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I have always had concern regarding lifting my Pantera with a floor jack on the sheet metal boxed sections of the front quarter panel. I have never seen the thickness of the metal in this area, so I am concerned about these sections collapsing, as well as putting undue twist on the chassis when lifting one corner at a time.

So I came up with this lifting fixture / load spreader.

By taking a piece of 1 ½” x 3” rectangular tube and cutting two slots (¾” deep), I created this lift bar for the front of my car. See Figure 1 for bar and slot dimensions.  You can use a chop saw, a cold metal saw, or a mill for this task.

The slots create a positive locating feature for the lift bar on the pinch welds below the car’s frame. The load is spread across both sides of the frame across the bar (see Figure 2). The two triangular gussets across the front of the car’s frame also engage the bar.

The lift bar allows me to jack the front of the car in a level configuration with a single floor jack (Figure 3).  I generally place two equal height jack stands in the inner sway bar mount pockets when the front of the car is raised.



(UPDATE): Not sure why the pictures aren't showing automatically, but if you click on them (below) they show up, at least for me.



Rocky

IMG_2791 [Large)

Figure 1. Lift Bar General Configuration & Dimensions

IMG_2787_Cropped [Large)

Figure 2. Lift Bar Showing Frame Engagement / Frame Gusset

IMG_2789 [Large)

Figure 3. Lift Bar in Action

IMG_2787_Cropped [Large)IMG_2789 [Large)IMG_2791 [Large)

Attachments

Images (3)
  • IMG_2787_Cropped (Large): Engagement Features
  • IMG_2789 (Large): Lift Bar in Action
  • IMG_2791 (Large): Load Spreader and Dimensions
Last edited by rocky
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@jag13cat posted:

I like your idea better than the 2 x6 piece of wood I've been using.

Thanks for the compliments.

The 2x6 wood beam was my previous approach, but the new "load spreader" design also gives more room to get the jack under there, because of the recesses cut into the lifting beam.

It's tough with these really cool cars that are so low to the ground!

 

Last edited by rocky

No - sorry the picture makes it look like that.  I don't think that would be a good idea.

There are gussets (the center sway bar mounts) that are welded to the outside of the frame and to the suspension mount.  These mounts are welded on both sides, and on the top.  They are pretty stout.  The top of the jackstands fit right into the gussets (center sway bar mounts) for very secure position locating.

I use these as secure, flat mounts for the top of my jackstands - of course the user has to decide how to support their own car.  But if you go look at how the sway bar mounts are constructed - you will see that they are pretty stout.

This picture tries to show the jackstand positioning, and it shows the mount from the top.  The jackstand sits under the plate that swaybar mount is attached to, and up against the frame on both sides.

CB1B9669-2311-48F4-B108-B80DF6209925

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Images (1)
  • CB1B9669-2311-48F4-B108-B80DF6209925
Last edited by rocky

526AAE0E-B7AD-41C2-8968-362F0EC597D6Another, permanent approach is to treat the front crossmember like many owners have traditionally treated the rear crossmember - Weld in a suitable steel bar to prevent the collapsing of the pinch weld. 

The photo is a bit unclear as everything is black undercoating or black paint. You are looking at the right hand chassis triangular corner gusset mentioned by Rocky, at the RH rear of the valance. The Allen head bolts are anchor bolts for the chassis brace sold by Larry Stock at Pantera parts connection.

The arrow is pointing to the right hand edge of the bar stock welded to the backside of the valance pinch weld.

it is approximately 10” x 3/4”, 1/4” thick  

Larry 

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Images (1)
  • 526AAE0E-B7AD-41C2-8968-362F0EC597D6

It took me a bit to figure out your approach (my fault, not yours), but basically what you did was strengthen the bottom of the front valence with the bar, right?

And as the bar sits on the gussets - so you can also use it as a jacking point?

Good idea - keeps that valence straight and really strengthens it.

I was just going to permanently weld the bar across the frame, but my body guy talked me out of it.  They didn't want to weld on the frame, and it would have reduced ground clearance by about 3/4"....

 

Hi Jan -

That tube is about 1/4” thick steel....  I have no doubt that it would successfully support the weight of the entire car, and more.

Since the bar sits solidly on the frame, and on the gussets, it protects those pinch welds, and won’t crush anything underneath the car.

I’m not sure if it would work in your situation or not, but you might check it out next time you get your car on a lift, or jacked up.

Last edited by rocky

Great Idea. 

I have been using a 4"* 5/8" flat bar over the floor jack to bridge the chassis .The flat bar flexes but will take it but its always a bit of a drama..

Lifting with the flat bar option is a bit dodgy because you only  have the steel on steel as slip restraint.  I like this allot better because there is some lateral restraint if it moves laterally.  The front is very difficult to jack. The beast is running 13 inch rims on the front so its lowww.  Very difficult to get the  jack in .  I will have to check that the remaining room is enough for the slotted bar to fit above the jack. If there is I will make one up tomorrow.

Next stop  is to dig a pit in the garage floor...! 

@rocky posted:

Hi Jan -

That tube is about 1/4” thick steel....  I have no doubt that it would successfully support the weight of the entire car, and more.

Since the bar sits solidly on the frame, and on the gussets, it protects those pinch welds, and won’t crush anything underneath the car.

I’m not sure if it would work in your situation or not, but you might check it out next time you get your car on a lift, or jacked up.

Very good, thanks. Although I have a belly pan, the front of the car is still open foreword of the front firewall so your set up would work on my car too. I hardly have a need to jack it up but its more convenient than using two jacks. By the way I see you have a 1.5 ton jack and I was thinking of getting one from Harbor Freight but wasn't sure if that was strong enough for the rear of the car (I currently have an old 3 ton, but its a bit tall). I like that 1.5 you have since it is low and doesn't weigh that much either, easy to move around for an old fart.

Last edited by does200

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