Working Underneath

[1964 S1]

I recently purchased two used car ramps that work great for getting one end or the other up in the air. I drive straight up them. Saves a lot of jack time and I feel safer underneath. I'm just wondering about other tricks or custom supports for the rear wheels when free wheeling is needed. Where should or should not we support the suspension. ( and what about jacking up the rear chassis using wooden shims notched to fit snugly? )

[steveww]

If I need all 4 wheels in the air I jack up the front first and put axel stands at each end of the air tank. Then using a wooden shaped block I jack up the rear under the diff. Then I put axel stands with wooden blocks on the sill just in front of the rear wheels. Works for me B)

[rgh0]

I jack and support the car much the same as Steve.


I dont jack the rear directly under the diff but position the wooden block below the chassis just where it forks ahead of the diff. Jacking directly under the diff even with a block to spread the load can distort the bottom chassis plate by pushing it up slightly and that makes getting the diff out later on impossible.

Rohan

[lotuselanman]

:rolleyes:
Gidday to you all, Driving up on the ramps is fine, the rear end is somewhat a problem. This is how I got around it with my +2 on CV joints.
Shallow ramps for the rear as well or seperate, say 75mm high.
I made an attachment for my floor jack to sit on the jack pad and extend across to the fore and aft brace on the lower control arms. A short vertical piece to a north south open tube that fits under the bottom of the brace. The car can then be jacked up safely not putting load on the chassis, this method is criminal, and keeps the wheels and suspension in the loaded position as it would be on the ground. This I believe is very important as the suspension geometry on the Elan un loaded is horrible also for those using CV's it protects the boots. I have made several of these and have piccy's available on request.
See ya, Les

[richboyd]

The construction of the Spyder chassis allows for solid, wide based support at the rear. The chassis' upright towers (that go up to the top of the struts) have a large square opening at base. It is very easy to make simple 2x4 wooden supports for the upright towers. These supports locate themselves into the square openings. The std. Lotus-made chassis does not have the needed openings; the Spyder chassis does.

The wooden supports pass up through the rear wishbone (not touching them) and past the half-shafts (not touching them) to support the chassis at the base of the towers. This positions gives a fairly wide base of support, similar to the width of the front crossmember/vacuum tank. They provide very stable support, but are not useful for jacking - only subsequent support.

If anyone is interested in more detail or pictures, send me an e-mail at [email protected]

Rich Boyd

[poiuyt]

The mechanic who built my engine (whom I've known for 35 years and and has an Elan of his own) jacks the car with 1 foot wide 4X4s under the body behind the front wheels and the rear by the same method in front of the rear wheels. The wood spreads the load and he has not had a problem with any of the Elans he works on. Jack stands can be used and the jack removed.

Steve Becker
69 S4