Is there a safe way to keep front suspension compressed when jacking up front end?

In order to get 8" of clearance under my front tires to use the Race Ramp cribs I have to fully extend the 3 ton jack that is positioned under the front crossmember. Has anyone ever used a cable or chains to keep the lower control arms from unloading? Whenever I change springs or remove the spindle I wrap a chain through the spring and frame to keep it from flying out if something goes awry. I'm wondering if I can do something similar to keep the spring compressed but I know there is literally a ton of force trying to expand the spring as the weight is removed.

 

Why don't you just jack it up under the control arms?

 

Ratchet straps? maybe

 

So why do you need to do this? When something sounds like a bad idea it usually is.

 

Start by putting a block under each tire. Now you should have clearance to put a block on the floor jack. One 4x4 block should be enough.

 

Race Ramp cribs look like a bad idea to me, same with the ramps, cinder blocks, tires, wood blocks, etc that people use. The issue is the wheel moves in and out as the suspension settles on the "whatever" and the dang thing can tip over. The only time I consider those is when torquing the lower control arm bolts (when the car is supposed to be at ride height) and then I also use a jack and stands to be sure.
https://www.discountramps.com/wheel-cribs/p/RR-WCB/

Be careful my friend!

 

Not my Buick but for my Camaro I needed to get it 6" in the air to get the engine crane under the suspension. I specifically made wood blocks for this purpose, but as Bill said above, I'm not a fan of those, too easy for car to move off them (even rears chocked). So I went a bit overboard. mine are 3 of 2x4's high (layered in a cross pattern of course), but then have a "fence" which is a 4th layer but sit outside the wheel as a "chock" around all 4 sides of the front wheel, so the front wheel is captured inside the block. She ain't moving

 

yeah Chris - and you weren't under the car!

 

Exactly Bill, those plastic stands would never give me enough confidence to slide on under, that's a deadly accident waiting to happen

 

Yall would pee your pants if you seen some of the sketchy stuff I've been part of ha,..

 

I’m not worried at all that these wheel cribs will fail. I have more confidence in these or even the 2x10 wood blocks that I used to use than I do in chinese made cast iron jack stand supports.

 

I thought about that but I have tubular control arms and the only flat spot is under the lower ball joint. The jack pad will mar the crap out of the lower arm and crush the grease fitting.

 

I don’t need to do it. I was just wondering if someone on this forum had a trick up there sleeve. I’m at the physical limit of the jack (nearly 24”) just to get 8” of space under the front tires.

 

We bought my mom a decent used Camry to run her errands in. Unfortunately she let one of my nephews drive it for a couple of weeks. One day he noticed a puddle of oil under it but he didn't have time to do anything about it. This Einstein ran it out of oil and of course the engine locked up.

My older brother had a friend with a Camry that had a bad Trans so he wanted to buy hers to make one car out of two. He jacked it up and blocked it up so he could get under the car to inspect it before spending $200.00...

My mom sent me this unbelievable picture:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-IN-FLOOR...802213?hash=item3fc304a925:g:qP8AAOSwbF1aKYz6

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydraulic-...73141310372?hash=item3f987da3a4:g:O5gAAOSwuIR

Five" get you where you need? other wise there is a whole set. I usually just slip a 2x6 or two in there to get some extra then slip some under the wheel let the jack down a bit then slip another one or two on the saddle to get the height i need for the cribs I made.

And how does one "Not have time" to do something about a puddle of oil under their vehicle? One of the things I taught our children when we were learning to drive was to look under the car as we approached it to see if it is leaking. I know I do in every vehicle I drive. If it isn't leaking I need to put more in.

 

When you're on a marijuana run you just can't be bothered with trivial things like motor oil.

 

What are you trying to accomplish? Why do you need more than 8" under the front tires? If you're just trying to get the car up higher, drive up on 2x6's, jack the car up and stack wood up under the tires. Then put a block of wood on the jack and jack up the car again.

 

I use wood blocks all the time but be careful the slightest little thing on the floor or jack wheels that dont roll too well will get you in a mess,..its really easy to make an extended cradle for the jack,.that's a better option,..but as I mentioned I'm a hard headed fool and that's just something else for me to do so...sketchy block of wood it is ha

 

I agree. I do it all the time but my OTC floor jack is very stable and has a large dished saddle. I always stay as clear as possible and make sure that if it slips, I have an escape route. I don't think that I would stack wood on a small Harbor Freight jack.

 

Ha Ha - yeah its all those sketchy things that I've done that lead me to try to convince the young'uns to go a different route!

Bill A - I can't see them failing either but I question their stability. I see other styles that are wider at the bottom than the top which should be more stable.