using a floorjack with a cobra......

four.six · Aug 30, 2005

well guys im gonna work on fixing that leak with my UPR X. im gonna put RTV on all the connections, and in the O2 sensor threads. any ways, i have to get the car off the ground obviously. well i got ramps for the front. on my GT, i just drove up the ramps and used a floor jack in the middle of the rear axle under the differential housing, and put blocks under the rear tires.... well, im not sure if it would be safe doing that with my IRS cobra. can i still jack it up like that?? or is there some other way i need to do it??? hopefully i explained this correctly. thanks guys!!

Kilgore Trout · Aug 30, 2005

Here's the jacking points for the non-IRS. The owner's manual should have an illustration of jacking points. I do not advise jacking on the pumpkin, ever

four.six · Aug 30, 2005

OIC... i thought that was ok. just shows u how much i know. thanks!!

Cobra Jay · Aug 31, 2005

Kilgore Trout said:
I do not advise jacking on the pumpkin, ever

On an IRS car I wouldn't use a jack on the pig, but on a solid rear axle you can without a probblem. Just make sure you don't bend the diff cover.

forpit2000gt · Aug 31, 2005

only problem I can see is putting blocks under the tires....

Kilgore Trout · Aug 31, 2005

GT JAY said:
On an IRS car I wouldn't use a jack on the pig, but on a solid rear axle you can without a probblem. Just make sure you don't bend the diff cover.

I am going to have to disagree with you on this one GTJay. Too many people have posted stories about blowing their diff seal by doing it. Plus there is this:

NOTE: Many people will use a floor jack under the differential to lift the entire back of the car up at once, even though the manuals expressly says NOT to do this. People of have done it this way for years with no ill effects. But here is the reason why they tell you not to.

The rear axle is not perfectly straight. To allow the rear end to track correctly, there is about a 1 degree negative camber built into the rear axle. Basically what that means is that instead of axle being parallel with the ground, the differential is a little lower than the center line and the the top of the wheels tilt slightly towards the vehicle.
If you lift the vehicle from the differential, you are putting stress on both left and right axle housings where they meet the differential, at the same time. They were not designed to perform in this manner. Although you may not break anything, you do not want to stress this area or slightly tweak it and remove or reduce this 1 degree negative camber.

NOTE: If you use the wide flat area of the front of the Kframe as a jacking point, be careful. If the jacking plate of your jack is not flat then you run the risk of indenting this area. Doubtful it will cause any complications, but you will hate your self for it later.

cryptic · Aug 31, 2005

Better safe than sorry,

I dont think that it will hurt the IRS, but it's never safe to work under a car on a jack alone! Giving the circumstances of you pulling on , and moving the mid pipe arround you never know if only a jack will be very stable.

Just my two cents, good luck man

Jinx · Aug 31, 2005

I would NOT recomend lifting on the pumpkin, as you may damage the seal. Also a pair of jack stands are cheaper than a coffin.

forpit2000gt · Aug 31, 2005

Jinx102672 said:
I would NOT recomend lifting on the pumpkin, as you may damage the seal. Also a pair of jack stands are cheaper than a coffin.

timeless2 · Aug 31, 2005

Jinx102672 said:
I would NOT recomend lifting on the pumpkin, as you may damage the seal. Also a pair of jack stands are cheaper than a coffin.

This is no joke. A kid I went to high school with had his Fox body up on jackstands in the rear and only a jack in the front. Needless to say, the results were not favorable for him at all. He died as a result of neglecting his own safety, as many people do every day.

Jinx · Aug 31, 2005

git-it-83 said:
This is no joke...

I fully agree.

and, four.six, if you cannot get the answer you're looking for here, call or visit your local dealership. I'm sure they can point out or give you a print of the proper jack points for your IRS cobra. Kilgore's image upload should be pretty close though.

Cobra Jay · Aug 31, 2005

I'm not saying you're totally wrong. On an IRS vehicle I wouldn't use a jack under the pumpkin. But I gotta say on blowing out a diffseal by jacking you car up by the pumpkin on a solid axle. If anything putting jack stands on the axle tubes is would be worse IMO.

All that weight on the axle tubes to me would be more stress than jacking the car up by the pumpkin. Think about it, When you jack the car up by the pumpkin, the whole car lifts evenly because of how the LCA's, UCA's,springs and shocks attach the axle to the car. I think Ford suggests NOT jacking the car up by the pumpkin so the don't get 8 million people returning their cars to the dealer because they bent their diff cover because they wern't paying attention and put the jack right under the cover and wind up bending it up causing a leak.

I work at the axle plant, so I'll ask a few people if they think that jacking the car up by the pumpkin is bad idea.

I've been wrenching on cars for 20+ years (started out with my dad) and I've always jacked the rear of the car up by the pumpkin and have NEVER had a problem.

Kilgore Trout · Aug 31, 2005

What about the 1 degree negative camber thing? Please ask the axle plant workers about that as well. I want to jack on the pumpkin, if it IS safe. Right now I feel like it is not...

Cobra Jay · Aug 31, 2005

Kilgore Trout said:
What about the 1 degree negative camber thing? Please ask the axle plant workers about that as well. I want to jack on the pumpkin, if it IS safe. Right now I feel like it is not...

Will do.

timeless2 · Aug 31, 2005

Agreed, this information would be good to know.

sgarlic · Aug 31, 2005

Too lazy to read the posts.. but if someone hasn't already said this, don't put RTV on the threads, use some plug valve grease.

mogs01gt · Aug 31, 2005

four.six said:
well guys im gonna work on fixing that leak with my UPR X. im gonna put RTV on all the connections, and in the O2 sensor threads. any ways, i have to get the car off the ground obviously. well i got ramps for the front. on my GT, i just drove up the ramps and used a floor jack in the middle of the rear axle under the differential housing, and put blocks under the rear tires.... well, im not sure if it would be safe doing that with my IRS cobra. can i still jack it up like that?? or is there some other way i need to do it??? hopefully i explained this correctly. thanks guys!!

Silicone sealant probably wont be the best thing to use. Are you trying to keep the threads tight? A mild thread locker could do that.

if the X pipe is leaking on the manifolds, a gasket will be need or grinding down the part of the manifold that isn't allowing the seal is a must.

OZcobra · Jul 16, 2013

Spot on, this is a serious question. Does anyone know the answer to the question by "four.six"?

Bob Hughes · Jul 16, 2013

I'm another +1 on not lifting on the pumpkin. I made that mistake doing brakes 2 years ago. Cane out next morning to find a puddle of gear oil. Tweaked that thin tin cover and it started leaking. I would just jack one corner at a time until you get it where you want. I made wedged 3x10 blocks 9" high if i don't need to get the wheels off.

OZcobra · Jul 16, 2013

Thanks Bob, I purchased a trolley jack and 2 Stands ... not game to lift the rear in order to position a stand. I can''t find a reference that clearly shows the correct positioning of the jack. I'm trying to get to the ABS Sensors that are located near the diff.
(Mine is a 01 SVT Cobra Vert.). I think I'll follow your example and make some Wedged Blocks... Do you know anyone selling rear sensors? F9ZZ2C190CA or CB, ALS124, Brab 90 ... I've been looking for 13 months. Thanks again.

using a floorjack with a cobra......

four.six

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