Jack stands for winter storage? [6 MONTHS LATER -- DOH!]

[joflaig]

Winter storage for me is 5 months. Just wondering, should I bother with jackstands? If so where is the best place to put them for long term storage? I've heard different things.

[Ghoste]

I have used them in the past but not the last few years.  I've heard different theories as well about where they should go but where I put mine were; two under the rear axle tubes and one each under each side of the forward K-member.

[Charger_Fan]

Unless you're fond of having your upper control arm's rubber bump stops split, don't let the front suspension hang all by itself. The pressure of the control arm flattening the bump stop will eventually split them.

I use four jack stands...two under the rear axle & one under each lower control arm in the front.

[joflaig]

Unless you're fond of having your upper control arm's rubber bump stops split, don't let the front suspension hang all by itself. The pressure of the control arm flattening the bump stop will eventually split them.

I use four jack stands...two under the rear axle & one under each lower control arm in the front.

I take it the ones on the axle should be as far out as possible, right?

[Ghoste]

I never had any flatten or split but I probably didn't do it enough because it certainly makes sense that it would happen.

[69*F5*SE]

That happend to mine.  Although, I'm going to replace all the front end to urethane anyway.  Ted

[Belgium R/T -68]

Any special reason to have the car on stands during the winter?

[Ghoste]

Get them up off the floor and let the tires hang so as not to develop flat spots.

[resq302]

I don't put the car up on stands since I move the car around a little during the winter as long as there is no salt on the roads or snow on the ground.  Plus it gives me an excuse to take it out of the barn.  lol

[Charger_Fan]

Unless you're fond of having your upper control arm's rubber bump stops split, don't let the front suspension hang all by itself. The pressure of the control arm flattening the bump stop will eventually split them.

I use four jack stands...two under the rear axle & one under each lower control arm in the front.

I take it the ones on the axle should be as far out as possible, right?

I usually put them about halfway between the differential & the tire...or wherever looks comfortable.

[ITSA426]

What a great place to store your jack stands for the winter.

[Ghoste]

And contrary to what some believe, mice can still climb the jackstands to get up to your car.

[joflaig]

I'm resurecting this long dormant thread...ok, 6 months have passed! Today was the day I was FINALLY going to take her out after a long winter here in Wisconsin! Well, what do I see, but one of the tires has gone completely flat! These were new tires. 

Well, I took the tire off and put the car up on jack stands. I think the front sits maybe an inch lower that the rear, does it matter? I'm too tired to make it the same height now, the tires are all off the ground anyway.

Also, since this is the first time I've ever put my car on jack stands, can you guys tell me if I got the locations ok?

The rear axel is fairly obvious, but I got conflicting advice about where to put them up front,:under the lower c-arms or under the frame rails. I looked at the c-arms, but wasn't sure the exact best spot so I put them under the frame rails.

I don't know if the flattened tire is worthless or not. With the weight of the car on it the wheel rim was almost touching the ground, it looks better in the pics. What's the usual scenerio? Get a new tire? Why did it go flat like that!?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

[joflaig]

more

[tan top]

always put them one the axle  & on the lower control arms ,  i had my  charger in storage for 11 years like that  no probs

[joflaig]

always put them one the axle  & on the lower control arms ,  i had my  charger in storage for 11 years like that  no probs

If I recall the resto shop had them on the stands about where I put them, of course for long time there was no motor or control arms...anyway I guess there would be no harm, right, like this for a week while I deal with the tire.

[Foreman72]

try pumping it up and spritzing it w/ water from a spray bottle...that'll tell u where its leaking...but i think if you put them on the frame rails and then put something under the tires so the front suspension isn;t just chilling there...

[joflaig]

try pumping it up and spritzing it w/ water from a spray bottle...that'll tell u where its leaking...but i think if you put them on the frame rails and then put something under the tires so the front suspension isn;t just chilling there...

Thanks. Good idea. It's just a week I hope. I wish someone had a pic of exactly where under the c-arms the stands should go. The top of the jack stands are narrower that the lower c-arms. 

[tan top]

always put them one the axle  & on the lower control arms ,  i had my  charger in storage for 11 years like that  no probs

If I recall the resto shop had them on the stands about where I put them, of course for long time there was no motor or control arms...anyway I guess there would be no harm, right, like this for a week while I deal with the tire.

nope not much weight with out a motor  ....  still would not leave it like that for too long , if you must !!! & the motor is in !!  would put a extra screw jack or bottle jack under the K frame 

[joflaig]

nope not much weight with out a motor  ....  still would not leave it like that for too long , if you must !!! & the motor is in !!  would put a extra screw jack or bottle jack under the K frame 

Well I won't be back to visit the car until Friday night. I took your advice and bought a screw/bottle jack. I assume I place it dead center under the k-member in addition to where I have the two on the frame rails now?

I'm still unclear how the jack stand would go under the lower c-arms since they are wider than the support and I wouldn't know exactly where to put them. I can apreciate not leaving the front suspension hanging for months.

[69bronzeT5]

My car did the same thing. My Vector and Radial T/A on the passenger's front went completley flat and the wheel was sitting on the ground basically. I tried pumping it up but it still won't go all the way. There's now a bulge in it.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

I thought the idea when putting your car on stands was to take the weight off of the suspension and tires. Is this incorrect?  If so I have been doing things wrong for almost 30 years! OMG!!

I always placed them under the front and rear frame sections!

[joflaig]

I thought the idea when putting your car on stands was to take the weight off of the suspension and tires. Is this incorrect?  If so I have been doing things wrong for almost 30 years! OMG!!

I always placed them under the front and rear frame sections!

In the same spots I put them under?

[1969chargerrtse]

I gotta tell ya, I've had at least 40 muscle cars ( and many bikes ) in my years of owning cars, some for over 7 years and they all sat for winter here in the North East.  I never had a tire issue, or fuel issue, or any problems.  I started them once a month or every other month over winter, and by springtime I was back on the road.  I see no reasons for jack stands for winter storage.  To me it's just extra work that will make no difference.

[maxwellwedge]

I gotta tell ya, I've had at least 40 muscle cars ( and many bikes ) in my years of owning cars, some for over 7 years and they all sat for winter here in the North East.  I never had a tire issue, or fuel issue, or any problems.  I started them once a month or every other month over winter, and by springtime I was back on the road.  I see no reasons for jack stands for winter storage.  To me it's just extra work that will make no difference.

The worst problem I ever had was some loss of tire air pressure - but they are going to do that in any position.

[NYCMille]

I'm spying cool stuff under there... whatcha' running... QA1s maybe? Brembo's?... what going on down there?

[69bronzeT5]

They look like Brembo's

[dstryr]

If you had as cold a winter as we did, I think the tire got so cold that it was too stiff to maintain its seal on the bead when it was -20*F a couple of times.  My Firestone redline bias ply tires held air all winter but my wife's daily driver got 2 flats during the cold spells.  No nails, just too cold to keep the bead sealed. 

[Ghoste]

Yet another reason to hate winter.

[c00nhunterjoe]

i too never put mine on stands, and my poor car sits outside in a gravel driveway, it will go months at a time without being moved and i have never had a problem with flat spots. my right front wheel  leaks air but that is from the solid valve stem o-ring leaking.

[jerry]

saw a garage burn down with 2 cars in it on jack stands. guy told his wife he could have saved them if they would have been on the ground

[2Gunz]

saw a garage burn down with 2 cars in it on jack stands. guy told his wife he could have saved them if they would have been on the ground

I think I would have used my super human adrenaline strength to push the cars of the jack stands!

[Charger_Fan]

saw a garage burn down with 2 cars in it on jack stands. guy told his wife he could have saved them if they would have been on the ground

I think I would have used my super human adrenaline strength to push the cars of the jack stands!

That's for sure! Or at least latched onto them with a tow strap & dragged them outta there. But of course I wasn't there, so maybe there was no way to drag them out with another car.

[Nitrox]

This sounds like overkill. I have a show truck that Ive left sitting in my garage for 1.5 years. I took it out last week and there is no crazy vibration or anything from "flat spots". With all due respect, I think this jackstand thing is bull****. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

those look like Wilwoods to be