Greg Solow wrote:
>
> 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
> >
Greg
Thanks for your reply, which confirms everything I've been doing since I
got my first Morgan in 1967. And I have no bent or broken frames (from
jacking, that is)
Bill Boyles
'63 steel bodied +4 SS
'67 +4+
'73 4/4 4seater
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