best place to put axle stands

[robandsophie]

Hi,

I am going to drop back axle and replace tired suspension. also clean and paint the axle.
However I'm a bit stuck as to where the best place is to put the axle stands.
Any ideas??

Rob

[philthehill]

Are you going to extract the axle from under the car sideways or rearwards under the petrol tank?

[Monty-4]

Last time I did this I put the axle stands at the back, behind where the rear shackle plates hang, but with a long plank of wood between them to spread the load. Nothing appeared to collapse...

[biomed32uk]

When I did this I lowered the car onto my wheel ramps with a lump of floor joist across the top of them placed right in front of the forward rear spring hangers. Just need to make sure you are not going to trap any wiring, brake lines, fuel lines or damage anything. Need to be careful of the propshaft as well and bending it.

I took all of the stuff out of the boot including the spare wheel to reduce unnecessary weight, and even made sure the petrol tank was fairly empty before starting.

Really nice and stable like that for hauling around underneath and the car sat there for a few weeks like it.

[robandsophie]

Hi Phil,

Plan to take out backward under petrol tank.
Thanks to monty and biomed32 for advice, I guess biomed32 is best plan. However i do not have ramps so piece of joist timber on axle stands will work just as well??

Cheers

Rob

[philthehill]

If you are going to take out the axle rearwards under the petrol tank I would suggest that a piece of wood (min 4" x 4" i.e. fence post) placed across the underside of the car directly in front of the rear axle front mountings and the axle stands placed under it. Make sure that the propshaft is removed first and you do not squash and fuel or brake lines etc. Pack the wood were required to clear or keep level.
Unload the boot of weight and add some counter weight at the front of the car.
Until you are ready to drag out the axle some support immediately to the rear of the petrol tank is advised.
What ever you do - do it safely and do not work alone and as importantly with removing a lump such as the rear axle do not rush the job as that is when accidents happen!!!!