I'm with Sheldon. Engine in or engine out, that's how I've always done it as well.

[RayL]

@RUNCHARGER @pschlosser @7E-Bodies

How do you raise the vehicle up to the level you want? All in one lift in the rear and all in one lift in the front? Or incrementally rear/front until you have it setting at the height you want?

[RUNCHARGER]

I've got a pro quality long reach jack so I do the rear first in one lift because the rear jackstands are further apart and therefore  more stable than the front. Then I do the front but as I do the front I like to throw 4X4 blocks under the front tires as I go up. I lift the whole end (both sides at the same time). Once I can slide jackstands in, I lock them at the lowest point and go up on the locks as I raise the car up further.
My Viper is a real bear to jack up because it is so low. I raise it up at all 4 when I do a brake bleed or oil change so it's something I don't look forward to a couple times a year. The classic Mopars are easy in comparison.

[7E-Bodies]

@RUNCHARGER @pschlosser @7E-Bodies

How do you raise the vehicle up to the level you want? All in one lift in the rear and all in one lift in the front? Or incrementally rear/front until you have it setting at the height you want?

Increments is my choice. Safety is key.

[dodj]

I've always gone with increments because I always think it 'looks' unsafe on a bigger angle. Probably isn't, but that's what I've always done...until I bought a lift. Then I realized that was should have been the first thing I bought when rebuilding my car.

[Katfish]

I've been putting the jacks under the bumper brackets up front.
I'll have to look at sway bar location.
Can't tell from pics, is there a flat spot there?

[RayL]

Having a set of 6-ton jack stands adds a few placement options for the front end. These are max 24" high compared to about 15" high for the 3-ton set. But I'd never use any jack stands at their maximum height.

Here is a picture of where I placed them while doing front brakes. Just aft of the front K-Member bolt. This location is about 4" forward, 4" outside and 9" above the sway bar location. I'll have a look at the sway bar location too.

For now the plan is use my 3-ton jack stands underneath the rear axle as close to touching the tires as possible and the 6-ton set in the safest looking location up front. And go up in increments.

Thanks guys!

[Cudajason]

Like this.

I have never seen that placement before...make me kind of nervous, just the sway bar bracket holding it all up.

I always use the lower control arms or frame in the front.

[RUNCHARGER]

I don't like the lower control arms because they are suspended and not parallel to the ground, however I have used jackstands on the control arm bushing sockets. It's hard to get a shot at the framerails sometimes too.

[Katfish]

Having a set of 6-ton jack stands adds a few placement options for the front end. These are max 24" high compared to about 15" high for the 3-ton set. But I'd never use any jack stands at their maximum height.

Here is a picture of where I placed them while doing front brakes. Just aft of the front K-Member bolt. This location is about 4" forward, 4" outside and 9" above the sway bar location. I'll have a look at the sway bar location too.

For now the plan is use my 3-ton jack stands underneath the rear axle as close to touching the tires as possible and the 6-ton set in the safest looking location up front. And go up in increments.

Thanks guys!

Similar to what I do, but move forward under bumper brace so the jack stand isn't on the plastic shield.
I place the jack on a stack of (4) 10x2 wood to get in up.