I'm planning to jack up the front of my GT on the flat part of the front crossmember. Should I put it on the the 4 sided "box" that juts down in the middle, using a wood board to distribute the stress, place the jack and board on the flat part of the crossmember just in front of it? I'm also a little edgy about the strength of the front crossmember. I cleaned out some debris from up in there, but was not able to stick a screwdriver through anything (a restoration shop checked it out too about a year ago). Has anyone used Jasco or similar (Phosphoric acid) to spray up in there to stabilize the metal? The outer part was POR-15'd, but not the inside. The rest of the front-end (springs/arms/pins)were "restored" a couple of years ago, but not much else. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, where should I place the jack stands on the lower control arms? ON the rounded edge of the "hole" near the outer pin? There's not a lot of flat space. Thanks!
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That 'box' is the steering arm pivot bracket, and you should not jack up the car using that.
Using a board to distribute the weight is a good thing, but just be careful that nothing slips.
The car is best supported by the a-arms, as this replicates what the car normally rests on. Just keep the stands on a solid part that won't slip. Being a hardtop, it's best not to place jackstands at the front crossmember and forward rear spring perches, as this flexes the body tub and frame, and if you have rust issues, you might be shocked at the amount of body flex.
Keep the doors shut when the car is jacked up.
Front crossmembers (body mount crossmember) tend to hold water and debris and are prone to rust out. Finding a replacement is getting harder, and rebuilding one is a bit of work.
That phosphoric acid is a pita, but it does work. I find it harder to get it all of of everything else.
I always wanted to tow a sponge full of POR15 through the frame, but after seeing the mess I make with that stuff with just a paintbrush, I can't imagine the cleanup after a frame job <g>.
Hope the info helps. Lot's more of it will be coming your way.
Good questions!
Jeff[8D]
DEEPNHOCK@worldnet.att.netquote:Originally posted by Rekabeduts
I'm planning to jack up the front of my GT on the flat part of the front crossmember. Should I put it on the the 4 sided "box" that juts down in the middle, using a wood board to distribute the stress, place the jack and board on the flat part of the crossmember just in front of it? I'm also a little edgy about the strength of the front crossmember. I cleaned out some debris from up in there, but was not able to stick a screwdriver through anything (a restoration shop checked it out too about a year ago). Has anyone used Jasco or similar (Phosphoric acid) to spray up in there to stabilize the metal? The outer part was POR-15'd, but not the inside. The rest of the front-end (springs/arms/pins)were "restored" a couple of years ago, but not much else. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, where should I place the jack stands on the lower control arms? ON the rounded edge of the "hole" near the outer pin? There's not a lot of flat space. Thanks!
'61 Hawk
'37 Coupe Express
HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)
Jeff
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain
Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...) -
Jeffster I gotta say that I've never had a problem jacking on the pivot bracket. I do it every single time, with every Stude that I've ever had. It would be just as well to jack under each lower control arm, but when ya do that, with the jack sharing the room, it's almost impossible to get a jack stand under there in the right spot. If the front crossmember can't take that for a very short period of time, (it's the strongest place up front), and it causes damage, then I'd say you have other problems. Even the rottenest Studebakers that I've scrapped, all had good, solid front crossmembers. All that oil and grease leaking on 'em saved 'em!.
The other good thing about usin' the bottom of the steering pivot bracket is that the jack cup fits and holds there nicely and it's dead-assed in the middle of the crossmember, so the car goes up pretty evenly, not like crankin' one wheel way up in the air.
I don't wanna confuse Reka, but I think he's safe jackin' it up under the pad.
Sonny
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I'm with Sonny here. Use that steering pivot to jack the car. Damned sight safer than trying to use a board and some section of that front crossmember and having the car slip off. Could end up hurting you OR doing some serious damage to the car!
It would be nice if we all had a proper car lift but that's just not practical for most of us. I've ALWAYS jacked my Studes (only 30-some years of course) on that pivot and never had any ill consequences that I could tell.
The only "stress" you'll put on that steering pivot is against the big, beefy washer that serves to keep the pin in place. I seriously doubt you could do it damage if you tried.[8D]
Miscreant at large.No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.Comment
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Another question..
While cleaning out some debris from the front crossmember, through the openings on the bottom/sides, I dug out several large nuts on both sides (as in nuts/bolts) ...they seemed to be just laying in there... one or two kinda rusty and the others sort of clean. One was different from the others in that on one side it had "teeth", sort of reminding of the top of a castle tower. I had a front end re-build and few years ago, and a front alignment job that I know the guy struggled with, so maybe they are "the ones that got away" during that job, but are there enough bolts inside the crossmember that these could have come loose from something important?
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It's possible that it was a couple that got away Hank. In any event, jack that thing up and look it all over thoroughly.
Sonny
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