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Do you choose jack stands by height or do you only care if they can hold enough weight?

I'm wondering if the smaller 3 ton stands (16-3/4 inches max) are high enough to do all sorts of work underneath a car, or are the 6 ton, 24 inch high stands going to be a better choice? I know I'd need a taller jack if I get the larger stands, for one thing.

I was also wondering if you can (or should) use four stands at a time to lift the whole car, if that should ever be convenient.

 
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The height of the jack stand would pretty much depend on what type of work you're doing. Obviously you can still get jobs done that require short stands with tall ones, so if you're trying to decide go with tall. But as you said, you'd need a taller jack. Most regular maintenance work would only require short, so you'd be totally fine with short ones.

there are some things that are just easier to do with four jack stands, such as tranny oil change, tire rotation, etc. but when it comes down to it you CAN get away with only two.

Its your call, if money isn't an issue just get four tall ones. If it is then start with two short ones, then next time you can spare the cheese get the other two.

 
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with a lowered car, i have to get the smallest 2 ton stands available and never raise it. with my jack maxed out, i can barely slide the stands under the support points. but its more than high enough to fit under the car and do work. never use more than 2 jackstands at a time. and only lift one side of the vehicle at a time if youre doing work on the sides. if you lift the front of the car, be sure to use the ebrake and put wood behind the rear wheels.

 
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oh snap! I've never heard that before! what's the reasoning behind that?

 
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Thanks, yeah I searched around and found a prior discussion on this and it's technically dangerous to use four stands at once, so I won't.

 
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there is no reasoning behind that. 4 jack stands are perfectly fine. ever seen a car on a lift? yea it's basically jacked at 4 points.

just put the stands at points far from the cg.

 
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a lift is bolted to the ground and can not move it has nothing to do with the points of contact.

 
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when a car is on a lift, there is only an inch or two of space between the jack points and the lift platform. when a car is on jackstands, there is several feet of space between the car and the ground.

its much easier for a car to move and possibly "fall" when its up on 4 stands. theres really nothing to argue about. if you put any value on your life, you wont do it. there is even a big warning label right on the jackstands.

 
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that makes perfect sense. I'm actually about to do my first transmission oil change and I keep reading the car must be level to know the perfect amount of oil is going in (so the fill hole isn't at an abnormal angle). sorry to kinda thread jack (no pun intended), but is it better to just jack the front (for safety reasons) or to put it on four stands and be extremely careful? should I jack the front to drain and the back to fill and just make sure exactly 1.6qts go in? should I fill through the TSS hole? should I just ask you in that amazing "ask me about DIY" thread?

 
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From what I've read, it's more stable to use a couple of ramps in front with the stands and a jack in back (not that I've tried it).

 
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measure it now while its flat to make sure its the rite amount put the front on jacks drain the tranny into something you can measure mark it so then you will know exactly how much to put back in.

 
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Read the manual to see how much it takes but I am sure its 1.7 quarts. Thats how much mine takes. And you only need one stand for that job. Just put the stand under the end with the drain plug and fill plug. Drain it then put 1.7 quarts in it.

And ya putting your car on 4 jack stands is dangerous but dont go round shacking your car and **** and you wont have a problem. I have done it a couple times on doing some work on my car and ya it made me a little scared but if you dont go jerking around and shaking the hole car you should be alright. But it is recommended to use onlt 2 stands at a time. I only use 4 stands when I am doing my brakes or something like that.

 
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So I was wondering... how do you jack up a car at its jacking point and then slide a jack stand under that already occupied jacking point? There doesn't seem to be enough room for that maneuver.

 
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There are 2 more points on your car where you can put your jack under it and jack it up. There is a jacking point on the front middle sub frame and also on the rear tow hook. Jack up on those 2 points then put the stands under the other points.

 
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i'm thinking of replacing my brakes (front & back), rotors, drums & bleeding the system.. soon
so would i need 2 jacks or 4?
i thought i read in the DIY: Brake Surgery thread that the entire car should be jacked up/lifted. is this necessary to bleed the brakes

 
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if you're like me you pretty much do whatever gearbox says and he said if you do it you die. I wouldn't do it.

the physics behind it is undeniable. it would be super sensitive to force in any direction. even the torque from trying to unscrew something could knock it off one or more of the stands = game over.

it seems that there's usually a way to do work using two jacks and just repositioning them if needed. but that maybe something that takes a lift... i'm not sure.

 
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OK I'll look for those, thank you.

 
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for the front, if you still have your plastic splash shield, it actually has an arrow in the middle that points to the metal jack point and theres a hole cut out in the plastic so you can put the jack there.