Seeking wisdom from the list about how best to lift the front with a jack?

[shakin_jake]

I could use some assistance por favor. Jake is wanting to swap front tires on Cretin Girl, his 2021 RT Limited. I have no experience lifting the front end or either front wheel off the ground. I did some messages with Mike (BLUEKNIGHT911) awhile back and IIRC he said I could get a conventional floor jack under the A arm, to lift one side at a time. The problem I’m having, I can get the floor jack under the A arm but, Mike told me to put a piece of wood between the jack and the A arm yet I don’t have enough clearance to get both, under the A arm. As you can see in the pic I’m posting here, I’m using a 2 by 4 but it’s too thick, to get it on top of the jack and under the suspension.

I have another question come to think of it (looking at the pic). Is it better to work the jack (like the floor jack I’m using) from behind like where it’s positioned or is it better to come at it from the front? For those noble souls that have gone before me, I’m all ears TIA

Best,


Jake
Reddick, Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

 

[BajaRon]

If you can find a piece of cardboard and double it over, that should give you sufficient protection against gouging the paint on the A-Arm and still leave you enough room. Turn the wheel so that you get better access to the jack. You should be able to tell which direction will give you the easiest options. My guess would be from the rear. But I've not jacked a Spyder using a scissors jack. Not that it won't work.

Are you swapping wheels with another Spyder?

 

[shakin_jake]

If you can find a piece of cardboard and double it over, that should give you sufficient protection against gouging the paint on the A-Arm and still leave you enough room. Turn the wheel so that you get better access to the jack. You should be able to tell which direction will give you the easiest options. My guess would be from the rear. But I've not jacked a Spyder using a scissors jack. Not that it won't work.

~~~that’s brilliant Ron, thank you!

Are you swapping wheels with another Spyder?

~~~installing new tires




Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

 

[Gwolf]

The small scissor jacks that come in most compact cars are easier to get under where they need to go, than the large floor jacks. Most junkyards got a whole bin full of them you can get for a couple of bucks or they sell brand new ones at the auto parts places and on line. Once you get it raised, put the jack stands under it. The small scissor jacks won't be in the way of the jack stands like the big floor jacks. You can put one under each side and raise the whole front end at once. The scissor jacks are low enough to slide right under. My big roll around floor jacks won't go down far enough to get under the front end when it is sitting on a flat surface. I used to run it up on some ramps to get the floor jacks under it, but now I just lift with the old car scissor jacks.

I keep some pieces of thick leather around to protect the paint from the jacks and jack stands. Pieces of old 2 inch wide belt work perfect. Zip tie them to the jack stands and they don't get lost.

 

[2dogs]

Cut your 2x4 in half and drive up on one half and use the other half to put on the jack under the A-arm.

 

[Navydad]

The small scissor jacks that come in most compact cars are easier to get under where they need to go, than the large floor jacks. Most junkyards got a whole bin full of them you can get for a couple of bucks or they sell brand new ones at the auto parts places and on line. Once you get it raised, put the jack stands under it. The small scissor jacks won't be in the way of the jack stands like the big floor jacks. You can put one under each side and raise the whole front end at once. The scissor jacks are low enough to slide right under. My big roll around floor jacks won't go down far enough to get under the front end when it is sitting on a flat surface. I used to run it up on some ramps to get the floor jacks under it, but now I just lift with the old car scissor jacks.

I keep some pieces of thick leather around to protect the paint from the jacks and jack stands. Pieces of old 2 inch wide belt work perfect. Zip tie them to the jack stands and they don't get lost.

This exactly what I do. Break the lug nuts loose while the tire is still on the ground unless you have someone nearby to apply the brakes to keep wheels from spinning.

 

[Bfromla]

Additional options: Got a set of ramps? Drive up; set brake/wheel chalk & then plenty clearance for whatever jack & board combination. Or if plenty of boards available,drive on that for extra height. ( they might slide at first)

 

[shakin_jake]

Great advice Gwolf & 2dogs. I like the compact scissors jack idea but, Jake is a little impatient tonight so e’s likely going to wing it wif the monstah floor jack, to R&R at least 1 wheel. Seriously good advice all around concerning the leather bits

Where I’m slightly stumped (NOW)… I have a butt load of miscellaneous sockets. I’m trying to find the best fit for the lug nuts. 1st place so far goes to a 6 point 13/16 ths. What are others using to R&R the lug nuts?!?




Best,



Jake
Reddick Fla.
We always like a bit of volume- Phil Campbell

 

[shakin_jake]

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6 point 13/16ths has a little slop. Still looking for the best fit. What are others using to R&R the wheel lugs???



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

 

[shakin_jake]

Additional options: Got a set of ramps? Drive up; set brake/wheel chalk & then plenty clearance for whatever jack & board combination. Or if plenty of boards available,drive on that for extra height. ( they might slide at first)

~~~good stuff but I think I’m gonna use my floor jack and some wadded cardboard tonight, if I break the wheel lugs foist!


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

 

[shakin_jake]

~~~not that anyone asked, & I didn’t mention it but, the plan is for Jake to R&R the tires using hand tools, which is why I’m not concerned with lifting both wheels simultaneously. I can do them one at a time


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while

 

[BajaRon]

~~~that’s brilliant Ron, thank you!

Well, I don't know about 'Brilliant', but I appreciate the kind words. I'm glad it helped.

 

[shakin_jake]

Well, I don't know about 'Brilliant', but I appreciate the kind words. I'm glad it helped.

~~~which size socket (& how many points?) are you using to R&R Spyder wheel lugs Ron?



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while

 

[JayBros]

Jake, I have 2 six-point 13/16 sockets, one 1/2" drive, the other 3/8" drive, both Craftsman, neither of which have any slack in them, that I've used for all my wheel removals over 87K+ miles.

 

[shakin_jake]

Jake, I have 2 six-point 13/16 sockets, one 1/2" drive, the other 3/8" drive, both Craftsman, neither of which have any slack in them, that I've used for all my wheel removals over 87K+ miles.

~~~awesome!, I like the way my 1/2” drive 6 point 13/16ths fits too, but I detect just a tad of play. The other socket I tried that came close but is sloppier is a 21mm 12 point (1/2” drive). If the 13/16ths 6 point has worked for you all those years/smiles, then I’ll call it done and use the same. Thank you very much!


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

~~~awesome!, I like the way my 1/2” drive 6 point 13/16ths fits too, but I detect just a tad of play. The other socket I tried that came close but is sloppier is a 21mm 12 point (1/2” drive). If the 13/16ths 6 point has worked for you all those years/smiles, then I’ll call it done and use the same. Thank you very much!


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

Yes, the 21mm is supposed to be an Exact Fit. However, I found the 13/16th's is a tighter fit. .... If lifting one wheel, the scissor jack is what I have used .... with a piece of 1/4 in plywood under the 'A' arm. ... I bought a few scissor jacks at junk yards and welded and cut off the round end and welded a 5/8th nut onto it ..... this now works well with a drill ... I've also used that jack for lifting the rear using a block sized to fit the width of the metal rear shock tabs ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[shakin_jake]

Yes, the 21mm is supposed to be an Exact Fit. However, I found the 13/16th's is a tighter fit. .... If lifting one wheel, the scissor jack is what I have used .... with a piece of 1/4 in plywood under the 'A' arm. ... I bought a few scissor jacks at junk yards and welded and cut off the round end and welded a 5/8th nut onto it ..... this now works well with a drill ... I've also used that jack for lifting the rear using a block sized to fit the width of the metal rear shock tabs ..... Mike :thumbup:

~~~both of the aforementioned sockets are from the same set of Kobalt tools. I got to thinking about what you said here, using 1/4” plywood so i rode up to my horse barn to have a look around at what kind of scrap plywood I might find and came onto a piece of scrap fence board (1/2” thick)

I had put my battery operated circular saw in the Spyder’s frunk so I grabbed the fence board, saw and set it on the grapple on the front of my Kioti tractor to use as a work table and wouldn't you know it, no battery in the saw. So i brought the board back to my garage and I’ll cut after I find a fresh battery to fit the Ryobi saw

I’m bound and determined to get the left wheel off my Spyder tonight/this morning


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs - Henry Ford

 

[Little Blue]

....I believe you can 'get errr' done now.
I would definitely utilize the tire jack method that everyone has been talking about. Best place is your local auto salvage yard.

Remember to be Safe and Stay in the Game.

 

[shakin_jake]

~~~ well, I finally got that sucker off!

~~~ good time to have a look see to check brake pad wear. Both the inboard & outboard pads have plenty of friction material (pad) wear left, but then there’s only 8 Kmiles on the odometer, and I’m not one to “ride the brakes.”

~~~ this view may appear to be busy, but it’s not really. I measured the width (front to rear) of the A arm where i wanted to (and did) place my floor jack along with where the wooden shim I cut to fit in there. I came up with 7", so I cut the fence board 9” in length so I’d have an inch overlap on the front and back. There’s still plenty of room for my wooden jack stand, or what I’m using to hold the steering knuckle, so that the floor jack doesn’t have to support the weight of the Spyder while the wheel/tire is removed.

~~~ here’s a view from the front. I couldn’t locate my jack stands so I improvised. I don’t care to toss scrap wood away. The bigger piece was left-over from when we rebuilt/replaced all the wood border on the horse wash rack on the gabled end of the horse barn. My carpenters originally built the wood barn and wash rack almost 25 years ago, & the PT lumber got pretty beat up (wash rack lumber) from sitting in the Fla. sun all those years!

~~~ I thought they (BRP?) used an excessive amount of wheel weights when these tires were originally balanced. I recall reading somewhere years ago that there’s a maximum amount of wheel weights needed & if you need to go over, scrap the tire. That said, the front end on my Spyder never shook (& the right wheel used way less wheel weights to balance).


I’m thru w/this job for the time being. We’re going on a donut run into Ocala at 7 AM to try out Tasty O’s donuts. We’ve lived up this way 25 years and never tried the donuts at this Ocala institution. We’ve always gone to Kristy Kreme in Gainesville for our donut fix. There is a small independent donut maker, despite having 3 locations in Gainesville (Halo donuts). I’ve heard they are good (Halo, they make potato donuts) but I made the trek up to G’sville twice in less than a week’s time to sample Halo potato donuts, yet 2 of the locations I tried hitting were both closed on the 2 mornings I drove up there (20+ miles one way), and I got there both times to both locations early = :-(, to no avail.


Yeah, so I’ll clean up the wheel/tire before dismounting.


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[BajaRon]

~~~ well, I finally got that sucker off!

~~~ good time to have a look see to check brake pad wear. Both the inboard & outboard pads have plenty of friction material (pad) wear left, but then there’s only 8 Kmiles on the odometer, and I’m not one to “ride the brakes.”

~~~ this view may appear to be busy, but it’s not really. I measured the width (front to rear) of the A arm where i wanted to (and did) place my floor jack along with where the wooden shim I cut to fit in there. I came up with 7", so I cut the fence board 9” in length so I’d have an inch overlap on the front and back. There’s still plenty of room for my wooden jack stand, or what I’m using to hold the steering knuckle, so that the floor jack doesn’t have to support the weight of the Spyder while the wheel/tire is removed.

~~~ here’s a view from the front. I couldn’t locate my jack stands so I improvised. I don’t care to toss scrap wood away. The bigger piece was left-over from when we rebuilt/replaced all the wood border on the horse wash rack on the gabled end of the horse barn. My carpenters originally built the wood barn and wash rack almost 25 years ago, & the PT lumber got pretty beat up (wash rack lumber) from sitting in the Fla. sun all those years!

~~~ I thought they (BRP?) used an excessive amount of wheel weights when these tires were originally balanced. I recall reading somewhere years ago that there’s a maximum amount of wheel weights needed & if you need to go over, scrap the tire. That said, the front end on my Spyder never shook (& the right wheel used way less wheel weights to balance).


I’m thru w/this job for the time being. We’re going on a donut run into Ocala at 7 AM to try out Tasty O’s donuts. We’ve lived up this way 25 years and never tried the donuts at this Ocala institution. We’ve always gone to Kristy Kreme in Gainesville for our donut fix. There is a small independent donut maker, despite having 3 locations in Gainesville (Halo donuts). I’ve heard they are good (Halo, they make potato donuts) but I made the trek up to G’sville twice in less than a week’s time to sample Halo potato donuts, yet 2 of the locations I tried hitting were both closed on the 2 mornings I drove up there (20+ miles one way), and I got there both times to both locations early = :-(, to no avail.


Yeah, so I’ll clean up the wheel/tire before dismounting.


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

It's not excessive it it takes that much to balance. This amount is not uncommon when running Kenda's. We've seen more.