Jacking up front end or rear end only

Hi all,

Still haven't decided on a lift for the garage yet so I wanted to throw out a question. Is it possible to lift the front end in "one shot" instead of jacking up the left side and then the right side? Same question for the rear also.

Thanks,

Kenny78

Providing you can get a jack under the front, Yes, I've done it many times. You may need a long nose low jack, or drive up on some 2x6s to raise it high enough to get under. As for the rear, where will you put the jack? Not much area with exhaust on the vehicle. The sides are much easier. 

For what it is worth, I've not created problems lifting any of the cars I've owned by placing a floor jack under the center of the front suspension cross member and then placing jack stands under the control arms so the car is resting on the suspension.  Then I go to the rear and lift from the differential again placing jack stands under suspension points.

Jacking one side at a time takes some trial and error to find the "sweet spot" where the car is balanced front to rear.  I never feel comfortable when lifting the other side up.

IMHO, jacking up one corner at a time puts extra twist on the frame, and body, that I would rather not do. 

If the car is going to be off the ground for any length of time I always set the jack stands under suspension points rather than under the frame which leaves the suspension hanging.

I also open the doors and hood when jacking from the side.

F.Y.I. Convertibles should ALWAYS have the door closed. The pin in the door pillar is support for the body spreading. 

I've broken 2 of those tapered pin receptors by having the doors closed.

Forgot to add that I did drive both "The Toy" and "The Beast" up on 2x6s to gain the room needed to get my floor jack under the car as manchestershark mentioned.  Putting a chunk of 4x4 on the jack let me slip in between the exhaust pipes to reach the differential on both cars.