Jack Points for BJ8

[Bob_66_BJ8]

I have a 1966 BJ8 without the original jack. I have a low profile floor jack. I'd appreciate any advice on jack points so I don't risk damaging the frame. Someone has suggested jacking the rear end of the car using the pumpkin. Is that a good idea?

Thanks

 

[Ed_K]

Hello Bob and welcome to the forum !
That is what I do.
I have a large garage jack and just slip it under the pumpkin and jack it up all the way. Then I put stands somewhere along the frame just in case.
Ed

 

[Ed_K]

In the front I put a jack under the frame under where the engine mounts are attached. I never jack the car from the middle cross piece of frame in the front.

 

[RobWarren]

I feel stupid now. What's the pumpkin? Is this something that the car turns into after midnight?

 

[Ed_K]

The differential housing.

 

[Dave Richards]

I do the same as Ed. For the road, I went to a salvage yard and bought a scissors jack from a late model Nissan for $5. It's low profile fits under the frame and the top is flat with a small notch that fits the "bead" on the bottom of the frame. Fortunately, I haven't had to use it!

 

[GregW]

Hi Dave,
How low is that jack? Can it get under the frame when you have a flat tire?

 

[Bob_66_BJ8]

Ed and Dave:

Thanks for the help! And I think I will go looking for a Nissan scissors jack. The shop I bought the car from threw in a small floor jack that still takes up way too much precious boot space!

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Bob,
Welcome to the BCF.
Another popular scissor jack is Honda's.

I too lift the rear by the differential housing.
I lift the front by the cross beam....sort of.

I lift the front by placing a piece of wood, that goes across the front cross beam and extends to both sides of the frame rails. I place the jack in the center of the cross beam and lift. I believe the load is distributed evenly to all three areas, cross beam, two side rails. Comments guys?

Cheers all,
Roger

 

[Ed_K]

I guess I didn't understand what you were really asking. The large garage jack is what I use at home when I am working on the car. I went to Wallyworld and bought a brand new small GM scissors jack for little $$ and carry it around in my boot, I also carry a small 1 foot piece of 4" x 4" wood to go with it in case of a flat while on the road. The 4" x 4" is to drive the flat tire on to so there will be plenty of clearance to slid the scissors jack under the frame. I also carry a small piece of plywood to slid under the scissors jack in case the side of the road is soft and muddy ( that is usually the case around here ).
Ed

 

[MarkA]

In the garage, I too lift like Roger in the front AND in the back. I lift the rear at the rear cross-member using a 2x6 which spans the entire cross-member. My jack has just enough vertical clearance to make it under the mufflers (67 bj8) from behind the car instead of the side..

Mark

 

[tahoe healey]

I use a 1/4 inch thick piece of steel 4x14 between the jack and the frame. The PO has made all kinds of dents in the frame from not protecting it. You need to distribute the weight. I like the steel because it is thin and my jacks wont go under the frame with a 2x4. The steel has a lip to keep it steady while jacking. No matter what you use don't get under the car with out supporting the tires or axles. In the car I carry a scisser jack used for RVs. Thin but very strong.

 

[nevets]

When in the garage I drive the car onto a pair of shallow ramps that I made from plywood, which allows me to roll my floor jack under the car. Like a few of the previous posters, I jack the rear from the diff and when jacking the front, I use solid length of wood under the front cross beam. Seems to work OK

 

[Bob_66_BJ8]

Thanks again to all who responded. Got it jacked up from the rear for the first time. Found that PO's had dented the frame to heck and back. Fortunately it was before the restore 12 years ago because the paint on the frame is fine. Everything else I could see looked good.

Then I started the job of checking the rear gear lubricant. The 4' garage drip tray under the rear of the car has about a half cup of gear oil in it.

Typical story. Found the plugs. Drain plug has a drip of oil hanging from it. But wait a minute! The plugs take square sockets! Hmmm, wonder if my 1/2" drive will fit. Nope, too big by a hair. Wobble 1/2" extension sorta fits but pops out when I try to turn it. Afraid of damaging the nut. OK, off to Home Depot for square sockets and to pick up some vinyl tubing for getting the goop into the pumpkin. Off course, Home Depot used to carry square sockets, but they don't anymore. Only vinyl tubing that fits the nipple of the gear oil bottle comes in 20' lengths. (Anybody need 17' of vinyl tubing?)

Two Sears stores later and still no square sockets. Of course, a customer at the second one told me he just sold a set at a garage sale for $2. Bought a 1/2" extension for $8 and ground and filed it to the 11mm needed. Works like a charm. But the gear oil is almost completely full. Had the car on a sloping driveway so it was almost level when I jacked the back. Mechanic who checked it last works without a lift and must have filled it with the car jacked on a level surface. Squirted in a couple of ounces, most of which it regurged back onto my driveway. Tried not to think about why I did this in the first place.

Four hours after starting, I'm done. Glad I don't have to make a living working on these things!

 

[Stretch]

I allways pick the car under the spring baseplates. If that's how the car normally is supported as driven I figure I can't go wrong.

 

[Bob_66_BJ8]

Stretch:

I had the same thought for placing the jack stands. Problem is my car has 5 bolts protruding beneath the rear base plates. I'm afraid of damaging them.

 

[tahoe healey]

BCS sells the proper size square extractor (about 1 1/2 inch long) that you put a wrench on. There is a tool with a handle that appears on Ebay all the time that is suppose to work.

 

[Andy65]

I use a big garage jack and always use the base plate for the springs. Then I put jackstands on the axle

 

[johnea]

In case of a flat tire, the jack should be placed under the spring plate between the lower wishbone links and for a rear tire, under the leaf springs, as close as possible to the axle. This is what the owners handbook recommends. If you want to put a jack under the frame, always use a piece of wood to spread the load.

 

[Dave Richards]

Hi Dave,
How low is that jack? Can it get under the frame when you have a flat tire?

It's about 1-1/2" tall. I got the idea from one of Keoke's posts. (Gee, I miss him.) I think it was him that said to look for a jack from a 350zx because they are aluminum.