Swift / Fiat jacking advice (1 Viewer)

[barracudabus]

I need to jack the front end up to replace some drop links and after having a quick look the jacking points seem obvious; there's one at the front just behind the front wheel, one about halfway along near the exhaust and one just in front of the rear wheel.

front
mid
rear

However, as this will be the first time I've worked under a 3.5 tonne vehicle I wanted to double check the best locations for placing the axle stands .

So I rung Swift and the first response that was fed back to me from the technical department via the customer service desk was "we don't recommend using axle stands". They're going to get back to me tomorrow with what they do advice.

So while I'm waiting I wondered what others on here do. I plan on replacing all the brakes front and rear so advice for all around would be appreciated as it seems like I'm on the wrong path.

Swift Sundance 590RS 2005 on a Fiat Ducato 2.3 base

 

[pappajohn]

Unbelievable advise.....DONT USE AXLE STANDS !!!

I wouldn't bother waiting for them to get back to you....no telling what dodgy advise you'll get.

I would avoid any sill jacking points unless you plan on using the supplied scissor jack (brave man)
Jack under the chassis using a block or jack saddle if neccessary and place axle stands under the chassis also.

NEVER rely on a jack alone.....even brand new jacks can fail.

 

[barracudabus]

Thanks @pappajohn

I've got a 3 ton trolley jack but was going to invest in a 5 ton bottle jack for the van, I don't trust scissor jacks on a car so wouldn't contemplate using one on the van for 1 second.

When you say jack and support on the chassis do you mean off the suspension, etc or the box frame underneath?

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[gus-lopez]

As pappa said axle stands under the chassis rails. (box frame) As close to the front as you can get.

 

[barracudabus]

Unbelievable advise.....DONT USE AXLE STANDS !!!

...........

NEVER rely on a jack alone.....even brand new jacks can fail.

They weren't for a second suggesting using on jacks alone which is why they are going to come back to me. I do think it was strange advice too so it'll be interesting to see what they come back with.

I've used jacks forever and it's what I trust so I'll definitely go that way

 

[barracudabus]

As pappa said axle stands under the chassis rails. (box frame) As close to the front as you can get.

Thanks @gus-lopez, I had read somewhere to avoid doing this on AL-KO frames so was a bit cautious but if it's OK that's good.

I've got some thick decking off cuts so I'll use these to spread the load and protect the frame

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[icantremember]

Definitely use axle stands .... I guess you may be changing at least a front tyre

 

[Neil Bedwin]

I wonder if the advice not to use axle stands is because the axle stands most people have lying around will be two tonne car axle stands? If you have a pair of 4 tonne you should be fine.

 

[ambulancekidd]

I wonder if the advice not to use axle stands is because the axle stands most people have lying around will be two tonne car axle stands? If you have a pair of 4 tonne you should be fine.

I doubt that, remember that no axle stand is required to support all of the vehicle, so for the sake of clarity if the whole front of the vehicle is jacked up & supported on axle stands the vehicle weighs 4 tonnes you'd be supporting a little over two tonnes on stands that are rated to 2 tonnes each.

The same goes for a 3 tonne jack, its never lifting the whole vehicle in one go, that'd be impossible.

Now that said, you can never have too much safety, but common sense is required.

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[pappajohn]

Thanks @gus-lopez, I had read somewhere to avoid doing this on AL-KO frames so was a bit cautious but if it's OK that's good.

I've got some thick decking off cuts so I'll use these to spread the load and protect the frame

The front end, from just behind the rear of the cab, is original base manufacturer chassis.
The Alko rear end bit is bolted to it so jacking under the front part of the chassis is ok.
Alko don't make a complete chassis except caravans.

 

[barracudabus]

I wonder if the advice not to use axle stands is because the axle stands most people have lying around will be two tonne car axle stands? If you have a pair of 4 tonne you should be fine.

That's quite possible, you would have thought they'd just ask though.

I've got a couple of 3 ton stands so that should be fine on a 3400kg van as it's 6 ton combined.

 

[pappajohn]

It'll still be interesting to see what they come back with though.

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[autorouter]

Be careful to read the small print. Some, but not all, axle stands are rated PER PAIR. So a 2 tonne pair of car axle stands may be rated 1 tonne each.

 

[Neil Bedwin]

Be careful to read the small print. Some, but not all, axle stands are rated PER PAIR. So a 2 tonne pair of car axle stands may be rated 1 tonne each.

Indeed.... Halfords advertise these as 2 Ton stands but they are 1 Ton each. If you have had them a few years would you remember that they are 1 Ton each or just remember the 2 Ton part......

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-to...UEqis6hMagYdn1v0tdqkY318cvx3XsHRoCM48QAvD_BwE

 

[barracudabus]

So they came back today advising "to use axle stands on the main beam as close to the cross member as possible", and that took them 24 hours

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[dave newell]

The front jacking points as shown in the first photo are prone to corrosion so give them a good visual i inspection before using them. The "mid points" as shown in photo 2 are not jacking points, do not use them as such, they are anchoring points for various body types that could be mounted to the chassis. The rear Jacking points are exactly that if you are using the supplied scissor jack. The fact you have these points identifies your vehicle as not having an AlKo chassis so you can ignore advice regarding that subject.

Personally I would put the Jack under the front jacking points (assuming they're not rotten) and then place axle stands under the front subframe close to the lower suspension arm mountings. At the rear i would Jack under the axle and place stands under the axle.

D.

 

[mitzimad]

i would do one end at a time even with the correct stand they are only as good as the ground there on