When replacing exhaust on a Cabby, jack stands? 3-ton? 6-ton?

[theNamesRuss]

If you are doing the exhaust work yourself, and do not have a full garage with lift, will jack stands put into place with a floor jack give you enough space for all that pipe work? It seems 3-ton jack stands will fit initially, but may not rise high enough safely.

Would 6-ton jacks be plenty high enough, (and safer too), but too high on their lowest setting to initially place them under the Cabriolet after the Cabriolet has been lifted with the floor jack?

What's the best way to achieve maximum work space under these Cabriolets safely for working on and replacing the exhaust system?

[cuppie]

Two sets of jack stands.

I have the same problem whenever i work on my Scirocco at home - it sucks to get it up to a decent work height.
Which is a good part of the reason that I try to do most of my work at, well, work. There, I have a hoist.

Put the car up on the 3-ton stands; then continue to lift to get the 6-ton stands in place.
To save time, put the front end up on ramps; then jack the rear end to the same height.

Profit!

[hyperlightboards48]

If you are doing the exhaust work yourself, and do not have a full garage with lift, will jack stands put into place with a floor jack give you enough space for all that pipe work? It seems 3-ton jack stands will fit initially, but may not rise high enough safely.

Just depends on how much room you want. Can it be done with 3 ton stands? Of course, but it would be nicer with 6 ton ones. Hell I did my last muffler by backing one tire up on the curb

Would 6-ton jacks be plenty high enough, (and safer too), but too high on their lowest setting to initially place them under the Cabriolet after the Cabriolet has been lifted with the floor jack?
All depends on the range of the jack... a wood block can be your friend here (if used correctly)

[briano1234]

I have 2 sets of 3 ton jacks I can get the car sufficiently in the air to do most any work.


This shows the jack stand at the highest reach, and even with my large belly I usually have no issues with getting under the car on a creeper.

[euroteknique]

When i build my exhausts. i'm only under the car for fitment the rest is done outside.
and 1 3 ton jack stand has been enough. If YOU need more then use it. I don't personally put the car up on 4 stands i only jack up one side



2 mandrel u bends 1, 4 foot straight pipe and muffler has always been enough for vw's (corrados and my jettas) oh and a vband clamp and flex joint all from summit racing and a few couplers to make butting ends together easier never been a fan of the nk1 design of using springs and ball socket thing

i use my portable bandsaw, pipe clamp and stand from harbor freight, and my mig welder.
cheapo craigslist find.

[theNamesRuss]

I can see now that more have commented, that this impromptu video I just threw together may not be necessary.

But, anyway, here it is.

I mistakenly mentioned in the video that I'd get it up to height all in one pass. That's likely not the case. I'll probably winch it up to one level and then come around for another boost up once I get the floor jack blocked up on a few sheets of 3/4" plywood.

VIDEO -

http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/g...nt=CarTilt.mp4

[euroteknique]

tilt the car it will be fine its been done before time and time again. i've left cars like that for over a month.

[theNamesRuss]

Okay. I've lifted the car to about 20 inches.

But, I've got some concerns about working under the car. Can you all look at the way I've lifted the car and tell me if you think I have any reason to be concerned about working under there? (tearing out the exhaust and putting in the heat shield and new exhaust).

VIDEO:

http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/g...LiftedTest.mp4

[hyperlightboards48]

Wow you put a lot of effort into jacking the car up. Might be too much though. I wouldn't use the boards if i were you. The jack stands are designed to seat in the pinch weld.

[theNamesRuss]

...The jack stands are designed to seat in the pinch weld.

Well, that's the problem. The jack stands only make contact with the car at points where the car's body metal is; (no pinch weld metal is ever contacted). The designed seat in the jack stands I've got aren't touching anything at all! -- Because those jack stand seats are apparently cut too deep from what I'm seeing! Also, it really looks like the part of the jack stand that will make contact with the car is small enough to crumple the body metal at those points as it wouldn't be using any of the pinch weld at all from what I could see.

Are you sure I should remove the 2x4s?

[CajunSpike]

Personally, with no backup facts or examples:

Front of the car, I use the triple thick steel under the suspension support....where the bottom suspension plates attach. Lower suspension frame horns?

Rear of the car...I put the supports under the rear axle cross member steel.

No chance of either of these places crushing under the weight of the car.

[theNamesRuss]

Personally, with no backup facts or examples:

Front of the car, I use the triple thick steel under the suspension support....where the bottom suspension plates attach. Lower suspension frame horns?

Rear of the car...I put the supports under the rear axle cross member steel.

No chance of either of these places crushing under the weight of the car.

I like those spots too, but I have unfortunately found that the jack stands all end up too clustered together for me to work very well under the car if I use those points. I am trying the outside pinch welds in an effort to gain more work space under the car. Trouble is now I am a bit worried about the car falling off the stands somehow -- or crumpling the metal if I don't have a pad of some sort. I might be able to use the rear axle cross member steel, I suppose, but the front hard points under the engine put the jacks side by side. No room for me there.

I guess my next move will be to test-lift the car as I did in the video - this time without the boards. I really hope the body doesn't get buckled there due to the small support surface area of the jack stands.