Great feedback guys, cheers.

On the subject of ramps...they freak me out a bit. (I broke Clarke's (o1xjr) cupboard once when they slipped at his house....whoops!)

How do you guys stop them slipping forward when you drive up onto them?

Do you have a "spotter" to guide you up the ramps and what sort of damage can you do if you drive too far over the ramp and down?

 

It only took about 10 minutes to put together a "U" as illustrated in Workshop Manual.

I used a scrap piece of 1" thick plywood and two pieces of 1/2", and screwed the pieces together. It ends up flatter and wider than the one illustrated.

The nice consequence of using the U is the jack is always centered and raises the backend evenly. I just store it with the trolley jack so I don't have to go searching for it when I need it.

 

My trick for stopping the ramps from slipping forward is that I NEVER drive up on them.

I put them under the tires after lifting the car with the trolley jack.

But that's just me.

 

I do the same, have four ramps, jack the car up, place the ramps under the tires, pull the jack and have the car up on all four and tons of room under free of jacks and stands.

 

After weeks of searching the flea market and not finding a decent jack then agonizing about forking out $300+ for a new low profile racing jack, I bit the bullet and went round to Canadian Tire to pick one up.

When I got to the jack aisle, I thought I saw the jack I wanted, but for some reason the one on the shelf had a sticker price of $110 ..it was the only one in stock and it seemed to be the 18" lift and 2-1/2 ton one I'd seen online, so I took it to the checkout.

When the clerk scanned the box, she said "that'll be $336.00 with tax sir" - and I said "hey look, the price on the aisle tag says $110" ...so she calls the manager and we both go back to the aisle to check the tag - guess what? The jack was tagged incorrectly and I walked out of the store paying only the $110 plus tax!

I loved my jack even more after that!!

Larry

 

That's a great idea. I never thought of that, cheers. Especially good if you are working solo too.

My only question on that is, if you have the two front wheels up on ramps, what do you have for the back wheel incase it was to roll back off the ramps?

 

You *always* start with wheel chocks on the tires opposite the jacking end. Don't depend on the parking pawl or engine compression or the handbrake.

Also if you are using ramps, turn them opposite to how gravity might want to take the car. In other words, point the ramps forward rather than backward if you are raising the front end.

Cheers

 

Great advice again. Any particular method for wheel chocks? Just a wedge of wood or perhaps a rubber wedge?

 

Ramps really 'Freak' me as well and I would never use them, let alone drive up them, one mistake can flick a Ramp up and totally ruin your Car.

 

You were very Lucky, they don't have to do that in the UK, its an 'invitation to treat'

 

Don't even go there 'Bro'

Use some great big solid Chunks of Wood.

 

It's just too risky 'Bro'

With that kind of weight, a Ramp could just Collapse without any Warning!

 

Heh guys. Sorry I haven't been on this thread in a while.

Does anybody have a pic of how they chock their back wheels (if at all) when raising the front section only?

Also when working on the transmission area of the car, what is your preferred method of jacking up? (I am troubleshooting a speedo fault and have trans fluid to flush also).

I am thinking coming in from the front, jacking up and placing an axel stand either side of the Front left and right jacking points behind the front wheels. Is that ok?

Previously I have done all the lifting at friends houses who have assisted me but I have the confidence now to do it at home when I get back from

cheers in advance

 

What's up with the speedo Paul?


As for jacking up the front, before I had a ramp (ie most of my XJS life) this is what I did, car on level floor:
Four large blocks of hardwood, say 1 foot square by 4 inches deep, two behind the back wheels and two in front of them. You can cut a 45 degree chamfer on the edge against the tyre if you wish.
Handbrake off, car in neutral
Trolley jack from the front centre of the car under front subframe with a piece of wood between jack pan and subframe
Jack up front
Then place sturdy jackstands under each front spring pan and lower jack so jackstands are taking the weight. Leave jack in place just touching the subframe.
Handbrake on, car in park.
Extra blocks of wood under the jacking points if you wish.
Greg

 

A couple of misadventures with ramps. Each mea culpa!!! But, I prefer them to jack stands whenever more useful.


1. I neglected to chock the rear wheels with the front wheels up on the ramps. Just to get better access while working under the dash on the driver side. OK, while in "P" and hand brake set. Moved from "P" to "R" to observe if the backup lamps lit. Rolled off the ramps. Hand brake set did zip! Only the open door against the Jeep parked almost along side saved me. The Jaguar door took it!!! Hyper extension issue. Another story already told.


2. The ramp "kicked out" as I drove on to it. Bent and split stamped steel!!! Ramp fixed. BFH to straighten it. MIG'd the split. But, in "belt and braces" style, I drilled it and fitted a cross gusset over the welded split. Nuts ansd bolts secure it.


3. I have at least two dedicated wheel "chocks". About 4' x 4" in each case.


4. When setting the rams or chocks, I give them a stout kick to engage them.


Carl

 

Cheers guys.

Greg the speedo quit working the other day after I gave the ole girl a test run after my EFI adventures. Ran out of time and now back at I know in the past I had a look at that sender mounted near the transmission and the wires were a bit dodgey from memory. Having just finished redoing alot of other electrical connections I thought I might be onto something but ran out of time. Also I was going to start there as the gauge itself had been refurbished with a new circuit board retro fitted inside. I might start up a thread but can't inspect too much out here. Just kinda getting ready for when I get back home..

In regards to the jacking...I am just curious why you first placed it in N and handbrake off. Is this so you can allow movement before you get it into place?

each front spring pan sorry Greg is this the front jacking points you use to change the tyre or do you mean across the front subframe where I am jacking up the car with the Trolley Jack?

 

Yes, as the car is raised by the trolley jack, the rear axle has to be able to turn. Also the trolley jack has to move a touch, or slip on the subframe or the car move, because as it is raised the lifting platform of the jack moves up in an arc, not straight up. So the trolley jack's wheels must be free to move slightly.


The spring pan is the thick piece of pressed steel bolted up to the bottom of he bottom wishbone on which the springs rest at the bottom, see pic
For extra security you can place wood under the OEM jacking points, but they are not nearly as secure as placing jackstands under the front wishbone.


Greg

 

Cheers Greg. Ok I understand now however if we chock the back wheels before we jack it up from the front do we not then lose that manverouabilty of the back wheels turning slightly as they are wedged in? Or will we still get a little bit of play? (enough to accomodate the trolley jacks arcing movement?)

Also if I had a set of ramps I am guessing I could turn them around and use them as chock also yes?

Sorry if I am missing the point.....I am a little green at this! Thanks for your patience!

 

With the chocks, as you raise the trolley jack the car turns about the axle, the wheels stay in the same place, the trolley jack moves slightly on its wheels. If the car is in park and the handbrake applied the car cannot turn round the axle so you may wind up the propshaft/diff. There may be enough backlash to accommodate the movement or there may not, depending upon which way the backlash is actually free. You cannot guarantee to have stopped the car with the backlash centralised for fore and aft movement.

NO, ramps are not chocks, you need something fairly steep and about 3 to 4 inches high only against the tyre to chock effectively, so the tyre is trying to climb it, not to push it. I am not against using ramps for raising the front of a car, but it is quite difficult to actually drive an XJS onto a ramp, as a very shallow angle is needed on the ramp. Once on the ramp you MUST put wood blocks to completely fill the space under the ramp. Then you are secure with the rear wheels chocked and in park and handbrake on.
Greg

 

I use pieces of 4x4" wood as chocks. I kick it into place to wedge it against the tire.

For my jack I find I have to drive up onto pieces of 2x6" wood laid flat to get enough clearance to get my jack under the front spoiler of the car. I also sweep the area I am going to be jacking on to make sure it's free of small stones etc so that the jack can roll as I lift.

Interestingly, in the X300 tool kit chocks are supplied!