The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hey
Does anyone out there know how to jack up a Challenger without causeing damage to the farme or any other key components? I have found that there are special holes in the front and rear bumpers to fit the factory jack but since I can't find it I am forced to improvise. Does anyone out there know how the best way is to go about doing this? Is it safe to get under there with a hydraulic jack under the back back axle or will that cause stress points to the axle and/or frame. The car has been sitting for 15 years and the last thing I want to do is bend or break a already possibly weak frame or undercarriage in general. If anyone out there has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it as soon as possible. This car is in the way of a farmers building project and if not moved it may be sent to the scrap yard.
Thanks Again
Sincerely Allan Lance[/b]

I'm sure someone will give you better answer, but here's what factory manual says.

I use the lift points indicated on the diagram although I have never thought to look at a diagram! When you look under the car at the chassis it is pretty obvious where it looks strongest.

Try to spead the load from the jack over a larger area to avoid putting dents in the bottom of the chassis. If this area is weak the car has pretty much had it anyway although for the brave you can get replacement chassis sections.

Other jacking points I use are under the axle diff (if i want to raise both rear wheels at once) or one end of the axle (if I want to raise one wheel without raising the rest of the car too much). You will not harm the axle.

However not all jacks are suitible for lifting at these points. Jacks with a 'cup' shaped lifting point are cool for this so that the axle or diff does not slip off.

Another jacking point I sometimes use is the lower control arm (if i want to raise the front wheel without lifting the car as much) but you have to be careful it does not slip off the jack.

Just as an after thought.

I NEVER jack the car up on the K-frame and I would NEVER use a bumper jack except in an emergency.

Why never from the K-frame? How're you supposed to get both front wheels off of the ground at the same time?

Because the jack can slip off the k-frame. It is safer to jack up one side, put an axle stand under, then jack the other side.

Eh, I'd tend to think that that would twist the frame along the front to rear axis. Never tried it, maybe it doesnt twist that much. I have a big enough cup to fit the length of the K-frame in it, so I'm ok anyways.

The frame twists every time you drive it. These cars have little torsional strength without chassis connectors. It does flex but then it flexes back again.

If I need a lot of height I do it in stages. Jack one side up half way, then the other side the full height before bringing the first side up level.

If you have found a safe way to jack by the centre of the k-frame then that is fine.

I have a large hydraulic jack with a plate on it that has square teeth, it reaches both the front and back of the k-frame and holds it between the teeth, and the teeth grab on the sides also. I put stands under it in case the jack fails, but it works fine.

Sounds good. I would be tripping over it or hitting my shins on it on my small garage.

AAAH that bothers me so much! The Challenger is JUST long enough that I cant close my garage door when its in the bay! Plenty of room on the sides of the car, but the nose sticks out like 2 inches. I have to just drape clear plastic over the opening. Hah, my Ford Maverick fits fine, though. I can just about turn the whole car around in the garage!

I had my Challenger 15 years before I had a garage it would fit in at all!

I give a lot of credit to you guys who cant just drive your car into a garage or barn to work on it. How you get them done that way, I'll never know. Winter is my main time to work on the car, but I can see it being a little difficult if you dont have a heated space. Having to dig through a foot of snow to get to anything must make it hard to do any wrenching!

Moparman1972 wrote:Why never from the K-frame? How're you supposed to get both front wheels off of the ground at the same time?

Another good reason for never jacking at the K frame so that the wheels are hanging, is this. You risk damaging the front end bushes.The upper control arms are bushed in two places on the chassis. These bushes are usually rubber and once the upper control arm-to-chassis bolts are tightened, these bushes do not move. As the arms move up and down during the normal course of driving, these rubber bushes flex/ twist within their steel washer cups but do not turn. So when you jack the K frame so that the wheels hang totally suspended, the suspension travel is now far more than normal. These bushes are stressed far beyond their normal range. If they are getting old and not as flexible as new,, then the liklihood of them tearing or cracking is high.

The best way to jack the front end is under each lower control arm, close to the wheel, one at a time with jack stands when the desired height is resched, as Dave said. Or, behind the front wheels there is a strong point in the chassis as well. This is usually where the hoist pads are placed.