Lift point for a floor jack

[willto]

The brake pads on my 97 towncar should be changed soon. Where is the lift point for a floor jack?

[98TC-Cartier]

98 TC has 9 lifting points, sure the earlier ones have about the same number. That doesn't include the 4 lift points for using a scissors jack on the 98 either.

Front: Frame just back of the front wheel, Spring cup on the lower A-arm, the big plate near the front of the engine.
Rear, Frame dogleg inner point in front of the rear wheel, and on the axle ube where it joins the diff housing.

[willto]

The service manual only gives 6 points for hoist, all at the sides, not in the center.

[nailfoot]

I always jack up my 1996 on the frame in front of the rear wheels or behind the front wheels. I NEVER use those factory provided lift points that appear to be on the body as opposed to the frame.

[gadget73]

I stick the jack center under the engine and lift both wheels at once, then promptly put it on stands. Only do this with a good quality jack. The cheapo ones are not likely to handle the weight. If you're using a cheapie, under the lower A arm should do the trick nicely. Jack stands go at the A pillar. If you look underneath, you'll see where the frame gets wider where it angles inward to support the front suspension parts. I usually put the stand right in this area where the pads on the jackstands fit nicely on the frame.

[v8_dave]

Depends, bottle jack or floor jack with the cup? The A arm nub is great for that. I have ben using a bottle jack forever so I should probably invest in a floor jack. I put it under the frame or the engine crossmember. The one I borrowed (2ton litle thing) I could barely get it to lift up the back diff. I think I'll look for something better for myself.

***Use jackstands too!

[2pac8]

i lift the car only at the factory jacking points, on the frame, not the indicators at the body.
http://xs308.xs.to/xs308/06425/jacking.gif.xs.jpg (http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs308&d=06425&f=jacking.gif)

I noticed that there are four holes (1/2") in the frame exactly at the jacking points (one per point). I use them to prevent slipping the frame out of the jack.

I insert a big bolt into the hole first, then i place the jack directly under this bolt and i jack up only the bolt, the jack doesn't even touch the frame and holds the bolt very well, the bolt also holds the frame.
I found this method much safer in my case, (i have whole underbody coated with greasy paint).

[nailfoot]

i lift the car only at the factory jacking points, on the frame, not the indicators at the body.
http://xs308.xs.to/xs308/06425/jacking.gif.xs.jpg (http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs308&d=06425&f=jacking.gif)

I noticed that there are four holes (1/2") in the frame exactly at the jacking points (one per point). I use them to prevent slipping the frame out of the jack.

I insert a big bolt into the hole first, then i place the jack directly under this bolt and i jack up only the bolt, the jack doesn't even touch the frame and holds the bolt very well, the bolt also holds the frame.
I found this method much safer in my case, (i have whole underbody coated with greasy paint).

Just make sure that bolt isn't so long that it winds up supporting the whole weight of the car on its end, on the inside of the framing member.

[2pac8]

Just make sure that bolt isn't so long that it winds up supporting the whole weight of the car on its end, on the inside of the framing member.

I insert the bolt only a bit, just enough to get a good grip, connection.
this drawing explains my setup:
http://xs308.xs.to/xs308/06425/jack.gif.xs.jpg (http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs308&d=06425&f=jack.gif)

[sheebeehuh]

For liftimg the front I always use a floor jack on the frame just behind the front wheel (and I put a jackstand under there as well for good measure).

Here's a link to some brake repair instructions for a '97 Grand Marquis. Might be helpful to you...

http://www.autoclinix.com/Mercury/Brakes.html

[nailfoot]

For liftimg the front I always use a floor jack on the frame just behind the front wheel (and I put a jackstand under there as well for good measure).

Here's a link to some brake repair instructions for a '97 Grand Marquis. Might be helpful to you...

http://www.autoclinix.com/Mercury/Brakes.html


That's a nice write up, but I personally do ot agree with the advice to ALWAYS resurface a rotor. I have done brakes dozens of times and only once have I ever replaced rotors. And, that was due to a warped rotor. Maybe I am decreasing the life of my brake pads but not resurfacing, but pads are cheap and still my brakes last for years and years.

[willto]

That's a nice write up, but I personally do ot agree with the advice to ALWAYS resurface a rotor. I have done brakes dozens of times and only once have I ever replaced rotors. And, that was due to a warped rotor. Maybe I am decreasing the life of my brake pads but not resurfacing, but pads are cheap and still my brakes last for years and years.

Typically how often do you change your brake pads? Or how many miles?

[gadget73]

re-surfacing the rotors is nice, but if yours are smooth and not warped, just taking some scotchbrite to break the glaze on them should be sufficient. If they have grooves, re-surface or replace them. The wear interval is hugely dependant on the quality of brake pads and your style of driving. I replaced a set on my S10 around 100k miles that had unknown miles on them. I replaced them again at 140k with still a fair amount of material on them. The rear brakes were changed at 140k and the original factory shoes were fine. I did brakes on my mom's Blazer at about 80k and they were shot, but not quite metal to metal. If you live with a lot of stop and go, you're never getting 80k miles out of a set of brake pads, same goes if you use the cheapie pads from Autozone.