FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / where to place jack to lift car after installing total control rack

**Posted by 1fststang** 1/07/2019 1:04 PM

Just curious where you guys place a jack to lift up front of car after installing the Total Control rack that takes the place of the front cross member. The front cross member made it easy to get the entire front in up quickly.

Wish I had made a jack plate for the front of the car now that the cross member is gone.

**Posted by lowercasesteve** 1/07/2019 4:14 PM

Yeah, I had that same problem. I finally used two jack stands at the normal jacking positions under the A-pillar. Its a pain, but that's all I could figure out.

**Posted by ps77sb** 1/07/2019 4:39 PM

I made a lifting bracket out of 6"X24" channel iron. I then put a short piece of 4X4 on each end that went up to the frame rail next to the LCA. I don't know how to down load pictures yet (yea I know it didn't happen without pictures) but if you send me your cell # I'll text a picture.
1977 F100 T/L 4sp 351W narrowed 9"- 1968 mustang coupe in pieces forever

**Posted by 6sally6** 1/07/2019 6:45 PM

Short piece of 2X4 under the oil pan is suppose to work!
Butt-eye wouldn't bet on it
6s6

**Posted by Hornman** 1/07/2019 7:11 PM

6sally6 wrote:
Short piece of 2X4 under the oil pan is suppose to work!
Butt-eye wouldn't bet on it
6s6

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

**Posted by MS** 1/07/2019 10:40 PM

Somebody please take Sal’s beer away from him. Motor mounts are not designed to be put in tension, supporting the weight of the car.

My solution: bought a four post lift. Also installed 2” x 2” x 1/4” wall steel tube inside the floor support beams so I could use a jack under them without dentng them. Granted, that is alot more work than most are willing to go to.

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 1/08/2019 10:51 AM

Two Harbor Freight aluminum jacks and play dueling jacks on the factory lift points under the A-pillars. A couple 2x4 blocks ensure no damage to the vehicle. Stands can be placed anywhere along the framerail really (so long as the framerails are solid). LCA mounting boxes are another spot you can use for stands or lifting. Its not hard, just requires a little bit of thought to ensure you aren't going to damage anything with the jack or the stands. Wood, or rubber jack pad/stand covers typically prevent any damage because they deform before metal.

**Posted by 6sally6** 1/08/2019 6:41 PM

Hornman wrote:
6sally6 wrote:
Short piece of 2X4 under the oil pan is suppose to work!
Butt-eye wouldn't bet on it
6s6

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Just repeating (bad) info I heard somewhere.

When jacking under the A-pillars be sure and put the jack across the fuel line like most garages did "back-in-the-day"!
A really great way to improve your mileage!
6s6

**Posted by jkordzi** 1/08/2019 8:49 PM

I have used a floor jack and an 8" block of wood under the metal support under the radiator to jack the entire front end up enough to place jack stands under the front subframe. It has never deflected. I have read about folks using the tubular cross member, but mine is too close to my custom oil pan to risk it.

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 1/09/2019 5:36 AM

The tubular crossmember can support the car, but tends to get damaged from jacking on it. It also tends to rust from the inside and can be weakened without it being obvious. I recently replaced mine due to being able to hear rust inside it and it having several dents (there is one "dent" in it from the factory, so if it only have the one then its not really dented).

At times I used the radiator support too, but discontinued that because it just didn't seem like a good idea. I've also spent about two days straightening the radiator support in my '89 GT because it was used to jack up the car for two decades.

**Posted by rpm** 1/09/2019 2:19 PM

Sometimes I used the HF Crossbar attachment on a floor jack to lift from the front frame rails.

And continuing to go off topic, usually I lift from the engine cross member which I made from 1-1/2"x .156" wall 4130. The first one I made from .095 wall, but I could see it flex when jacking.

**Posted by josh-kebob** 1/09/2019 3:25 PM

6sally6 wrote:
Short piece of 2X4 under the oil pan is suppose to work!
Butt-eye wouldn't bet on it
6s6

So would you use that same jack and 2x4 under the gas tank to raise the rear of the car???!!!

**Posted by rpm** 1/09/2019 3:29 PM

josh-kebob wrote:
6sally6 wrote:
Short piece of 2X4 under the oil pan is suppose to work!
Butt-eye wouldn't bet on it
6s6
So would you use that same jack and 2x4 under the gas tank to raise the rear of the car???!!!

Laughing my arse off!

**Posted by ps77sb** 1/09/2019 6:12 PM

I didn't think of that. What a concept. Modern technology at it's best.

**Posted by jkordzi** 1/09/2019 10:24 PM

That's a nice x-member. How did you bend that thick tubing? Why did you do the ends that way instead of welding on a triangulated bracket like the typical way it's done on after market ones? Do those tabs attach to the LCAs - they look like they're too far inboard?

rpm wrote:
Sometimes I used the HF Crossbar attachment on a floor jack to lift from the front frame rails.

And continuing to go off topic, usually I lift from the engine cross member which I made from 1-1/2"x .156" wall 4130. The first one I made from .095 wall, but I could see it flex when jacking.

**Posted by rpm** 1/09/2019 10:51 PM

Thank you. I bent the tubing with this JD2 bender.

The mounting end design was used because I saw it used on a race car years ago and I liked the looks of it. And I really disliked the cheesy look of anything else out there for sale. There's more work involved making it, butt hey, Bullet Bob is my mentor.

And yes, the tabs with 1/2" holes connect to the lower control arm mounting bolt. Shelby did it, so...