In my 30 years of working on Morgans I have always jacked the cars up under
the lower front cross tube at the front and at the rectangular cross member
at the very rear of the car. These points are absolutly strong enough to
pick up the car without any damage to any component. I would NEVER lift the
car by using a jack under the engine oil pan. To do so is lifting the
wieght of the car suspended by the engine mounts in TENSION. The mounts are
designed to be loaded in compression and no way are they designed to support
more than maybe 75 to 100 lbs. in tension. The most damage to a Morgan
chassis occure when the car is lifted using a "floor" or "trolley" jack from
one side of the car. When this is done the pad of the jack has a tendency
to bend the inner lower flange of the chassis upwards. This is not
difficult to repair, although itis necessary to remove the floors to do it
if the damage is under the wood floors.
Over the years that I have owned my Morgan, since 1965, the only problem
I ever had using the original jack that goes through the hole in the front
seat crossmember was when I stupidly tried the jack up the car when it was
no on level ground without setting the hand brake or blocking the tires on
the opposite side of the car. The car rolled down hill and bent the "pin "
of the jack. There was no other damage fortunatly. In every other instance
of using the original screw jack it worked fast, well and safely.
The differential is a perfectly safe place to jack the car from, the
tubes are welded into the center casting at four rosett welds per side and
are in no danger of damge from jacking. Hard racing can cause the welds to
fail. The diff can be a little difficult to reach because it is so far
under the car and depending on the tires and your jack there may not be
clearance.
When using a floor jack under the rear crossmember or when jacking from
the side of the car, be sure to "hook" at least two of the ears of the jack
pad inside the inner edge of the chassis so that the car cannot slip off of
the jack. THIS LAST IS VERY IMPORTANT! I have seen cars slip off of jacks
when this was not done. The damage can be extensive and expensive!
Regards, Greg Solow
----- Original Message -----
From: Ernest(Chip) Brown <Chip.Brown@msdw.com>
To: <morgans@autox.team.net>
Cc: Phil Roettjer <Phil.Roettjer@quantum.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: Tire jack WHERE TO JACK is important!!!
> Well, there's a new string here. Phil knows his Morgans, but I've been
> told by several others to be very judicious in jacking up the car front
> and rear, that the preferred jacking points are midway along the frame
> at reinforced points, and that you should take great care to use a shim
> of protective material. I have been specifically advised NOT to jack at
> the differential, because the tubes pressed into the casting could pull
> loose. I don't know about the front cross piece, but if you ever bend
> it, you change the steering geometry. As I said in the prior email, I've
> been jacking along the sides only at specific points. I no longer put
> jack stands under the axle tubes, although I imagine if you're gentle
> enough, it won't do any damage. From the front, if I have to jack up the
> front end, I put my block of 2x6 under the sump and GENTLY raise the car
> high enough to put jack stands under the frame. I would think for
> changing tires on the road, that jacking on the side would be safest.
> Lift the whole side and you don't stress the frame as much.
>
> PS-As most of the readers of this list know, I am no pro at this, and
> only write all of this to provoke the real experts to give us their
> views on jacking points. I'd await word from others to form your
> opinion.
>
> Chip Brown
>
|