Safest Jackstand Practice on 1990 Mustang

[Hawkeye_306]

I am preparing to install a 5 lug conversion on my 1990 mustang, which requires the car to be suspended off of the wheels, with me underneath it (when pulling the axles).

I am not a novice around the garage - I have pulled and installed many an engine and transmission. However, in the past if I needed to elevate the car, I was able to support it by the tires. I typically jack up one end of the car, slide some spare rims under the tires (upside down), then lower the tires into the recessed back side of the upside down rims. I like this method, because you can tell just by looking that the car is not going to “rock” itself out of the upside down rims and fall on you.

Though I know that jackstands are used often, and they are engineered to support a car, I do not get that same safe feeling when I look at a car supported by jackstands. Can anyone share some stories/steps/pictures of successful jack stand use and placement? If I have some good examples to follow, it will help put my mind at rest.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[trbkrb]

Two under the rear end, one on each end far enough away from the ends to allow room to work on the rear brakes, like 6-8".

On the front, I put the two jack stands under the K member very close to where the A arms mounted, as far apart as possible. Then to remove the spindles (SN95 brake swap) I used a jack to support the A arm as I lowered it to remove the spindle from the ball joint.

If you are just doing rotors, keeping the Fox brakes, then you can put the stands under the A arms just fine.

Best way to support it is to put the stands under full length subframe connectors if you have them. That way they are not in the way at all.

Good luck on it! I did mine over two non consecutive weekends, so I drove around with different wheels front & back for a few weeks in between! LOL!

 

[faststang90]

jack stands

on the rear put it under the axle and on the front install them on the fram. i push on the car pretty hard to see if it will move. i would like it fall if im not under it i was looking for it andi could not find it but a guy had got cheap ones put the car on them and walked in the house for something and the stand broke so a cheaper is not all was better

 

[ScratchinFerTra]

Some ideas that might help. Just put a TKO in and about to install the 9". With doing the 5 lug convert up front you may want to go a different route than me, or maybe do one end at a time.
Stan

 

[ShortThrow50]

I use SUV jackstands. i bought 4 of them. it gets the car up high enough so you have more room underneath

 

[Hawkeye_306]

Thanks for the information guys, I sincerely appreciate it.

I ended up getting 4 sets (8 individual) jack stands. Four will support the car, and the other four will keep the car from falling all the way down if one of the others fail. I know that is a bit overkill, but I live alone with no one to hear my screams.

If all goes well, I will have a contribution to make to the 5-lug conversion questions - I am piecing together the conversion with Moser axles and Wilwood brakes (front and rear), which is a bit less common.