Having just bought some Axle Stands, where is the best place to position them under an XJS V12.

Especially in Front, where there seems to be multiple places where they can go.

Pics Please:

 

You'll have to wait for pictures, its dark/wet/cold outside, and its late.

I have a bunch of the "standard" pin style axle stands, and on 4 of them I have welded a short length (about 3/4"} of 1" water pipe, to the top of the plate that the car normaly sits onto. This is the exact size of the pin style jacking points that are welded to the car, and this tube slides neatly OVER those pins, the car is lowered, and simply CANNOT slide off.

I have used them for near on 20 years now and never had an issue.

Snaps in about 12 hours or so.

 

totally agree with Grant but wish to respectfully add that it slightly depends upon what you want to do. Under the front suspension spring pans is OK if you have not done Grant's mod to your stands. For the rears I do not really trust the standard jacking points for long duration lifts as the rear axle rubber mounts are in tension and have no safety bolt.

For these I put the stands either under the outside end of the bottom wishbone, or under the central axle plate (provided the front is on the ground and wheels properly chocked) with a wooden block to cushion and spread the load.

Either way, placing some thick wooden blocks or old tyres under the body as fail-safe safety devices is a very good plan. It is not impossible to heave on a difficult bolt and pull a car on stands off them, so care is always needed. A car up on four stands is much more unstable than one on two.

What are you about to do OB?

Greg

 

Cheers Grant

That sounds a great idea, no need for pics as I know what you mean.

 

Hi Greg

I was taking the 'Wo oz' advice to bleed the Brakes a second time to get the last bit of Air out.

So what I did was to take out the poles of the Axle Stands , which then just left me with the Triangular Bases.

Then Jacked her up under the front beam and put these Triangular bases, on either side of the Jack. (also under the front beam)

With a couple of pieces of Wood on the top to protect the beam from getting dented.

As it turned out it worked perfect, as when lowered onto the Stands, the front wheels were only 2 ins off the Ground, which then made it easy to take the wheels off and then put them back on again.

I see what you mean about putting them under the springs, so I might try that next time.

 

Front beam just as good as long as the rear wheels are on the ground. Basically, it is only if all four wheels are off the ground and the car is on four stands, that having them as far apart as possible, and having safety blocks of some sort (eg old tyres) is important.

Greg

 

Hi Greg

Thanks,

If I have all four wheels off the ground, then I support the car on Big blocks of Wood.

But I thought I'd get some Axle Stands, as they are easier to use for things like bleeding the Brakes.

And today I'm going to make a modification, by taking out the tubes from the stands and replacing those tubes from ones cut from scaffolding poles.

Then if I can find them, put a couple of round 'Key Klamp' bases on the Top of those poles, so the Front Beam has more of a Surface to sit on,

which should also give them more stability.

 

I forgot, bugga.

Greg is 100% on the rears, and those cradle mounts back there are really not designed to be tensioned by the weight of the cradle. I have had no issues with them over the years, but I do replace them as part of my "post purchase" service. I also include the front cradle V mounts in that service. Overkill maybe, but failure of those suckers is scary.

 

Cheers Grant,

Now I've got the picture!